The Nation Newspaper

Category: City Beats

  • Globacom for Ojude Oba festival

    Globacom for Ojude Oba festival

    Globacom Nigeria has promised to partner with organisers of Ojude Oba festival to ensure its success.

    Its Head, Public Sector Sales, Mr. Tunde Amunikoro, said the firm would sponsor the festival as part of its contributions to entrenching Ojude Oba as a world-class event.

    The festival, he said, had become a rallying point for tourists from all parts of the world who visit the country yearly, adding that the festival has also become a melting point where ideas and initiatives which would boost the growth and development of Ijebuland are considered.

    Amunikoro said: “By sponsoring Ojude Oba, and other festivals with huge tourism potential comparable to the Rio De Janeiro Festival, Globacom is helping to advance the cause of tourism in the country.

    “The obligation has seen us partnering with the people of Ijebuland to celebrate Ojude Oba festival, a relationship that began eight years ago and will last for many more years”.

    The festival coordinator, Chief Fassy Adetokunbo Yusuff, a former Information Commissioner in Ogun State, said Globacom’s sponsorship of the festival in the last eight years contributed to improvement in what makes the festival unique and memorable.

    He said the company has shown interest in tradition and values, which are binding forces, thereby enhancing the tourism potential of the festival.

    Yusuff said: “When the history of the telecommunications industry is written in Nigeria, Dr Mike Adenuga will  receive copious mention not only as a man whose company boasts of very affordable, people-oriented products and services alone, but also as one who contributed immensely to ensuring that our customs, cultures and traditions do not go moribund”.

    The festival, which is held in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, on the third day after the Eid-el-Kabir (Odun Ileya) has been on for over 100 years.

  • My wife is troublesome, uncaring, says man

    A 69-year-old man, Yekini Yusuf, has sought the dissolution of his one-year-old marriage to Bose, 20, at the Alagbado Customary Court in Lagos. He is alleging that his wife is troublesome.

    Yusuf, who works as a ticketing agent with operators of commercial tricycle, Keke Marwa, alleged that his wife is not caring, adding: “Worse still, she always harasses me in my place of work and even rains curses on me.

    He continued: “Since we got married, I have not known peace. She insults me each time she needs something from me. Her mother keeps advising her to be patient, but she doesn’t listen to her.

    “There was a day she took some stamped tickets because I did not give her money to purchase a dress for her church’s anniversary. All this started after she got pregnant.

    “I don’t want her to visit my place of work, but I will be depositing N10, 000 monthly for the upkeep of our baby and hers. I really crave this divorce because I doubt if she can turn over a new leaf.”

    But, Bose denied the allegations, saying: “We have never lived as a couple let alone spent a night together. I live with my mother, but I don’t know where he resides. He either sleeps with me in his office or at a hotel.  I have told him several times that I detest this, but he won’t listen to me.

    “ Yes, I took his tickets because when I asked for the money he promised me, he suddenly removed his dress, locked the doors and ordered me to lie on the table, saying he wanted to sleep with me. But I turned him down that day. I do not rain curses on him, as he claimed.  However, he is fond of cursing me whenever he calls me on the phone.

    “I honestly have to think over it because I don’t know if I love him.”

    The court’s President, Mr.  Olubode Sekoni,  fixed a chamber discussion for the couple and ordered them to bring four relations each.

    The case was adjourned the case till October 9.

  • ‘We no longer love each other’

    A middle-age woman, Mrs. Saki Soronke, has prayed the Mushin Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve her 14-year-old marriage to Gani. She alleged that her husband shirks his responsibilities as a father.

    The marriage, which was sealed under Native and Custom law, has produced two children:’’ Azeez (12) and Amiratu (4)

    Mrs. Soronke said: “Our marriage was close to perfect when we got married. Suddenly, my husband’s attitude became unpredictable. He has no respect for my relations and harasses me publicly. He constantly attacks me over trivial issues. Our home lacks a father’s love and affection. I don’t love him anymore. I also want my son in my care.”

    Her husband agreed to the divorce, saying: “I don’t love her any more, but I have been responsible for my children’s upkeep.I am not releasing them to Her. She is free to visit them whenever she wills.”

    The court President, Mrs. R.O Wushishi, advised the couple to maintain peace and try to settle their differences.

    The case was adjourned till October 9.

  • Fashola to commission EKO CLUB New Arcade Hall

    Fashola to commission EKO CLUB New Arcade Hall

    Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola will commission Eko Club New Arcade Hall as part of activities to celebrate the club’s 40th anniversary.

    The club’s President, Mr. Babatunde Faruk-Grillo, during the half yearly general meeting that all hands must be on deck for the success.

    He called for the support and cooperation of members, saying the programme for the celebration of the anniversary is slated for October 10 to 18.

    Faruk-Grillo gave the breakdown of events for the celebration to include thanksgiving Jumat Service and church service and the Special Family Day and Sport Finals.

    Other activities include the anniversary Symposium and Photo exhibition, founding fathers special day will come up on October 16 on October 17, the Club will hold Bumper Sitting & Charity Day.

    The club, he said, had presented Insurance claims to families of  three members of the Club who died last year.

    Grillo said N300,000 was given to each family.

    He listed the beneficiaries as families of the late Nosiru Alayaki, the late Rasak Kosoko and the late Ahmed Gaji.

  • Deputy governor, businessman quarrel over land

    Deputy governor, businessman quarrel over land

    Imo State Deputy Governor Eze Madumere is at the centre of a controversial land deal, which has pitched him against a businessman, Mr Edwin Okolie.

    Okolie, the owner of Eddy Wine’s Bar in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, is accusing Madumere of assaulting him over the property.

    At a meeting with reporters in Lagos, Okolie alleged that Madumere is using his office to oppress him over the property at Plot 104, Housing Area C, New Owerri, Imo State.

    But, Madumere, through his media officer, Mr. Uche Onwuchekwa, described the allegation as false and baseless.

    Okolie said: “I bought the property from its original owner Godwin Dike in 2011 and the titles, including Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) were properly issued by the Imo State Ministry of Lands in July of the same year. In order to develop the property, I visited the site on January 27, only to be assaulted by Madumere’s younger brother to  Madumere, one Chijioke. He claimed that my ownership of the property had been revoked and that his brother (the deputy governor) is the new owner of the land.

    “I reported the matter to the New Owerri Police Division but I did not get any justice. I took some steps further to forward petitions to the Office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Abuja, and I was assured of adequate investigation.”

    Okolie alleged that he was assaulted and brutalised by Madumere at the site during investigation by an official of NHRC, Owerri zonal office.

    He said: “Following my petition to NHRC, an official of the commission invited me for on the-spot investigation on August 12. I arrived there about 9 am and I saw Chijioke having a discussion with some policemen. On sighting me, they blocked me and asked me to wait till the arrival of the deputy governor.

    “When the deputy governor arrived, he started beating me up. His security details too joined him in beating me and I was dragged to a corner of the property where I was dealt with for insulting the deputy governor. They seized my phones and took me to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), where I was detained for more than four hours.

    “Madumere’s brother lied to the police that I insulted his brother. A senior police officer in charge of the case told him that the matter was beyond the state command as it was already being investigated by the Force Headquarters in Abuja. After the attack I was  hospitalised and treated cause I was bleeding from my left ear and discharged on January 28.

    “I bought the property from its original owner with all the titles and documentation stamped by the Imo State Ministry of Lands intact. The explanation that the land had been revoked by the immediate past administration of former Governor Ikedi Ohakim is puerile because I used the land to secure a facility from the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Plc and the bank actually confirmed from the Ministry of Lands, Survey and Urban Development on February 26 that the land actually belongs to me, before granting me the loan.

    Onwuchekwa accused Okolie of lying, saying: ”The Certificate of Occupancy (Cof O) of the land was  revoked during Governor Ohakim’s administration. The original owner of the land played smart by selling it to Okolie. The property has since been bought by Mr. Chijioke, who is a younger brother to the deputy governor. He was never beaten up by the deputy governor or his security personnel because they are disciplined officers.

    “The deputy governor did not meet him until August 12 this year and he only intervened by asking him to see the Commissioner for Lands because he reasoned that Okolie needed help. As a matter of fact, the deputy governor left all the parties involved in the matter at the site because he was embarking on a trip that day.”

  • Why varsities produce half baked graduates, by alumni

    Some alumni of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) have blamed incestant strikes by university teachers for the pool quality of graduates.

    Speaking at the UNILAG Muslim Alumni Association (UMA) 5th Capacity Building Workshop in Lagos, its president, Mr Lere Alimi urged the Federal Government to stop the perenial strikes.

    Alimi explained that the workshop would equip students with vocational skills that could make them self reliant outside the university.

    UMA, he said, is ready to collaborate with other spirited organisations to assist in developing the students for future challenges.

    A speaker, Mr Niyi Yusuf said corruption and insecurity were affecting the growth of Information Communication Technology (ICT).

    He said by 2017 the country would have invested about $900million on ICT and the telecommunication industry to further boost economic activities.

    Speaking on The Nigeria ICT Industry, springboard for entrepreneurship development and wealth creation, Yusuf said opportunities still exist in the industry.

    Take off capital, he said, should not pose a challenge to young entrepreneurs, adding that it is better for one to start doing something small before leaving school.

  • Police read riot act to illicit gun owners

    Police read riot act to illicit gun owners

    •CP orders dismantling of roadblocks

    Lagos State Police chief Kayode Aderanti has given those with unlicensed arms two weeks to turn them over or be treated as robbers.

    Addressing his maiden press conference at the Command Headquarters in Ikeja yesterday, Aderanti, who resumed as Police Commissioner on September 11, said the ultimatum to check the proliferation of unlicensed arms in circulation.

    Aderanti issued the ultimatum on the heels of the killing of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Azeez Asake, at the weekend on Lagos Island by suspected Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thugs.

    He said a special task force would be raised to comb the state and recover all illegal firearms after the expiration of the ultimatum.

    “A lot of individuals that are not licensed use it to intimidate and harass innocent persons. After two weeks from today (yesterday), anyone who does not return the illegally acquired weapons will be dealt with. We will not accept any reason for not returning the weapons.  We will treat anybody caught in illegal possession of firearms as an armed robber. I am not happy with the number of arms in wrong hands. We would deal with anybody who intends to unleash mayhem in the state. We are entering another phase and there should be a level playing ground’’.

    On roadblocks and check points which have resurfaced on Lagos roads, Aderanti said he would enforce the Inspector-General of Police order on their ban.

    He ordered the dismantling of all roadblocks and check points, warning that non-compliance with his directive would attract sanction.

    The only time check points or roadblocks could be mounted is when operatives are tipped off criminal invasion, he said, adding that in such cases, a check point could be placed at the entrance of the state for a particular period and dismantled after the mission is accomplished.

    Aderanti urged the public to inform the police of anywhere there is a check point, adding that he would set up a special monitoring team to arrest policemen who mount illegal check points.

    Speaking on investigation into the killing of the Vice Chairman of The Sun, Mr Dimgba Igwe by a hit-and-run driver, Aderanti said the suspect would be arrested.

    Information at the disposal about investigators at the State Criminal Investigation (SCID), Panti, Yaba, now is scanty, he said, pointing out that the police are doing everything to bring the suspect to justice.

    Aderanti said: “If there were CCTVs around the area where the accident occurred, it would have been easy to apprehend the suspect but there was none. We should encourage the culture of installing CCTVs in our homes, it does not cost much and it is not something we would leave for government alone. It helps a lot in crime fighting”.

    He said between August 1 and September 15, the police foiled 34 robbery attempts.

    During the period under review, 48 robbers were arrested, eight died during encounters, while 20 arms and 282 live ammunition and 44 stolen vehicles were recovered.

    Most of the recovered vehicles Aderanti said, were stolen in other states but recovered in Lagos.

  • ‘My husband ran away’

    A 27-year-old woman, Regina Uchechukwu, has prayed the Alakuko Customary Court in Lagos to dissolve her six-year-old marriage to Sharafa Adeyemi  for allegedly abandoning their children.

    She said:”My husband is a furniture maker. I met him in my hometown, Ogoja in Cross River State, when he was producing some furniture items for a bank. A few weeks after I told him I was pregnant, he ran away. I was so destabilised because I knew nothing about him or his family members.  When I was delivered of the twins, I called my husband to name the children, but he declined. To my chagrin, he said I should spend the money I was using to make the phone call to take care of the children.

    “Four years after, I traced my husband to Lagos, when the situation became unbearable.  My husband abandoned us in his hometown, where his brother lived. The suffering, however, worsened after my husband’s brother said he could no longer fend for us.

    “I had to remarry because I could not put up with my husband’s nonchalant attitude.  My current marriage is a blessing. My husband takes care of my children’s upkeep, except their school fees because he says their father is still hale and hearty. So, all I want from Sharafa is to be responsible for the education of his children.”

    However, Adeyemi denied the allegations, saying he gave Regina money when she was pregnant.

    He said: “She informed me of her pregnancy during a phone conversation. I asked a colleague who was still at her hometown to give her the sum of N10, 000 for her upkeep. I made her realise that I was experiencing a lull in my business. Even when she traced me to Lagos, I gave them N400 daily. I had to avoid her because she later told me she and my colleague had an affair. I was also told she was fond of returning home with men at odd hours.  Consequently, I had to abandon her and the children when I realised she was expecting another child.”

    The court President, Chief Awos Awosola, ordered Adeyemi to pay N32, 000 for the outstanding balance of the children’s upkeep and advised the parties to obey the law.

    The case was adjourned till October 23.

  • ‘We dig potholes on roads to catch our victims’

    Seven robbery suspects were yesterday paraded by the Commissioner of Police Kayode Aderanti.

    The suspects specialised in digging potholes on the highway, which are covered with nylon to trap unsuspecting motorists.

    Joel Eghon, 38, Jude Dike, 55, Ifeanyi Onwegbuchi, 34, Solomon Igwe, 32, Emmanuel Ifeanyi, 34, Ejike Emegwo, 31, and Leonard Afoaku, 39, allegedly snatched a Toyota Hiace bus on Ile-Ife road containing four vehicle engines, female bags and shoes and motor gear oil before coming to Lagos for another operation.

    Aderanti said the command got information that the gang converged on September 20 at Ebute Metta , Lagos Mainland, for another operation.

    “I instructed the officer in charge of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Superintendent of Police Abba Kyari to investigate and ensure their arrest. He led two SARS Decoy teams to the area and the suspects were arrested. The snatched white Toyota Hiace bus containing four engines, female bags, female shoes and motor gear oil were recovered”, he said.

    According to him, after their arrest, operatives did a follow up and recovered a barretta pistol with S/No. P175131, nine rounds of 9mm ammunition, three locally made pistols cut to size and 33 live cartridges from the gang leader, Eghon.

    The suspects, Aderanti said, confessed to several robberies within Lagos, Oyo and Osun states, adding that the receivers of the stolen goods were also arrested.

    Dike, the oldest of the suspects, described as a receiver of stolen goods, said: “I was forced to become their receiver. They threatened to kill me if I refused to be their receiver. I am from Orlu in Imo State’’.

    Eghon said: “I am the owner of the English pistol. I had not robbed with it before. I was arrested while preparing for operation”.

    Afokun said: “My role is to receive from Baba Jude and give him money after sale. I did not receive directly from the robbers’’.

    Ejike, Solomon and Ifeanyi said their role was to cover bumps and pot holes which they create on the highway to slow down vehicles, adding that once any vehicle slowed down they would rush the driver and take over the steering, robbing him at gun point.

    Aderanti also paraded two other suspects who snatched a Honda Accord marked NH 293 AAA belonging to one Tunde Onibudo at Bajulaye Road, Somolu on September 21.

    Babatunde Makinde 33, and Faruk Lawal were implicated in other car snatching.

    The victim said: “Two of them approached me when I was inside my car discussing with a friend; they came and pointed gun at me. They took over the steering, blew me on the face while one of them hit me with the butt of the gun on my head. They carried me to Anthony Oke and dropped me. It was there that a Good Samaritan picked me and took me to a nearby hospital and, later alerted police’’.

    But, Makinde said: “We met him on top of a woman inside his car. He did not know when we opened his car. I was the one that pulled him up and pointed a gun at him. When he tried to resist my colleague Lawal hit him with his gun and he became unconscious. We later dropped him at Anthony Oke”.

  • Council chief seeks constitutional roles for traditional rulers

    Chairman of Yaba Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Jide Jimoh has called for constitutional roles for traditional rulers.

    He said if their roles defined, it would reduce crime and terrorism.

    Jimoh spoke while presenting certificates of recognition to 11 new Baales in the council.

    He said the Yoruba traditional system of government of Obas and Baales was adjudged as organised and effective, noting that calls for its abolition should be ignored.

    “Instead of its abolition, I join my voice with those who advocate defined constitutional roles for our traditional rulers. I salute the foresight of our party’s administration, the All Progressives Congress, in Lagos State, which from the on-set, has always carried our traditional rulers along in all its policies and programmes.

    “This administration has enjoyed a robust relationship with our royal fathers. We have always enjoyed their advice and contributions toward policy formulation and project execution,” Jimoh said.

    Jimoh said government had no hand in the Baales’ appointment , adding: “it was strictly under the purview of our traditional rulers. Our gathering here is to fulfil the constitutional role of granting them official recognition and presentation of certificate as proof of staff of office”.

    He urged the Baales to be of service to the people and ensure that they remained custodians of culture, tradition and heritage.