The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Woman

  • Woman charged with ‘stealing’ car

    A Lagos businesswoman,Omolola Shittu, has been charged to court for allegedly stealing a Honda Accord car. But the woman in her defense said her decision  to end  a two-year-old relationship with her lover, Prince Hilary Unachukwu,  was  responsible for charges. The case is before an Igbosere Magistrate Court, Lagos. Charged along with her was another woman,  Rapheal Oge.

    Shittu, an event planner,  was arraigned on August 11, this year,   alleged to have stolen a Honda Accord Saloon Car, otherwise known as “End of Discussion”.

    She, however, petitioned  the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Umaru Manko, an Inspector-General o0f Police (AIG),  to prevail on her  enstranged lover, Prince Unachukwu to stay out of her life to enable her move on.

    Shittu and co-defendant have a  three-count charge preferred against them, but they pleaded not guilty before Chief Magistrate, Mrs.  Adeola Adedayo. Politics solely for material gainIn Suit No. A/38A/2014, the defendants were alleged to have  conspired to commit felony to wit: stealing of the said car valued at N1.6 million and thereby commiting an offence punishable under Section 409 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria, 2011.

    The second count reads: “That you Omolola Shittu on January 19, 2014 at about 7:00am at No. 14 Eric Manuel Crescent, off Bode Thomas, Surulere, in the Lagos Magisterial District, did steal Refrigerator (N72, 500:00) Gas cooker (N85, 200:00) TEC Generator (N66, 500:00) Washing Machine (N120, 800:00) TEC Generator (N91, 200:00)  valued at N503, 200:00, the property of Prince Hilary Unachukwu.”

    The third count reads:  “That you Omolola Shittu, on the same date, time and place in the aforesaid magisterial district threatened the life of one Prince Hilary Unachukwu with scisors and thereby committed an  offence punishable under section 508 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State of Nigeria 2011.

    The defendants pleaded not guilty to the three-count charge and were consequently granted bail  and the matter was  adjourned till September 8.

    They had earlier been arraigned on July 2, on the first two charges.

    In her petition to Manko, dated July 15,  signed by her counsel, Mrs.  Iyabode Shonubi, titled: “Threats to the Life of Omolola Shittu” Unachukwu was alleged  to have sought reconciliation with her, but she refused.

    The petition reads in part: “Due to our client’s refusal to accept Prince Hilary’s return into her life, Prince Unachukwu  framed up several untruths including accusing our client of stealing household items and a Honda car. The charge is before the Chief Magistrate Court, Igbosere and was filed by officers at Zone ll, Nigeria Police Force.”

    Addressing a press conference during the weekend, Shittu, who spoke through her lawyer, Shonubi  claimed that the car  allegedly  stolen was presented to her by Prince Unachukwu as valentine gift on February 14, last year and that the receipt  had her name on it.

    Shonubi said her client was first arraigned on July 2, but the matter was adjourned till July 21. She said on the next adjourned date when Shittu  was supposed to appear in court, Prince Unachukwu allegedly called her and gave her the impression that the matter has been settled amicably, but only for them to get there and realised that another charge had been brought to include threat to Prince Unachukwu ’s life.

    “If she had not gone to court on that day, the implication on that adjourned date would mean that the magistrate would issue a bench warrant for her to be arrested. Despite her being in court as an obedient citizen, the magistrate re-arrested her in court and said the previous bail was terminated. We persuaded the magistrate that our client should continue on the previous bail, but she said no, that we needed to arrange for another bail,” Shonubi said.

    Shittu, who fielded questions from journalists during the press conference,  lamented  that  she was subjected to various maltreatment while in custody at Kirikiri female prison.According to her,  a prison warder shaved her hair the first day she got there, made her to pack faeces, gave her a portion of grass to cut, gave her inmate’s uniform to wear and had  her photograph taken in spite of her not been convicted of any offence.

    “I was arrested at Zone 2 on June 20, this year and spent three nights before they took me to Igbosere Magistrate Court. The police came to my house to arrest me. I was taken to Kirikiri Prison on August 11, after my second arraignment at Igbosere Magistrate Court, on a fresh charge,” she said.

    Omolola, who gave a graphic details of her ordeal in the hands of her estranged lover, said she went through hell during the two years their affairs lasted, saying that he kept threatening her each time she told him she was no more interested in the r4elationship.

    She alleged that  her lover threatened to  use his connection with the police to keep  bringing different charges against her until she is finally sent to jail. Shittu alleged that she did not enjoy any protection from the police on the matter at the Bode Thomas Police Station and Panti Police Station, Ebute Metta, claiming that on one occasion she visited  Panti, she was handed over to ASP Adegoke to handle the case. “The statement I wrote at Panti was taken to Prince Unachukwu. He came to show me the statement at home, asking me if I thought any policeman could arrest him. He said while he was in his office, one of the police officers brought the statement to his office, that he should look at the statement. “

    She urged the Commissioner of Police to use his office to call her former lover to order, pointing out that  her life and that  of her nine year-old-son are at stake.

    “I have not been sleeping in my house for the past few months now because he has been threatening to kill me. My son’s life is in danger. People around me, their lives are in danger. My own life is in danger too. Anytime I am going out, I am always looking left and right as if people are running after me. He has been calling and sending threat messages that except he is not Hilary Unachukwu, that is when I can survive. My life is at stake, my child’s life is at stake.”  When  The Nation contacted Prince Unachukwu  on phone , he declined comments, but said: “ You should ask her  what took her to Zone 2. You should ask her  what took her to Kirikiri. Thank you very much, God bless you.”

     

  • Woman dies at 83

    Woman dies at 83

    The family of the late Elder Ebenezer Adefarati Daomi of Okia in Oka-Akoko South West Local Government Area of Ondo State has lost its matriarch, Chief Beatrice Wuraola Daomi. She died after a brief illness on July 13 in Lagos. She was 83.

    In a statement, one of her children, Olusoji Daomi, a lawyer, said her remains would leave Lagos for her Odemagbe Compound, Okia home on February 6, 2015 for Wake-keep/Service of Songs that would begin by 5pm.

    Funeral Service, he said, would hold at 10am the next day at St David’s African Church, Okia, after which interment follows at the church cemetery. Reception, he added, would hold immediately at St David’s Primary School’s Open field opposite the church.

    The late Mrs Daomi, was the first Secretary of African Church Women League (Egbe Aya Bishop), Ondo Province (now Ondo/Ekiti State), founded by African Church Primate Olulode.  Until her death, she was the Iya Egbe Akorin of St David’s African Church, Okia, the statement added.

  • WHAT AND WHERE?: God’s Covenant Woman International celebrates at two

    The second anniversary of God’s Covenant Woman International Outreach holds next Sunday with the theme “realm of glory”.

    It holds by 12noon at GCWIO auditorium Unity Estate, Pakuro in Obafemi/Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

    The chief host, Rev (Mrs.) Irene Agbanobi (JP), in a statement, said that God will bless every participant.

    Guest speakers include Pastor Benny Apena (Rhema World Ministry, Lagos) and Pastor Olaolu Ojo of Christ Apostolic Church, Lagos among others.

    Baptist youths meet

    The annual youth summit of Triumphant Baptist Church Akowonjo takes place next Saturday.

    The theme of the summit, which holds at Shonowo Hall behind Mr. Biggs, Akowonjo, Lagos, is the visionary youth.

    A renowned educationist, Mrs. Olukemi Oke; The  Chief Finance Officer of Leadway PFA, Mr. Abayomi Adesope and the senior pastor of the church, Dr Sunday Oladejo, will minister to the youths.

  • Woman bites off rival’s ear

    A fight over a lover boy turned bloody yesterday when a woman bit off the ear of another for allegedly attempting to snatch her man at Badore, a suburb of Lagos.

    The woman, who is simply identified as Iyabo, was said to have caught the victim, Kemi, with her lover and demanded to know what she was doing with him.

    Kemi, who was also infuriated for discovering that her man was sharing her with someone else, told Iyabo off, threatening to deal with her if she saw her anywhere near her man again.

    An eyewitness said Kemi mocked Iyabo, calling her a fool who should be ashamed of herself for thinking that she could claim the sole ownership of a man she was not married to.

    The source said: “As Kemi uttered these derogatory words against Iyabo, she held her blouse and Kemi held hers too. They were both trying to strangle themselves but the man at the middle of the issue would not allow them. He made efforts to separate them, but they would not listen”.

    The man, who was simply identified as Adeyomi, told Iyabo to understand that they were only unmarried friends and so, should not create a scene over a simple matter that could be resolved amicably.

    It was gathered that when all efforts to stop Iyabo from fighting Kemi failed, Adeyomi warned her not to come closer to him again because he had found a new lover in Kemi since she would not listen to him.

    Enraged further by Adeyomi’s stance, Iyabo was said to have angrily pushed Kemi into drainage nearby.

    She was said to have jumped on Kemi inside the drainage and before passersby could intervene to separate them, she allegedly bit off her ear.

    The source also said that Iyabo’s relations who witnessed the incident, attempted to rush Kemi to a private hospital, but she refused. Adeyomi later took her to a clinic where she was treated.

    After her treatment, Kemi reported the matter to the police at Badore.

  • Mob attacks woman with her dead child

    A mob descended yesterday on a middle-aged woman for allegedly being in possession of a dead child in Mile 2, a popular Lagos suburb.

    It was gathered that the woman had taken the child, 5, to the hospital, but the child died because she could not afford the cost of blood transfusion.

    The woman, simply identified as Florence, a mother of three, who hails from Kwale in Delta State, said the boy was her third child.

    Sources said she was carrying the boy in her back when passersby noticed that he was dead.

    A mob gathered and descended on the woman, alleging she stole the child and used him for ritual. But for the timely intervention of a team of policemen attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), she would have been set ablaze.

    The victim said: ”I was born in Lagos. I have three children; nothing is wrong with me. My late boy’s name is Chidi; he was five years old and had been very sick. He needed blood transfusion but I couldn’t afford the money. He died three days ago. Before he died, we wanted to travel back to the village. My husband stays in Port Harcourt.

    “The paper where I wrote his number has been destroyed by rain. I don’t have any relation in Lagos. I was living under a staircase in one of the shops located in Alaba Market. A security man allowed my son and I to sleep there at night. I didn’t steal any baby, I didn’t kill any child.

    “I was carrying Chidi on my back after he died when people gathered this morning and started beating me. What have I done to deserve this kind of beating? If not for policemen they would have beaten me to death.”

  • Ekwueme salutes ‘woman who has remained true’

    Ekwueme salutes ‘woman who has remained true’

    Former Vice-President Dr Alex Ekwueme narrated how he met his wife and how, after 13 years of courtship, he still found her a virgin. That was at the 80th birthday of his wife, Beatrice, which took place last Saturday. CHRIS ORJI reports

    Mrs. Beatrice Chigozili Ekwueme, wife of Nigeria’s Second Rep-ublic Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme,   exhibited all the virtues of the feminine gender; a woman, a mother, a grandmother, a sister, an aunt, all rolled into one.

    The celebrator is 80 years old but she seems 60. She was even walking briskly as someone in her 50s. She looked radiant, splendid and was all smiles during her 80th  birthday celebration in Enugu.

    The elaborate ceremony was held at the Golden Royale Multi-purpose Hall after a church service conducted by the Anglican Archbishop of Enugu, Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma at Cathedral of Good Shepherd.

    Interestingly, the choir was conducted by Igwe (Prof.) Laz Ekwueme, brother to the former Vice-President and traditional ruler of Oko, their hometown.

    In attendance were former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, former Minister of Power, Prof. Barth Nnaji; President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey, former governors of Anambra State, Messrs Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chris Ngige and Peter Obi.

    Former governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu, National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh, elder statesman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Dr Kingsley Muoghalu, Igwe Chukwuemeka Ike, Dame Virgy Etiaba, Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu and a host of others were also present.

    The occasion was a showcase for the former Dr Ekwueme to share with the world his lifetime with his wife whom he fondly calls B.

    Earlier in his homily, Archbishop Chukwuma had poured encomiums on the couple whom he described as most wonderful husband and wife and parents. The clergyman said Beatrice was an epitome of homeliness, chastity as well as a virtuous woman who knows what it takes to be a loyal and faithful wife.

    Dr. Ekwueme, who said the journey started in Port Harcourt in 1946 while he was on vacation has this to say of his wife.

    “The Port Harcourt sector of my long vacation was shared between staying with my uncle, Mr. Justus A. Ekwueme, (later Chief J.A. Ekwueme III, Igwe Oko) and my aunt, Mrs. Ursula Okeke (nee Ekwueme) whose husband, Mr. Isaiah N. Okeke worked for the Nigeria Railways Corporation.

    “I was leaning over the lower half of the horizontally-split front door of my aunt’s house, looking onto the street. I was 13 going to 14 years. I saw a young girl in front of the house opposite,  occupied by the Onwunyi family of Ogidi who had three young girls namely Winnie, Ada and Uche. But this particular girl was not one of them; she was probably a friend of theirs. I beckoned on her to “advance and be recognised.” She came forward. She was not shy. She was, in fact, quite confident, certainly more so than many of the other girls in the neighbourhood.

    “I found out that she too was on holidays. She was schooling at Methodist Girls’ School, Ovim; a primary boarding school. Her name was Beatrice Nwajagu. Her parents were from Ndiowu, a neighbouring town to Oko, my hometown.

    “Her mother and my aunt were good friends. Her father and my uncle-in-law both worked for the railways and were also good friends. Both were very active in the Awka Divisional Union (ADU) Port Harcourt branch. What a happy coincidence! “Why did her parents send her, at great expense, to a boarding school in Ovim for primary education when most of the children in the neighbourhood, including her siblings (both older and younger) were at St. Cyprian’s School less than 10 minutes’ walk away? They must have seen something special about her and that was probably the source of her confidence and sure-footedness.

    “We talked for a few minutes during which I introduced myself. I asked her to take the entrance examination to Queen’s College Lagos, which she did eventually and passed. Her father thought that Lagos was too far away and, from all accounts, was not the best place to bring up young girls.

    “In any case, since she had also passed the entrance examination to Elelenwa Girls’ School, a few minutes train ride away from Port Harcourt; it was to Elelenwa she was sent to. I was naturally disappointed, but we continued our relationship by correspondence on “Capri blue” writing paper and “Capri blue” envelope.

    “In our 13 years of “courtship” (1946 to 1959), if it may be so called, we did only a little better than Francis and Eudora Ibiam, who, in 15 years of “courtship” (1924 to 1939), met face-to-face only about three or four times, the rest of the courtship being carried out through correspondence.

    “The following year, 1947, I spent part of my holidays at Elelenwa with a family friend who was a teacher there. I had the opportunity of going with the teachers and the girls to morning service in town on Sunday morning and to afternoon service in the school chapel. I saw Beatrice there. The following year, 1948, because of a strike by King’s College boarders, the school was closed in December and I was at Oko for Christmas.

    “With my aunt, Mrs. Patience Okafor (nee Ekwueme), arranging a rendezvous, I met Beatrice at Ndiowu in December. So, it was more or less a once-a-year meeting filled in-between with correspondence until I traveled overseas for further studies in 1952.

    “While I was abroad, she taught at Elelenwa from January 1954 to December 1958, after her training at United Missionary College, Ibadan. Following her very good result in her Cambridge School Certificate from Elelenwa in December 1951, there were many suitors seeking her hand in marriage. They were mostly well educated and successful young men from the Aro-diaspora in Awka Division.

    “She did not encourage any of the suitors and it came to a point when one prominent Aro leader from Aguata County Council Area challenged her uncle to suggest that she was rejecting all the Aro suitors because she was waiting for one Ekwueme who was studying overseas. How could she prefer “Ndi-Mba-Akameshi” to an Aro man?

    “Incidentally, two of the man’s daughters were eventually married  to “Ndi-Mba-Akameshi” from towns much further away than Oko which is just next door to Ndiowu and Ndikelionwu.

    “I returned to Nigeria in June 1957 after my studies. B was still teaching at Elelenwa, and waiting. She continued teaching there until December 1958. In mid-1958, she was awarded an Eastern Nigeria Government’s scholarship to study overseas, but as it was then too late to obtain admission for that year’s session, the scholarship was deferred to 1959 and was tenable at Portsmouth College of Education in England.

    “In January, she was posted to St. Catherine’s Secondary School, Nkwerre; a new CMS institution for girls.

    “In view of her imminent departure to the United Kingdom, my family made a formal approach for her hand in marriage in April, 1959. The final approach was to be made in August just prior to her departure. I was; of course, ready to wait for her to complete her proposed three-year sojourn in the United Kingdom and to return to Nigeria before our formal church wedding.

    “Then, tragically, my elder brother who was studying Law in the United Kingdom died in July. My family then thought that it was not necessary, under the circumstances, to marry a girl and allow her to travel abroad for a three-year course. It was a very delicate and difficult point to present to B’s family, after they had given her a “send-off’ with all the attendant celebration.

    “In the end, the lot fell on B to make the choice and take the decision either to go for further studies overseas or to marry her “Ndi-Mba-Akameshi” suitor. She confided her decision to a favourite uncle, who carefully presented the unpalatable decision to the family.

    “And so, on December 19, 1959, we were wedded by the late Rt. Reverend C.J. Patterson, Bishop on the Niger, later Archbishop of West Africa at the All Saints Cathedral, Onitsha.

    “Until then, in spite of my escapades abroad and experience with white, black, brown and yellow, I had B located in a compartment marked with a “notice” “Noli tangere” “Do not touch”.

    “After our wedding, we traveled to Calabar for our honeymoon and on Christmas Eve in 1959, I discovered that what I thought was a private “notice” placed by me was, in fact, a bold poster to the whole world; “Noli tangere”. She had been untouched.

    “We returned to Lagos in January 1960 and started our married life in a humble way in a two-bedroom ground floor flat at Simpson Street, Ebute-Metta, which was effectively reduced to a one-bedroom flat, the lounge/dining area having been converted to the first office of Ekwueme Associates, Architects and Town Planners.

    “The main raison d’etre for our rushed marriage did not immediately materialise, which is a lesson in waiting for God’s time and not playing God. For six years, we had no issue. There was no shortage of advisers to both B and me as to what she or I had to do to change the situation. Then, in 1966, we had our first child, a boy, “John”, still-born; and in 1967 our second child, another boy, “Gains”, premature; and finally in 1968, in the thick of the civil war, our third child, a beautiful baby girl, Chidi, (born in England) was born. She stayed and opened the door to many more beautiful children.

    “Under the circumstances of the raging civil war, and B’s absence, my nuclear family structure became complicated. This structure thenceforth continued to grow in complexity and intricacy as the years wore on. But thanks to B; we have not had an explosion as I have seen happen in many similar situations. During the political days, 1979 to 1983, she played the role of de facto First Lady. In NPN circles, I was known as a “technocrat” and B was known as the “politician”.

    “About five years ago, in December 2009, we celebrated 50 years of our marriage in a Thanksgiving Service at The Cathedral Church of the Good Shepherd, Enugu the venue of this 80th birthday celebration. Almost two years ago, I celebrated my own 80th birthday and today as we celebrate B’s 80th birthday, I offer my salute, congratulations and best wishes to a woman who has remained true since I met her as a small 12-year-old girl in Port Harcourt 68 years ago and who, over a period of 55 years of our marriage, has managed to keep the ship of our household afloat on an even-keel in spite of sometimes scandalously turbulent waters.

    “We pray that God may grant B good health, continuing good humour and good devotion to her God for another 10, 20 or 30 years. Many happy returns of this day!”

  • I’ll only ‘fall’ for a woman with inner beauty—Nollywood star Fred Amata

    I’ll only ‘fall’ for a woman with inner beauty—Nollywood star Fred Amata

    He is regarded as a very talented actor and creative director in Nollywood. Fred Amata, one of the few who are blessed with good looks in the industry, is a household name. Since his emergence on the movie scene, he has featured in a number of award-winning flicks. In this interview with MERCY MICHAEL, the respected thespian speaks on his new move, family and relationship, among other interesting issues.   

    I know you are a little above 50, but you don’t look your age. Is your gene responsible or is there something you are doing right?

    Honestly, I must say it is genetic, though I love to play football. I have very poor stamina; so, for me to play for five minutes, I have to exercise regularly. I don’t think I work out much, but I do work out. Every other thing, I do normally. In fact, now days, I’ve discovered that I eat too much late at the night. I still have my regular bottle of drinks.

    Movie-wise, what have you been doing? Or have you suddenly decided to slow down?

    I think that is a good way of putting it. There is a deliberate retrospection or introspection so that what we are coming out with next might match up to my own personal expectations.  The truth is that, in the past years, the challenges have become a little less. In the last eight years ago, there is nothing I haven’t done seriously.

    Does it mean you are no more passionate about films?

    I don’t do anything in my life. My passion is films; my work is films. So, I really wanted to do something different, but the environment was changing differently from what I expected. So, the kind of budget I was looking out to achieve this was becoming almost unattainable. As a result, I just kept staying on the working board. And then, the system has changed. The industry has really improved. Therefore, you now have to take it to a higher level. There are a few of us who are really capable of taking it to a higher level and I’m proud to be one of them. That’s the truth. Even if you look at the antecedents, you will find out that, there are certain key people who changed the trend. In other words, when they do something at this level, everybody wants to look up to them. I’m lucky to have had that kind of influence on the industry. But at this level, what is coming out next is world-class, which we are all looking for.

    When are you doing your own production?

    Another thing is that I did a lot of productions as a director for hire. So, I probably have the larger percentage of my works as a director for somebody else’s production. But I’m also a producer.  I’ve done all aspects of audio-visual, TV commercials, films and even talk shows like ‘Inside Out with Agatha’. That was most challenging because there was nothing like it then. It took a visionary to be able to even do it, not to talk about sustaining it. But we managed to find a formula, which I introduced and that will never fail. But that was then. I discovered recently that, it’s like a trend with the Amatas. They want to do something new and something bigger than the usual. We’ve tried in that aspect. And knowing that that level exits, we have got to keep raising the bar.

    Having done this much in the industry, what would you say is your dream role then?

    I don’t think I can have a dream role any more. It’s just a dream production, so it encompasses everything. I have a story I am working on like that. Ironically, it is the story of my father. He was a great guy in this country and a few don’t know much about him. Apart from the fact that he did the first film in 1957, he was part of a lot of things happening today. He was the first elected students’ union president in Nigeria. But nobody knows that. The University College, Ibadan is another part of the story because he left six months to his graduation.

    Why?

    He left with an ideology that was so powerful. It moved him out of school and that’s how he made his first film ever, Freedom, which became so successful. He travelled the world. The film has been translated into 120 languages. So, after many years, in the 60’s, he decided to come back to Nigeria. He tried to put all the ideas he had acquired all over the world in Nigeria and then he ended up being the principal of a secondary school. He was so good that in Warri, the governor of Mid-West State then, Ogbemudia, recognized him. He would be like this one wey no get certificate, na him be principal? So, there was this huge campaign, which led to the operation show your certificate. That was when it started. And he didn’t have a certificate. So, he went back to University College, Ibadan to continue from where he stopped. But unfortunately by then, it had become University of Ibadan and they didn’t have his records anymore. The only option he had was to do a four-year course. That same point in time, his first son had just gotten admission into that school to study Theatre Arts. Guess what he did? He went to school, sat down in the same class with his first son and they both graduated four years later. That was Zack Amata. They both graduated with 2:1 and they did their Masters and everything. There are lots of other things we shouldn’t be saying here because they will be in the film. There are lots of other things that will both be controversial and engaging. For instance, Prof. Wole Soyinka, my father and a few others formed the Pirate Confraternity that has now ‘scattered’ Nigeria

    Is this a family project or just your own production?

    It’s a family project. The idea now is that for the first time in the world, a family is telling a story of its patriarch. The story is written by one of his sons, directed by another son and performed by another Amata. So, it’s an Amata movie.  It’s a complete Amata movie. Jeta is coming in, Ruke is coming in and Zack is doing the script, as we speak. So, it’s huge. I wanted to play both parts when he was younger and when he was older, but I’m getting old. Luckily, we have some other Amatas.  My 16- year old daughter is going to be a filmmaker.

    How do you feel knowing your daughter is taking after you?

    She is travelling to go and study films. How it feels? I’ve never received any piece of news as sweet as that. She told me on my birthday that she had chosen to study films. I think it is the greatest birthday present I ever got. She has always been interested in the arts. We are Amatas. My father was an actor and my mother an actress. We took after our parents; so, the fact that my daughter is taking after me makes me feel good.

    How would you describe the changes in Nollywood in the past few years?

    Nollywood has always been capable of doing great. Unfortunately for the system, in its evolution, mediocrity came in, like every sphere of endeavour in Nigeria, and choked it. So, the real filmmakers couldn’t express themselves until the budgets became leaner and leaner and then mediocrities became more and more. Despite the fact that there are still changes in technology, the art of filmmaking is beginning to come out from filmmakers in Nigeria. And so, in the past few years, there has been a tremendous change. The introduction of cinema changed the industry entirely and that change is actually the key to the great Nollywood that is coming out of Nigeria. If you look at our works now, you will see that the sound quality is better, including pictures and directing. It was never because of the lack of AMP that we didn’t capture proper sound; rather, it was because it was cost-effective to use the camera mic, instead of going to spend N150,000 to get proper sound recording equipment- and the audience liked it. Now that the audience is changing and is asking for more, I would say there are very positive moves that have happened. The industry truly is breaking into fractions. The filmmaking itself is breaking into factions. We now have films made for mass consumption. Then, we had films made for television, which is now called cinema films.

    Since the last three years that a woman took over the leadership of AGN, how would you assess it?

    Before Ibinabo( Febresima), the Actors’ Guild of Nigeria was bedeviled with a lot of crises. But somehow, Ibinabo has been able to manage that. Call it a woman’s touch; women are powerful. For me, whether it is because of Ibinabo that we have a president who is interested in the industry, I don’t know. But the truth of the matter is, even the President understands the need for the development in the sector. In the next few years, Nigerian films will be competing so vigorously on the world stage. I have predicted this several years ago.

    Are you going to ever give love a second chance?

    Of course, I can’t stop believing in love. I’m a product of love. I think we are made of love and greater love than we generally understand it to be.

    Who is your idea woman?

    My idea woman is a woman whose beauty is from the heart; so, physical prowess has never been my strongest point in forming a bond in a relationship. It is a woman’s inner beauty that actually attracts me. They say some people like Lepa and I like Lepa; they say some people like Orobo and I like Orobo and they say some people like them tall and I like them tall. But as I said, it is not your physical beauty that does it for me.

    How do you unwind?

    I’m that kind of person who uses every opportunity to celebrate life.  You should have seen me dancing here. I have always been extroverted.  You can leave me alone in the room and I will find a reason to be excited. That’s my kind of person, unless there is one major problem.

    Do you have your low moments?

    I’m extreme on both ends. I’m a happy- go-lucky guy, but you must be careful not to push me. There are some certain little things that I do not tolerate. I’m extreme; I don’t like injustice. I fit dey dance here now and somebody say oh boy…I fit fight. But over the years, we’ve learnt how to maintain the happier side of life.

  • Woman killed over inheritance

    Woman killed over inheritance

    Mr. Rotimi Fambegbe , 57, an estate agent is grieving over the death of  his wife, Olayemi Fambegbe , 53, who was allegedly brutally killed by her first cousin,  Mrs.Foluke Orobola Akinkuade  (Adefenisaye) and her daughter, Miss Damola Banner, over a property in Ondo Town . Taiwo Abiodun reports.

    ROTIMI Fambegbe looked dispirited when The Nation visited him. He shook his head and said, “What pained me most was that my late wife was childless. We were all consoling her telling her to trust in God that God can still do it as He did it for the Biblical Hannah and Sarah. She was not fighting over property as she was contended and comfortable. I never knew the suspects could deal this fatal blow on her.”

    The property in dispute was said to belong to the deceased’s late grandmother. The argument over who should be in charge of the property led to the gruesome murder of  Olayemi .

    According to Rotimi , his late wife Mrs. Olayemi was a former staff of the National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC). He claimed she was a gentle woman who could not hurt a fly but since she had no child of hers she was being taunted, jeered at by her cousin and called male duck because of her childlessness while living in her grandmother’s house.

    Rotimi further said the property is a – one -storey building of about eight rooms which is located at  10, Alo Street in Ondo Town. He stated that the building was bequeathed to his late wife and her cousin, Mrs  Akinkuade) whose daughter , Damola Banner lives with the same house .

    Rotimi said he was aware that there was no love lost between his late wife and her cousin over who should control the eight rooms in the building.

    In his own words, “My late wife was the older sister and always complained that her cousin was not cooperating with her over the building they inherited from their grandmother .The suspects , Foluke and her daughter ( Damola ) always taunted my late wife, calling her names and saying she is a barren woman that did not deserve to have property since she was childless.  But each time I went there I always told them that my wife decided to stay in the controversial building because that was her decision and it was not that I wanted it like that .But the suspects (Foluke and Damola) always made jest of her. And my late wife always warned them to stop. I had gone there several times to settle rifts. It was like the suspect was arrogant as she worked in the Ondo West Local government Area office. She became bossy to the tenants of the house while my late wife would always tell her to be humble and emulate Christ’s humility.”

    Rotimi spoke further, “My wife was said to have been allegedly stabbed with broken bottles by Foluke while her daughter, Damola, was said to have stabbed her with knife in the stomach. Her neck was wounded along with her two legs .But when the suspected assailants saw that the deceased had slumped and was bleeding, they quickly rushed her to a local clinic where she was said to have given up the ghost on arrival. She was, therefore, rejected and referred to a general hospital. Instead of taking the deceased to the general hospital, the suspects brought her back home and dropped her.  The two suspects fled and went into hiding .It was one  Baba Ibeji whose wife was a tenant there that went to report at the police station .The case was reported at Enuowa Police station , Ondo , while the case was  later transferred to the homicide department , Police Headquarters in Akure. The two suspects have since disappeared and are now declared wanted by the police.”

    According to Rotimi, the corpse was deposited at the State Specialist Hospital mortuary for three months after a postmortem had been carried out. .”The body was released to me later for burial, while she was buried early this month”, he said in tears.

    Rotimi went down memory lane and narrated how he met his late wife in 1988 and got married to her. In his words: “When we met in 1988, we were both advanced in age , we courted briefly and quickly got married in 1990 .She gave birth in the year 2000 but the baby died at the age of two  after a brief illness in 2002. We tried to have another child but none was forthcoming .We went to hospitals , made several efforts to make sure she had a child of her own but all these did not yield anything .Later I went to marry another lady that gave me children,  which annoyed her and made her to pack out from our matrimonial home and went to be living in her grandmother’s house at , 10,Alo Street, Ondo .We did not separate. We were still husband and wife .I used to see her every day., She used to prepare my food everyday .Though I later had children from another lady but that did not stop our relationship. We used to see every day until that fateful Sunday in March when she was killed”.

     

     

  • Pregnant woman commits suicide in Edo 

    A middle aged woman from Igarra, Akoko-Edo local government council of Edo State identified as Ometere Aduga has reportedly committed suicide on Monday.
    She was said to have hanged herself with a rope tied to the ceiling fan in their family apartment and did not to leave any note.
    The mother of one whose husband is said not be resident in the State was two months pregnant.
    Eye witness account said the victim had few days ago visited a private hospital in the town where she reportedly told the hospital personnel of her intention to commit suicide because of her pregnancy.
    She was said to have been counseled against committing suicide and told to report back on Monday for medical examination.
    But last Monday, she dropped her son with a neighbour with the excuse that she was going to have her bath.
    The neighbour was said to have gone into their apartment only for her to see her naked body dangling from the rope tied to the ceiling fan.
    A source close to the family told Nation : “Ometere was a very brilliant girl who was a 300 level medical student at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma but she was advised to withdraw due to health reasons.”
    “She had some mental disorder. She later recovered and got married but her husband is not from here and she has been staying with her parents.
    “One cannot really say what could have led to her committing suicide, whether it was as a result of the pregnancy which is believed may not be her husband’s or a relapse of her mental illness.”
    When contacted, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Hilary Udoh confirmed the incident.
    “Yes it is true but the parents said it has happened and they have taken it in good faith. They are not suspecting any foul play,” Udoh said.

  • Woman drowns in Ibadan river while swimming

    A woman, Ramatu Saka, was Wednesday drowned in a river in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    Saka was said to have jumped into the river in Ogungbade area of the city with the intention of bathing but did not survive the dive as she was swept away by the river.

    A sympathizer and resident of the area was said to have reported the incident to the police after all efforts to retrieve her failed.

    Residents wailed on learning about the incident which threw the entire area into sudden mourning.

    The Pice Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs Olabisi Okuwobi, who confirmed the incident said residents made concerted efforts to retrieve the drowned woman but that they were futile.

    She said a police team visited the scene, adding that the command would make efforts to retrieve her corpse.