You see them in their buses and all that; as if to say: ok the masters have gone in, lets us come and have our field’s day.
The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it will collaborate with the police to check hawking of unauthorised herbal medicine.
The Coordinator of the agency in Anambra, Dr Christiana Esenwah, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Onitsha, Anambra, on Monday.
She said that the activities of the hawkers constituted noise pollution to the residents of the state and embarrassment to the agency.
Esenwah said that the hawkers had remained undaunted even after many of them were arrested, sanctioned and fined by the agency.
She also said that the recent upward review of the administrative charges and tariffs for operating herbal medicine outlets had not deterred them.
“We have observed that most of their activities have been reduced to after-hours (after office hours), that is after 4 o’clock (p.m.), that is when you see them really on the move.
“They know that between the hours 8 and 4, we are active; so by the time we are closing at about 5 or 6, you see them coming out in (their) numbers.
“Even in my home, when you come out; unfortunately I can’t work when I have closed; when I am resting in my home that is when you hear the loudest noise.
“You see them in their buses and all that; as if to say: ok the masters have gone in, lets us come and have our field’s day.
“It is so annoying; and we feel we need to get security agents; we need to go a step further, there are people who operate shifts; I mean the security agents who operate shifts.
“I think we can work in collaboration with them; since these people have seen that once we close from work, it is time for them to operate; we too should go a step further to see that we can get these people.’’
Esenwah stated that the agency would increase its monitoring of the state, by expanding the scope of NAFDAC Consumer Safety Clubs (NCSC) in secondary schools from 42 to 52 before the end of the year.
According to her, the establishment of the clubs in schools is to create awareness and to educate the students on the dangers of using counterfeit drugs at an early age.
former Managing Director/Editor-In-Chief of the Sketch Newspaper, Mrs Dupe Ajayi Gbadebo, has added another feather to her cap. Mrs Ajayi bagged a Master’s degree in Law from the University of Lagos at the school’s convocation. The degree was awarded her last June. It is her third Master’s degree.
Mrs Ajayi, a communications strategist and legal consultant, is a journalist with about 30 years experience. She was Special Assistant on Communications to a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Mrs Gbadebo holds three master’s degrees and a Post graduate Diploma: Master of Communication Arts (MCA), University of Ibadan (U.I), March, 1984; Master of Business Administration (MBA), University of Ibadan (U.I), June, 2007; Master of Law, LLM, University of Lagos (Unilag), June 2014 and a Post Graduate Diploma in International Relations and Development from the Institute of Social Studies, (ISI), at The Hague, Netherlands, April, 1998. She was called to the Nigerian Bar Sept, 1999.
A Fellow of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, a Cambridge University Nuffiled Press Fellow, she is also an Associate Member, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Associate Member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIAarb) Nigeria Branch, 1993 Ambassador of Goodwill for the State of Arkansas, United States and was a Council Member of the Washington-based International Women Media Federation, (IWMF), among others.
Currently a member of the Osun State Schools Infrastructure Development Committee (O-Schools), and a former Board member of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), she has varied work experience, starting in 1979 as a reporter at the Punch Newspapers, becoming Editor of the defunct Happy Home magazine, Political Correspondent attached to the then Senate in Lagos. She joined The Guardian Newspapers at inception in 1983 as Political Correspondent, became Diplomatic Editor and later the Political Editor.
She moved to the Daily Times Newspaper Group in 1989 as Political Editor, Sunday Times, became Deputy Editor of the same paper which she later edited in acting capacity; appointed the founding Editor of Weekend Times, and left the Daily Times Newspaper Group as the Group Political Editor.
During her working career, she attended various courses including the studies of the Functions of The Capitol Hill, Washington, 1991; Nuffield Press Fellowship Programme, Wolfson College, Cambridge University, 1994; East-West German Relations, West Berlin, 1988; Carole Simpson Leadership Course (for Women Journalists), Johannesburg, June, 2000; the Global Senior Executive Programme Series: ‘High Performance Leadership’, at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public policy, Singapore, 2008 and in June 2014, the Master of Law Course, University of Lagos.
A Charter President of Soroptimist International, a member of Ikoyi Club, Lagos, she was also a student activist during her school days as she served as Magazine Editor, Fleet Street College of Journalism, London; Institute’s Representative (the highest students’ organ), ISI at the Hague, Netherlands and President of Master of Business Administration Students Association (MBASSA), University of Ibadan.
A Yoruba development practitioner, she was Executive Secretary of the Yoruba Education Trust Fund (YETFUND) and remains a Council member of the Fund as well as being a member of Trustee of the Yoruba Women Initiative (YWI).
Though the general elections are over, the scar left on the body and the mind of some people caught up in the violence that attended the exercise in some parts of Oyo town, Oyo State will remain forever. BODE DUROJAIYE and TAYO JOHNSON report on the bitter experience of some supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) on April 11, the day of Gubernatorial and House of Assembly polls in the hands of some alleged supporters of a rival party
April 11, 2015, the day the electorate in the ancient town of Oyo joined other voters in Oyo State to elect members of the state House of Assembly would remain indelible in the minds of residents of Isale-Oyo in the Atiba Local Government Area of the state.
Shortly after the election and while voting materials were being taken to the collation centres at Ward 3, some youths believed to be members of the Labour party, gathered at major roads in the area and started hurling stones at members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
They were also reported to have fired several shots with locally made weapons and pounded the windows and doors of some APC chieftains. Notable among them were the State Chairman, Local Government Service Commission, Chief Lasisi Ayankojo, and former member, House of Representatives, Akinrogun Segun Taiwo.
Scores of party members also sustained varied degrees of injuries from the violent attacks.
•Hon Taiwo
Narrating the show of shame on the ill-fated day, Akinrogun Taiwo said ‘’I was in my vehicle heading to the collation centre located at L.A. Primary School, Sabo, after the conclusion of House of Assembly election. On getting to Oloko-nla area at Isale-Oyo, I saw some youths who were members of the Labour Party, gathered together and were shouting, thief, thief on me. I decided to stay rather than run away since I neither did any harm to anyone nor meant evil. Before I alighted from the vehicle, they started hurling stones at me. I had no option than to take to my heels so as to save my life.’’
He said while running away, his attackers increased in numbers carrying dangerous weapons such as guns, cutlasses, bottles, and axes.
‘’They were cursing both the State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, leader of the community, Alhaji Lasisi Ayankojo and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111, saying any indigene of Isale- Oyo who support the duo is a bastard. I later ran into a pit where they got hold of me and hit me with a charm, in addition to injuries already sustained. While they were looking for a tyre which they will use to burn me, one of them said they should leave me because I will not survive because of the potency of the charm they had hit me with. Thereafter, I managed to crawl like a baby to a nearby fence which I climbed to the other side of the road where sympathisers came to my rescue and took me to the hospital.’’
Taiwo who is an indigene of Isale- Oyo community, identified one Yemi Oke alias ‘’ewe’’ as the person who wanted to set him ablaze. He added that some minutes before the attack, his wife had been trailing him with her telephone to inform about plans by some people to assassinate him, hence the need to leave the town and seek protection at a neighbouring community.
‘’Early in the month, one Hezekiah Ojo had called me on the telephone in the presence of a newly elected member of the House of Representatives, Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi and incumbent member, House of Assembly, Waliu Alagbon, threatening to set ablaze my hotel and filling station. This had been reported to the police. Substantial amount of money, wedding ring, two handsets, shoe, hand and neck chains were items carted away by the attackers. My vehicle was also damaged’’.
He revealed that even though the police have made some arrest totaling about nine, many of the alleged political thugs who assaulted him were still at large, “the case is now before the state Commissioner of Police, some arrests have been made. They have made nine arrests. I can identify some and those who rescued me can identify others. They are between 15 and 20, in number.
“All I am saying is that the security agencies should allow justice to prevail and I am using this medium to appeal to National Human Rights Commission to come to my aid because I was seriously beaten like a guinea pig to the extent that I lost consciousness, I was in a state of coma for 30 minutes.”
The victim also opined, “the only justice we can get is for them to cancel the Ward election and deduct the result from the whole result for the constituency and declare Honourable Waliu Adekunle Alagbon, the incumbent Honourable member of the House of Assembly as the Honourable member-elect of the Atiba State constituency.”
Speaking on the incident, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Deputy Superintendent of Police, Adekunle Ajisebutu, confirmed that nine suspects had been arrested over the issue. The suspects, he said would be charged to court shortly after investigation.
Also commenting on the incident Honourable Waliu Adekunle Alagbon, described the attack as ‘’ unfortunate and barbaric’’.
Waliu called for a thorough and unbiased investigation of the attack by both the Independent National Electoral Commission and security agencies, in order to fish out and prosecute perpetrators, as well as determine the validity of results collated in the absence of representatives of a major contender, who were chased away with dangerous weapons by the opposition.
Political violence is part and parcel of a broader epidemic of violence that has devastated the lives of tens of thousands of Nigerians since the country’s return to civilian rule in 1999.
Since 1999, Nigeria has also seen hundreds of inter-communal clashes that were not overtly political in nature dividing Nigerians against one another along ethnic, religious, or other inter-communal lines.
From the pulpit came an advice to the President-elect, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari to pilot the affairs of the country with the fear of God.
The Archbishop of Ondo Ecclesiastical Province of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Most Revd. George Lasebikan urged the former head of state to ensure that his administration entrench good governance in order to put smiles on the faces of the people who voted for him.
The cleric gave the advice during the third session of the 21st Synod of the Diocese of Ondo held at Saint Andrew’s Anglican Church Idimoge, Ondo, Ondo state.
While congratulating Buhari for his success at the poll, he urged him to abide by the election promises made to the people, so that the confidence reposed in him as a disciplined and incorruptible person would be justified.
He lamented what he described as the inability of past leadership to address the problems bedeviling the nation.
This development he said has brought the nation’s growth to the lowest level, resulting in abject poverty, unemployment and devaluation of the country’s currency.
The religious leader, explained that the decision by the people to have a change of leadership at the top, may have been influenced by their wish to produce a leader, who they believe would be able to change the trend.
While charging the President-elect to redouble his effort in ensuring that people’s expectations are met, Most Revd Lasebikan explained that his victory should not be regarded only as the manifestation of the cry for change which he said was the slogan before the election, but should provide the basis for him to produce the answer to the change needed in the nation.
He advised Buhari to be wary of people of shady characters, who may want to come into his government to achieve their selfish ambitions.
His words “elections have come and gone, now and the cry for change has manifested in the results that voted out a party and voted in another. That is just the beginning. It does not provide the answer to the needed change in the nation.
“This becomes more evident because the party voted in does not consist of innocent and holy men. Rather, it is a conglomerate of men of different characters whose description can best be described as shady also”.
While congratulating Nigerians for participating in the election, Rev Lasebikan urged the people not to be silent on their expectations from the new administration, by ensuring that they keep them on their toes.
He also urged the people to continue to pray for the new government, so that they would be able to pilot the affairs of the country with wisdom and creativity, so as to enable Nigeria to achieve the needed growth among the comity of nations.
The cleric admonished the political class to refrain from violence in their quest to acquire political power, stating that it is only God that gives power and put somebody in any position and not mortals.
When they left Eyinni High School, Ibadan 44 years ago, none could tell what life had in stock for them as they set out to chart a course for themselves, drawing from the education they had just received at their alma mater.
Between then and now, many others had taken a similar step after graduating from the school located at Orita Challenge area of the Oyo State capital.
But 44 years down the line many of them had cause to thank God, their teachers and late Chief Jonathan Odebiyi who founded Eyinni High School 49 years ago, for the quality of education and moral they received while at the school.
The occasion was a grand re-union of old students of Eyinni High School and the venue was the school Assembly Hall that had played host to many important events in the history of the school and the students including numerous Valedictory service.
The old students all occupying highly-acclaimed positions, having acquired professional accomplishments in different fields of endeavour, turned out in large numbers, looking their best at the re-union, the first in the history of the school, to talk about the good old days, share experiences of life and deliberate on ways to move the school forward.
They reminisced on their time at their alma mater, and renewed their call on government to rename the school, Jonathan Odebiyi High School.
The president of old student association, , Mr Kunle Adedeji took the gathering down memory lane with jokes, anecdotes and tales of events that happened years ago.
He stated that nothing brings more joy than reconnecting with old friends and acquaintances at a time that is least expected.
“Some of us have not seen in the last 44 years when the first set of students graduated. Today such people are meeting face to face to reenact those old days of seriousness in academics and fun chanting; hope you have not forgotten those nicknames of yesteryears. It is worthy to note that the association tried in so many ways to bring this august occasion into being many years ago which resulted into little success due to difficulty in communicating with our members but today, the story has changed tremendously as the world has become a global village where it is possible now to communicate with anyone through social media platform” he said
•Rehabilitation of a class room embarked upon by the old students
On the impact made so far by the association on their Alma mater, Adedeji said:” we have been involved in physical development of the school through building of new structures, repair and maintenance of old ones, such as the block of building housing the principal’s office and computer room, donated by Pastor Bayo Olugbemi on his 40th birthday 11 years ago; repair of dilapidated buildings, re-roofing of blocks of building used as classrooms and building of a standard hall”
The president of the association further disclosed that the old students have given out materials and prizes to the best teachers of the school recently in order to encourage them.
According to him, “we have instituted various prizes on some subjects annually to encourage our students academically, which were made possible through some of us like my good self, Barr. Kunle Kalejaiye (SAN), Bayo Olugbemi among others.”
Lamenting on the school’s land being encroached upon, Adedeji said some people are claiming to have purchased the school land from some landowners, stressing that the association stood up to defend the school by writing the state governor to intervene in the matter to halt the invaders.
He went on to say that:”kudos must be given to Barr. Kunle Kalejaiye, Pastor Bayo Olugbemi, Alhaji Saka Adepoju, Alhaji Waheed Odusile, Pastor Raphael Okpaire, Dipo Durojaiye, Lara Akintoye and Kunle Adedeji on this issue”
Leading the call for the renaming of the school to Jonathan Odebiyi High School was a legal luminary, Barr. Kunle Kalejaiye who stated that Late Chief Jonathan Odebiyi, the founder of the school, was the principal from 17th January 1969 and contributed immensely to the development of the school.
“Chief Odebiyi believes that every citizen must not only pass through a school system but also must be tailored to be productive, skillful, patriotic, politically aware and courageous. When I was here Chief Odebiyi handled the Monday morning assembly in his academic robes. The Fourah Bay College, Sierra Leone’s academic gown with its hairy hood was fixed in my mind. He spent less than 90 days here to put up the laboratory building, the technical workshop, a well equipped library and a school farm. Chief Odebiyi wore the school uniform and ate from the same pot as the students.
“Do we have an all round education (today) as we had in our days and bequeathed to us by this school? Can you proudly beat your chest and say that this is the same Eyinni High School of Mrs Abigail Olabisi Abioye, Mr Adesina and Baba Okposo. ýIf you look around you, our school land had been stolen by land speculators and dare devil land grabbers. The government cannot be bothered. I wrote to the government on 30th of April, 2013 but no response. I wrote again on the 23rd of January, 2015, threatened to take them to court, before they replied on 25th of February, 2015 for the first time”, he said
According to him, “I am using this occasion to appeal to the state government to change the name of this school from Eyinni to Jonathan Odebiyi High School.
“By and large, our journey for the past 49 years has justified the hope expressed 49 years ago by Chief Odebiyi. It is now beyond argument that Eyinni High School named after one who became deified in Iboro, Yewa, has become a colossus, a giant and a proud parent of us all” Kalejaiye said
Also the general secretary of the association, Pastor Bayo Olugbemi disclosed that for the rehabilitation of the school structures, the old students had spent over N20 million in the past two years.
“The old students of this school are ýcontributing immensely to give our Alma mater a face lift. There are rehabilitations of classrooms, halls, laboratory, staff rooms going on now. We also solicit assistance from cooperate bodies for all this projects. Most of the structures of this school are dilapidated and we can’t fold our hands and watch” Olugbemi said
Another old student of the school, Colonel Ojo Olusegun from the Defence headquarters expressed his joy for reuniting with his friends after over 30 years. He said nothing makes him feel happier than seeing his old school mates in good health and making progress after many years.
Residents of FESTAC, Lagos State have called on the newly elected leaders from the area to immediately get to work upon assumption of office to see how they can tackle infrastructural gaps in the community.
At the quarterly meeting of the Festival Town Residents Association (FTRA) its President, Mr Shola Fakorede, lamented the pitiable state of the fire service, saying that fire fighters cannot respond to emergency situations. He said that the fire station in the area has been in a derelict state for years, and has now been turned into to a drinking joint.
The meeting held at 512 Road, offered residents the opportunity to also discuss poor road networks.
Fakorede, admonished newly elected leaders to walk their talk as the perennial neglect suffered by the area is enough and can no longer be tolerated.
He assured that FESTAC community would not relent in attracting more of government’s presence in especially in the improvement of facilities and employment opportunities for youths. The recent fire outbreak at 22 Road Fakorede explained, resulted in untold havoc because fire fighters could not respond promptly.
When the fire station at FESTAC was alerted, the vehicle had no water, while the second vehicle that had did not have battery, Fakorede explained, adding that by the time fire fighters from Badagry and Ikeja stations arrived the scene, three buildings had already been torched.
He said the FTRA would soon embark on a self-help initiative to revive the ailing fire station, so as to forestall future occurrences. The association, Fakorede stressed, would parley with kind-hearted individuals, companies and corporate bodies within FESTAC to discuss plans towards pumping life back into the fire station.
“We should take our destiny in our hands. We will no longer leave town hall meetings for politicians to organise. It must not be party affairs either. It should be people’s affairs and we must get involved. It is our duty to make elected representative accountable to us.”
Fakorede thanked residents for the peaceful presidential and gubernatorial elections, attributing the development to series of peace-meetings FTRA had with the key political actors in the area. According to him some of the events witnessed during the last elections point to the fact that power now resides with electorate.
The Chairman of 512 Road, Tunde Ajayi, called for the construction of 512 Road by the next executive chairman of the Amuwo- Odofin council.
“From its inception, 512 Road residents levy themselves to repair and maintain the road annually. But when the opportunity came for such three-digit roads to be reconstructed, residents of 512 were shocked when their roads were left out despite a promise by the former council chairman,” he said.
Like Fakorede, Ajayi also urged elected leaders to justify the confidence reposed in them and work for the people. He commended the leadership of the association for the vociferous demand for the installation of free pre-paid metres in FESTAC by the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
The Divisional Police Officer, FESTAC, Ifeanyi Owo, praised residents for the exemplary conduct exhibited during the last election. Owo also expressed joy on the effective policing of FESTAC environs, a situation which has now restored peace in FESTAC.
“This is the day of human rights. We follow due process, not battering or intimidation. I am a human rights police officer. We allow the law to take its course. I don’t believe in jungle justice. The synergy between the police and FESTAC community has been so cordial.”
The Lagos State Public Works Corporation has stepped up its road maintenance activities across the state, making roads better. MIRIAM EKENE OKORO reports.
The administration of Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) has scored high in its effort at improving the infrastructural development especially in the area of construction and rehabilitation of roads network in Lagos State.
But inadequate maintenance of this infrastructure in the past has left some roads in deplorable condition.
Considering the situation, the Lagos State Public Works Corporation in 2010 intensified effort in its road maintenance work a situation that has improved the harrowing experience residents go through daily plying the roads.
Taking off with just two tractors and a pay loader, the agency has gradually increased its equipment fleet to more than 60 heavy duty and medium equipment, with the objective of delivering better road facilities for Lagosians.
Executive Chairman of the Corporation, Mr. Gbenga Akintola, explained that the Lagos State Government strengthened its approach to road maintenance and rehabilitation in order to make impact on almost all parts of the state, either in the urban centres or suburbs.
He said the state government had built required capacity for road maintenance, adding that interlocking paving stone was incorporated into the road maintenance approaches employed by the corporation as a way of making roads constructed in water-prone areas or places with severe drainage challenges last longer.
He added that the establishment of two additional asphalt production plants was geared towards expanding its maintenance activities to efficiently cover the nooks and crannies of Lagos.
These two asphalt plants located in Imota (Ikorodu Axis) and Ajido (Badagry Axis) of the state have production capacity of 160 tons of Asphalt per hour.
The Chairman noted that while Imota plant has already been commissioned by the Governor in February 2014,that of Badagry is presently waiting commissioning, even though it has started full operation since December 2014.
•Officials of the Lagos State Public Works, working on some roads
The Imota plant is expected to take care of no fewer than 420 roads located in Ikorodu, Epe, Ibeju-Lekki, Ikorodu and part of Eti-Osa Local government areas, while that of Badagry is to cater for over 400 roads in Ojo, Amuwo-Odofin, Ajeromi-Ifelodun and part of Alimosho Local Government areas.
He explained the benefits of the new asphalt plant, saying it was situated in Imota for strategic reasons. “Asphalt has a lot of heat. When the heat is lost or brought to a particular level, the asphalt will no longer be useful. It cakes up and becomes useless, thereby leading to loss of resources in term of cash and time.”
On fixing and replacement of manhole cover, Akintola said “LSPWC was not involved in fixing of manhole covers and gratings. However, due to public outcry on the danger posed by removal and vandalisation of the steel-made manhole covers and gratings by some unscrupulous persons, the corporation researched into and introduced a new type made of recycled plastic which would be of zero market value and thereby dissuade those who usually remove them to sell at the steel market from doing so.”
He explained that so far, the corporation has fixed 591 manhole covers and grating adding that replacement of 492 others is currently ongoing in the third phase.
One unique features that has helped the corporation achieve its objective is the fact that it was reengineered and equipped to carry out its functions day and night, at weekends and even during public holidays.
“This new orientation helps it maximize the dry season when road maintenance work can be easily carried out without inhibitions from rain. It also allows for emergency operations on road defects that pose serious threat to life. Especially with night operations, traffic jam that usually characterize roads that are being worked on during the busy hours of the day can be easily avoided, thereby reducing the pain on Lagosians” he said
He also informed that from sometime in 2012, the government, having beefed up the capacity of LSPWC, began to assign certain roads to the Corporation for full scale construction, involving drainage work, road surfacing, culverts as well as installation of street lighting facilities and lane marking.
“This has been of huge benefit to tax payers as such works are done via direct labour approach, thereby helping government to cut cost significantly.”
He listed some of the roads done under such arrangement to include Emmanuel Kolawole Street (Somolu), Soluyi Street ( Kosofe), Ladipo Kuku, Allen (Ikeja), Oba Adeboyega (Epe), Oshundairo Street (Agege), Oluodo Road ( Ikorodu) and Jamiu Alli Balogun (Apapa) amongst others.
To sustain what has been achieved, Akintola added that the corporation in the last five years increased the awareness of members of the public on habits that lead to avoidable damage to roads.
“The programme is three-faced, featuring media campaign on radio, television and newspapers, the roadstar comics and cartoons focusing on school children and the monitoring and enforcement activities.
“Those efforts have helped to achieve to an extent, behavioural change as regards how Lagosians use the road, thereby making the corporation’s maintenance work to last longer. The high point of this is that over 30 persons were brought before the magistrate in 2014 and made to pay fines for various offences on activities that can lead to road damage” he said.
ALABA Oloye, a 30-year-old 400 level student at the Department of Sociology, Adekunle Ajasin University Akungba, Ondo State is facing a serious health challenge that could claim his life.
He is suffering from what his doctors called Ameloblastic carcinoma, a disease which could lead to heart problem and probably death if not properly managed.
An indigent student managing to pay his fees in schools,Alaba has been placed on a N5,000 daily drugs to ameliorate his health condition, a situation that has virtually drained him monetarily. Several times, he contemplated leaving school and abandoning his unversity-education altogether because of the pain from his worsening health conditions.
He needs just N1million to get the corrective surgery that could restore him to good health. His case is critical and demands urgent attention.
According to Alaba, his terrible health condition which began in 2007 when he noticed a smallboil on his chicks has affected both his health status, his academic standard along with social stigma associated with the disease.
A consultant of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Doctor I.O Ojo who diagonised him said Alaba is being planned for jaw resection and reconstruction using titamin reconstruction plate and screws with lilac bone graft under general anaesthesia.
Doctor Ojo noted that if the disease is not properly managed, it could result to heart problem which is dangerous to his health.
Since the demise of his father several years ago, Alaba has been paying school fees and fend for himself all alone a development which almost made him withdrawn from school when the disease surfaced.
Speaking with The Nation in Ibadan, Alaba said he was going through a lot of pains and agony. He said he was has been going from pillar to post, seeking for help from well-meaning Nigerians.
Narrating how it started, he said he noticed he was having pains in his tooth which he thought it was a toothache. “ I noticed pains in my tooth and I thought it was a toothache. I visited a general hospital in Ikare area of Ondo State where they refered me to the Specialist hospital in Akure. The Doctor said they did not have equipment to operate it and als refereed me to Obafemi Awolowo University teaching hospital, Ile-Ife.
“When I got to OAU teaching hospital, Doctor Ojo diagonised me for Ameloblastic Carcinoma and asked me to operate it within a shortwhile because it could later affect my heart and result to death. I hustle to pay school fees and buy 5,000 Naira drugs every week. Nigerians should help me.”
“I don’t want to die of this disease. Please help me. I am going through serious pains now. My dad is late and my mum is a bean-cake seller. Many students avoid to talk to me as a result of this disease. I have approached Ondo State government severally, but nobody was ready to help.
“The State House of Assembly promised severally but could not fulfil their promises. It is only my school that donated a sum of 100,000 for me. I want Nigerians to help me!”
Alaba said he decided to reach out to and well-meaning Nigerians through this newspaper so that he can live again. “I hope that Nigerians would come to my rescue.” Alaba cries out.
Help could be given to Alaba through his bank account and details.
After the bloody violence that unsettled residents of Adekile, Orita Aperin in Ibadan North East Local Government Area of Oyo State earlier this month, peace has returned to the community where a senior police officer was murdered by hoodlums. OSEHEYE OKWUOFU reports.
Life is gradually returning to normal at Adekile, Orita Aperin area of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital where hoodlums killed a senior police officer who was trying to quell a riot on April 1, 2015. The incident led to an indiscriminate arrest of suspects by the police forcing many residents to flee the area.
Both economic and social activities were paralysed as a result as the police combed the area for the killers of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) attached to Agugu police station, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Ike Nworgu.
But after the series of arrests including that of the principal suspects, the police seem to have relaxed their actions allowing the residents to resume normal life even as investigations continue.
Spokesman for the Oyo State Police Command, Mr. Adekunle Ajisebutu said until investigation into the murder case is concluded, the principal suspects would remain in custody and would not be charged to court.
It was in the evening of Wednesday April 1, 2015 when a mob attacked and shot dead the DPO on the suspicion that the police were shielding a suspected owner of kidnappers’ den.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Katsina Mohammed, visibly disturbed by the incident vowed to ensure that all those involved in the dastardly act would face the full wrath of the law.
According to the state police boss, the slain police officer had gone to Adekile in response to a distress call by one of the residents who alleged that her baby was kidnapped and kept inside a particular building in the area.
He said CSP Nworgu had visited the area and inspected the building in question but could not find anything related to the lodged complaint, but while he was explaining to the angry youths who had gathered to storm the building to remain calm as further investigation would be carried out, the DPO was attacked and shot in the head.
Mr Katsina further explained that Nworgu, being a gallant officer before he fell to the miscreant’s bullets, also managed to fire at his attacker who also died on the way to the hospital.
Though relative calm has returned to Adekile when The Nation visited the area, arrest of suspected culprits was still going on albeit in a subtle form to allay the fears of the residents even as there was tension in the air.
Residents have started to return to their deserted homes, while commercial activity is gradually picking up in the area. Police Checkpoints mounted on major roads leading to the area have been dismantled. Only few policemen are still keeping watch in some of the hotspots in the community ostensibly to check any breach of the peace.
Traders have opened their shops for business and life has returned to the community. However, fear of a possible raid by plain cloth security officers is still with the people.
It was gathered that random raid of some strategic areas where youth usually hide to smoke hemp and drink local gin popularly called paraga remained a regular routine by the police.
A check on one of such spots by The Nation saw some young boys running and disappearing into the thin air on sighting this reporter. Other residents also stylishly avoided this reporter as they looked the other way in fear of arrest, while some who were approached for interview still refused to grant audience.
Some concerned landlords in the area, it was learnt, had in the past raised alarm over the suspicious activities of the boys who hide under the cover of darkness to commit atrocities.
Adekile, where many jobless youths abound, is a notorious area mainly populated by the locals. It is a place densely populated by low income earners and extremely poor dwellers.
So, it is not by accident that security has become a major challenge in the community.
Even before the killing of the DPO, the people admitted that there had been regular security patrol and arrest by policemen acting on pieces of information.
When The Nation visited the scene where the DPO was attacked and shot penultimate Thursday, the suspected kidnappers’ den, which is an uncompleted building with an underground section, had been looted and razed by the mob.
Also, two structures by the side of the uncompleted building were also burnt as youths alleged that the occupants of the buildings were accomplices.
A cab operator in the area who pleaded anonymity, ýsaid:” Our business has gone down and people are not patronising us like they used to again. We are now living in fear each day, of either the hoodlums or policemen who have been arresting the residents indiscriminately since the incident broke out.
“This is a very social area where everybody goes out and comes back safely without any harm or problem until this evil incident happened.”
Also, a landlord in the area, who simply identified himself as Baba Onile ýlamented that some of his tenants have been arrested unjustly by the police during one of their several raids in the area. He appealed to the Commissioner of Police to call his officers to order.
“Most of us now live in fear of the unknown and no one could say what may happen to him or her the next day in this neighbourhood, due to the ritual den that was discovered few weeks ago.
Meanwhile, ýanother trader, who gave her name simply as Iya Alata said the mayhem escalated because some hoodlums hijacked the search of the building by residents and insisted on burning it.
“What I heard was that a little girl, who was missing for days, was seen with an old man. When people started asking questions, the owner of the house was said to have invited the police to stop the mob action.ý This issue has caused us, shop owners, more pain and harm because so many people have run away from this place,” she said.
Apparently disturbed by the unending incidences of abandonment of babies in Ekiti State, wife of the Governor, Mrs. Feyisetan Fayose, has called for an end to the act.
Mrs. Fayose said rather than throwing away babies she described as gifts from God, mothers in such positions should approach relevant institutions for the safe upkeep of such babies.
The Ekiti First Lady made the remarks during her visit to Erelu Angela Adebayo Children’s Home in Iyin-Ekiti where she spent time with the children and staff.
Wife of Ekiti State Governor, Mrs. Feyisetan Fayose (second right) presenting beverages and food item to the Matron of Erelu Adebayo Children Home, Iyin-Ekiti, Mrs. Josephine Abiodun (third left) during the governor’s wife visit to the Children Home…recently.With them are Wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Janet Olusola (second left), Wife of the Head of Service, Mrs. Tola Faseluka (left) and the Director of Child Development in the Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Boluwatife (right).
She used the opportunity to donate food items, beverages and toiletries to the Home.
The First Lady noted that it was a sin against God for a woman to abandon her child under whatever guise.
She said: “It is a sin against God for a woman who carried a pregnancy for nine months and after delivering the baby decide to dump it.
“If you know you cannot take care of such a baby, you can openly sign off with children home or hospital so that they can help you to take care of such a baby.
Mrs. Fayose said she had promised during her last visit to the Home in January this year when she was marking her 51st birthday anniversary that she would not distance herself from the Home.
She commended the members of staff of the Home for their selfless care for the children.
In his remarks, the Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs, who doubles the Director, Social Welfare, Mr. Ayo Ibikunle, expressed appreciation to the governor’s wife for her benevolence, describing her as a blessing to the state.
Also speaking at the occasion, the Director, Child Development, Mrs. Boluwatife urged well-to-do individuals and organisations to support the home with educational materials for the children.
She called on well spirited people in the society to develop the habit of taking the children to their personal homes during holidays.
