The Nation Newspaper

Tag: dies

  • Head of Ibadan Seriki line dies at 91

    The leader of the Seriki line of Olubadan in Ibadanland, Oyo state, High Chief Adebayo Oyediji is dead. He was aged 91. Family source hinted that the astute and highly successful Ibadan business man died late Friday night after a brief illness. Before his death, Chief Oyediji had a pending case instituted against the elevation and installation of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji, by the Olubadan-in-Council and Governor Abiola Ajimobi.

    Prior to the installation of the current Olubadan of Ibadanland on March 4, 2016, following the transition of Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade who passed on at the age of 101 years, Chief Oyediji and some other chiefs of the Seriki Line in the town had filed the suit asking the court to restrain the Olubadan-in-Council and Governor Ajimobi from going ahead with the installation. He even filed Form 48, angling to commit the Governor to jail for contempt having given the staff of office to the new 88-year-old monarch.

    Chief Oyediji had instituted several suits in Oyo High Courts against the State Government and the sitting Olubadan over his claim that he and not Oba Saliu Adetunji, should have been installed by Governor Abiola Ajimobi after the passing on of Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade in January 2016. He had claimed that he was to be the 41st Olubadan of Ibadanland going by his seniority in the Olubadan-in-Council hierarchy.

    Chief Oyediji with other Seriki Chiefs including Olalekan Adisa Fakunle, Rasidi Abinupagun, Gabriel Amoo, Gandhi Oduola and others had joined the Oyo State governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, the State Attorney General and members of Olubadan-in-Council in the suit asking the court to compel the Olubadan-in-Council? to obey the 2008 injunction restraining them from elevating any High Chief to the position of the Olubadan of Ibadanland, as well as respecting the consent judgment of the Supreme Court which favoured the inclusion of the Seriki Line in the Olubadan chieftaincy lineage. The Otun and Balogun lines have since been recognised as the only two lines entitled to the stool.

    Former High Chief Meredith Adisa Akinloye, National Chairman of the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and lawyer was the last Seriki Olubadan but he could not ascend the throne of Olubadan because of his sudden death on September 18, 2007 at 91. Since then, High Chief Oyediji, who was next in rank to Akinloye, had engaged in legal struggles up to the Supreme Court to ensure that the Seriki line was restored. Since the demise of Akinloye, none of the High Chiefs in the Seriki Line had been given the opportunity to be in the Olubadan chieftaincy line.

     

  • Ijebu Chief Imam dies

    The death of Grand Chief Imam of Ijebu-Ode and Wakeel-ul-Muslimeen of Yorubaland, Shayikh Imam AbdulRasaq Salaudeen has been announced.

    He was also the President League of Imam in Ogun State.

    He died on June 16 at 77.

    The late Imam, in his life, was a devoted Muslim and philanthropist that left his footprints on the sands of time.

    He was buried same day, while the Eight-Day Fidau was held last Friday.

    The late Islamic scholar is survived by children, grandchildren and associates including Otunba Wasiu Olatokunbo Abu, amongst others.

     

  • Doctor ‘dies’ of Lassa fever

    An unidentified doctor with the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia, Abia State, has reportedly died of Lassa Fever.

    It was gathered that she died at Irua Specialist Hospital, Esan Central, Edo State, where she was transferred for treatment.

    Hospital sources said the patients were worried.

    “The resident doctor was a new registrar in the paediatrics department. She treated a child at the children emergency ward and we are suspecting she got infected there,” a source said.

    Another source said the doctor started working at the hospital barely one month before the incident, adding that she fell sick and was admitted to the Slessor Private ward of FMC between March 29 and 30.

    She was transferred to Irua where the diagnosis was confirmed.

    She allegedly died a few days after admission.

    “Contact tracing and risk stratification are on. The hospital’s response team has been deployed.

    “The doctors, we learnt, are not happy with the development, and are calling on the management to do something about their safety at work or they may be forced to stop work until their safety is guaranteed,” another source said.

    Commissioner for Health Dr. John Ahukanna, his information counterpart John Okiyi and the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on health, Dr. Ikechukwu Nwabekee, could not be reached for comments.

     

  • MMM founder Mavrodi dies of heart attack

    RUSSIAN businessman and founder of the MMM Pyramid scheme, Sergei Mavrodi, is dead.

    According to Russian media, Mavrodi, whose MMM pyramid scheme deprived millions of Russians their savings in the 1990s, died of a heart attack.

    Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reports yesterday that the 62-year-old was rushed to the hospital late on March 25 with pain in his chest and died several hours later.

    Mavrodi’s MMM financial pyramid was a typical Ponzi scheme in which earlier investors receive their profits from subsequent investors. It also promised returns of 20 per cent to 75 per cent a month, as well as lotteries and bonuses for investors.

    As soon as the number of new clients stopped growing, the pyramid collapsed, causing huge financial losses for at least 10 million people, in some cases leaving them destitute.

    In 1994, Mavrodi was elected as a lawmaker, a decision he later said was to ensure he received immunity from prosecution although he later lost his parliamentary mandate.

    A Moscow court found him guilty of financial fraud in 2007 and sentenced him to 4 1/2 years in a penal colony.

    Mavrodi launched another pyramid scheme called MMM-2011, calling on investors to purchase so-called Mavro currency units in a bid to get rid of the “unfair” financial system. The project was, however, halted after a few months.

    Between 2011 and 2016, he launched Ponzi schemes under the MMM brand in India, China, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Nigeria.

    The operations were subsequently shut down in many countries, including Nigeria.

     

  • First African female rector dies

    The death has been announced of a frontline educationist and first African Polytechnic Rector, Dr. Humulkhairi Oyindamola Anjorin. She was 75.

    The deceased was educated at the University of Ile-Ife (1964-68); Agricultural University, Wagenigen, the Netherlands (1973-75); Royal Institute of Public Administration, London (1977-78) and University of Ibadan, Nigeria (1979-86).

    She was Proprietor/Director, Gem Private School, Ikeja, Lagos; Founder, Association for the Eradication of Corruption in Nigerians(ASSERCORN), a Non-Governmental Organisation and Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Management.

    She was also Rector, Lagos State Polytechnic (1984-91); Chairman, Commonwealth Association of Polytechnics in Africa (CAPA) (1989-91); Foundation Chairman, Governing Council, Lagos State Public Service Staff Development Centre (PSSDC) (1995-98); Past President, Soroptimist International of Ikeja, Lagos and First Vice-President, Women’s League, Anwar-ul-Islam Movement of Nigeria.

    She is survived by children and grand-children, and has since been buried according to Islamic injunction.

  • Ex-council chief slumps, dies after meal

    FORMER Ejigbo Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Executive Secretary Tajudeen Jaiye Alabi yesterday slumped and died after eating in a restaurant.

    He was confirmed dead in the hospital he was rushed to by the restaurant.

    The late Alabi ran a law firm, Jaiye Alabi & Co. He  was said to be on his way to his  chamber in Ikeja but  stopped at the restaurant to eat.

    He was buried according to Islamic rites few minutes past 4pm yesterday.

    Among those at the funeral were Commissioner for Home Affairs Dr AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef and Lagos State All Progressives Congress (APC)  Chairman Otunba Henry Ajomale.

    The late Alabi retired as a civil servant before he was appointed as Ejigbo LCDA chief.

    Information on his Facebook wall showed that he studied Real Property, Corporate and Public Law at the University of Lagos.

    Bariga Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Chairman Kolade Alabi, who led some former executive secretaries and  council chairmen to the funeral expressed shock over Alabi’s death.

    “He was at my council secretariat last Friday and was full of life. He did not show any sign of illness. We went for a meeting that lasted till 10pm before we departed. This is a rude shock,” Alabi said.

    He added: “We still exchanged messages on WhatsApp at the weekend and I  was expecting his reply this morning on a particular job he was undertaking for a foreign firm that wanted to establish their company in Nigeria’’.

    Alabi, who was chairman of Conference of 57 Executive Secretaries, said the group was planning an endorsement event for Governor Akinwunmi Ambode.

    According to him, the late Alabi was the chairman of the former Executive Secretaries and had been carrying everybody along.

    “I’m petrified. He was such a wonderful person, humble and cerebral. He brought his civil service experience to bear on the job in his leadership position at Ejigbo LCDA,” he said.

    Former Kosofe Local Government Area Executive Secretary Gbemisola Ketiku said he exchanged WhatsApp messages with the late Alabi yesterday morning.

    Ketiku said: “Just this morning (yesterday), we chatted on WhatsApp for a meeting scheduled to hold at Oshodi-Isolo Local Government secretariat. The meeting is about the endorsement programme we are planning for Governor Ambode.

    “Look at the message (showing The Nation). He wanted the meeting to hold by 8am, but I told him it will be too early that we should shift it till around 9am and he responded that ‘As your lordship pleases’. I’m sure he was on his way to Oshodi for the meeting. This is shocking. I’m still wondering how such a lively person could just die like that.”

    Ejigbo LCDA Chairman Monsuru Obe urged the bereaved family to take heart, saying: “On our own part, we will not leave the family to bear the loss alone because the deceased was very caring. Though, the news of his death came to us as a rude shock. We never believe it will be so soon despite the fact that we know everybody will die. He left us too soon; very sad news to our people in Ejigbo’’.

  • Senator slumps, dies in Abuja home

    •Buhari, Saraki, Dogara, others lead tributes

    Senator Ali Wakili (Bauchi South) yesterday slumped and died in his Gwarinpa Abuja residence.

    The 58-year-old reportedly died of suspected heart attack around 11am.

    He was said to have been confirmed dead at a hospital he was rushed to for medical attention.

    The lawmaker was one of the nine senators who vehemently opposed the controversial Electoral Act amendment 2018.

    Led by Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Waliki was one of the senators who stormed out of the chamber to register opposition to adoption of the conference report of the two chambers on the sequence of elections.

    Wakili was also largely seen as one of the eyes of President Muhammadu Buhari in the Senate.

    Buhari, Senate President Bukola Saraki, his deputy Ike Ekeremadu and Speaker of The House of Representatives Yakubu Dogara expressed sadness over his demise.

    Buhari described his death as “an incalculable loss to Nigeria’s democracy whose dedication to duty was remarkable and worthy of emulation.”

    The President said that the death of the senator came as a great shock to him, adding his dedication to duty would remain one of the greatest virtues for which the deceased would be remembered.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said: “The passion for duty was one of the finest qualities of late Senator Wakil”.

    Saraki, who led a delegation of Senators to his residence for condolences, described the deceased as a vibrant lawmaker.

    In a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, Saraki said: “Malam Ali Wakili is one lawmaker you can never be in doubt where he stands on a particular issue. He spoke his mind fearlessly.”

    Ekweremadu expressed shock and sadness over the incident, describing Wakil as a “diligent and courageous lawmaker”.

    Senate Minority Leader, Godswill Akpabio, said his late colleague was “a great nationalist and consummate politician”.

    He described Wakili as a patriot whose contribution to nation building will be missed and prayed for the repose of his soul.

    Dogara said Wakili was a personal friend, true brother and a dependable ally.

    Dogara in a statement said: “We have indeed lost a distinguished parliamentarian, easy going and courageous person who had worked tirelessly in the Senate chamber and outside to defend the interest of his constituents, Bauchi State and the downtrodden members of the society in the country at large.”

  • Man dies as car rams into stationary truck

    A yet-to-be-identified man yesterday afternoon died when the Nissan Primera car conveying him rammed into a truck parked by the road side.

    The accident, which occurred at the Saapade (Ogun State) stretch of the Lagos – Ibadan, involved a Nissan Primera with registration number KSF 466 EG and unmarked Iveco truck.

    It left two other persons with various degrees of injuries.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, who confirmed the accident, attributed it to burst tyre and excessive speeding.

  • Former Nasarawa Governor Akwe-Doma dies

    Former Nasarawa Governor Akwe-Doma dies

    Alhaji Aliyu Akwe Doma, former Nasarawa governor, is dead, former Nasarawa information commissioner Mamman Alakayi has confirmed.

    Alakayi told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia that 75-year-old Akwe died in an Israeli hospital on Tuesday.

    “I got a call from the late governor’s son, Umar, this evening, that Baba Doma died in an Israeli hospital at about 7:45 p.m. Nigerian time,” he said.

    Alakayi said that the former governor had gone to the hospital to treat an undisclosed ailment three weeks ago.

    “We are currently making arrangement for some family members to travel to Israel and convey the remains back home for burial,” he said.

    NAN reports that Akwe was the governor of Nasarawa State from 2007 to 2011, on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Born on Sept. 1, 1942 in Doma Local Government of Nasarawa State, Akwe attended the University of Ibadan  from 1964–1966, and also attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1976.

    The former governor obtained a Masters Degree in Public Administration from Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma in 2002.

    He worked in the old Plateau civil service from 1976 to 1983, and rose to the position of a Permanent Secretary.

    Akwe was a Deputy Governor of Plateau State, and was later elected Governor of Nasarawa State. (NAN)

  • Ex-Biafran hero Col. Joe ‘Hannibal’ Achuzia dies

    Ex-Biafran hero Col. Joe ‘Hannibal’ Achuzia dies

    Ex-Biafran war hero and elder statesman Ogbueshi Joe “Hannibal” Achuzia is dead. He died after a brief illness.

    He was 90.

    Ogbueshi Achuzia, who was a major in the Biafran Army, died about 8 am at the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba, his son, Onyeka Achuzia, said.

    Onyeka said the body had been deposited at the mortuary.

    Well-wishers and indigenes have visited his home at Idumu-Ojei quarters to pay their last respect.

    Onyeka described his father as the best, saying he was shocked to learn of his death.

    According to him, the war veteran was beaming with smiles before he passed on.

    A 21-gun salute was fired to announce his death.

    Onyeka said: “He died about 8 am this morning (yesterday). His death was not expected, but it has happened. He was 90 years.

    “My father was the Ikemba of Asaba. A 21-gun salute has been fired in his honour and to announce to Asaba indigenes that he is no more. It is a sad incident. I am so sad; it is a sad experience.

    “I can’t believe my father is dead. He was smiling yesterday, but we did not know he was going to die. He had a brief illness, but we never knew he would die.”

    Until his death, Ogbueshi Achuzia was chairman, Supreme Council of Elders, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

    Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi described Achuzia’s death as the loss of one those not afraid of their own voices.

    He prayed God to grant him eternal rest.