The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Boy

  • Boy, 9, petitions EU, ECOWAS over killing

    A nine-year-old boy, Paul Akinwale, has petitioned the European Union (EU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), following the death of his parents, sister and a relation in a road accident.

    Akinwale, through his counsel, Olusina Akeredolu and Adewale Aribatise, alleged that his father, Alex Akinwale, his seven months expectant mother, Rebecca Kehinde Akinwale, his two-year-old sister, Paulina and a teenaged relation, Bose Abiodun, were killed by a vehicle in the convoy of a former deputy governor of Ondo State on February 1, 2014.

    He said the driver of the vehicle, while on official duty, recklessly ran into the late Mr. Akinwale’s vehicle, killing the occupants, except him (Paul).

    Paul said he and his family were returning to Akure from a burial in Ondo town, when the accident occurred on the Ondo-Akure Road, at about 11am.

    He said he was five years old at the time and was badly injured, but miraculously survived after treatment.

    In the November 19, 2018 petition, Paul spoke through Akeredolu and Aribatise, who are the executive director and director of operations of ‘The Detainees & Indigent Help Centre’, a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

    He said at the time of the incident, his parents were employees of the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Akure, Ondo State.

    “The family has done every possible thing, including the use of lawyers and the court to get justice for the untimely death of four members of his family and his hospital/ therapy care, but the Ondo State Government is not willing to do anything in form of compensation to the orphaned boy,” the petition said.

    It called on the international organisations to join forces to demand justice for Paul and mount pressure on the Ondo State Government “so that it will not get away with this impunity, recklessness and lack of conscience against the poor little orphan.”

    The petition said the incident was the subject matter of a suit marked HID/7/2016 at an Ondo State High Court between Paul Akinwale and three defendants: the deputy governor, the Ondo State Government and the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice.

    But the case was stalled to enable the parties explore an out of court settlement option.

     

  • Boy, 14, arraigned for allegedly defiling girl, 4

    A 14-year-old boy has been arraigned for allegedly defiling a four-year-old girl.

    The suspect, who was remanded by an Evboriaria Magistrates’ Court in Edo State, was arraigned on a one-count charge punishable under Section 218 of the Criminal Code Cap 48 Vol. II Laws of the defunct Bendel State of Nigeria, as applicable in Edo State.

    He pleaded not guilty.

    Presiding Magistrate C. E. Oghuma granted him bail at N50, 000 with two sureties.

    She said the sureties must be his parent or guardian, show evidence of tax payment and live within the court jurisdiction.

    The suspect is remanded in a juvenile facility until the bail condition is perfected.

    Magistrate Oghuma transferred the case to the Family Court and adjourned the matter till December 3.

    Read also: Man chops off rival’s hand over girlfriend

     

  • Boy who ran away from Ilorin found in Lagos

    An Ilorin-based farmer, Mr Atanda Babatunde, penultimate Friday found his son, Sulaiman Babatunde, whose life as a street kid was published by The Nation a few weeks ago.

    In the report, ‘Why we ran away from home’, published on Saturday October 13, 2018, Sulaiman and other street kids gave reasons why they fled from their parents’ home to seek shelter  and work on the streets of Lagos.

    Sulaiman had explained that he accompanied one of his uncles called Ahmed to Lagos.

    He said: ‘’One Mr Ahmed, who is like an uncle to me came to Ilorin, and asked my parents to let him take me to Lagos to work. And my parents accepted the offer because things were not going well for them and they needed money to take care of my siblings.

    ‘’On getting to Oshodi, Mr Ahmed engaged me in some petty jobs he was doing like carrying load for people and shoppers at the Oshodi Market and bus conducting among others.  Last year, Mr Ahmed and a friend told me they had a job at Ajah, and that they would have to stay there for a few days while I was asked to stay back in Oshodi till they return. But since then, I have not set my eyes on them.

    ‘’The irony is that I have been in Lagos for two years now, and my parents believe that I am doing well with the so called uncle.

    “ I don’t have an apartment of my own, I sleep under the bridge;  sometimes in a filling station. I do not have the means to reach my parents, because I don’t have a mobile phone, neither do I have their numbers. Even my uncle, Mr Ahmed, did not leave his mobile phone number for me when he was leaving, and that is why I keep wandering around Oshodi helplessly.’’

    Clutching a copy of the paper, Sulaiman’s distraught father, who was accompanied to The Nation’s head office by his younger brother, Salaudeen, and a neighbor denied knowing the said ‘Uncle Ahmed’ his son claimed brought him to Lagos.

    He explained that Sulaiman was living with his maternal grandmother at the Ita Merin area of Ilorin, when he ran away to Lagos.

    He explained that he was preparing for his secondary education when he suddenly absconded from home without a trace, until some pupils brought a copy of the paper wherein his son’s story was published.

    ‘’ I don’t know the said Uncle Ahmed who brought him(Sulaiman) to Lagos. I live in Kaima area of Kwara State, where I have a farm, and because of the distance, I decided to leave Sulaiman with his grandmother, because he was preparing to begin his secondary education.

    ‘’Besides, I enrolled him as an apprentice cobbler which he juggles with his education and he’s doing well on the job. He does not lack anything at all, but I guess he caved in to peer pressure and bolted from home with some of his friends.’’

    Sulaiman was later traced to Oshodi, where his colleagues there told his father that he had gone to work as porter in Ijora.

    He was subsequently located at the cattle market in Ijora, where he was seen carrying loads for shoppers.

    Speaking with The Nation shortly after he was brought to his uncle’s Lagos home, Sulaiman said he would no longer run away from home.

    ‘’ I have learnt my lesson sir. I won’t run away from home again. I am returning to Ilorin with my father to continue with my education.’’

  • Boy, 17, held for allegedly defiling minor

    A 17-year-old boy has been arrested for alleged defilement of a seven-year-old girl.

    The incident occurred at 4, Obanta Road, Apapa, Lagos.

    The Nation learnt that the victim’s mother became aware of the defilement on November 3, after her youngest child, who felt cheated about the ice cream bought for them, disclosed the incident to her (the mother).

    A representative of a human rights group, the Arms of Comfort Foundation, Adejumo Kazeem, said the child told their mother that her sister had been sucking Brother …’s ‘toi toi’ (manhood).

    Kazeem said: “The woman lodged a complaint. She alleged that on November 3, she became aware that her daughter had been sucking the boy’s manhood.

    “The woman said she bought ice cream for her two daughters to share. The elder one gave the younger one little and she was not happy about it.

    “Then, she threatened her elder sister that she would disclose the secret they had been keeping to their mummy. Their mother heard and asked the younger one to speak up. That was when the younger one told her that Brother… had been making the seven-year-old girl to suck his toi toi (manhood).

    “The woman asked the victim if it was true. She initially refused to open up, but later begged the mother not to tell her father. The woman agreed that she would not tell their father and the girl said she had done it three times.

    “The woman quoted her daughter as saying that the boy (suspect) one day attempted to penetrate her, but he was unsuccessful. She said when her husband (the father) heard about it, he was furious. The woman alleged that the boy had also defiled a neighbour’s son, but the incident was not reported.”

    Continuing, Kazeem said the woman and her daughter were referred to the Mirable Centre, Lagos for examination, where it was established that the girl had been penetrated through the anus and private parts.

    He added: “They were counselled before they were referred to the centre for check-up. The results proved that the girl had been defiled. She was given drugs at the centre.

    “We were asked if the matter had been reported to the police and we said no. We assured them that we would do so once we got back. They said the test result can be given to us, but the medical report is confidential and can only be given on request either to the police or the court.

    “Immediately we left Mirabel Centre, the Executive Director, Arms of Comfort Foundation, wrote a letter to the Area ‘B’ Police Station, Apapa and copied the Medical Officer and Education Officer at the Apapa Local Government.

    “When we explained everything and presented the letter to the police on November 8, they rejected the letter because we did not notify them before referring the victim to hospital for test and treatment.

    “Another thing they said that baffled me was that we would have to motivate them financially. The victim’s mother said her husband had told his relatives abroad and they were interested in the case.

    “When the police heard this, they told her to call the person. That they would like to speak with the person and she did. It was later that day that I called the woman and she said the boy had been arrested. She said the boy confessed to the crime.”

    Police spokesman Chike Oti confirmed the incident.

    He said the case was at the gender section of the command.

    Oti said: “The suspect was arrested and transferred to the gender section. He is underage and ill. So, he was given an administrative bail and handed over to his parents so that he could be treated. The suspect will be arraigned when he gets better.”

     

  • Boy, 19, charged with murder

    The police yesterday arraigned a 19-year-old man before an Ebute Metta Chief Magistrates’ Court for allegedly stabbing a colleague to death with a screw-driver.

    Police prosecutor Chinalu Uwadione said the accused committed the offence on August 27 at Alaba Bus stop in Amukoko.

    He alleged that the accused stabbed 18-year-old Musa Bili on his chest with a screw-driver.

    The accused pleaded not guilty.

    Chief Magistrate A. O. Adedayo ordered that he be remanded at the Borstal Correctional Institute, Adigbe in Abeokuta.

    The chief magistrate directed the prosecutor to take the case file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) for advice.

    She adjourned till September 17.

  • Boy, 8, needs N300,000 for treatment

    Eight-year-old Kehinde Abdur-Raheem Yusuf, son of a recharge card seller, is in dire need of financial help. Little Kehinde, who is undergoing physiotherapy at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has hydrocephalus challenge and needs about N300,00 to pay the bill.

    Kehinde has been receiving treatment at UCH since June 2011. He and his twin brother, Taiwo, were born normal on September 19, 2009 at Iseyin General Hospital, Iseyin, Oyo State. Kehinde has since 2010 been taken to about 10 private and trado-medical hospitals.

    According to the father, Isiaka Yusuf, six months after Kehinde was born, he had a high temperature, prompting his parents to take him to Ado-Awaye General Hospital in Iseyin, where the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Abiodun Odebode, treated him.

    Two weeks later, Kehinde’s head started growing more than his entire body and he could not sit, walk or control his head since then.

    “He had undergone two surgeries (one at the University College Hospital and the other at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital) and undergoing physiotherapy at the University College Hospital (UCH).

    “Meanwhile, his doctor said he has to undergo a minor surgery on his legs and some other treatment estimated to cost N300,000 or more even as we are yet to see any change in my child after spending fortunes on him since March 2010 as a result of which I have sold virtually all my properties to see him through. Before going to UCH in 2011, I had taken him to about 10 private and trado-medical hospitals. I am now tired and seek the assistance of members of the public to help raise this fund to treat him or assist in taking him to any hospital in Western countries for better and less-stressful treatment,” he said.

    Yusuf is appealing to well-meaning Nigerians and corporate bodies to come to help save the life of his child.  “Please help for God’s grace and I pray God showers His mercy, favour and grace on you abundantly as you help. May you never lack,” he added.

    Kehinde’s parents can be reached at No. 25/30 Alhaji Adebayo Street, Ijegun, Lagos while their phone numbers are +2348022300154 or +2348055914111. His bank details are Guaranty Trust Bank (GTB) Account Number 0151945965, Account Name KehindeAbdur-Raheem Yusuf or Skye Bank Plc Account No.: 1031284723 Account Name is Kehinde Abdur-Raheem Yusuf, His UCH Ibadan Hospital’s number is 1209980 for verification.

  • Boy wins Lagos school cooking competition

    Who could think that a meal of beans could win a cooking competition?

    It did. And even more impressive was that it was cooked by a boy.

    Mastar Ajodo Monday of Sasa Community High School, Sasa, Lagos, won the maiden cooking competition organised by the Lagos State Government Education District 1 with his palatable meal of beans, plantain and vegetable pottage last week.

    Monday beat five other finalists to emerge winner at the grand finale of the competition which had as theme: ‘Low cost meals for teenagers: promoting creativity, hygiene and wellness.”

    Donning their aprons and hats, the finalists – six pupils and six school food vendors – cooked various meals within 90 minutes at the event which held last week at the headquarters of the District in Agege, Lagos.

    In attendance were Tutor General/Permanent Secretary (TG/PS) of the District, Dr Yinka Ayandele; retired TG/PS, Mrs. Bimpe Giwa, other high-ranking stakeholders, principals, students and food vendors as well as members of the community.

    “We expect a cookery book to emerge after this exercise. That is how you make sure it does not end here with our tasting,” Mrs Giwa said while addressing participants at the event.

    And with professor of Home Economics at Michael Okpara University, Pat Mbah leading the judging panel, Ajodo Monday was declared winner in the student category, while the second position went to Olatunji Christiana of Vetland Senior Grammar School, Agege.

    In the school food vendor category, Mrs Olufunke Falaya of Iju Junior Grammar School Iju, won the first position with a meal of green plantain pottage to beat the five other food vendors.

    Thanking Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode for his intervention in education, Dr. Anyandele congratulated the winners as well as the participants.

    Speaking, chairman of the food committee, Mrs. Sade Alabi, said the committee which was formed in 2017 verified food vendors in the 99 schools in the district, carried out medical tests on them and organised seminars to enlighten them on preparing low cost balanced meals that are also hygienic.

    “In continuation of last year’s exercise and quest to enable our students learn how to prepare and eat low cost, balanced meals, this cooking competition is being organised today,” said Mrs Alabi who is also the principal of Vetland Senior Grammar School.

    The competition started at the zonal level with 220 students and food vendors from schools across Education District 1 between March 14 and 18 this year.

    Pix: Edu District 1 cook

    Dr Ayandele (middle) with Monday (fourth left) and other contestants at the event.

  • Beyond Lagos boy’s reading marathon record

    SIR: “My name is Bayode Treasures Olawunmi. I have just finished reading aloud for 120 hours non-stop! I did it for the culture!”  With this statement, Lagos boy, Bayode announced his entry into the global hall of fame as he broke the existing record in world reading marathon. Before his record-breaking exploit, the record was set by Indian born Deepak Sharma Bajaan with 113 hours 15 minutes in 2008. Bajagain’s book reading began on September 19 and ended on September 24, 2008.

    Bayode who was educated at the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree and Comprehensive High School, Ketu in Lagos, began reading at 1:30pm on Monday, February 26, and ended it 3:30pm on Saturday, March 3.

    Instructively, Bayode record breaking attainment coincided with the celebration of World Book Day in Nigeria. World Book Day or World Book and Copyright Day, is a yearly event organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, to promote reading, publishing and copyright.  It’s a celebration of authors, illustrators, books and (most importantly) it’s a celebration of reading. In fact, it’s the biggest celebration of its kind, designated by UNESCO as a worldwide celebration of books and reading, and marked in over 100 countries all over the world.

    It is equally instructive to state that Bayode made the exploit reading books from Nigerian authors which include Toni Kan’s ‘The Carnivorous City, Sarah Ladipo ‘Manyika’s Independence’, Leye Adenle’s ‘Easy Motion Tourist’, Elnathan John’s ‘Born on a Tuesday’ amongst many others.  It is also important to stress that this year’s World Book Day celebration as well as Bayode’s accomplishment were witnessed by students from various schools in Lagos and environ.

    It is particularly thrilling to note that the event was used to promote African literature and reading culture in Nigeria. Without a doubt, there is a sharp decline in reading culture in Nigeria while the publishing sector in the country is almost non-existing. The reasons for the decline in reading culture in our land are not far- fetched: reading is a tasking exercise that involves full concentration and present day youth are not really willing to embark on such obviously strenuous exercise which they believe wont yield them much money at the end of the day.

    This, of course, leads to the second point which is that in our society today, nobody is interested in embarking on any activity that has no corresponding financial gains. Money, money and more money have become the only language everyone in Nigeria seems to understand. Even the nation’s animals have also caught this money bug. Remember the mystery snake that swallowed millions?

    Third, the socio-economic environment in the country is not really reading friendly. The daily struggle for economic survival provides little or no time for people, especially those living in the cities, to cultivate a good reading habit. Also, the decline in the standard of education in the country has seriously affected reading culture in our clime. Equally, high cost of books, particularly imported ones, has contributed in small measure to a decline in reading culture in the country.

    Therefore, one of the most enduring ways to properly immortalize Bayode’s record breaking achievement is to revive reading culture in the country. More corporate organizations should come on board the train in order to ensure that reading culture is resuscitated in our nation.

    As for the Nigerian youth, Bayode’s feat should be a wakeup call to them to change their attitude towards reading and education in general. Late Professor Chinua Achebe and Professor Wole Soyinka were already celebrated authors at age 22. Achebe, in particular, authored the legendary ‘Things Fall Apart’ in his 20s. Till date, the novel remains a massive phenomenon in African and, indeed, global literature.  Sadly, today, Nigerian youth who cannot make credit in English Language and Literature-in-English, are visible on the social media posting abusive messages and championing ethnic and religious wars with horrible grammatical expressions.

     

    • Tayo Ogunbiyi,

    Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

  • Boy, 3, needs N9 million for heart surgery

    Boy, 3, needs N9 million for heart surgery

    The arrival of a new baby in any family is heralded with pomp and ceremony. It was  so on May 22, 2014 when the family of Mr and Mrs Amos Adeniyi from Ondo State were blessed with their third child, Richard.

    Parents, understandably, are eager to see their children grow up well and healthy with the prospect of becoming responsible members of the society. Most parents feel disappointed and may break down, if their child that had been a source of joy, turns, as it were, to be a source of sadness and despair due to some complicated illness.

    That is the mood pervading the family as their son Richard, born three years ago, has not shown any sign of “growing up well and healthy”.

    According to the boy’s father, Richard was hale and hearty, full of life before last December 18. During breakfast, he could not finish his meal, he became very weak and his health condition changed as he had seizure.

    Not comfortable with the situation of their son, the Adeniyis took Richard to a private hospital in Ifako from where he was referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba.

    He has been a patient of the Pediatric Cardiology Unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi Araba, Lagos.

    According to clinical evaluation, Richard has symptomatic congenital heart disease, known as Tetralogy of Fallot by Echocardio-graphy

    Richard requires urgent cardiovascular evaluation and open heart surgery to correct his heart defects to forestall irreversible and life-threatening complications. His medical condition has weighed down the family physically, emotionally and financially.

    Narrating his plight, hesaid he had spent so much and he is still buying expensive drugs, which Richard takes every eight hours to sustain him before the operation in Germany by mid-March.

    A Medical Report from LUTH issued and signed by Dr. J. O. Sokunbi, a Consultant Paediatrician/Paediatric Cardiologist on January 9, 2018 reads:

     

    To whom it may concern

    ‘’Summary of the medical report for Adeniyi Richard

    ‘’DOD: May 22, 2014.  Sex: Male Age: three years, seven  months. Hospital number: 697757.

    ‘’The above-named three-year-seven-months-old male child is a known patient of the Paediatric Cardiology Unit of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi Araba.

    ‘’Clinical evaluation indicated that Richard has symptomatic congenital heart disease, which was confirmed by echocardiography to be Tetralogy of Failot.

    ‘’Richard will require further cardiovascular evaluation and possible open heart surgery to correct his heart defects in order to forestall irreversible and life-threatening complications.

    ‘’This letter, therefore, serves as an introduction of the patient for any assistance that will facilitate surgical intervention at a centre with facilities for cardiac surgery.

    ‘’You may wish to contact the consultant in charge, if further clarification or information is required on Richard.

    ‘’The crux of the matter here is that the life of a fellow being is in danger.

    The sum of N9 million is required to carry out the heart surgery in Germany (all expenses included) which the cardiologist said must be effected as quickly as possible to save the life of little Richard. This sum of money is too hard for his parents to afford.

    Therefore, Mr and Mrs Amos Adeniyi are crying to kind-hearted Nigerians, people who believe in the future of their children, Nigerians who appreciate that children are precious gifts from God Almighty, Nigerians who can imagine the pangs of labour that a mother goes through and the pains a mother or a father could go through in the event of losing a child to death and Nigerians who can willingly choose to be Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus Christ to carry His Cross on the way to Golgotha.

    ‘’The world Cross is symbolic here. Whenever and at whatever point in time you help in reducing the burden or pains of fellow humankind, it will be on record that you clothed, fed and gave water to Jesus to drink. History and destiny would certainly smile positively on you. Little Richard, for now, may be nobody. But a little help and sacrifice to help a dying little soul will certainly make him to be somebody tomorrow.

    Mrs Adeniyi, mother of little Richard, said: “In tears I beg fellow Nigerians to help in seeing that my child lives. When I remember the pangs and pains of labour, I wish I could have provided the money a day after the discovery of this defect in my child’s heart. But since my husband and I could not afford the huge amount of money required in exchange of my son’s life, I run and cry to you my fellow Nigerians to help in ensuring that this little Nigerian lives to be useful to himself and the country. I am confused.”

    It is not out of place for this mother of three to feel disappointed and be confused at one point in time or the other when she feels that the days of her precious child are numbered if nothing is done and fast too.

    The boy’s father said: “We are appealing for help from Governor Akinwunmi Ambode and others to come to our aid urgently.”

    For more information, call the following details call Richard’s father on 08115207882. Those who are moved by these pleas can donate funds to the following account details: Acount name: Adeniyi Richard Desire. Account number 5044627014 savings account: Bank: Fcmb

  • Suspected herdsman ‘kills’ boy in Kogi

    A suspected Fulani herdsman at Guchidan village in Kupa district, Lokoja Local Government of Kogi State, has allegedly killed a 15-year-old boy.

    The herdsman, Buba Ardo, with his two accomplices, Alo Ardo and Babuga Ardo, allegedly killed the boy and mutilated his body.

    The deceased accompanied his elder brother, Abubakar Audu, to the farm for a trap game when they were ambushed by the herdsman.

    The elder brother was said to have escaped.

    A source, Mahmud Abubakar, confirmed to The Nation that the suspect, Buba Ardo, was apprehended by residents, but his accomplices escaped.

    He added that the motorcycle which the victim and his elder brother rode to the farm was set ablaze by the attackers.

    The source said Buba Ardo was handed over to the district police.

    “He confessed to killing the boy and the case was referred to ‘A’ Division, Lokoja.

    “The boy has been buried in his town, Guchidan and the case has been transferred to Lokoja. We hope our hospitality will not be abused by the Fulani herdsmen.

    “They complain that people tamper with their cows. The government should intervene before the incident results in crisis.”