The Nation Newspaper

Tag: mother

  • Costly error: mother gives son kerosene to drink

    A kerosene seller, Mrs. Ata Buhari, has accidentally killed her 18 months old baby after she mistakenly gave him kerosene to drink instead of water.

    The tragic incident occurred at Iguma Street,  Off Orewere Street, Medical Stores Road in Egor local government.

    Sources said the deceased son whose name was given as Isreal Buhari had cried to his mother that he wanted to drink water.

    The source said his mother gave him water stored in a beverage can to him not knowing that the content of the can was kerosene.

    It was learnt that the boy spat out the content immediately he tasted it which made his mother to realize her mistake.

    However, few minutes later, the child was said to have cried of pain in the stomach before he turned white in the eyes.

    Some neighbors were said to have rushed to the mother’s aid and gave the boy some palm oil to consume before he was rushed to a hospital in the area where he died few hours later.

    Speaking to newsmen in tears, Mrs. Ata  who hails from Kogi State explained that one of her children filled an empty can of beverage with water which they took to store.

    Mrs. Ata said she had a similar container of beverage with which she stored kerosene kept in her shop.

    She said she picked the one filled with kerosene when her child complained of thirst.

    Father of the child, Mr Buhari Hassan, aged 36 said he was called to the hospital where he met the corpse of his only son.

  • Police arrest man for allegedly hacking mother to death

    Osun Police Command says it has arrested a man who allegedly killed his 85-year-old mother with a machete.

    The police spokesperson in Osun, Folashade Odoro, said in a statement in Osogbo that the suspect, allegedly machete his mother, Mrs Taibat Ayiola, to death at Akinleye Village near Osu on Friday.

    “The reason for the killing is yet to be ascertained because the suspect has not given any reasonable cause for his action.

    “The corpse of the victim had been deposited at the OAU Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife for autopsy while the case is under investigation,” said the police spokesperson.

    Similarly, the police in Osun said it had arrested a 45-year-old man in Ikirun on Thursday for allegedly killing a man who bought a piece of land from him.

    The police said the man was killed when he asked for a refund. (NAN)

  • Mother, uncle, policeman allegedly torture teenager to death

    Mother, uncle, policeman allegedly torture teenager to death

    FOR six hours, 19-year-old Rilwanu Akintunde was beaten up, handcuffed and locked inside a teargassed room for allegedly stealing N90,000.
    His torturers were his mother, Mrs. Akintunde, her brother Kayode and a policeman identified as Titus.
    Rilwanu, alias Rado, denied collecting the money said to belong to his mother, a hawker. But his attackers didn’t believe him. Unable to bear the torture, the teenager passed out and was rushed to Beachland Hospital, Arepo, where he was confirmed dead on Sunday evening.
    His torturers secretly buried him at his mother’s site at Sotel, not knowing their action would draw the wrath of residents of Oriola Street, Ibafo and environs.
    Youths in the area went berserk after discovering that the money for which Rilwanu was tortured to death was later found in his mother’s closet.
    Wielding cutlasses, bottles sticks and fire, the mob, it was gathered, stormed Kayode’s residence; chased the tenants away and vandalised his property.
    Inscriptions, such as “Rado was a good son born by a stupid mother” were seen on walls of the building, with roofs, doors and windows destroyed.
    When The Nation visited the Ogun community yesterday, residents were clamouring for justice to the culprits.
    It was gathered Kayode and his police friend, Titus, had fled the neighbourhood. The deceased’s mother and Kayode’s wife were arrested by policemen from Ibafo Division, who visited the place yesterday.
    According to residents, Rilwanu’s killers might have had another motive for their action because the teenager was neither a thief nor troublesome.
    His friends, it was gathered, produced an obituary for him, which they pasted not far from the community mosque.
    The deceased’s wife, Damilola Owoigbe, with their eight-month-old son on her arms, demanded justice.
    She said: “I want those responsible for my husband’s death to be arrested and jailed for life. They killed him for nothing. Rado was never a thief. Everyone in Ibafo loved him. He was a peaceful person. He was an apprentice at a tailoring shop because he wanted to make life better for us and for his two siblings.
    “Their father is dead. Their mother sells bottled water in traffic. She was the one who went and told her brother on Sunday morning that Rilwanu stole her N90,000. Then, her brother, Kayode sent his wife to call his police friend, Titus and they tortured him to death.
    “I was not there. I was in my mother’s house. But I was told that the policeman brought handcuffs and teargas, which they used on him. I was also told that blood was all over his body. Now, I am confused because I don’t know who would take care of our son.”
    A source, who craved anonymity, told The Nation the policeman worked at Area G Command, Ogba, Lagos.
    Police spokesman, Ogun State Command Abimbola Oyeyemi, confirmed the incident, but said he was unaware if Titus was a policeman.
    He said: “The information I got is that the woman, the boy’s stepfather and his friend tortured him to death. They said the woman complained that her N90,000 was missing and she accused her son. Then, she told the boy’s stepfather, who sent his wife to contact a friend of his. They all tortured the boy to death and secretly buried him. The woman later saw the money.
    “At the moment, the two men involved are on the run, but the women have been arrested. They have been transferred to the homicide section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID). The Police Commissioner Ahmed Iliyasu has ordered that the fleeing suspects be arrested.
    “I am not aware that one of them is a policeman. But be assured that they will be fished out and dealt in accordance with the law.”

  • Monarch reveals town’s origin at mother’s memorial

    Monarch reveals town’s origin at mother’s memorial

    Some of the intriguing aspects of Christmas and New Year celebrations in Igbo land are festivities, visitations and meetings of all kinds.

    They are also periods during which people travel far and near in search of knowledge of history, tradition and origin of their communities or race.

    Thus, it is not out of place that the ancient Owelle community, Anambra West Local Government Area, Anambra State, recently played host to people from all walks of life during the one year memorial service of the late Iyom Mbanugo.

    Iyom Mbanugo was the mother of the traditional ruler of Owelle Ancient Kingdom and Ukpashi 1 of Owelle, Igwe Sir Anthony Okechukwu Onyekwere.

    Dignitaries at the event were top government functionaries, well-wishers, friends and associates of the monarch.

    Speaking at the event, Igwe Onyekwere said: “It was from his community, Owelle that all communities with some prefix or affix such as Ezi-owelle, Owelle-uno, Owelle-ezukala and others existing in Anambra, Imo, Abia and so on, migrated from.

    He said: “My people, Owelle, migrated from Odecha Moka to this coast where we currently live.

    “You remember that migration was previously carried out through the seas, rivers and oceans.

    “We were living along the coast. It was from here that Owelle-Ezukalla and others left for where they currently live…They have all realised this. I am preparing to present them with ofor (staff of authority) during my next Ofala Festival.

    “We are peaceful people, and have never experienced crime. We are great farmers renowned for yam cultivation, stone-free rice productions, fishmongers from natural ponds, nduko (potatoes), and okra and so on. This is why our new yam festival holds mostly in August.

    “The Igbo ought to find out their origin. Sometimes they claim to have come from Europe or Egypt. The truth remains that a Whiteman cannot give birth to a black man. But a Blackman can give birth to Whiteman.

    “So, it is from here that Europe and other parts of the world migrated from. Our language is Olu. It was from Tower of Babel that different languages were introduced.

    “That is why Yoruba, Igala and others are copied from us. Our tradition is still intact. We believe in the Supreme God. This is why Christianity and Traditional religions are in existence here.

    “We have three notable traditions namely, Ichualo which is when we celebrate new yam, Ugboroegwu (celebration of the masquerades), and the third used in thanking God for the coming of Jesus Christ.

    “These celebrations witnessed influx of people from all parts of the country. This is why there are people from Abia, Delta, Anambra and other parts of the country here today. I am observing iyipu akwa uju (one year memorial service) of my late mother, who was buried on February 25, last year. Iyom Mbanugo is mother-general, mother of all.”

    However, the monarch commended the state governor, Chief Willie Obiano for including their road project on Anambra 2017 Budget, insisting that it would help in boosting the state’s agricultural production and also ease cost of transportation.

    He said: “Our road having been captured in this year’s budget shows that Obiano meant well for us. He is doing this even when election time has not commenced.

    “We need road more than anything. With road, Owelle that is now ejeje (impassable) would become passable.

    “Roads bring development. With roads, Owelle would become 15 minutes’ drive to Awka; and one hour to Abuja. It is the fastest route to access Abuja. We also need the Federal Government to intervene on this road.”

    Comrade Raphael Obeche, who led his fellow staff to the celebration, described the monarch as a humble man to the core.

    He said their relationship had been like that of father and son. He prayed God to grant him Wisdom to lead his subjects.

  • Baby of the year gift allegation: Mother denies husband’s claims

    he Osun State government has described as false, claims by the father of the baby of the year, Kajogbola Olasunkanmi, that his family was cheated by the management of the State Specialist Hospital, Asubiaro, Osogbo, the state capital, where his wife was delivered of her  baby.

    The government said it was embarrassed by media reports which quoted Olasunkanmi as saying that only a part of the gifts for the baby were presented to his family.

    The government, through the Bureau of Communication and Strategy, said Governor Rauf Aregbesola ordered an investigation into the claims, adding that the mother, Mrs. Kemisola Olasunkanmi, debunked her husband’s claims.

    “It has become imperative to make this clarification in view of the negative impressions generated by Olasunkanmi’s claims.

    After the embarrassing media reports which accused the management of the hospital of shortchanging the family by not presenting all the gifts for the baby of the year, the Governor ordered a full scale investigation.

    “To our chagrin, the mother of the baby of the year said her husband lied with his claims adding that the envelope containing the cash gift from the governor ‘s wife, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola, was sealed and intact when it was delivered to her.

    “She further explained that the money from the representatives of the Lions Club, which was also delivered, was meant for all the women who were delivered of babies that day and that each of them got her share of the gift.

    “In the course of the interview, Mrs Kemisola Olasunkanmi expressed regrets while lamenting that she did not know what came over her husband to warrant such dubious and false claims,” the Bureau statement noted.

    The Bureau, in its statement signed by the Director, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, therefore urged those who had been misinformed by the misleading allegation to disregard it in its entirety.

  • My mother and I, by Wale Aboderin

    My mother and I, by Wale Aboderin

    Last week, children of the late Mrs Jadesola Aboderin celebrated her posthumous 80th birthday in Lagos. Her first son, Wale, is the Chairman of Punch Newspapers Ltd. He spoke with NNEKA NWANERI about his childhood and how running the family business prevented him from becoming a pilot.

    How has it been without your mother all these years?

    I don’t even remember that I am fatherless and motherless, because I am not Godless. You don’t have anybody to look up to than to look up to God. Everything that I have said is in the biography written in honour of my late mother, Mrs Florence Jadesola Aboderin. It is entitled: Unsung Greatness. I can guarantee you that the book was not exaggerated or made up, because the only thing that was missing from my mother was the wings of an angel; and I mean it.

    Why hasn’t her exemplary life rubbed off on society?

    It is said that the good is varied with people, and I get a heart break knowing that that will continue to be the case because we don’t have a system in place whereby even the government recognises the proper hero and all the things they have done in life.  So I cannot expect people to change or things to go in another direction, but I can do my own little part to let people know so that maybe they can turn to honour some people while they are still alive. Make people know that because they are doing good, people should know them.

    Just like the Holy Bible says, there is nothing that has happened that hasn’t happened before, and won’t happen again. But these occurrences are given to us as a testimony, so that those that see such things happening can key into it.

    This is a very good example of what happened at my mother’s 80th posthumous birthday. It was an opportunity for people to remember her and tell stories of her, and in so doing, impact on those who do not know her; most especially the younger ones who in their own way can do better than she did.

    Do you regret doing the house chores?

    It’s so long ago, but I don’t think I have any regrets. We are very independent kids, we have to stand on our own when she’s off to work, and wherever we were we always took control of things. We have always been leaders. But I don’t think there was a time I regretted her not being around to do house chores.

    Do you regret taking up the family business?

    The only regret is that it has kept me from being what I wanted to be and doing those things I really love to do. I would have been a pilot, musician, an actor, or anything in the art which I really love doing and have a flair for. But my number one ambition was to be a pilot because I really love to fly.

    What do you do at your leisure?

    I have a female basketball team which I coach at my spare time.  I love to watch basketball on TV and the Paralympic Games which inspires me.

    Why do you avoid social scenes

    I want to attend parties, but I have consciously refused to  because I don’t have the time to tell lies. I am not saying this to say politicians are liars, but I would rather use my time thinking of ways to help humanity. Look at what is happening in America: Donald Trump came out to tell the truth, the establishment didn’t like it and are now doing everything to work against him. Yet, he keeps winning. Why? Because there is someone who wants to tell the truth and do things differently.

    He does not talk like a polished politician, that is why people think that he is speaking ‘rubbish’. But we don’t need a politician…we need a leader who will speak the truth.

    As for me, I will rather in my time and space, do what I can do by telling the truth.

    When I go to places where my integrity would be compromised, the Devil sees it as an opportunity to get me. But as long as I know in my heart that what I am doing is the right thing, and that I am a brand and the brand stands for integrity; my personality, then I have no one to answer to.

    God says in the Bible that he will convert our wisdom to foolishness. The foolishness of the Lord is better than the wisdom of man. Thus the reason why I like to do those things that people can’t understand. Let them gossip and talk. It gives me no good reason to look back when working because I am not afraid of anyone, neither have I lied to anyone. I just keep moving forward.

    Why are you always playful and wear a smile?

    People have often wondered why I keep smiling even when under stress. It is the peace of the Lord that gives me strength. I just keep smiling, even when someone has annoyed me. It takes more energy to frown when people have annoyed you. When they see you are unhappy, they believe they have won and I don’t have time for such people.

    In my own corner, I’ll just keep smiling and let it expand from there, with the hope that it would be infectious.

    A word for Nigerians

    We are too populated in Nigeria. There is a saying that a child who loves his teens will remain in bondage. All we do is grumble, forgetting that if everybody can take one step forward, count the number of steps, we would have ended up going around the world doing good.  But here, nobody is ready to take that first step. If you can do a common favour to a stranger, the world would be a better place.

  • For the love of their mother

    For the love of their mother

    On September 11, the late Florence Jadesola Aboderin, wife of the founder of Punch Newspapers, the late Olubunmi James Aboderin,  would have turned 80. Her children threw a lavish party at the Haven Events Centre in GRA, Ikeja to celebrate their matriarch and the virtues she represented, 23 years after her death. NNEKA NWANERI was there.

    From the grandeur of the hall, the beautiful scenes, the contemporary dressing and décor at its finest, the  event – “Time out with Florence”- had them. All these announced to guests  and family members that the evening was to honour a great matriarch, the late Jadesola Aboderin, whose posthumous 80th birthday was being celebrated with fanfare. The Aboderins, of course, have it all – wealth, class and taste.

    These and many more they displayed last week when their late mother’s birthday was celebrated in grand style.

    She was the wife of the late James Olubunmi Aboderin, founder of Punch Newspapers. She was also the first woman African mortgage banker and a founding member of the Archbishop Vining Memorial Church. She died in March 1993 at 56, nine years after she lost her husband.

    To mark her day, a party was held in her honour at the Haven Events Centre in GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

    The pageantry was all about the things she loved. They included Gatsby-style outfits, good old school karaoke, decorations and many more.

    There were music, drama, comedy and rib-cracking jokes that made the audience laugh. Comedian Lepacious Bose, with her new signature – slim figure – compered at the ceremony.

    Publisher of Punch Newspapers Mr Wale Aboderin recieved thumbs up when he took the microphone to perform various evergreen songs before the teeming guests.

    He sang, danced and moved about the stage, miming the lyrics of the songs to the delight of many, who stared in amazement.

    Before then, he described his mother as a polyglot and philanthropist, urging everyone to emulate her life by impacting on the lives of those in the society to be remembered after death.

    First daughter of the late Mrs Aboderin Angela Emuwa recalled how her mother loved potted flowers in her garden, and cooked for the pioneer members of the staff of Punch as they struggled to meet deadline.

    “I remember heliconias; the various coloured roses and hibiscus and jasmine vines growing by the entrance, a welcoming fragrance for visitors to our Ilupeju house. Those were exciting times.”

    The former Secretary for Health in the Chief Ernest Shonekan-led interim government, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, noted that  her daughter, Wunmi Obe, aka TWO, got her singing talent from her mother.

    Tunde Obe met his mother-in-law in 1988. She died five years after.

    The couple, Wunmi and Tunde, staged a 30-minute performance before hip-hop artistes 9ICE and Vector wrapped up the evening to make it a more memorable one.

    A biography of the late Mrs Aboderin, authored by the children, was distributed to the guests.

  • Father, mother, two kids found dead at home in Oyo

    Father, mother, two kids found dead at home in Oyo

    IT was all tears on Wednesday at Isale-Oyo community in Atiba Local Government of Oyo State, when a family of five members were discovered dead in a mysterious circumstance.

    The victims, who include the husband, his junior wife, two children and a visiting uncle, were found dead inside their new home.

    Investigation revealed that the deceased husband’s junior wife had just completed the house, which she bought when it was under construction.

    The family members moved into the building on Tuesday, preparatory for its warming on Wednesday.

    When the senior wife was contacted by the husband to follow them to the house, she excused herself.

    The family members were said to have celebrated the Sallah with friends, relations and neighbours, after which the man invited the guests to attend the house warming the next day.

    Neighbours and relations besieged the residence of the deceased family as early as 7.00a.m. in the morning to felicitate with them on the event.

    But they were surprised that despite repeated knocks on the door, nobody came out to attend to them.

    All efforts to gain entry to find out what happened were abortive, as both the door and windows were locked.

    The neighbours were anxious, a situation which made them to force the door open.

    “They could not belief what they saw. It was indeed agonising and pathetic. The family of five were found dead,” a neighbour, who craved anonymity, said.

    “This is unbelievable. It is like watching a movie. The deceased father yesterday (Tuesday) played with the children around and greeted their parents in their respective homes for the Eid-El-Kabir celebration.

    How come he and his family members were found dead at the same time?” another neighbour queried.

    But the Divisional Police Officer at Atiba Police Station, Sadiq Maye, who confirmed the incident, said contrary to insinuations, the deceased died of generator fumes, which they inhaled while asleep.

    Maye said their bodies had been deposited at the State Hospital mortuary, Oyo.

  • Mother, daughter found wandering in Ogun

    Mother, daughter found wandering in Ogun

    A woman, Mrs. Ibeh Pauline Chioma, and her daughter, Nwokedi Rita have been found wandering on the streets of Owode community in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun state by a traditional ruler .

    The woman who hails from Anambra State and suspected to be mentally unstable was  found along with her six year old  daughter on Sunday night at Ijaiye area of Owode-Egba  by the Olu of Owode Egba, Oba Kolawole Sowemimo.

    According to Oba Sowemimo, the woman appeared a bit confused, lacking orientation to time and location, while her daughter was also crying when they were found around 11:pm on Sunday.

    The monarch said woman claimed to come from St. Anthony Catholic Church, Oji River in Enugu State and that document found in her luggage indicated the item belonged to one Mr Ibeh Lebeogo Augustine.

    The traditional ruler said he found them while going to the Celestial Church, Ijaiye where he was invited as the Royal Father of the Day at their Harvest, and was moved with pity to help them.

    According to Oba Sowemimo, he has drawn to the attention of the state’s Ministry Women Affairs and Social Development to the plights of the mother and daughter.

    He  added that he would take the woman in a mental home for treatment if nobody comes forward to claim her.

    “It is my habit to always drive around in the evening. It was around 11:pm in the night that I saw them. The girl was crying and the mother was just talking and I noticed she is not mentally stable. I took them into the car and took them home.

    “When we got home, my wife  gave them food and clothes because their clothes were dirty. I came here so that the press people will help me flash their pictures so that their families can come for them.”

  • Otunba Kayode Fasar loses mother

    It is impossible to banish the memory of losing a mother. It is almost impossible to accept the inevitability of death when it claims as its victim a woman who sacrificed all she had for you.

    No matter how old a man gets or how wealthy he becomes, the loss of his mother reduces him to a whimpering child.

    Otunba Kayode Fasar, one of the top managers at Stanbic IBTC, has lost his mother to the cruel hands of death. The highly respected man has been left inconsolable as he grieves over his mother and bids her farewell.

    Madam Ajike Elizabeth lived an admirable life before she passed. She will be remembered as a woman of strong personality.