The Nation Newspaper

Tag: widow

  • We’re happy over honour, says widow of Abiola’s senior brother

    IT was all jubilation at the Abeokuta home of late Musibau Abiola, the late elder brother of MKO Abiola, on Wednesday night, following the news of the declaration of June 12 as Democracy Day henceforth.

    When The Nation visited the Abiola family home, the members were still in a joyous mood some minutes after nine o’ clock when the NTA network brought the news to their living room on Wednesday.

    Alhaja Kudirat Musibau, widow of Abiola’s elder brother, told The Nation that she heard the news on the NTA network news and instantly went into a frenzy without waiting to hear the details.

    Mrs. Abiola said she dashed down from upstairs apartment to the basement shouting and jumping at the same time, calling other members of the family to come and hear what she heard.

    She said: “I heard over the NTA network news and couldn’t wait for the newscaster to conclude before jumping up in joy and calling on others to know if they also heard the news about Chief MKO Abiola and June 12. We all erupted into jubilation in the compound that Wednesday night.

    “We have long waited for the good news but didn’t expect it will come from this government.”

     

  • Save me from my neighbour’s generator fume, says widow

    Is the fume from a neighbour’s locomotive generator the cause of a widow, Mrs. Stella Ikwunne’s health challenge?

    Ikwunne, 52, is alleging that she is suffering from pneumonia, chest pains, catarrh and related ailments because of her inhalation of the smoke from Mr Christian Anyanwu’s generator.

    Ikwunne and Anyanwu are tenants at 3, Rafiu Ipaye Street, Ijesha. She operates a beer parlour; while Anyanwu also runs a beer parlour and repairs generator from two shops.

    A medical report from Itire-Ikate Primary Health Centre (PHC) indicated that the sound of her chest was dull and that there was poor air entrance to her lungs.

    Signed by Dr. Nkechi Nani, the report said: “The patient presented complaint of bilateral chest pains, catarrh and weakness. Pains are said to be internal in the lungs and causes difficulty in breathing. History notes the inhaling of generator fumes/smokes from a neighbour’s mounted generator.

    “She had previously been treated several times for the same complaints in a private hospital. Chest sounds are dull and there is poor air entrance to lungs. The diagnosis of pneumonia secondary to smoke inhalation was made and treatment was initiated.”

    Another report from Uwemedimo Hospital confirmed that the woman was on May 29, 2016, managed for complaints of chest pain and difficulty in breathing.

    Mrs. Ikwunne told our correspondent that a scan conducted on her 16-year-old daughter, Jennifer, showed she was suffering from chest, lung diseases and had been warned to stay away from fumes.

    Ikwunne, a mother of seven, said she had repeatedly met with Anyanwu over the issue and also reported to the police.

    Ikwunne, who said she had gone to the Office of Public Defender (OPD), Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Ijesha Police Station, the landlady and caretaker, claimed that Anyanwu rebuffed all entreaties to relocate the generator.

    She said: “In the past three years I have been in and out of the hospital. I am always having chest pain and difficulty in breathing. It was at the hospital that they told me my problem was caused by generator fume.

    “Since then, I have told Mr. Anyanwu to remove the generator but he refused. He has enough space on the other side, why can’t he take it there?  Each time he sees customers in my shop, he would turn on the generator and they would leave immediately because of the fume and noise.

    “When I could not take it anymore, I went to the police and they came and saw it. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) then told him what he was doing was bad, he claimed it was the generators that he repairs that used to cause the fume.

    “They tried to resolve the matter and he was asked to connect an exhaust pipe so that the fumes would not be coming to my shop, but still the issue is worst. Now, my daughter fell sick and when they did scan on her, they said there was stain in her heart, caused by generator fume and that she should stay away from smoke.

    “I took the matter to our caretaker and landlady and he told them he would remove the generator in two weeks. But that was before Easter. He still has not moved it. He is bragging that the worst case scenario would be for the landlady to give us quit notice and we would leave the premises. He said he would leave and go to his own house but that I will not have anywhere to do business.

    “I am begging the governor and those in authority to come and see things for themselves and take action against him. His generator is killing my children and I slowly.

    “I was advised to go to Crime Victims Foundation (CRIVIFON) because the man wrote a petition alleging that I was threatening his life and I was arrested. But the police looked into the matter and told him what he did was wrong and that he should relocate the generator but he still has not. My life and those of my children are at risk and my business, which is my only source of livelihood is being threatened.”

    CRIVIFON Executive Director Mrs. Gloria Egbuji said her agency would petition Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) and the Commissioner of Police over the matter.

    Contacted, the landlady of the property, Mrs. Makinde Ipaye confirmed that Anyanwu was asked to relocate his generator within two weeks.

    She said: “Yes, the matter was brought before me. I went and inspected the place and I told Anyanwu to relocate the generator to his other shop. But he later called me that Mrs. Ikwunne reported him to OPD.

    “I am tired of the matter. I am not happy he did not listen to my advice. I support that higher authorities should come into the matter and resolve it or I will have to give both of them quit notice.”

    Anyanwu denied Mrs Ikwunne’s allegations, saying he had been in the shop for over two decades before she came.

    He said the generator was kept there because that is where he does generator repairs.

    He said: “Before she moved into this place, I have been here. This is the shop where I repair generators and engines. I repair big generators here and I have been doing that before she moved in. We were staying here peacefully until about three years ago when we had an issue.

    “It was from that issue that she started complaining that my generator was disturbing her. Then, it was a smaller one. I changed to this big one because I got more freezers and the smaller one could not carry them.

    “This woman has carried me everywhere. She has taken me to the police seven times and has reported me to different places. Even when we went to the landlady, I agreed to relocate the generator within two weeks but she went to OPD to report me again. That is why I left the generator there for OPD to finish their investigation.”

  • Isola’s unfufilled dreams, by widow

    Isola’s unfufilled dreams, by widow

    Since renowned literary icon, academic and actor Prof. Akinwumi Isola died on Saturday, his widow Adebola, has been receiving sympathisers at their Akobo, Ibadan home. A strong willed woman, Mrs Isola spoke with BISI OLADELE on the life and times of her husband, recalling their funny, good and tough moments together.

    The widow traced how she discovered the literary goldmine in the man she thought was just another young university lecturer and the major challenge she faced in adjusting to the reality of the lifestyle of a writer-husband.

     

    Early years 

     

    We got married on September 28, 1969. If I have to tell the truth, if you marry a writer, you have to take heart. When I newly got married to my husband, I wanted to divorce him because I just discovered he worked in the night. He explained to me that ideas for writing flow in the night, rather than in the day time. So he preferred writing in the night. I was disappointed as a young woman. “How can I marry a man that will not be available for his family in the night?” I wondered in my mind. I made up my mind immediately that I would divorce him. But when I told my aunt about my decision, she opposed it, saying she would never want to see me again if I tried it. He was writing a novel then. Shortly after, his book, Efunsetan, was to be staged. We were in Lagos then because he was lecturing at the University of Lagos. When we got to the theatre, I was shocked by the huge crowd that gathered to watch the play. Then, they called us out to the stage for recognition as the author. I was so proud of him and so proud to be his wife. I was very happy. So, when we got home, I told him that I will never leave him. That was a major experience that made me adjust to his lifestyle.

    Thereafter, whenever he finished writing a book, he would give the script to me to proofread first. We used to do the corrections together. How can you forget that kind of person? He never hides anything from me. That is a reason his nickname is ‘Honest man.’ He was a very funny man.

    I didn’t have problem coping with his friends and associates in the arts world. It is actually very interesting having them as our friends. People like Profs Femi Osofisan, Wole Soyinka and others are close friends, and they are good.

    I was a Grade 2 teacher when I married him but I saw greatness in him at the time. Though he did not pressure me to study for higher qualification, I took the decision to pursue Nigerian Certificate in Education (NCE) and university degree after marriage. He was also not a PhD holder then but one could see that he would go far in life. So, I had to upgrade myself too.

     

    The man, Akinwumi

     

    Everything a wife want in a good husband, I got from him. Is it the jokes, or the care? There was no dull moment with my husband. He was very kind and jovial. He always visited his village, Labode. They loved him. He used to celebrate festivals and other ceremonies with them. He would invite his friends to the ceremonies. You cannot say this was his happiest moment because he was always happy. You would not even know if he was sad.

    In dressing, we are completely different. He was in love with adire (a Yoruba native attire) kampala and aso ofi. I like them too but not to the extent my husband did. I love lace but my husband will never wear lace.

     

    A funny experience

     

    When we were about to get married, he bought aso oke for both of us as wedding dress. He made agbada for himself and gave the rest to me to sew, believing it to be a pleasant surprise package for me. The day he brought it to me, I wondered what he thought he was doing. But I did not argue with him. I just told my aunt to prepare a white wedding gown for me. So, when he came, I told him I would not wear aso ofi for my wedding. I showed him my wedding dress and told him he was free to pay for it if he wanted. As at that time, I did not know he was very good at Yoruba language. As a young woman, I wanted a white wedding. Moreso, my father was a reverend. He had accepted my choice reluctantly.

    We had the wedding at the University of Ibadan and I was very happy. Then, we went back to UNILAG. A few days later, my husband just called the gate man one morning and dashed him his wedding suit. I was dumbfounded. How can my husband dash out his wedding suit only a few days after the wedding? I wondered. Then he told me that he wore it only to satisfy me. What occurred to me in that incident was that he was kind, for pleasing me. But I kept mine.

     

    How the relationship started

     

    We met at Wesley College, Ibadan where I was a teacher at the primary level while he was a tutor at the higher level. I was staying with my aunt. She was kind but very strict. Whenever Akin came to see me, he would throw a stone through the window to alert me that he was around to see me. That was the code. The fear of my guardian would not let me give him free access to our house then. He actually found it easy to propose to me because my aunt’s husband liked him. He was his principal. He nick-named my husband the ‘Honest man.’ It was an occasion when he and his friends went to drink  palm-wine secretly because it was against the doctrine of the Methodist Church which owned the school. When the principal saw and challenged them one day, others lied but my husband confessed that they went to drink palm-wine. From that day, he called him ‘Honest man.’ He liked him since then. So, when he proposed to me, he did not receive any opposition.

     

    Unrealised ambition

     

    He actually achieved his dreams but not totally. One of his dreams was to see all sons and daughters of Yoruba dress in traditional attires all the time. You know his book: ‘O Le Ku’ created an old school style of Yoruba dress at a time. He was very happy at that development. That fashion style thrilled him so much. His dream was to see all school children wear Yoruba attire as school uniform. He did not achieve that. He told me that he would be so happy if at least one day can be declared every term for students to wear Yoruba attire to school.

    He was not just in love with Yoruba language and culture, he was in love with Ibadan as a Yoruba city. He believed that there is no other town in the world that is better than Ibadan. He was in love with amala and abula.

     

     

    How he died

     

    His last meal was Amala and abula. He ate Amala most nights and I prepared his meals myself. House maids never cooked for him. He liked dried fish. Gbegiri and ewedu are always in my fridge. That Friday night, I prepared Amala and gbegiri with ewedu; and he ate the entire portion. My husband used to eat the entire portion I gave him. He finished his meal that night and went to bed thereafter. So, he did not give me any sign that death was around the corner.

    He woke up as usual Saturday morning, had his bath and was ready for the day. I prepared custard and added Milo on it alongside honey. We put him on the chair in the room and I told him his food was ready. The nurse wanted to brush his teeth but he refused. So, I told the nurse to allow him drink the custard first and eat later.

    But he started saying the usual: “Please thank my wife for me. He takes good care of me. I thought it was the usual thing he was doing, not knowing it was like a parting speech. The doctor had instructed that we should call him anytime we noticed any sign. But I didn’t interpret that as a sign because it was usual of him to say that. He started praying for me for the way I had taken care of him. Shortly after, I tried to feed him with the custard but discovered that the teeth were not opening. I was surprised. I started asking him what was happening. Immediately, I called to inform his children. I also called the doctor. One of the children asked us to put him on the bed. We did. But that was the end.

     

  • Ambode gives filmmaker’s widow one million naira

    Ambode gives filmmaker’s widow one million naira

    The Executive Governor of Lagos state, Mr Akinwumi Ambode, has presented one million naira to the immediate family of late filmmaker, Obi Madubogwu.

    The cheque was presented by Honourable Desmond Elliott to the late actor’s widow, Uju Ngozi Madubogwu last Thursday. Present at the presentation was the late filmmaker’s friend, Nobert Ajaegbu, a popular lawyer and film marketer.

    The widow expressed her thanks to the governor and prayed for God’s blessing for him. Hon Elliot also commended the governor’s magnanimity and passed the governor’s condolence message to Obi’s family.

    Obi Madubogwu, aka King of Musanga was laid to rest on 10th November, 2017 at his country home, Nkwere Ogidi, Anambra state.

    Before his death on August 28, 2017, Obi battled diabetes for several years. The condition got chronic that he developed  ‘acute diabetics foot ulcers’ and Nigerians had to come to his rescue to help foot his medical bills.

  • Widow wins Idemili North’s by-election

    The All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) candidate, Mrs Nkoli Mmegbuaneze, has won the by-election in Idemili North Constituency of Anambra State in Saturday’s poll.

    The constituency’s Returning Officer, Prof. James Epoke, of University of Calabar (UNICAL), announced the result yesterday at Ogidi, Idemili North Local Government Area.

    Epoke said Mrs Mmegbuanaeze polled 11,526, while Tony Muonagor of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had 5,677; Nnebunwa Ude of the United Progressive Party (UPP) scored 2,940 and Charles Udezue of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) polled 2,758.

    Nkoli replaced her husband, Mr Francis Mmegbuanaeze, who died on August 16.

    The Nigeria Police High Command has lauded the conduct of its officers and men involved the conduct of November 18 governorship election in Anambra State.

    The Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations) in Abuja, Mr Habila Joshak, spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

    Joshak, who headed police operations during the November 18 governorship election, said the officers and men who participated in the election exhibited exemplary conduct.

    He said: “We are happy to say that none of our officers and men who took part in the provision of security during November 18 governorship election in Anambra State was linked to any misconduct.”

  • Ambode donates N5m to widow of kidnap victim

    Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has donated N5million to the widow and children of Osaze Omoregbe, a community leader in Isawo, Ikorodu who was burnt by kidnappers for leading security agents to foil their operation.

    Special Adviser to the Governor on Community & Communications, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, on behalf of the governor, presented the cheque to Omorogbe’s widow and children at a solemn ceremony at the family’s Isawo, Ikorodu home.

    The deceased is survived by his widow Mrs. Omodunni and two children, Adesuwa and Osaze.

    The late Omoregbe led the security committee of the Olorunsogo Community Development Association of Yewa community, in Isawo, Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA).

    On April 15, he alerted the police on hearing kidnappers’ gunshots seeking to capture a victim.

    On arrival, the police and soldiers asked him to lead them to the area. All of them, including an army Captain and four policemen, were ambushed by the kidnappers and killed.

    Yesterday, Bamigbetan, who was received by the Chairman of the Community Development Association, Mr. Ahmed Yusuf, praised the late Omoregbe for “his heroic role.”

    Reading the condolence message personally signed by the governor, Bamigbetan said the deceased “paid the supreme price” while responding to the government’s charge to community development associations to support its effort to rid the state of kidnappers.

    Part of the condolence message reads: “It is with deep grief that I share your sorrow on the unfortunate death of your father, husband and breadwinner, Mr. Osaze Omoregbe.

    “At a time our administration is consolidating partnership with our communities and their courageous and committed leaders, your benefactor stood up to be counted. He supported the forces of light seeking to crush the notorious kidnappers who had turned your neighbourhood into a jungle of death. In that patriotic response to our call to join hands and collectively secure our communities, he paid the supreme price.”

    Receiving the cheque, Omoregbe’s widow, Mrs. Omodunni, who was short of words, broke into tears.

    Speaking on behalf of the Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), the chairperson, Mrs. Jumoke Ademehin-Jumbo thanked the government for coming to the rescue of the family.

    Bamigbetan, Senior Special Assistant on Community Affairs Alhaji Tajudeen Quadri, Ademehin-Jumbo, the chairperson of the Community Development Committee Alhaja K.A. Damole and their teams prayed at the graveside of the deceased.

  • Widow banished for having sex on husband’s bed

    A 70-year-old widow has been banished from her community for allegedly having sex with another man on her late husband’s matrimonial bed.

    The widow, Mrs Maria Okoh, it was gathered, was allegedly caught by her granddaughter having sex with a 30-year-old man, said to be her lover, at Amaudo Nkpoghoro village in Afikpo North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

    In Afikpo, it is considered a taboo for a widow to make love on her late husband’s matrimonial bed.

    The granddaughter was said to have gone to Madam Maria’s house to deliver some food items, which she bought for her, when she saw the man making love to the grandmother.

    She raised the alarm and reported the matter to some residents who reported it to the elders.

    Some of the villagers were said to have taken the woman and the man out of the house, chanting songs of disgrace on them.

    The villagers paraded the widow and the man round the community.

    Madam Maria was allegedly banished from the community after the parade.

    One of the villagers, Egwu Azubuike, said the woman would have faced greater punishment if her husband was alive.

    He noted that the act had brought shame to the widow’s family, adding that she was among the most respected women in the community before the incident.

    Also, according to the community’s custom, the woman will give three goats as fine to appease the land before she will be accepted back.

  • I didn’t give my land to Catholic Church, says widow, 82

    An 82-year-old widow, Lady Juliana Onuorah, has said she did not give her land to the Catholic Church, as the church is claiming.

    The widow spoke yesterday at Ogidi High Court in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    Lady Onuorah and her only daughter, Patricia, sued the Archbishop of Onitsha, Rev Valerian Okeke – and six others – over their alleged claim to the property at Nkpor.

    At the continuation of the matter yesterday, Justice Vincent Agbata stopped one of the lawyers to the defendants, C. J. Asiegbu, from intimidating the widow.

    The situation spurred the judge to tell the counsel to take a new date for continuation of proceedings.

    The lawyer chose July 3.

    The judge was said to have discovered that the old woman had become weak in the witness box.

    The Catholic Archbishop, who was absent, was represented by Anthony Anaenugwu (SAN), who led Asiegbu and others; Theodore Udochi led S. O. Oni for the plaintiffs.

    When Asiegbu asked Lady Onuorah if she signed a document signifying that she gave her land to the church in 1990, she emphatically said she did not.

    Again, the counsel asked if her husband signed the document, but the woman said she was not aware of such development.

    Lady Onuorah said she used to spell “Our Ladies” as her school and bakery outfits’ name, adding that she could no longer do so.

    She said the disputed land was her property, which she bought with her money many years ago.

    The widow recalled that there was never a time she signed a document with the church on the disputed land.

    Also, Lady Onuorah denied instructing Emilia Enemuo to prepare a power of attorney on the disputed land.

    When Asiegbu asked her if she had any problem with the Catholic Church before her daughter, Patricia, returned from United States of America (U.S.A), Lady Onuorah said the church had been disturbing her.

    When the defendant’s lawyer reminded her that she had appeared in a High Court before, Udochi urged the court to direct Asiegbu to restrict his questions to the pleaded documents.

    Justice Agbata sustained the plea, but told Asiegbu that the old woman had become weak and should be given time.

    The judge now adjourned the matter till July 3 for continuation.

  • Widow, three children found dead in Ikorodu

    Widow, three children found dead in Ikorodu

    A widow and her three children have been found dead in their 4, Adeigbe Street, Igbogbo, Ikorodu, Lagos home.
    Aishat Mohammed Idris, 50, Gaddafi, 22, Usalaman, 16 and Yusuf, 8, from Kura local government area of Kano State, were allegedly killed in their sleep by generator fume on Saturday.
    It was gathered that the widow’s cousin, who visited the family, found their bodies when he peeped through the window.
    According to a family source, the family came to Lagos last month and was still settling in.
    A source said: “They just came to Lagos last month. Their father died a few years ago. So, the woman’s mother, who lives abroad, sent money to her nephew in Lagos to rent a house and bring them down.
    “The nephew got the house in Ikorodu, went to Kano and brought Aishat and her three children. They usually exchanged visits. Sometimes they go to his house on Lagos Island, other times he visits them at Igbogbo.
    “So, that Saturday was his turn to visit and he got there in the morning with a teacher for the youngest child. After knocking so many times without response, he started calling the woman’s phone. It was ringing inside the house but no one was picking.
    “He then went through the back and opened one of the windows. It was when he peeped through that he saw all of them, lying lifeless. He screamed and people started coming out.
    “At first, he wanted to break the door but we told him to go to the police and make a report. So, policemen followed him to the house and they broke the door.
    “Everyone entered inside to see things for themselves. People were crying. There were white substances on their nostrils like foam. Policemen took the photographs of the bodies and the house before they took them away.”
    Contacted, the relation, said when people entered the three-bedroom apartment, they found that the family turned on its generator and left it inside one of the rooms.
    “It’s a painful loss for us. It was generator fume that killed them. They put on generator inside one of the rooms and all of them slept in the parlour. Everywhere was locked and so, they must have inhaled the fume from the generator. I just don’t know why they put the generator inside the room. When I got there, I didn’t hear generator sound. But when police opened the door, they checked the generator and the fuel in it has finished. It seems the generator went off by itself. But the whole place was smelling of generator fume.
    “I have called my aunt and she said an autopsy should be conducted on the bodies. The police took them to Ikorodu General Hospital mortuary.”
    The command’s spokesman, Olarinde Famous-Cole, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), said they were investigating a case of sudden and unnatural death.
    He said an autopsy would be conducted to ascertain what happened.

  • He was a good hubby, says Mosanya’s widow

    For the family of the Pa Adebayo Mosanya, it was a teary farewell as his remains were buried at the weekend.

    His wife, Victoria, to who he was married for over 60 years was inconsolable in the midst of family, friends and sympathisers.

    He was buried at 11:25am, after a service at his Agege, Lagos residence.

    Officiating Pastor Sunday Akande of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), in his sermon urged the gathering to live right, saying they would be judged by what they did while on earth.

    “Serve God and work hard. Everlasting life can only be secured if you have Jesus in your life,” he said.

    Mrs Mosanya described her late husband as a good man. “He was my father and husband. He was truthful and honest to me, he was never angry with me. Our years together were peaceful and loving. He loved his children and would always care for them. When I was pregnant, he was pregnant with me, and when I gave birth, he did also. He was the one that took care of me after every child birth, the only thing he could not do was to bath the children; but he knows how to do everything for me and his children.”

    She said her late husband taught their children to do good, obey instructions, and never be disobedient. “There was no issue in our marriage. As women came around him he was faithful to me and never carried women. When he fell sick, I never knew he was going to die; I will miss everything about him,” she said.

    Her first child, Mrs Oluwabunmi Willie-Desanya said her father was everything to her. “He was a great man and I am proud of him. He served God throughout his life. He is beautiful inside and outside. He sees positivity and loves everyone. He was a positive politician, led me to Christ and I would prefer to come back to this world through him,” she said.