The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southwest

  • Nigerians urged to support less-privileged

    Worried by the level of lack among people, the second Vice-District Governor of Lagos Central Lions Club, Mr Taiwo Adewumi, has urged Nigerians to render helping hands to the downtrodden, even as he advised them to be their brother’s keepers.

    This, he said, is in line with the spirit of African brotherhood which extends hands of fellowship and unconditional love to everyone.

    Mr Adewumi spoke at the installation of the new President of Ikeja Platinum Lion Club, Mr Ola Oluwa Adebiyi. The event was also used to raise funds for charity work and to induct new members.

    He said due to insecurity, political crisis violence and economic down turn, there is the need for all Nigerians to affect positively on the lives of others. The Vice-Governor urged fellow Nigerians to be passionate in touching people’s lives.

    Earlier, the immediate past President of the club, Mr Abiola Ismail Iyanda enumerated his achievements during his tenure to include renovation and equipping of the school library of Mende Junior High School, donation of food stuffs to Correctional Homes for boys at Oregun, Ikeja; cash donations to Nigerian Society for the Blind  Oshodi; sponsorship of Mende Junior High School students to the final of Peace Poster Contest; Integrated Measles Campaign and donation  of gifts to the public at the palace of Olu of Mushin.

    Others, he said, included sponsoring a cataract surgery in Ibadan during the World Sight Day, organising party and donation of gifts to the physically-challenged pupils at Modupe Cole Yaba and donation towards Bolarinwa Football Competition.

    He thanked members of the club for their support during his tenure.

    In his acceptance speech, Lion Adebiyi Ola Oluwa promised to key into the core dream of the club, which entails alleviating the suffering of the people through feeding the less-privileged persons, fund-raising, donation of exercise books to public schools, visitation to orphanage and the inmates in the prisons; donating drugs to health centres, empowerment of youths, championing diabetes awareness campaigns and many others. He solicited the support of members of the club in order to make the dreams come true.

  • When gas explosion jolted Ondo residents

    Penultimate Saturday, which ordinarily should be a happy weekend for residents and traders in Arakale area of Akure, the Ondo State capital, witnessed an unpleasant incidence of gas explosion.

    The incident, which occurred around 7: 00 p.m. was said to have been caused by a leakage at a gas retail outlet where 11 houses were burnt and eight people injured.

    Eye witnesses confirmed that it took almost two hours before rescue operation could come; thereby causing a lot of damage as countless valuables was razed.

    Many of the victims were rushed to the trauma centre in Ondo town for quick medical attention.

    Governor Olusegun Mimiko, who visited the scene of the explosion at Arakale the following day, said the state government would investigate the cause of the explosion.

    He condemned the act, stressing that it was not a bomb blast as was speculated in some quarters, adding that there was no life lost.

    Governor Mimiko said the gas outlet responsible for the fire outbreak was not approved for business.

    He warned that all illegal filling stations in residential areas and other hazardous locations would be pulled down.

    Our correspondent gathered that there was no immediate rescue operation from the fire service, even as it took a long time for many victims to be rushed to the hospital for quick medical attention.

    The delay was attributed to lack of operational vehicles and equipment.

    The state’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Wole Ogodo, said there was no record of death at the scene of the explosion.

    He said while some of the injured have been discharged, others were receiving treatment at various hospitals.

    Ogodo said: “It was very sad that this incident happened, but I want to tell you that no life was lost, only few got injured in the incident.”

    Aggrieved residents and traders lamented that all efforts to get government’s attention to move the gas plant from the area to a safe place were unsuccessful.

    Narrating her ordeal, one of the traders, Miss Ikechi Anyanwu said: ”We were standing outside the house which is close to the shop when we heard a loud noise which turned out to be gas explosion. Initially, we thought it was a bomb because of the bang.

    “The gas tank was refilled this evening but they did not know it was leaking and it just exploded after it has been exposed to air for a long time.”

    It was alleged that men of the state fire service failed to show up at the scene at the appropriate time.

    They blamed it on malfunctioned vehicles and strike embarked upon by the workers in the state.

    But their counterpart from the Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) later came about two hours after the explosion.

    It took the combined effort of policemen and soldiers who came to the scene later to return normalcy and to prevent hoodlums from hijacking the situation.

    Doctors at the state specialist hospital said several injured persons were rushed there and have been receiving treatment.

    They, however, said the treatment was not total because of strike action embarked upon by medical workers union.

    According to them, the victims whose conditions were critical have been rushed to the trauma Centre in Ondo for comprehensive treatment.

  • Wanted: Help before death comes for these babies

    Wanted: Help before death comes for these babies

    At the Hearts of Gold Hospice, Surulere, Lagos Mainland, two babies lay in abject pain waiting for mercy. Corporate bodies or individuals can heal their pains. They need corrective surgeries that can make living somewhat bearable for them.

    Unless help comes quickly, the angel of death may visit at any time and end the perpetual pain in which these babies alive.

    One of the babies, christened Baby Latoya who was brought to the hospice by officials of the Lagos State government after she was picked up from the point where she was abandoned by her parents, suffers from two devastating defects-Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus. While the first is a condition in which a baby is in the womb and the spinal column does not close all of the way causing a variety of mental and social problems which would make the life of any child with the defect incomplete. Hydrocephalus on the other hand is derived from the Greek words “hydro” meaning water and “cephalus” meaning head. It  is a condition in which the primary characteristic is excessive accumulation of fluid in the brain. Although hydrocephalus was once known as “water on the brain,” the “water” is actually cerebrospinalfluid (CSF) — a clear fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. The excessive accumulation of CSF results in an abnormal widening of spaces in the brain called ventricles. This widening creates potentially harmful pressure on the tissues of the brain.  The most common indication of hydrocephalus in infants is often a rapid increase in head circumferenceor an unusually large head size. And children with the condition suffer a variety of conditions including vomiting, sleepiness, irritability, downward deviation of the eyes, and seizures.A visit to the Hospice would leave even the stone hearted sober for a number of hours. During our visit to the home last week, a lady cried without control until she was escorted out of the home by one of her colleagues. It is a place where you are reminded of the everyday privileges that we take for granted.

    Like the duo, children at the Hearts of Gold Hospice generally suffer from a wide range of congenital defects, some of which may be correctable through surgical interventions while others are terminal. Some other conditions which children in the home suffer from include congenital heart deformities. These defects leave most of these children in conditions which make them bed ridden for life and incapable of participating in mixing with members of the society, a reason for which a lot of parents terminate the lives of these children or abandon them in places where they are either picked up or left to die over a period of time.

    The Hearts of Gold Hospice was, in response to the pathetic way in which children with these physical and mental deformities are treated in October 2013. According to the Founder and Proprietor of the facility, which has 63 severely physically and mentally challenged children, Mrs Laja Adedoyin: “We opened our house on October 2, 2003 in response to the steadily increasing number of abandoned, orphaned and sick children suffering from a vast range of congenital abnormalities. The hospice offers free 24 hours, 7 days a week and 365 days a year, service for children with terminal or life threatening illnesses, offering a comfortable, caring and loving environment for them to live for the short period that they may have with us in the world. We provide respite support, palliative care, comfort and pain management even as we seek for assistance towards securing corrective surgeries for those children whose conditions give them a chance to live”

    Explaining that the hospice has children from every part of the country, Mrs Adedoyin noted that a lot of parents abandon their children with birth defect because there is no support system. In her words:

    “Parents of some of my children are usually not economically strong and have no idea where to go for help. These children are kept in obscure places, away from the society because of the stigma attached to having these class of children. They are often abused and rejected by their blood families. Some fathers would give the mothers ultimatum, chased out of her matrimonial home and faces rejection by in-laws.”

    Further showing concern for the plight of parents who have children with congenital defect, Mrs Adedoyin noted that: “ for majority of my children, surgical intervention is required to give them a new and near normal life and so when parents cannot afford this, they resort to all sorts of methods which is mostly not in the interest of the children. She therefore counselled parents  to parents, especially mothers is to hold on and seek help through the respective government institution insisting that there is always a measure of help that this governmental organisation can provide even if it is just to link them up with the right home to go to. Mrs Adedoyin who said that she is very fulfilled with what she is doing explained that the major challenge that her home has is getting the needed assistance and sponsorship for timely surgeries for the children. She noted that the lack of help sometimes jeopardises the lives of the children and expresses the hope that more Nigerians would come forward and lend a helping hand to secure the survival of more of the children in the home.

    She thanked the Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fasola for the unquantifiable assistance that the home has received from him as well as corporate bodies and individuals who have continued to take care of my children, my prayer is that God almighty will take care of them too.”

     

  • 240 benefit from empowerment programme

    One of the reasons for the establishment of local government administration is to ensure that members of rural communities enjoy the benefits of democracy. In most situations, the reverse is the case as some communities at the grassroots experience horrifying hardship if their leaders are insensitive to their plight.

    In the circumstances, members of communities that make up Oriade Local Council Development Area of Lagos State have cause to thank God for having a Council Manager that cares for their well-being.

    Last week, the Council Manager, Mrs. Florence Omotunde Peters organised empowerment programme for residents of the council as part of the council’s efforts to alleviate the suffering of the citizens, create employment and ensure that citizens are economically self-reliant.

    The future looks bright for 240 youths and women of the council as they complete a five-day professional training programme on skills acquisition. They were trained on cake making, headgear (gele) tying, make up/make over, soap making as well as tie and dye.

    Speaking during the opening ceremony, Mrs. Peters said: “The LCDA embarked on the programme in order to help those who do not have tangible means of livelihood or gainful employment to be self-reliant and contribute their quota to the economic growth and development of the council.

    “The empowerment programme was in line with the vision of the state government to provide sustainable sources of income to the unemployed while also reducing poverty.”

    The five-day training programme, Mrs Peters said, would empower youths and women with the practical skills needful to establish their own small-scale businesses.

    ‘’The training programme aims at reducing the level of unemployment in the society. It is going to help you to support your families, especially your children. About 240 people would participate in the training programme. The instructors will expose you to the use of modern equipment, current expertise and professional developments,’’ she said.

    Continuing, she said: “The increasing number of unemployed youths roaming the streets in search of jobs and some parents not having tangible means of livelihood has made them become frustrated and, most times, engage in anti-social activities that are inimical to the well-being of our society. It is therefore our responsibility as government to do something concrete to address this situation by intervening with various measures that will alleviate poverty and create employment opportunities.

    Not only did the council organise empowerment training programme for the citizens, it also provided the participants with work tools at the end of the programme. This, according to Mrs Peters, was to enable the beneficiaries to establish small-scale businesses for themselves in a bid to become self-reliant.

    Two of the beneficiaries, Miss Grace Joe and Alimi Bukola expressed their appreciation to the Council Manager for coming to their aids.

    They said: “It is a privilege for us to participate in the empowerment training programme which has emboldened us with the hope to establish our own businesses someday,’’ even as they promised to maximise the opportunity that the training programme had offered them.

  • Group organises leadership summit for youths

    In a bid to curb the unemployment situation among young people in Nigeria, Anabel Group has held its 3rd Nigerian Leadership Summit 2014, tagged “Entrepreneurial Nation”.

    The event, which held at Oriental Hotel Lekki Lagos aimed at tasking youths to develop interest in the acquisition of entrepreneurial, vocational and business skills that will make them better citizens and contributors to the nation’s economic growth and development.

    According to the President/Chief Executive Officer, Anabel Group, Nicholas Okoye, the programme has motivated, encouraged and inspired over 10,000 young people who had set up their own businesses in the past three years.

    He said: “We know that the unemployment situation in Nigeria can be solved by young people creating jobs for themselves. As youths, we all wish to become business people in big, small or micro scales. We are all aware that some renowned Nigerian entrepreneurs have developed big businesses with as little as N5, 000.

    “So, the whole idea of this summit is to tell you that there are solutions to our problems. We do not agree with those who sit on the fence and complain that the government should do everything for them.

    “We believe we can take our destiny into our hands with the efforts we have decided to make for ourselves. I have a mantra that says if you are not part of the solution, then, you are part of the problem. Those of us who complain consistently about the problems and don’t do anything about it are part of the problems.”

    Okoye further said that “the entire leadership summit is not just a talk shop anymore; it’s about educating people and also giving them the best way to be successful as businessmen and women. The group is working with financial industries to provide finance for young people. So that is the major positive element that has come out from this service.”

    However, he urged the youth that the group (Anabel) on annual basis through ‘Nigerian leadership summit’ is committed to realising a new Nigeria.

    Okoye also announced the launch of a new platform by the group, known as ‘Women entrepreneurship network’ which will focus directly on women-owned business, so they too can compete favourably just like the men in the society.

    “We need to support all the initiatives and all the efforts that will get young people into the workplace” Okoye said.

    Other Keynote speakers at the event were former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku; Chairman Chikason Group, Chief Chika Okafor; Chief Executive Officer, South-South Economic Council, Ambassador Joe Keshi and Managing Director, Asset Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON), Mustapha Obi; Chairman, MRS Group of Companies, Sayyu Dantata; Principal/Chief International Development Officer, Weeks International Enterprises, Charles Weeks and Managing Director, MDG Consulting, Benny Mistry.

  • Ten-month-old needs N2.5m for heart surgery

    Ten-month-old needs N2.5m for heart surgery

    She was born like every other normal baby and her parents were full of expectations that every stage of her growth would be without any problem.

    Few months after, the unexpected happened. She is afflicted with is a life-threatening ailment.

    Baby Gracious Chiamaka Onwusoro was diagnosed with heart problem, a whole in the heart which she has been fighting to stay alive. She needs N2.5 million to undergo heart surgery if she must live.

    Her condition has brought emotional pain and psychological trauma to her parents as the possibility of staying alive depends, to a large extent, on the benevolence of well-meaning Nigerians.

    Physicians say the baby needs an urgent surgical operation to save her from dying at infancy.

    She is the daughter of Mr. And Mrs Emmanuel Onwusoro. Mr Onwusoro is a reporter on the employ of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA), Channel 5, Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State. He had spent virtually all his earnings on the baby since

    the problem began few months after she was born on February 21 this year.

    Onwusoro and his wife have been in and out of many hospitals in search of solution to Gracious’ health problem.

    The baby is currently admitted at the Intensive Care Unit of the University College Hospital, Oritamefa Ibadan Oyo State.

    According to a clinical report signed by one Dr. Tosin Majekodunmi of Tristate Cardiovascular Institute to where she was referred for comprehensive medical examination, Baby Gracious is suffering from Antrio-Ventricular Septal defect, a heart-related disease.

    Though gracious, the second child of her parents, who was born through Caesarean section did not give any sign of complication at birth, her condition later turned worse.

    Symptoms of excessive sweating, inability to breathe and serious weight loss were the initial manifestation of her illness. Her parents had to seek medical help where the damning revelation about her health status was revealed.

    To confirm how worse the situation has been, Gracious was 4.2 kg at six months old, which forced the parents to go for echocardiogram treatment at Biket Hospital Osogbo Osun State.

    Narrating his ordeal about his child’s heart ailment to reporters, Mr Onwusoro said he initially declined to call for assistance from public-spirited Nigerians but had no option than to do so because all his lean resources as he had expended much already through huge medical bills from various hospitals they had taken the child to.

    This, according to him, has reduced the family’s financial capacity. They still believe that the baby would survive despite the present prevails they are going through.

    Mr Onwusoro further said the N2.5 million for the surgical operation is too difficult for him to raise based on his income and what the family had already spent so far.

    He said: “I want to plead with public-spirited Nigerians to help my family to

    overcome the serious challenge. We are not only passing through trauma at present, but we are down with heavy heart because no parents would be happy to lose any of their children.

    “I have spent so much and sold some of the family’s valuables to take her this far and it will be a colossal and devastating blow for us to lose her at this stage.”

    In her report, Dr Majekodunmi said: “I have had a lengthy conversation with Mrs Onwusoro and explained the diagnosis to her in some detail and she now appreciates the complexity of Gracious’ cardiac pathology.

    “I have explained that the closure ASV and heart coarctation repair are all fairly straightforward procedures which can be done at minimal risk and with a very high probability of total success.

    “Repair of such complex atrio-ventricular septal defect has not been performed in Nigeria to date and it would be a significant undertaking to attempt full repair in a nine-month-old that is failing to thrive.

    “If we were to contemplate surgical repair in Nigeria, the estimated cost of such procedure is N2.5m.”

    Those willing to assist the Onwusoro family in raising the N2.5 million required to save the precious life of Baby Gracious Chiamaka Onwusoro should send their financial contributions to this account details: Emmanuel Onwusoro, UBA Account Number: 2004071558 or contact on 08067207073

  • ‘Nigeria will not break after elections’

    Contrary to held views that Nigeria will disintegrate in 2015, which coincides with the country’s general elections, a cleric Pastor Akin Aina Oluwabukola has said Nigeria will remain an indivisible entity as it has been.

    Pastor Oluwabukola, a Senior Pastor with the Continental Grace Christian Centre Otto/Ijankin Lagos, spoke during the ministry’s maiden convention which had the theme “Overwhelming Joy”.

    He urged Nigerians not to despair but to pray fervently ahead of next year’s general elections for peace and unity of the country. He said some people who are anti-establishment are planning to effect a power change within the third week of January in order to distabilise the country. He, however, said “such plans are already headed for the rocks, except God is interested in it.”

    Pastor Oluwabukola said the eight-day convention was held to draw Nigerians towards seeking the face of God so that plans of the enemies against the election will not prevail.

    He said: “God told me some elements are plotting some power changing tactics with the aim of destabilising this country. But their plans will not succeed except God ordained it, and that will be good for the country. Nigeria will not break despite divergent opinions about the probability of our living together after the general elections. I will only enjoin Nigerians to pray ahead of the time so as to avert a possible danger.”

    He likened Nigeria to the Biblical Samaria which “though were in Israel, yet considered as impure because they allowed the Jews to inter-marry with them. It was Phillip that went to Samaria and preached to them. The Samarian example will be Nigeria’s lot.

    Continuing, he said: “Samaria is like Nigeria where we have people with diverse ethnic and religious leanings, with some trying to impose their views on others. The good thing, however, is that our strength lies in our diversity. This is what makes us great as a nation.”

    Giving the rationale behind the ‘operation feed the elderly’ where the church on Saturday carried out social services of providing food and clothing items to the aged, Akin Aina said the church carried out the exercise in the spirit of Christmas which, to him, is anchored on love.

    “The whole essence of Christmas is that Chris showed love to mankind by sending his only son to redeem us from our sins. If Jesus had not died, there wouldn’t have been any hope of resurrection in the hereafter.

    “Besides, we feel these people are old and therefore deserve special attention and care. We should make them feel a lot happier even in their old age,” Akin Aina said.

  • Politicians advised on 2015 polls

    Politicians advised on 2015 polls

    As the 2015 general elections draw near,politicians have been advised to play the game according to the rules, even as they have been urged to bear in mind that power is transient.

    The General Overseer, Breakthrough Believers Church International, Rev Joshua Benardson gave the advice during the third year anniversary and thanksgiving of the church in Surulere Lagos.

    Rev. Benardson noted that “righteousness exalts a nation”.

    His words: “Nation entails the lives of men, women and youths. For us to succeed and have a good election in 2015; we need God to intervene in the affairs of our lives.

    “My advice to politicians is to keep trusting in the Lord. Election is not a do-or-die affair. It’s just who God loves, who God chooses that must win. All the aspirants can’t emerge as winners. Whosoever God has anointed will surely win.”

    The cleric warned officials of Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the election with the fear of God, do justice to all and do what is right in the sight of God and men before, during and after the elections.”

    On Boko Haram insurgency, he explained that God was aware of what the nation and Nigerians were passing through, adding that the insurgents would not escape the consequences of their actions.

    “The Bible says there is time for everything. Now that Boko Haram is terrorising, doing what they know best, my advice to Nigerians is to fix our eyes on Christ, because He is the author and finisher of our faith. Boko Haram must surrender to the authority of God Almighty because no one can make it by shedding blood.

    “When you shed blood, you are putting your generation at risk of what they are to reap. Whatever a man sows, he shall reap. The Boko Haram insurgents live to kill and definitely they can’t escape the consequences.”

    He prayed that God, who has chosen the soldiers fighting the insurgents “will protect them and help them to scale through in anything they are doing to defend the nation.

    “Safety is of the Lord and God that is on the throne cannot fail them. Any of them that put their trust in God must scale through in this time of trial,” he said.

    The cleric advised Nigerians to remember that “tough times do not last, but tough people do.”

    “Any man that fixes his eyes on God can never be disappointed. Forget about what you are going through, for God will intervene in the affairs of Nigeria.”

    He said he was in the military service when he had the call to serve in God’s vineyard.

    “The call made me leave Nigerian Navy to join God’s army as a preacher, and since I joined them, there have been no regrets.  I am a trained Nigerian navigator.

    On his ministry, he said: “This is my 28th year in the ministry and the Lord has been seeing us through. Just three years ago, He instructed us to start up this new work and this new work has given birth to what men cannot comprehend.

    “By the grace of God, we believe God for more divine manifestations that will shoot across Breakthrough Believers Church. I am looking ahead that by 2015, things will be much better for every member of this ministry.

    “He that dwelt in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty, and then we shall say of the Lord, He is our refuge, He is our fortress, in God we trust, we can’t trust in other gods.

    “God alone is worthy to be praised and I believe with Him impossibility with men will become possible.”

    His wife, Pastor Tina Benardson, the  Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Coker-Aguda, Surulere Lagos and chairman of the event, Rev. (Dr.) Ethelbert Nwigwe, said members of the church decided to thank God for His abundant blessings in their lives during the year.

  • Knights condemn Boko Haram killings

    Knights  of Saint Lumumba ofthe Catholic Church in Nigeria have condemned the spate of killing of innocent citizens by Boko Haram insurgents in some parts of the country.

    They said the action which is against the will of God should be curtailed.

    The Supreme Knight of St. Lumumba, Brother Anthony Onu, who led a delegation of member to visit Governor Olusegun Mimiko in Akure, condemned the act.

    He noted that the killing of people, burning of churches and mosques by the insurgents is drawing the country backward.

    Onu pointed out that if the menace was not checked, it would have serious negative effects on the socio-economic well-being of the country.

    According to him, people from the South who had spent their entire lives in the North are already leaving the area in large number in spite of their huge investments in the crisis-ridden areas.

    The Supreme Knight urged Nigerians to rise against Boko Haram insurgents, particularly in the North-eastern part of the country.

    Onu, who explained that his team was in the state to hold their supreme convention, said the Knighthood is a body in the Catholic Church which gives moral and financial support.

    This, according to him, is through financing of church projects, training of priests and assisting in charity works across the country.

    He revealed that the organisation which was formed in 1953 with only 23 members, saying that the membership of the organisation has grown to 23,000; even as he revealed that all the founding members are dead.

    The Supreme Knight, said  his members had spent a whopping of N3 billion this year on charity.

    He praised Mimiko’s administration for its various achievements.

    Governor Mimiko, who was represented by his Chief of Staff (CoS) Dr Kola Ademujimi, commended the delegation for choosing the state for their  convention.

    The Governor, who praised members of the Knight of Saint Lumumba for using their God-given resources for supporting the needy and the work of God, appreciated the Catholic Church for its moral support to the state government.

    Mimiko said the theme of their convention, “Politics, good governance and terrorism and how it is affecting Nigeria”, is relevant to the current situation in the country.

    He added that the country’s democracy could only be sustained if those in government could provide the necessary benefits of democracy to the people.

    The Governor, who also condemned the recent killing and bombing of innocent citizens in the north, expressed the hope that the Federal Government would be on top of the situation soon

  • New vista for Ibadan zoological garden

    New vista for Ibadan zoological garden

    The Zoological Garden of the University of Ibadan has found its spark again after about two decades of inactivity, reports BISI OLADELE

    The fire is back to the zoo. So is the fun and happiness experienced by tourists to theZoological Garden of the University of Ibadan.

    It was the first zoological garden in the city of Ibadan. Tucked within the enclave of the University College, which later transformed to the University of Ibadan (UI), The UI Zoo, as it is fondly called, was popular among, not only members of the university community, but also among residents of the city and visitors.

    Established as a unit in the Department of Zoology of the university in 1948, the garden became a fully-fledged zoological garden in 1974.

    In the 80s, anyone on a long visit to Ibadan dreamt of the UI Zoo as a not-to-miss tourist centre. With wide range of animals kept in their near natural habitats, good maintenance of the animals and other facilities in the garden, trained tour guides and interesting animals, visits to the UI Zoo left fond memories for tourists.

    It was a zoological garden per excellence in all ramifications, at least, going by the standards of that period. It was then managed by an expert, Mr Bob Golden, a Briton.

    From the mid-70s to the late 80s, the UI Zoo held ace as the foremost garden in Ibadan and, perhaps, the entire Southwest region.

    The interesting lifestyle of two gorillas–Haruna and Imade–was a major attraction for crowds of tourists at the time. The animals provided enough fun for visitors with the way they related. The two animals were viewed as a thrilling couple by regular visitors.

    The Director of the zoo, Dr Morenikeji Olajumoke, said of the two gorillas: “Haruna was our very lovely gorilla. So also was Imade. They were brought into the zoo by Mr Bob Golden, the first director of UI Zoo. He has since returned to the United Kingdom (UK).

    “He was here in the 60s and 70s. The gorillas were cute but they grew old and died. Haruna died in 1995 while Imade died in 2006.

    The two animals had a great impact on the zoo because Bob Golden had trained them. They swam and did many things together. They were so lively. These made them attract so much attention. They were very interesting animals to watch. So, many people came to watch them.

    “The two have undergone taxidermy (embalming) and are displayed at the Educational Unit of the zoo.”

    But the tide changed for the garden in the 1990s as poor maintenance and failure to upgrade the animals and facilities made it slide into oblivion. Haruna and Imade had died, the elephant was no more and facilities became outmoded, overused and dilapidated.

    However, the garden’s fortunes have, again been turned around for good. Things are better now than even the starting period.

    With over 100 species of animals, double the number of staff, partnership with agencies, individuals and increasing investments, UI Zoological Garden has succeeded in restoring its glory. It is currently charting the way forward in the industry.

    On the journey to the present stage, Dr Olajumoke explained that the transformation was a product of the determination of the university to do things right and restore the glory of the garden in line with the institution’s position as a premier university in Nigeria.

    According to her, Golden did his very best and left a good legacy. The onus to sustain his team’s achievements and build on the successes was taken by the current management, a development that has been buoyed by philanthropists, corporate organisations and employment of more experts to manage the garden.

    Her words: “Our patronage has increased three times in the last three to four years. That is because of the tremendous transformation of the zoo. Considering its state five years ago, you will be surprised at what the zoo looks like now. It has now been blown open, totally changed. Since inception, we have never had it this good.

    “Structurally, we have three times the number of animal enclosures. All the enclosures are enriched. We make them simulate (make it look like the natural habitat).

    “We have enriched the cages; make them look like educational units that are providing a lot of information about the animals. Children can stay in the reptile house now and spend hours.

    “We have also the audio programme where everything about each reptile is explained in audible voice in four native languages and English. You are educated about the reptiles and other species all over the world.

    “We now have a children zoo where we keep little animals like rabbits, pocines and civet cats. We were not able to keep the cats before this transformation. But they can now survive. The habitat is suitable for them now. They are doing so well.

    “Apart from that, we have upgraded our ape enclosure. It is enriched. Chimpanzees now have swings, toys and food plates, among other things. They are for the education of the animals.

    “We also have a new administrative block. It houses the education unit and the library. So many researchers have been visiting the zoo and the library. We have all information and the animals on the computer. All these bring more students and researchers to us from all over the country and other parts of the world.

    “We have also upgraded our bird line and aviary. We have more exotic birds such as the white peacocks, budgerigar birds, several parrots, including vulture. Some of the birds are now laying eggs and hatching because of the natural habitat. The conservation of animals is being enhanced by the transformation.

    “We also have the carnivorous animals, including spotted and striped hyena, jackals and lions. We have herbivorous animals that include giraffes and antelopes. We are proud of about 100 species of animals even though we are not yet where we aim to be.”

     

    How it happened

    “I am the most excited person about what is going on. When I assumed duty, my vision was to upgrade it to international standards. It was like the driving force for me. I met people, contacted companies, preaching the need for this upgrading. Fortunately, everyone I spoke to responded. We conceived painting. I spoke with Seven Up Bottling Company which did painting for us.

    “Coca-Cola and Seven Up Bottling Company helped in the setting up of the buttery to cater for refreshment of people.

    “Nigerian Breweries PLC has been donating feed for our animals monthly.

    One of my major donors is Pastor Enoch Adeboye. He sent N5 million and we started the education aspect and the transformation.

    “When he came again, I told him about a new architectural design for the zoo.

    He, again, gave N20 million for the architecture.

    The third time he came, he gave another N20 million. He is not just a man of God, he loves animals and children. We need to leave something for the children unborn.

    “People also donated animals. Some of our animals in Africa are endangered.

    I’m so grateful to God for the positive ways people are responding.

    We did fencing, created ramp walkways, especially for disabled people to make it workable. We also made another gate to bring in big animals. I’m very happy with the project now.

    “We have programmes for Children’s Day celebration, have Valentine’s Day, games; quiz competition, drawing competition and so on among schools. It is a lot of hard work.

    “Staff number has doubled, including graduates. We now have four graduate curators looking after the zoo. The last four years have been transformational.

    “Apart from those, we now have a wildlife clinic/laboratory where the animals are treated.”

     

    Plan for the future

    “The zoo is already expanding. We are bringing in more animals and we are also working on more collaboration with other zoos abroad. We are also looking forward to a very robust conservation programme which we have already started.

    Patronage is increasing and I believe that the zoo will be able to sustain itself.