The Nation Newspaper

Tag: fourth

  • Cleric seeks divorce from fourth wife after 31 years of marriage

    A 65-year-old clergyman, Olowolade David Laizer, is seeking divorce from his fourth wife, Esther, after 31 years of marriage.

    Laizer, who has six wives, told a customary court sitting in Ikorodu, yesterday, that the 55-year-old Mrs Laizer lacks respect for the house of God.

    The clergyman alleged that his wife rains curses on his church at the slightest provocation and had denied him conjugal rights for over a year.

    Laizer said their problems started when they lost their first son in 2013.

    The deceased was a university student, but died after a brief illness.

    “There was a parental dispute between her family and mine when we wanted to get married, so, we had to do two separate introductions. She even said I would die within three years if I divorced her,” Laizer said.

    Mrs Laizer, a teacher, said her husband preaches about her in the church.

    She said: “He says all sorts of things about me in his sermons. Yes, I’ve denied him of sex for over a year now because he said my private part is smelling…after 31 years of marriage and five children!

    “Four days after I lost my son, his sixth wife came into my room and took my pant and bra. I don’t know what she used it for, but she returned it later. She also cooked for me and put six pieces of meat in the soup. I refused to eat it because I don’t know what that meant for or who sent her.”

    The court’s president, Olu Adebiyi, encouraged both parties to keep the peace and told them to come with their family members on September 14, for possible reconciliation.

  • The Fourth Mainland Bridge

    •Federal Government should partner with Lagos in providing this critical infrastructure

    Palpable fears that the Lagos State government may be forced by paucity of funds to shelve construction of a Fourth Mainland Bridge is a cause for concern. The Bridge was designed in response to practical challenges arising from population explosion and anticipation of need of its greater  as the city of Lagos, known as Nigeria’s mega city. The bridge, if constructed, will be a major lift for communities along the Lekki-Ajah axis and the Ikorodu corridor, which have begun to suffer from the overflow from the congested main Lagos city centre. It is a major component of a 23-kilometre ambitious modern road project.

    In April, while briefing the press on activities of the ministry of works, the former commissioner in charge of the ministry, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, pointed out that the only way the government could sustain the plan was to redesign and down-scale it. He pointed out that this had become inevitable as a review of the cost indicated that compensation to property owners along the right of way could amount to more than fifteen billion Naira.

    However, such a review might not keep faith with the vision behind the project. Lagos is a sprawling city, the commercial capital of Nigeria and the most cosmopolitan in the West Africa sub-region. It is, therefore, important for all involved to ensure that Lagosians heave a sigh of relief from the traffic congestion and poor planning that have defined its existence for some time.

    We call on the federal government to come to the aid of the state government if the project is to come to fruition. The Lekki-Ajah-Epe axis, with the plan for an airport and a Free Trade Zone, requires careful planning that could only be boosted by the Fourth Mainland Bridge as originally designed.

    We appreciate the load being carried by the state government that is at the moment handling and financing the Badagry expressway and the Mile-12-Ikorodu modern avenue. When this is added to the light rail project,  it would be beyond the capacity of the Lagos State government alone to accomplish.

    One of the advantages of a federal arrangement is that the central government intervenes in situations like this. The people of Lagos who are from all parts of the country would feel a sense of belonging if the Buhari administration steps in. It has been argued many times that the former federal capital deserves a special status. Other state capitals may be clamouring for greater attention from the federal government, too, but the case for Lagos is unassailable. This is devoid of political undertone as the contribution of the state to federal revenue from the Value Added Tax, income tax and manpower calls for compensation. The pressure on the available infrastructure is so enormous that it would be unfair if it were left for the state government alone.

    Federal intervention in the infrastructural development of Lagos should not be limited to the bridge. Efforts by the state government in such critical areas that impact economic growth such as power generation and distribution, Water resources and manpower development also deserve attention.

    We also call on the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to revisit, review the project and come up with a policy on it. He should table it before the federal government. He has a duty, too, to undertake a comprehensive review of the infrastructural need of the state and seek new partnership with the private sector that would also be a beneficiary of improved facilities. We recall that President Buhari and his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), pledged to pay adequate attention to Lagos if elected. This is the time to fulfill that solemn pledge. Governor Ambode should pressure the president in line with their dialogue on the hustings.

  • Onazi ecstatic as Lazio move fourth

    Onazi ecstatic as Lazio move fourth

    SS Lazio midfielder  Eddy Onazi says he is  thankful to God for his side’s 3-0 victory over Sassuolo over the weekend even though he wasn’t involved in the encounter.

    Felipe Anderson struck first just as the referee was about to signal the end of the first half. At the restart, veteran Miroslav Klose doubled the advantage in the 70th and Marco Parolo added the cherry on top seven minutes later.

    “We thank God for the goals; we thank God for every other thing that happened. The most important thing is that football is up and down but we thank God that we have been doing well this season,” he told footballlive.ng after the match.

    Coach Stefano Pioli celebrated Lazio’s deserved 3-0 win and said it signifies a good thing for the future of the side.

    Hear him: “We ran a few risks at the back, but should’ve already had the points wrapped up before half-time. Are we tempted to use three creative players behind a centre-forward? Of course, but the quality and spirit of the players make the difference and three in midfield provide solidity.”

  • No fourth term for Chukwumerije

    Sir: One of the tension-soaked issues in the political landscape of Abia North Senatorial District today is Senator Uche Chukwumerije’s ‘ungentlemanly’ ambition to return to the Senate, after 12 years in the saddle. But the shock he received from the just concluded ward delegates’ congress is indicative of the people’s poise to take their destiny in their hands.

    His claim that Oha-Na-Eze Ndigbo persuaded him to go back for the fourth tenure (making it 16 years) is not only sickening and but also makes a caricature of the republican spirit of Abia North constituency. In fact, he insulted the psyche of Ndigbo by the provocative impression that there is a desert of personalities in Igboland, which means: No Chukwumerije, No Ndigbo!  Unfortunately,it is this unrepentant sit-tight mentality that has stymied our country to the laughable level of giant toddler and led to the increasing slide of our hard-won democracy into gerontocracy.

    With his co-travellers in the self-serving desperation, they shut down the activities which they were elected for and arm-twisted the national leadership of the PDP just to extract illusive automatic tickets for themselves. What an ironic twist!

    I therefore urge him to back out from the untamed ambition that is threatening what remained of his credibility. His mantra of ‘bumper harvest’ is a smokescreen intended to create a false sense of hope, and elicit the usual ‘carry go’ hysteria of uninformed masses. Certainly, that hackneyed sing-song is already out of fashion. Though there is always a thin-line between morbid ambition and sugar-coated sycophancy, yet when the chips are down, the people will stand behind their leaders.

    Besides, I make bold to say that he should allow the younger generation to grow. He should groom the youngsters.  We expect him to retire honourably and take up mentoring as a hobby, since his stupendous wealth is enough for his family’s upkeep. In civilized countries, people like him dedicate their remaining days on earth to publish their memoirs for the benefit of future leaders. And at his nearly 76 years of age, he should metamorphose from a politician to a statesman.

    More importantly, and from the points of morality and conscience, he should give chance to other remaining four LGAs in Abia North to produce the next Senator. If Senator Ike Nwachukwu whom he succeeded had remained in the position on the mere argument of ‘preserving institutional memory’, he wouldn’t have been in the Senate today. Let him therefore spare himself of people’s revolt.

     

    •C. Jasper Uche

    Chairman, Umunneochi LGA, Abia State.

     

  • Fayemi’s fourth anniversary begins

    Fayemi’s fourth anniversary begins

    •Govt rates self high on performance

    The fourth anniversary of the administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi began at the weekend with the government rating itself high on many performance indicators.

    Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Yemi Adaramodu, at a media briefing at the  Governor’s Office, Ado-Ekiti, said the administration had out-performed preceding governments in welfare and incentives for civil and public servants as well as teachers in public primary and secondary schools.

    Adaramodu, who countered the allegation that Fayemi had been running anti-workers’ policies and programmes, noted: “As part of our efforts to encourage teachers, we distributed about 18,000 sets of computers to them to boost their knowledge of ICT, aside the 30,000 distributed to students. So, Fayemi is not an enemy to teachers.”

    The governor’s aide clarified that about 50 completed projects in the 35 councils of the state bore additional indication of the governor’s performance.

    Adaramodu, who is also the chairman, Media and Publicity of the anniversary which starts today with “a thank you tour of 35 councils in the state,” said: “Fayemi gave core subjects and rural allowances to teachers and this had never happened in the state’s history.”

    He debunked the allegation that the Fayemi-led government was unserious towards creating jobs for youths, adding that the governor had done “exceedingly well in the area of empowerment and job creation for youths.”

    His words: “Apart from that we employ many of our youths into the civil service and teaching service commission, the governor also created other valves like the Ekiti State Traffic Management Agency, the Youth in Commercial Agriculture initiative and the youth volunteer corps to create other avenues of employments for our youths.”

    Adaramodu stated that the government had been transparent and accountable, noting that the government also “embraced an open-door policy in instilling the values of honour, prudence, selfless service and integrity into governance in Ekiti in terms of financial dealings.

    “All that this administration has done in the last four years had been envisioned. They are all contained in the inaugural speech of Governor Fayemi during his inauguration on October 16, 2010. Within four years, our administration has been able, through self-denial, perseverance and prudent management of scarce resources, turned around a seemingly hopeless situation for better.

    “Ekiti today is now an investment haven, a tourist destination of choice, the toast of development partners and a reference-point in good and responsive governance because we have confronted headlong the critical questions of development and stagnation.

    “We therefore salute our people for their cooperation. It is also gratifying to note that the sacrifice of the early years has paid off as we all can boast of a better state where we have peace, progress and prosperity”.

    On completion of ongoing projects, Adaramodu noted that the administration had put in place structures to assure their sustainability when the new administration of Mr. Ayodele Fayose comes on board.

  • Abdul Lateef Abdul Hakeem set to take fourth wife

    Abdul Lateef Abdul Hakeem set to take fourth wife

    HON. Abdul Lateef Abdul Hakeem, a former member of the Lagos State House of Assembly and a former Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola on Political and Legislative Powers, is set to add another wife to his house hold.

    A lawyer and the Chief Imam of the Lagos House of Assembly got married to his third wife this month and he is planning to marry the fourth in October 2014.

    The lawyer cum politician is said to be fulfilling one of the tenets of Islam having had two wives already.