Category: Sunday magazine

Chief (Mrs.) A. J. Offiah, SAN is a legal luminary of notable repute and the first female Senior Advocate of Nigeria from the South-eastern part of Nigeria who has displayed an admirable degree of hard work, honesty, integrity and zeal in the discharge of her duties. Yetunde Oladeinde ran into this prodigy in the legal profession at a recent conference by Business and Professional Women Nigeria in Enugu where she bagged an award. In this interview she talked about life as an experienced arbitrator, challenges as well as how she balanced her career with family life.

TELL us about some of the memorable cases that you handled?

There is one that makes me laugh now, it made me cry then. It was an armed robbery case in the late 70s and I was led by a senior lawyer. It involved a handsome young man of about twenty or twenty years and I felt so sorry and convinced that he was innocent.  I used to take food to him in prison and worked so hard on the case. We won the case but after winning, he was convicted. Those days they used to execute condemned armed robbers. As I was listening to the radio on the day of their execution, I heard the gun shots and I cried all day. Each time I remembered, I cried and I still saw his face and all that. Later, I discovered that he had other criminal cases and was actually guilty in all of them.

Another case happened recently and on that day, I was kept in the court from 9.20 in the morning to 9 pm conducting a case without a drop of water. It was holy week and towards the end I had a blackout. So I just had to tell the judge that I was leaving and lost interest in the judgement. At that point, I realised that the judge had a mission other that justice.

Why did you decide to study Law?

Initially, I did not think of law, instead I preferred theatre arts. However, after a while, I looked around and found that a few wrongs were not being addressed. So I felt that if I read Law it would give me the opportunity to change things especially cases that had to do with human right issues. After being called to the Nigerian bar, I did my Youth Service Corps programme at the Ministry of Justice Akure, Ondo State. Thereafter I began private and public law practice at Enugu. My service to the nation did not by any means end at the one year Youth Service Corps programme, I have consistently served the country in various ways and under various appointments and positions.

In 1986-1991, I served as a member of the Anambra State Law Reporting Committee. In 1990, I was the Chairman of the Anambra State Local Government Election Tribunal, Onitsha Zone. Just before this in 1989 I was the Chairman of the State Local Government Election Tribunal Enugu Zone. I later became the Attorney-General and Commisioner for Justice Enugu State from 1994-1997 under the Military Adminstrations of Navy Captain Temi Ejoor, Colonel Mike Torrey and Colonel Sule Ahman.

I became the Chairperson of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Enugu between 1998 to year 2002. And in year2003, I was conferred with the status of the Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). Three years later in 2006 I was made a member of the body of benchers. Other positions held include the Chairperson of the Audit Committee of the NBA and the Chairperson of the NBA Disciplinary Committee of Enugu State. I was also member of the committee on Revision of Enugu State High Court Rules as well as the first vice Chairperson of the NBA Section on Public Interest and Development Law (SPIDEL).

Now looking back after so many years in practice, I don’t think I could have done anything else which would give me the joy I have now.

What were the challenges encountered?

I came to a profession that was dominated by men at that time. The social barriers were there. It was a time when you walk into a company to do your work and jokingly they ask what is this young girl looking for and all that. However with time, things changed and they accepted us. I told myself at the initial stage that I was going to take a job with the state as a counselor magistrate because those kinds of jobs were easier and convenient to manage. Conversely, private practice at that time was tough. Notwithstanding, I felt a call and I tried it. The other challenge was how to combine an intensive legal practice and my family. I was lucky because I have a very wonderful and supportive husband.

How was it like building a career and taking care of the home front?

I played the role of a mother, wife and full time legal practitioner. At that stage in my life, I was travelling a lot, going to court in different parts of the country and God helped me to do the right things at the right time. It was tough but I put in my best to make sure everything was taken care of at the appropriate time. I have six children all within my career and I made sure that the home front did not suffer because of my career. Putting in my best meant having to make a lot of sacrifices here and there and I remember that there was a particular day that I had to write my last judgement in the labour ward. It has not been easy but we trust God for the grace and opportunity to excel at work and in the family. It is also important to mentor others to grow so that there won’t be a vacuum when you move up.

There is a big difference between the number of men and women who are SANs in the country today. What do you have to say about the imbalance?

I am not surprised; as the saying goes that the women who started cooking before others would have more broken pots. The men started first and that is why they have achieved so much in the profession in this country today. In addition, I would also say that the women also had lots of other roles to play .Also the traditional mentality that the women should be confined to certain roles did not allow so many women to move up or get into positions. This is not just in the legal profession alone, not because they were not brilliant but just because of the circumstances of life. By the time I joined the list of SANs in 2003, there were five other women, all from the southwest. And since then we have had three or more women.

If you had to advise Nigerian women, what would you tell them?

Much as we have our sympathy for women and want them to come on, our women must realise that nothing good comes easy. It is very important to work hard, be dedicated as well as persevere. This way their husbands and children would support and encourage them when they see that they have a passion that they are committed to. Also I must give credence to male colleagues who have helped to mentor women. To succeed women must put in hard work and must not be afraid. It is also very important to be honest and have a focus.

Joke Kujenya, Assistant Editor (Investigations) was recently i n Sweden and writes about her encounter.

BEING a journalist affords one the opportunity, to an extent, to globe trot. And so, one of such opportunities was presented to me when I got informed by the FOJO Media Institute, University of Linnaeus, that I had been selected as one of the 30 leading investigative journalists from 12 countries to attend the ‘Eye on Corruption’ Advance Workshop for Investigative Journalists in Kalmar, Sweden.

The workshop was a collaborative effort between the Swedish Institute, the FOJO Media Institute and Eye on Corruption Sweden. It attracted several international specialists and trainers as well as journalists that participated in the advanced seminars. The essence was to expose investigative journalists to learn ways of tracing corrupt accounting practices such as money laundering, to share cases and practical useful methods for uncovering transitional corruption and more importantly, to establish the “Eye on Corruption Network of Global Investigative Journalists’ specifically aimed at monitoring and reporting on trans-national issues of corruption, among others.

After a two-day journey in which we connected three flights starting from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, to Bole International Airport in Addis-Ababa, Ethiopia, to Stockholm Arlanda International Airport, Sweden, and then, the last one via a Scandinavian Airlines SK to Kalmar Airport, a calm city in the South-east of Sweden, we eventually landed and got a warm welcome by the Project Coordinator, Daniel Yttermalm and Ms. Yomana at the FOJO Guesthouse which is surrounded by neatly cut lush forests trees and grass often associated with quietness and friendliness which we so much enjoyed.

Shortly afterwards, we were made to gather at the guest house lounge where we were handed the ground rules for both staying at the guest house as well as told  the importance of making sure we attended classes promptly and always.

Then, a pep that got our set as the first six participants to arrive for the conference was when Daniel said that each of us had a bicycle tagged in the same numbers to our rooms. For five of us except one who claimed to have phobia for such, the information was greeted with a wow!

Now, at the time we got to Kalmar, the weather according to Daniel, our host, was about 10 degrees. So, he counselled that we dress warm to avoid any eventuality.

Before then, he had cautioned us via emails that we should bring along warm clothing. And we did.

At Arlanda Immigration spot

For the fact that hundreds of people enter into Sweden via the Stockholm Arlanda International Airport, the queue to the immigration desk was winding and long. So, it took about six of us, the journalists from Africa who discovered on the flight that we were heading for the same programme, about 45 minutes to get to the immigration officials. So, we were attended to, as a team.

After the first two African colleagues from Uganda, it was our turn as Nigerians to be seen, before the colleague from Zambia. As we moved to the desk and dropped our passports, with mine first, the immigration official, who before then had been quite stern with others, smiled and exclaimed: “From Nigeria?  Before I could answer him, he asked: “You know Emenike?”. I answered: “Yes, I do” and added, “the footballer”. He said, “Yeah”. Then, the other official with him in the same cubicle also asked: “You know Tu Face Dibia”? I also answered yes. And within minutes our passports were stamped with a quip of “Enjoy your stay in Kalmar.” And so, we were left off their hook.

Biking in Kalmar

We were lodged within the university premises and could only ride bikes inside the campus. The bicycles were all lined up in front of our guest house. Promptly, few of us hopped on our bicycles to go sight-seeing to the conference building marked Kalmar Nyckel less than a 100 metres from the guest house. However, we were not able to ride much longer due to the freezing cold weather.

The next day, we were told the weather had dropped to between 4 and 5 degrees. So, none of us dared ride on the bike but we all ran to the warmth of our classrooms to begin the day’s session.

As for me, that brief biking experience brought back childhood memories of biking in Ebute-Metta in Mainland, Lagos. But learning in Kalmar is calmer. The university life there is devoid of the regular boisterous or noisy academic activities by students. Every student went about his or her normal educational life as inaudibly as possible. Even their comportments in the dining halls were quite civil.

World of difference

By the third day, the weather remained fixed on 5 degrees with shower droplets of rain that made everywhere wet. We felt snowflakes dropping on us and especially the five of us from Africa kept off riding the bike. As for me, I particularly stayed off biking because I dressed in a long skirt-and-blouse pinkish African outfit and I was afraid it could get into the wheels and get me injured. Also some snow came in the northern part of Sweden and the effect of that was a terribly cold weather.

We were mostly in the warmth of the conference halls. However, due to the bad weather, we were unable to visit the castles and shops in Kalmar.

For our few days of stay in Kalmar, we enjoyed the sweet and welcoming nature of the Swedes. But sadly, we weren’t able to stay long enough to enjoy the summertime when the sun stays up much longer from about 4.00am in the morning until around 9pm at night.

Another striking thing is that while Sweden as a country shares similar time with Nigeria. However, during winter time, by 3.30am the sun comes up and by 3.30pm, the sun goes down earlier and everywhere is dark.

Daniel said: “It is like this in Sweden we are up in the north of all countries. And so, due to the sun, as in where the earth is against the sun, the day gets darker faster than other countries. But largely, there is a calm life in Kalmar, famous for its castle and the bridge to the island, Öland. Our local dialect is a bit special compared to Stockholm. Kalmar is also famous for all its birds, the ocean and the nature.”

However, for me, what I found most amazing is, we were told that in Sweden, you can simply walk into any government office as a journalist to request for documents to verify claims. And without much ado, FoI Bill or not, whatever facts you need to crosscheck, private or public, once you write for permission, you get it. I can only pray we get to that point in my own country, Nigeria.

But like all good things that come to a quick end, so was our week-long stay in Kalmar. By Friday morning, we came back via similar three flights regime as we got to Sweden and the next day, we got to our respective countries.

Nigerian Music all around

It was obvious we had to return the way we came, three flights back to our respective bases. Our flight from Kalmar to Stockholm was only an hour. We landed at the Stockholm Arlanda Airport by 1.05pm. But we had precisely 8-hours of stay before we could board Ethiopian flight back to Addis-Ababa. So, we tried to see if we could dash out of the airport to go shopping in the nearby town. But the weather was really harsh and we felt it was wise to stay in the confines of the airport, window shop and try to see if there were things our modest cash could buy. Luckily for us, our major luggage had been checked in from Kalmar to our respective final destinations. So, we started going from one shop to the other. At some point, the three guys went their own way leaving us, the two ladies on our own. We went from bookshops to jewellery stores, to drinks bar, to electronics and computer centres, to chocolate corners and so on. At some point, the six of us reconnected and it was much fun. All the while for us from Nigerians, we kept telling one another that there was something kind of familiar to us at the airport. But we couldn’t lay our hands on it at that time.

However, a few minutes later, when we got to an expansive men’s shop, one of our colleagues called me and said: “Ms. J, listen to the music blaring from the speakers. I paid a close attention and heard the familiar songs “Pakurumo, pakurumo…”

Wow, we all exclaimed. Then, I called the female attendant and asked her what they call the music she was playing. She said, “Well, I don’t know what it is called. But I know it is Nigerian music. And I love it so much.” We all laughed and moved on. Then, we moved on and entered a children toys’ shop, this time, it was “Azonto, Azonto…” that was blaring out of the sound system. Again, I asked the other lady what she was listening to, she also said it was a Nigerian song and added that, if I had to move to more places in Sweden, I would see that “we’re all freaky with Nigerian music stars”.

On that note, I returned to the first lady attendant and told her to dance Pakurumo for us to see. To our amazement, she leapt forward, bent sideways and before we could blink an eye, she lifted her left leg upward and twisted her waist to be rhythm of the song. If you ask every potential bride her dreams about marriage, the things that usually come out of their mouths are to have a lavish wedding day as well as one that will stand the test of time. Usually, lots of emphasis is on the first set of goal, while the most important details are not attended to. It is therefore a day to roll out the drums, pop champagne and other exotic drinks at a luxury venue adorned with the finest décor.

Like a queen, the bride is expected to step out in the best outfit, best accessories as well as be chauffeur-driven in a luxury car. In the quest to achieve this feat, the loving couple spend as if there is no tomorrow, hoping to impress the rest of the world and damn all the consequences of being the emotional spendthrift. Interestingly, in a recent survey carried out by the Economist, some researchers found that the more lavish a wedding, the shorter the lifespan of the marriage was likely to be. Big weddings, they echoed, were the quickest way to the divorce courts.

Corroborating the fact that spending too much in creating your dream day reduces the chances of long term happiness are some financial experts, marriage counsellors and other stakeholders. “I think that the wedding sector has pushed the cost up, leaving newlyweds starting married life in debt,” declared Leonard Odigwe, an economist.  He added that “Soon after the dotted lines are signed, the wedding gown sits on the hanger with no other tangible assignment to be done. Sadly, such gowns go for as much as five or ten million depending on the source and the middlemen who help to get them. The other reality is that the limousine and the other choice vehicles are for a few hours and they would be returned to the car rental service parking lot too. The ceremony is just for a few hours or a maximum of days of extravanganza which leaves a big hole in the pocket for many.”

So, why do we fall for the hype? You wonder. Iveren Itokyaa, a counsellor who specialises in Mind Engineering gives this perspective: “Humans are born with a strong innate desire for love and approval. The neuro-connections in a child’s brain of self value and approval are made based on the responses of early caregivers to the infant’s needs. Sadly, due to faulty parental conceptions or modern day needs, mothers are ‘taught’ that the best training for a little baby is to ignore a child’s crying so as not to ‘spoil’ the child before e go always de want body. However, as the research from neuro-science tells us, the first two years of a person’s life are key in forming the neural basis of a person’s identity and blueprint for life. A baby who didn’t receive the love and attention that it craved as an infant continues to unconsciously seek these throughout its life. The only thing that changes with years and maturity is the methodology. An infant cries; an adult has other avenues.”

Itokyaa continued: “One of those avenues used is excessive, unsustainable lavishness. Be these birthdays, weddings or funerals. Most people tend to throw caution and common sense to the wind whenever an opportunity to gain the 4 As  attention, admiration, approval, acceptance  presents itself. There comes a need to show off so that ‘others’ can see how good we are  and thereby make us feel special. We will ignore budgets, throw tantrum, incur debts, cause quarrels but remain fixated on the end point  the need to impress. The little infant takes over and is still demanding love and attention from the world, but this time with cash.”

Even though she agreed that on that day, we may get the admiration, the praise and the envy, all the attention in the world cannot heal the emptiness of a soul that has not yet been able to form a strong identity of love for itself. “After the event, the demons of self reproach will come out even stronger once the reality of our waste hits home. And it is usually then that problems begin to surface. But the problem is not that money is now scarce, or the attitude of the other person has changed or creditors are breathing down our back, the problem is the unconscious pain of not feeling unconditionally loved  a lack in belief that I am worthy and the highest purest sense of love can come only from me. This is the issue that must be addressed. Yet for anyone of us to get to the point of not needing the lavish approval of others, we must be willing to first look within, face our hurting feelings and take the steps to heal the void created by our own early helplessness and well concealed sense of unworthiness. That is the essence of emotional freedom and the work we all are called to do.”

Like Ityokaa, Maureen Njoku, who got married about three years ago, recalled the tension and trauma she had to go through trying to make it a day to remember. “I am a very simple and conservative person, and so I wasn’t so keen about having something that was expensive. Unfortunately for me, my fiancé comes from an aristocratic background and he wasn’t willing to settle for less. First, he went to the bank for a loan for a business project and used all the funds to finance the wedding. The loan was not sufficient and he also had to ask for help from friends and relative. When I saw the bill, I almost passed out. It was just too ridiculous and I was restless from that point. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy to pay back,” she recalled.

Njoku continued: “We could not afford to pay for the kind of wedding gown that my husband wanted. So, what we did was to rent a gown that looked very glamorous. The cost of renting the gown was twice as much but it was something extraordinary. We rode in a limousine, and for me it looked like fairy tale, the stuff you read about in books only. The set of rings also cost a fortune and the rest of the details were taken care of by an event planner that walked away with about ten million naira.”

It is, indeed, a thing of joy when a man decides to commit to a lifelong relationship with his spouse. “For many, standing at the altar, saying, “I do” serves as the foundation for many childhood fantasies. Unfortunately, this love story can also get stuck with high bride price which is the norm in some parts of the country.

”At such moments, the groom is presented with a mandatory list with monetary token attached. This token, some actually believe, portrays her as a commodity which also affects the relationship,” opined Tayo Adebiyi, a social scientist. Sometimes, the problem can also be caused by a financial imbalance of the couple. “I know of a recent case where the lady earned an income that was twice the groom’s and she had to foot about 80 per cent of the wedding bill. It was a wonderful event but tension started on their wedding night. Instead of spending a blissful time together, they fought all night and tore each other’s clothes to shreds,” Adebiyi disclosed.

He continued: “They sorted out the difference the following morning and travelled to two countries in Europe for the honeymoon. The pictures were quite memorable but, unfortunately, they just could not go far together. A few months after the ceremony, the rich bride realised that the man was nothing but a gold digger and things gradually began to fall apart.”

Adebiyi also linked the high cost of getting married to the reason why a lot of bachelors have refused to kiss their status goodbye. He stated that “the trend can also be linked to the increase in single parenthood. Those who make up their mind early settle for cheaper options like going to a marriage registry with a few friends and loved ones.”

The new frugality, he noted, is causing some friction between more traditionally-minded parents and young people who are trying to change the stereotype. “Most times, the young couples are not the major character in the play called weddings. It is usually an event where parents invite friends and acquaintances who had organised weddings which turned out to be extravaganzas and they would also like to show that our wedding is bigger and more expensive than yours.” For some parents, it is a time to show off their wealth or pretend to be wealthy depending on those involved.

To save yourself from the stress, you can opt for the marriage registry where the cost of tying the knot is brought to the barest minimum and affordable. Sadly, the burden is not just for the couple alone. Most times, the cost is transferred to close friends and relatives too. So, when they get into a financial mess shortly after the dream wedding, those who should assist them are also grappling with bills incurred from the same event.

Marriage, according to experts, is not a bed of roses. As early as possible, it is important to learn how to be a good spouse and wriggle out of any unforeseen situations. These include getting financially stable, honing your culinary skills and avoid conflict. As you plan together for this special day, you need to ask yourself some critical questions about the cost implication, the alternatives you may need to forgo as well as the overall impact of emptying your bank account, as well as taking loans that would impoverish you at a time you need a robust account to cater for the new lifestyle that you are going into.

Following the collapse of the accommodation building at the Synagogue Church of All Nations, traders and business owners whose livelihood depends almost entirely on the activities of the church have been groaning and lamenting their collapsing fortunes. Gboyega Alaka who recently visited the formerly bustling area reports.

ALMOST opposite the Synagogue Church of All Nations and right in heart of the little Bolounpelu community, near Ikotun, which incidentally plays host to the now controversial church, is a four-storey hotel facility fast nearing completion. The owner obviously had bought-out an old property and embarked on a total reconstruction for hotel purposes, seeing its closeness to the internationally renowned church and the increasing opportunities for hospitality business. In recent years, the church had begun to attract a large number of religious tourists and miracle seekers, who regularly throng the area.

Naturally, there had also been an immediate need for accommodation, which business-minded Nigerians have responded to. A reliable source in the area revealed that the owner of the property in question had bought the property about two years ago at a price in the region of N10 million. Sometimes around June, he pulled down the old structure and began constructing a massive foundation, which immediately indicated it was going to be a massive structure-at least by the community’s standard. He was about to commence the building proper, when the Synagogue church disaster, which saw the collapse of a six storey accommodation facility and claimed scores of lives right inside the church premises occurred.

Nevertheless, he went ahead with the construction, and has within a spate of two months erected three floors right up to roofing stage. If he has any fear that the disaster will affect his projected business, the speed of the construction has not shown anything.

Anxiety has, however, continued to mount around the community by those already into the business of accommodation. They fear this whole construction might just be a wasted venture. According to Segun, a resident of the community, who has witnessed the transformation in the community, a lot of people are already wondering what would become the fate of this particular hotel and several others that have been established in the area in the last three, four years.

He explained that “As I speak, I can count close to ten of such hotels, including Isu Hotel, Delta Lodge, Souvenir Hotel, Victory Hotel and several others without names,  that have sprung up in this area in the last three or four years. But while they have had their time of boom, the recent tragedy at the Synagogue church has affected virtually all businesses attached to it. In fact I can tell you that it is the hoteliers that are lamenting the most, because they definitely are yet to recoup the huge funds they have invested. ”

He also explained how several of the operators now complain endlessly of poor patronage. He also said many of the scouts, who used to greet visitors on arrival and market accommodation facilities of various grades to them have all but disappeared, saying that more or less sum up the situation.

Indeed, the scenario, where all luggage-carrying arrivals to the Synagogue bus stop are besieged by hordes of accommodation scouts, is fast disappearing. Again, Segun disclosed that most of them are fast disappearing because business is low.

One of them, Chinwe corroborated his claim, saying most of them are “beginning to look for other means of income, because of the impact of the building collapse.” She explained that in days leading to major church programmes and events, a hard-working scout made as much as N30,000 or more in a week, but admit that such is no longer the case.

Another scout, who refused to grant a direct interview interjected that the situation is now so tough that they sometimes resort to fighting each other over potential clients; something he said was never the case in the past.

Chinwe is therefore earnestly praying that the court case against the church overseer, TB Joshua on account of the collapse is resolved in his favour and the ‘man of God’ settles down to his anointed business again. Anything short of this, she says, will be disastrous for hundreds of people, whom she says feed off the prosperity of the church. In her words, “Look at these shops; all the canteens and hotels, do you think they are happy at the situation? See how empty they are. If they successfully pin the collapse of the church on the ‘man of God’ and kill the church, all these people, including myself will suffer. We have no other means of survival as I speak”, she trailed off.

One of the staff at Isu Hotel, situated close to the church, who begged for anonymity, corroborated the lamentations of low sales, saying that patronage has dropped to a near zero stage. She also said this is not peculiar to just one hotel, as virtually all of them are singing the same tune. She lamented that people no longer come from afar or outside the country, adding that those are the people who are able to afford the hotels.

Away from the accommodation scouts, a mild drama played out as this writer moved nearer the shops and rows of canteens opposite the church to further feel the pulse of the traders. A buxom woman who ran a canteen on the street opposite the church ran out to meet a group of people calling out to them to come into her canteen and promising handsome discount, known in local parlance as ‘fisi’.  As if taking a cue from their boss, her two attendants, a boy and a girl ran after them and literally dragged them into the canteen. In a jiffy, another canteen operator next to hers came out charging and accusing her of snatching her customers, until a third party interceded.

One of them lamented that the whole hullabaloo is all because of the problem the church is facing on account of the collapsed building, adding that fighting over customers was unheard of prior to the incident. She whispered to this writer that the whole place used to be a beehive of activities even past midnight, but says shops now shut down even before 12 midnight.

Mrs. Adams, a grandmother in her late 60s, who runs a little restaurant on Olusesi Street, near the church spoke of how the unfortunate incident has torpedoed commercial activities in the area. She lamented the huge investment most of the hotel owners have made and how visitors no longer come in from outside the country. She revealed that the last time the church witnessed huge crowd was the weekend after the collapse and said it was due to the fact that the members wanted to show their solidarity. Besides, she said the church was billed to have a programme that weekend; hence people had begun to troop in. She added that this must be the reason the collapse also had so many casualties.

Another woman, Mrs. Adewale, whose husband runs an informal accommodation, said “the incident has no doubt no doubt affected the lodging business. Yes, people still come around, but it is dropping by the day. She also says that prices have since crashed. Her husband used to let the two rooms out for between N3,000 and N2,500, but says they are ready to even accept N1,500 at the moment, just so that their steam of cash earning does not totally stop. All they are hoping for now, she said is for the prophet to be cleared of all allegations, so that normalcy could return and things can get back to normal. As if to justify her plea, Mrs. Adewale asked almost rhetorically, “Why can Nigerians just face the issue. We all saw the plane hover several times before the collapse. How come the building had to collapse on the day the plane came hovering? Isn’t it a very simple matter?”

Mrs. Adewale added that we are supposed to be supporting our rather than castigating him. She also cited the case of people who go on pilgrimage to Mecca and die, asking, “Have Saudi-Arabians condemned Mecca?

A six-storey building serving as lodging facility had collapsed inside the premises of the Synagogue Church of All Nations on September 12, killing scores of people, mostly of South African origin, who had travelled all the way to Nigeria to worship and participate in the church’s periodical programmes. The hue and cry that accompanied the incident prompted the Lagos State government to set up a coroner’s inquest headed by Magistrate Oyetade Komolafe on September 26, to investigate the cause of the building collapse.

Meanwhile, a Federal High Court in Lagos yesterday adjourned a suit seeking to stop the ongoing inquest into the collapse of the building till November 17. A Lagos lawyer and counsel to the church, Mr. Olukoya Ogungbeje had gone before the court on October 28, claiming that the composition of the Coroner’s Court set-up was a negation of the principle of natural justice and section 36 of the constitution, and as such was unconstitutional and void.

The Lagos State government also last week gave approval for 54 bodies already confirmed to be of South African nationals to be flown back to South Africa. Out of the 70 bodies that have been scientifically verified through DNA, 54 were confirmed to be South Africans; while 16 others are of Nigerians, Togolese, Benenoise and others.

And as the inquest and the ensuing legal battle unfolds, the biggest prayer on the mind of the hundreds of people whose business depend on the church for survival remains, let the man of God be vindicated.