The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Octogenarian

  • Octogenarian broadcaster defends PhD thesis at UniAbuja

    Octogenarian broadcaster defends PhD thesis at UniAbuja

    An octogenarian and retired broadcaster with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), Mrs. Christiana Akpunonu, has successfully defended her PhD thesis at the University of Abuja.

    The Head of Department of Theatre Arts, Dr. Roseline Yacim, who disclosed this in Abuja, said Akpunonu was the first octogenarian to record such a feat in the department.

    Yacim said the 85-year-old, on April 16, defended her thesis titled ‘The Impact of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria on Nigeria’s Health Watch – Fistula Programme on Women in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja’.

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    According to Yacim, the defence was conducted before the external examiner, Prof. Irene Agunloye of the Centre for Gender and Women Studies, University of Jos.

    “The defence also took place in the presence of the representative of the Dean, Postgraduate School, Prof. Isa Nurudeen of the Department of Economics, University of Abuja, as well as members of the Postgraduate Board of the Department of Theatre Arts, University of Abuja,” she said.

    Akpunonu is a lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication at Baze University. She is pursuing a PhD in Media Arts at the University of Abuja.

  • Buhari’s surviving octogenarian sister treks 100 metres to vote

    Hajiya Rakiya Adamu-Amadodo, the 84-year-old surviving elder sister of President Muhammad Buhari, yesterday  discharged her civic duties by casting her vote during the Gubernatorial and state assembly elections.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the octogenarian walked a distance of 100 metres to her Kofar Baru 002 polling unit in Daura to exercise her franchise at exactly 12.34 pm.

    Adamu-Amadodo was escorted by her grand-children and relations to the voting venue.

  • Why I gave my daughter power of attorney, by Octogenarian

    An octogenarian retiree, Madam Silvena Abiola Akinbo, has explained that she signed a legal document giving her daughter, Ms. Magdalene Olaide Akinbo, power of attorney over her properties to avoid any crisis between her two children.

    The retiree last week at the office of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) at Ijaiye, Lagos signed the document.

    Her son, Adebambo Adeyemi Akinbo, was absent. The process was witnessed by her lawyer, Chief Babasoji A. Alaba.

    Madam Akinbo retired in 1999 from the Nigeria Ports Authority, (NPA) as a Senior Data Processing Officer at its Marina office.

    The properties include two buildings situated at 204 Ijesha Road, Ijesha-Tedo and 37A, Sijuade Street, Odo-Olowu, Ijesha-Tedo.

    She said: “I am giving everything to my daughter because my son, the engineer has enough. Moreover he told me that he does not want anything, he does not want any of my properties, that God has blessed him and that he has enough, and that anything I have, I should give it to my daughter, that he has enough.

    “Secondly, my daughter is the one taking care of me, he wants me to come and stay with him, but I don’t want to stay with my son, I want to stay with my daughter. I have peace of mind in my daughter’s house which I don’t have any time I go to my son’s place.

    “I am signing the documents and I am ready to defend this in court if necessary because I don’t want any trouble between my two children after my demise. I want to settle it now and this is the best way to settle it.

    “She is not forcing or coercing me to do this. My brain is still very okay and I am of a very sound mind,” Mama said.

    The beneficiary, Ms. Akinbo, told reporters that her mother initially shared the properties between her and her younger brother, but she changed her mind when her brother said he did not need anything from her.

    “Even when family members intervened in the matter, he insisted that he does not want anything and my mother said she knows that he has more than enough and she gave the two properties to me.

    “He said he is rich enough, that God has blessed him, that he does not want anything and only asked for mama’s blessing and she blessed him.

    “He wants mama to come and stay with him and I want mama to stay with, he wants to carry mama to his house but I refused it and moreover Mama does not want to leave my house, she says she prefers to stay in my house. When she stayed with my brother before, they frustrated her there.

    “But my brother does not want that, he wants mama to come and live with him and with the way he is going about it, I cannot trust him. It is as if he has other motives than just wanting my mother to live with him,” she said.

    When contacted on phone for his reaction, Akinbo simply said: “It is a family issue and the family is handling it.”

  • Octogenarian accuses FHA of disobeying court order

    An octogenarian, Mr. Dan Awodoye, has petitioned the Minister of Works, Power and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), over alleged disobedience of a court order by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA).

    In the March 19 petition through his lawyer, Abiodun Layonu (SAN), Awodoye, who retired from the Federal Ministry of Culture and Tourism, said the FHA refused to allocate a three-bedroom bungalow he paid for about 21 years ago to him.

    The petitioner said he paid N778, 000 to the FHA in 1997 for the bungalow at Isheri Olofin 3 Estate, Federal Housing Authority Satellite C Housing Scheme, Isheri, to be used as a private residence after his retirement.

    According to him, upon his retirement on August 8, 1998 at the statutory age of 60, he was under serious pressure from his employer to vacate the government quarters he lived in while in service.

    He added that he was later told that the government quarters had been acquired by Chief Obianodo Vincent.

    He filed a suit before Justice John Tsoho of the Federal High Court in Lagos on May 16, 2000, and sought an order of specific performance against the FHA to immediately provide him with the accommodation.

    The Minister of Works and Housing, Federal Housing Authority, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Chief Obianodo Vincent were the defendants.

    “On the 16th of June, 2017, judgment was delivered in respect of the subject matter action.

    “The court granted an order of specific performance against the Federal Housing Authority in respect of the contract to provide the plaintiff with a three-bedroom bungalow or provide the plaintiff with an alternative suitable accommodation comparable to the allocated three-bedroom bungalow.

    “It is in this view that we, therefore, on behalf of our client urge you to use your good office to ensure prompt compliance with the court’s order particularly taking into consideration the age of our client who has diligently served this nation in his prime.

    “Our client should, therefore, not be allowed to suffer in his old age when he should be enjoying the fruits of his labour,” the petition reads.

     

  • Octogenarian kidnappers demand N25million ransom

    Kidnappers of an octogenarian, Chief James Omafuaire, have demanded a N25 million ransom for his release.

    Chief Omafuaire, who is the elder brother of Vanguard Newspaper’s Senior Photojournalist, Akpokona Omafuaire, was kidnapped on Monday, along with his wife, Victoria, and a customer, from his Ikpeshi Quarter in Akoko-Edo council area of Edo state.

    The kidnappers placed a call through to the son of their victim, Charles Omafuaire, late Monday evening, demanding a ransom of N25 million.

    Daughter of the victim, Mrs Christie Omafuaire-Atie appealed to the police authority to swing into action to rescue her father while appealing to the kidnappers to lower the demand.

    Omafuaire, 80, was supervising his workers at his quarry site in Ikpeshi near Auchi when the gunmen abducted him, his wife and a customer.

    Chief Omafuaire, is a retired Superintendent of Police and former Divisional Police Officer, Igarra.

  • Kidnappers of Delta Octogenarian demand N25 Million Ransom

    Kidnappers of Delta Octogenarian demand N25 Million Ransom

     

     

    Kidnappers of an octogenarian, Chief James Omafuaire, have demanded a N25 million ransom for his release.

    Chief Omafuaire, who is the elder brother of Vanguard Newspaper’s Senior Photojournalist, Akpokona Omafuaire, was kidnapped on Monday, along with his wife, Victoria, and a customer, from his Ikpeshi Quarter in Akoko-Edo council area of Edo state.

    However, the kidnappers, who are believed to be Fulani herdsmen, placed a call through to the son of their victim; Charles Omafuaire, late Monday evening, demanding a ransom of N25 million.

    Confirming the development to the Nation on phone in Warri yesterday, daughter of the victim, Mrs Christie Omafuaire-Atie, said the kidnap of the octogenarian was already causing panic within the family.

    She appeal to the police authority to swing into action to rescue her father while appealing to the herdsmen to lower the demand.

    Omafuaire was supervising his workers at his quarry site in Ikpeshi near Auchi when the Fulani herdsmen with guns kidnapped him, his wife and a customer.

    Chief Omafuaire, an Olomu Chief hails from Akperhe-Olomu in Ughelli-South Area of Delta State, he is a retired Supritendent of Police and former Divisional Police Officer, Igarra. He is over 80 years old.

     

  • Octogenarian author gets award

    An octogenarian author of a book titled “How Africans vandalised Africa: Focusing Nigeria”, Mrs. Adaobi Whyte, has been honoured with the Ambassador of Arts, Culture and Tourism Award (ACTA).

    The award, presented in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, by a Nollywood star, Ngozi Osuji, was in honour of Whyte’s contributions to literary art, especially her latest work.

    ACTA is a yearly programme organised to celebrate Nigeria’s cultural heritage and promote its potential.

    The event was attended by key players in the Nollywood.

    Osuji, who is also the director of ACTA, said the event was meant to promote the country’s untapped tourism potential and turn it to a tourist-friendly nation.

    She said over dependence on oil had crippled the development of other economic-generating sectors that had the potential to generate job opportunities.

    The director said the country was rich in cultural heritage and tourism potential, adding that all states had one tourism potential or the other.

    Osuji, however, regretted that the state and federal governments failed to develop them.

    She urged the governments and corporate bodies to work towards changing the perception of the outside world towards Nigeria through tourism.

    Whyte, a designer, social critic, politician and writer advised Niger Delta youths to desist from pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft.

    Other awardees include Chief Rawlings Erohini, grand patron; Chief John Black Obinna Onu, patron and Ms. Ann-Kio Briggs, tourism ambassador.

  • Tension in Kokori over killing London-based octogenarian

    There was fear yesterday among residents of Kokori in Ethiope East Local Government Area of Delta State, following the killing of 88-year-old London-based Chief Gilbert Oshevire.

    Oshevire was allegedly strangled to death between Friday night and Saturday at his 1 Ediagbon Street.

    The motive or masterminds of the killing could not be established at the time going to press last night.

    But it was gathered that the incident has caused serious panic among the residents.

    Speaking with our reporter yesterday, a prominent leader in the community who spoke in confidence, said the octogenarian was in the town to resolve an issue.

    He said: “Chief Oshevire was last seen alive on Friday night after he retired for the night. He resided in London but came home on the invitation of the Kokori Council of Chiefs about some issues, especially a case he instituted against some of his kinsmen in London.

    “The leaders of Kokori invited him to come home so that the issue, which bothers on some financial transactions, could be resolved amicably.”

    Police spokesman Andrew Aniaka, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the report.

    He said the police had arrested one suspect.

    Aniamaka told our reporter on telephone that the victim was found by his nephew, Donald Oshevire.

    “He (Donald) said blood was coming out of the victim’s mouth and there were signs that the room had been ransacked,” the police spokesman added.

    It was gathered that the issues for which Oshevire was invited could not be resolved as the key players in the conflict did not turn up.

    The source said: “A meeting was fixed for December 5 but the others did not show up. It was while waiting for further development he was mysterious killed last night (Saturday).

    “His body has been deposited by the police at a mortuary in Kokori. But as we speak, arrangements are being made to transfer his remains to another morgue outside the area.”

    It was gathered that the circumstance surrounding his death angered his clan, who are alleging foul plays.

  • Octogenarian, three others to die by hanging

    An Osun State High Court has sentenced an octogenarian, Oluwafemi Fagbemi, Tobi Ojo, Famutuwa Femi and Tope Olatunji to death for the murder of Jacob Ajayi.

    They were charged for conspiracy and murder. The prosecuting counsel from the Ministry of Justice,  Abiodun Badiora, told the court the convicts committed the crimes on April 13, 2012.

    According to him, the headless body of the deceased was recovered from a septic tank. His genitals and a part of his leg had been removed.

    The defence counsel, A.O. Oluwole, pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy, asking the judge not to give the convicts capital punishment.

    Justice Kudirat Akano, after finding them guilty of the two charges, sentenced each of them to 14 years for count one and to death by hanging for count two.

  • Octogenarian, five others arrested for alleged murder

    Men of the Delta State Police command have arrested an octogenarian and  five other suspects for the alleged murder of a 47—year-old man, who was reportedly missing following a communal crisis between Umuaja and Obeti communities in Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state.

    The police identified the victim as Onwelagu Ochonogor.

    The Nation gathered that the two communities have been involved in clashes in the last few years over a disputed land.

    The suspects, according to the police, include Opone Kizito, 85 years old, Arinze Sunday, Otutu Ashebudike, Ojiokpa Chukwunalu, Basil Oshugbo and Ossai Godwin.

    Delta Police boss, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim, said following the receipt of the report of the missing man, a team combed the surrounding bush and discovered a human toe sticking out of a shallow grave, following a heavy downpour the previous day.

    He said the corpse was discovered in Umuaja community, opposite the communal shrine.

    Mr. Zanna said the matter is under investigation, after which any of the suspects who is found culpable will be charged to court.