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Tag: Woman

  • Woman, 70, gets six months suspended jail term for child abuse

    An Oyo Magistrate’s Court has sentenced a 70-year-old woman to six month suspended jail term after finding her guilty of child abuse.

    Magistrate Jejelola Ogunbona, convicted Madam Sarah Omobonike after she pleaded guilty for abusing her grand daughter, Motunrayo Adewale.

    Adewale was  alleged to have  stolen  N100 from her class teacher.

    The court also ordered that Madam Omobonike be under probation for six months and cautioned her not to appear before any court again on similar or other offences.

    The magistrate also ordered  that the state government should take up the victim and rehabilitate her.

    The wife of the executive governor of Oyo State, Mrs Florence Ajimobi had on Wednesday, February 12, 2014 at Oyo West Local Government Area of the state rescued  the 10-year-old Adewale from the clutches of her grandmother who was maltreating her.

    Mrs Ajimobi saw the young girl hawking sachet of pure water at Baptist Primary School, Isokun, Oyo town  while she was distributing foodstuff to women in the area, courtesy of the Ajumose Food Bank project.

    When Mrs Ajimobi saw her, she noticed that the young girl   had a  swollen eye which could not open while the other eye was dripping water. She also noticed big cane marks all over her face.

    When asked what happened to her, the little girl told Mrs Ajimobi that she was an orphan and was beaten on the eye by her grandmother.

    She said she had not been given any treatment since the incident happened.

    Mrs Ajimobi sent for the grandmother and she confessed that she was the one that beat the young girl because she stole. She also confirmed that the girl’s eye cannot see again.

    At the court proceedings she admitted that she was guilty and pleaded with the court to temper justice with mercy.

     

  • Woman strips in police station to escape arrest

    A woman who allegedly stabbed an expectant mother and attempted abducting a 10 year old Tuesday stripped herself naked in a police station Lagos.

    The incident occurred inside the premises of Ajegunle police station, Ajeromi/Ifelodu Local Government Area (LGA).

    It was gathered that the woman stripped to avoid been arrested for the offences she allegedly committed.

    Sources said the woman who identified herself as an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), abducted the primary school pupil at Barra School.

    However, the little girl who did not know the woman raised alarm and cried for help, but the woman claimed she was her child and that she was taking her to her office at Area ‘B’ Command, Apapa

    Eye witnesses said the attention of some passers-by was attracted, following the pupil’s fruitless effort to free herself from Comfort’s grip.

    The woman whom residents identified as Comfort stood her grounds and threatened to attack anybody that tried to rescue the little girl.

    An eye witness who pleaded anonymity said, “out of curiosity, we decided to find out what the problem is and the girl said she did not know the woman. When we asked the woman, she said she was taking her child to Area B command. A man asked the girl to give us her mother’s telephone number which she did. We put a call across to her mother and she rushed to the scene”.

    It was gathered that when the girl’s mother arrived and identified her daughter, there was a mob action on the suspect. She was at the verge of being lynched when a patrol team from Ajegunle police station rescued her. She was later taken to the station.

    At the police station, the woman was discovered to be incoherent during interrogation and before policemen could know what was happening, she stripped, threatening to deal with anybody who tried to detain her.

    Sources said the woman who is suspected to have mental challenges had earlier hit another woman with a bucket because she demanded for N350 the suspect owed her for the kerosene she bought from her.

    The source said the woman was forcefully taken to the Psychiatrist Hospital, Yaba, where she is currently receiving treatment.

    A resident of Olubukola Street, where the suspect allegedly resides who went to the police station was said to have disclosed that Comfort was mentally deranged and had stabbed an expectant mother during a fight in the neighborhood at the weekend and fled.

     

  • Woman, two kids, three brothers among victims of Lagos boat disaster

    Woman, two kids, three brothers among victims of Lagos boat disaster

    No fewer than 13 persons, including two children, were yesterday confirmed dead – four others were presumed missing – following a boat mishap at a canal located between Fourth and Sixth avenues, FESTAC Town on the outskirts of Lagos.

    Six persons, including Samuel Ochina, Joseph Essien, Mane Temisan, Etukofot Goddery and Daniel Peters, were rescued by local divers and emergency agencies officials. They were taken to the Lagos University Teahing Hospital (LASUTH) for treatment.

    The canal is reportedly a haven oil vandals.

    The Nation reported last year the activities of the vandals whose illegal bunkering the residents have decried as a result of the gross environmental pollution and health hazards they are exposed to.

    Eyewitnesses blamed the mishap on overloading, noting that the boat had about 24 passengers against its capacity of 10 to 17 people. he incident occurred at about 7:30pm on Tuesday while most of the occupants were rushing to Fourth Avenue to watch the Arsenal and Bayern Munich match.

    According to a local diver, David Mark, who said he was on queue to join the next canoe before the incident, “a little girl warned the passengers and boat owner that the canoe will capsize due to overload”.

    “She told them that the weight was too much and that some of them should go down to avoid capsize, but they did not listen to her.

    “I heard her shouting ‘this canoe will tumble and I will swim my way out. I doubt if most of you can swim. It appears you do not want to do the right thing. The weight is too much’, yet they refused to yield her advice because most of them were running to watch football.

    “Less than three minutes after the boat took off, it started staggering and the passengers were just shouting that the dirty water was touching them.

    “By the time it got to the middle, it eventually tumbled and I watched the little girl swim out and went away. I may not be able to recognise her but I think she stays on the other side (pointing to 6th avenue).

    “The boat operator also died. That boat was supposed to carry a maximum of 17 passengers.

    “Immediately, I pulled my clothes and dived into the water along with others who know how to swim, but we could only save seven lives after several hours because the carnal is swampy.

    “The others we recovered Tuesday night (11) were dead and we were told that one of the seven victims also died in the hospital.”

    Mark said officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), led by the General Manager, Dr. Femi Osayintolu, were on the scene.

    Other divers, Anthony Ogbabon, Yusuf Yaya and Tony Priye, corroborated Mark’s story.

    Ogbabon, who said he lost his younger brother, Ebuka, in the mishap, did not know that he was a victim until he saw his body.

    “I got here around 10pm after I was called that a boat had capsized and people were trapped underwater. Because I know how to swim, I quickly rushed down to help save lives. I did not know my brother was among the victims.

    “We recovered about 11 men and a woman (all dead). I was shocked when I saw my brother’s body. Ebuka left the house to watch a match but it did not occur to me he could be among.

    “At that point (5am), I followed others to take his body to the mortuary and I went home from there. So, I just came back this morning to continue searching for others because they said four or five more people were missing.”

    Yaya said he saw five people come out of the boat at about 7:40pm while local divers were struggling to save lives.

    “Immediately the boat capsized, five people came out. That was before I entered the water. Then, I joined others for the operation and I left around 12:30am.

    “As we were still here, the Local Government Chairman (Ayodele Adewale) came in. He was crying,” said Yaya.

    Osayintolu said 19 persons had been recovered.

    He said: “Although we did not get the information early enough, we joined forces with the Local Emergency Management Agency (LEMA) to save some lives.

    “Seven persons were rescued alive, one of them, a lady, unfortunately, died in the process of evacuation before we got to LASUTH. Then, another victim was given first aid at the scene and discharged. Five others were taken to the hospital for observation.

    “They have also been treated and discharged today (Wednesday). But, unfortunately, 13 lives were lost,” said Osayintolu.

    Sympathising with families of the deceased, Osayintolu warned that the state government would no longer tolerate lawlessness on its waterways, noting that “a lot has been put in place to ensure safety, yet people keep flaunting the laws”.

    “We have appealed to our people to ensure they use life jackets whenever they are using water transportation. They are basic things needed for sea transportation and for safety.”

    One crash too many…

    Relatives of the deceased and missing persons wandered the place in search of their loved ones or their remains.

    While some onlookers lamented the loss of three sons by one family, others that a destitute woman with two of her children (a boy and girl) who boarded the boat were yet to be found.

    People, especially women, were wailing and mentioning names of those they presumed were yet to be recovered from the canal.

    An old woman, whose identity was not immediately known wept and asked to be allowed to go and see the canal, but she was persuaded out of the premises by sympathisers who said she lost her child.

    A man, Osaro Okungbo, who told The Nation that he was called to identify his younger brother Uyi’s body on Tuesday night.

    He said: “I do not know what to do or say. I do not even know what to tell my parents who are still alive and in Edo State. Uyi is a student and I was surprised when I got a call to come to the canal that an accident has occurred.

    “Getting here, I was shown my younger brother’s lifeless body. I could not take it and so I stepped aside. Then, much later, we were told to come back this morning to claim our relatives. That is why I came here.

    “Though I have not seen my brother this morning, I was told that the government people have taken all the bodies to the mortuary in Yaba and that we should go there to claim our relatives,” Okungbo said.

    Government seals off route…

    Amuwo Odofin Chairman Adewale said the route would be permanently sealed, since all efforts to stop the people from commuting through it yielded no positive results.

    He said there was no plan by the government to build a bridge across the canal, given that the Festac link bridge is less tham 10 minutes walk from the disaster site.

    Adewale disclosed that the local government had in the last two years, temporarily closed the route with chains, but the people always found a way to cut off the chains.

    “I think the nearest bridge, which is just about 2000 metres away, is enough to take care of the needs of the people. The problem is that the people do not want to move away from their old trend of commuting through this route. The bridge that was here before was a makeshift bridge and it collapsed over 12 years ago.

    “We have gone ahead to provide tricycle parks at both ends of the Avenues to make it easier for the people, yet they choose to go the other way. A lot of effort was put in place to discourage them from plying this route. We even put signs indicating the danger.

    “But since those efforts did not work, the next option for us is to permanently block the road. We had been reluctant in doing so because of emergency situations so that this canal can serve as escape route or for security operations, but we do not have another option now than to block the gates permanently to forestall a re-occurrence,” Adewale said.

    Residents who thronged the scene to sympathise with relatives of the deceased vented their anger on the government and journalists present at the scene.

    Some of them, shouting at the top of their voices, accused the media of “bad journalism” for interviewing government officials who visited the site.

    The residents blamed the mishap on the government’s non provision of a pedestrian bridge, which has made the people to take their fate in their hands.

    “Imagine these journalists, is that what you people are taught to do? How can you be interviewing government officials who will only tell lies.

    “We have for over four years now appealed that a bridge be constructed here to link Fourth and Sixth Avenues but no one listened.

    “Now that more than 13 people have died, they have come here to start saying what they like on television. We will seize your cameras if you do not know what you are here for,” screamed some of the angry youths.

    For Mark (the diver), there is need for a link bridge for easy movement of residents of both Avenues.

    “The last bridge that was here collapsed some years ago and, since then, government has refused to construct another one.

    “Private individuals and even churches here have made moves to build a bridge but the tools of the workers they brought were seized by the government on grounds that it is the government’s responsibility.

    “A similar incident had occurred here last year but people did not die because that boat capsized at the shore and so, they quickly jumped out, but this one is really unfortunate.

    “I do not know why the government would not build a pedestrian bridge here for us to be free. This is a shortcut and it saves us time and money. Because of the high cost of motorcycle and tricycle transportation on the route (N300), people coming to Fourth Avenue will rather join the boat which is just N10.

    “What we are demanding is a walkway and not a bridge for cars. They can use iron to construct, it like it was done in Ajagunle. That is our demand and it is not too much for the government to meet,” Mark said.

  • Woman, 62, ‘stabbed’ to death by sibling

    A 62-year-old woman, Ms. Yemi Olasehinde, has been allegedly stabbed to death by her younger sister, Iyanu Olasehinde, in Ondo State.

    The incident occurred at the victim’s home in Okedasa, Ondo town.

    It was learnt that the victim and her sister, a local government official, had an argument over the inheritance of their late father, and Iyanu allegedly picked up a kitchen knife and stabbed Yemi.

    The victim’s cries attracted the neighbours, who took her to a private hospital, where she was confirmed dead.

    When The Nation visited the house where the incident occurred, there were blood stains everywhere.

    Relations gathered outside the house, discussing in hushed tones.

    The Divisional Police Officer of Enuowa, Ebenezer Adegalu, was not available for comments.

    A senior police officer, who did not want to be named, said the deceased’s body was deposited at the State Specialist Hospital morgue in Ondo town.

    The officer said Iyanu and five others were arrested and are at the command’s headquarters in Akure.

    Police spokesman Wole Ogodo said he was yet to get a report of the incident.

  • Behold the first woman traditional ruler in Ijaw land

    Behold the first woman traditional ruler in Ijaw land

    A woman ascending the throne as an oba in some parts of Yorubaland, especially Ondo State, is not new, but among the Ijaw people of the Niger Delta, such has never happened. That has now changed with the
    installation of Princess Joyce Ibimidun Adesola Oladiran-Ebiseni as the Regent of the throne of Kalasuwe of Apoi land. DAMISI OJO was at the palace in Sabomi, the traditional headquarters of Ijaw-Apoi in the Ese-Odo Local Government Area of Ondo State and spoke with the Regent

    Kabiyesi, Give us an insight into the history of the Apoi?

    Apoi is an ancient African civilis-ation which consists of nine clans of Kiribo, Sabomi, Oboro, Igbobini, Inikorogha, Ojuala, Igbekebo and Ipoke spreading contiguously from the Apoi Creek in Bayelsa State through Delta State, Okomu in Edo State and the Ese Odo Local Government of Ondo State. The largest concentration of the Apoi is in Ondo State, the seat of the ancient throne of its paramount ruler – the Kalasuwe which in Ijaw-Apoi means “God among humans.’’  It’s a first class traditional institution in Ondo State. Oborowei, the strongest of the Ijaw deities is in Igbobini in Apoiland. Contacts between Apoi and the Europeans particularly the Portuguese dated back to the 15th century.  Next to Badagry and Lagos, Christianity took root in Apoiland in the 19th century. The Igbobini Archdiocese of the Methodist Church covers Ondo, Delta and Edo States. Lord Luggard visited Oba Jubo, the Kalasuwe in the year of Nigerian amalgamation in 1914. Igbekebo had a provincial court in 1915.

    Apoiland is oil producing. Apoi are hard working people with integrity and honour. It is a taboo to associate an Apoi person with social vices. It is unthinkable that an Apoi will be a beggar. ‘Iku ya ju esin lo’. (He will rather die).

    What is the relationship between the Apoi and its neighbours?

    Very cordial. Our neighbours are the Arogbo-Ijaw with whom we share the same Ese Odo Local Government, the Ilaje and Ikale both of which are Yoruba. We are Ijaw evidenced by several aspects of our culture, tradition, deity and festivals and no less deeply rooted in Yoruba tradition and culture so much that the language we speak is Yoruba. You may be correct if you say Apoi are Yoruba speaking Ijaws. We are the only Ijaw whose traditional rulers are called Oba. Thus, in 1924, when colonial authorities first gazzetted traditional rulers in Nigeria, the Kalasuwe was listed as Oba of Ijaws in the Ondo province in the same category with other Obas as Osemawe of Ondo, Amapetu of Mahin, Abodi of Ikale, Ewi of Ado–Ekiti and others.

    Kabiyesi, Apoi names, festivals and language appear totally Yoruba. What is responsible for this total loss of Ijaw language, does it have to do with Apoi’s origin?

    Apoi is an interesting nation of cultural hybridism. As earlier said, most of our family names are distinctively Ijaw, our traditional festival songs of Oborowei or Boabo or when we conjure the spirits of our forebears through Ipatagha to discover the truth are clearly Ijaw practices. In equal measures are Umale or Egungun, Ifa and our language which are unmistakably Yoruba. Language is not static, it evolves and is influenced by several factors so I may not buy the idea of loss tongue. Even among the Ijaw, there are several tongues and we hardly understand one another. I have attended several Ijaw meetings, English is the Lingua Franca.

    The origin of Apoi like other ancient Africa ethnic nationalities like Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Bini etc is shrouded in the bowel of history and in the process of academic reconstruction and discovery. I have read several accounts about Apoi including that of Professor Alagoa which are stories reconstructed, influenced by the prejudices of the authors. We have now assembled Apoi scholars in the continued task of our history and nation building.

    Let us know about your father who was the immediate past Kalasuwe.

    My father, Oba Samuel Adetimehin Oladiran, Ogele dumu III, was recalled home from his position as a manager at the UAC in Osogbo and crowned the Kalasuwe in 1955 at the age of 35. While on the throne, he was elected member of the Action Group as the first representative of the Ilaje/Ese Odo Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in the First Republic. In recognition of his paramount position, he was also president of the Ese Odo District Council comprising the present Ese Odo and part of Irele Local Government. He was also president of the Ese Odo Customary Court. He occupied several other positions including membership of the Western State Committee on Local Government Restructuring in 1974, Chairman, Ilaje/Ese Odo Traditional Council among others. Under him, Ese Odo Local Government was created in 1996, more schools were built, Apoi towns connected with roads and electricity. Traditional head of the nine Apoi clans were upgraded and approved as Obas. Apoi produced more prominent national figures like Mrs Mobolaji Osomo as Minister, Chief Zebulon Otokunrin Oboto of the House of Representatives, Professor Akere at the University of Lagos and later first Vice Chancellor of the Adekunle Ajasin University among several others. He gloriously joined our ancestors in 2007 having reigned for 52 years.

    How prepared were you for your present position?

    In our culture, only men are deliberately trained for the throne. However, I was born on the throne, here in Sabomi and had my Primary and Secondary Education in Apoiland and Irele around here. We all watched Kabiyesi as he presided over the affairs of the kingdom. I later lived with our eldest son in Lagos from where I gained admission to the Federal Polytechnic, Ado–Ekiti and after my OND went to the University of Lagos, where I had a degree in Political Science. Between 2001–2003, I was appointed Special Adviser on Women Affairs and Special Duties to the Chairman of Ese Odo Local Government. I am the Executive Director of the Centre for the Rehabilitation of Exceptional Persons (CREP), which caters for the less-privileged in the society. I am a sports lover, matron of special sports in the state and also serving in a committee for talent hunt of the Ondo State Football Agency. I am an Arsenal fan.  I was appointed regent in March 2011, four years after my father joined our ancestors. I am the first female traditional ruler in the history of Apoi and the Ijaw nation. I learn a lot also from my husband.

    Since you said you are the first female regent, at what point did the culture change?

    Culture is dynamic, influenced by several factors and experiences. In his life time, my father as paramount ruler together with other Apoi Obas agreed to introduce the system of female regency to honour the princesses and probably to prevent self perpetuation which may be the case with men. The Regent would be any of the daughters of the immediate past Oba presented by the ruling family to the Apoi Council of Obas. The local and state governments are thereafter so notified. The practice of female regency occurs in other places especially Ondo, Ekiti and part of Osun state among the Yoruba.

    But only a male can be substantive Kalasuwe?

    Yes of course. The process of appointing a Kalasuwe is more complex. It is guided by our tradition and the Kalasuwe Chieftaincy Declaration. The crown is rotated between two Ruling Houses – Ogeledumu and Ebelidumu of Sabomi and Oboro respectively. The last Kalasuwe my father was of the Ogeledumu, the next one will be from Ebelidumu. The process would have been concluded but for court cases among the contestants. Prominent sons and daughters of our land are already involved in the process of reconciliation which will produce a new Oba and I will happily rejoin my family.

    How do you cope with these large numbers of chiefs, men and women that mill around you?

    The relationship is what tradition dictates, even when as a younger person I try to dissuade them from prostrating or kneeling, they insist.

    How does your husband relate to you?

    My husband is a wonderful person, a lawyer, politician, historian, roundly resourceful. He is my inestimable pillar of support. He gives me all the freedom my new position demands, traveling all over Nigeria particularly the Niger Delta. Whenever I visit our matrimonial home, I still cook for him. He addresses me as Kabiyesi.

    At the end of your regency what will you want to be remembered by?

    That Apoiland and people are more united, nationally celebrated and developed; that the Irele – Sabomi – Igbotu Road which is a gateway to Apoiland and presently abandoned by the NDDC is done. Above all, that I do not disappoint my creator, body of Christ, my kingdom, my lineage and family, that I may discharge my royal assignment with due honour and integrity and leave with the dignity for which Apoi people are known.

  • Woman, 56, dies at Ekiti market

    A 56-year-old trader, Mrs. Bosede Ajayi, slumped and died on Monday at Oja Bisi market, in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State.

    It was learnt that she fell after quarrelling with another trader, Mrs. Aminat Raheem, over space.

    It was learnt that the women argued for over an hour.

    An eyewitness said: “Some traders intervened and settled the quarrel. They had started displaying their wares before the woman slumped.”

    Police spokesman Victor Olu-Babayemi said: “It is a case of homicide which resulted after an altercation between two women.”

    He said Mrs. Raheem (40) had been arrested and detained at the Okesa Police Station.

    Olu-Babayemi said preliminary investigations confirmed that the dispute was resolved and that Mrs. Ajayi was displaying her wares when she slumped.

    He said: “We gathered that she was rushed to the Comprehensive Health Centre in Okeyinmi, where she died. Her body was deposited at the mortuary of the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH). Investigations are ongoing on the cause of death.”

  • Family consults oracle over woman’s death

    Family consults oracle over woman’s death

    Nearly two weeks after the death of their daughter, Ms Chikodi Nwanwoala, the family of Nwanwoala, leaders, elders and youths of Obite 3 community in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, are yet to find the answer to the pressing question of who killed her.

    Chikodi, 43, was ostensibly strangulated, just four days into the New Year on January 5. She had retired to bed after preparing dinner on the fateful day when unknown assailants killed her.

    Her remains were found at about 3:00am under a tree in the compound where she went to sleep on that mysterious night.

    An elder in the Nwanwoala family, said: “She was dragged out of her house to the bush near the family house and after killing her they dragged her corpse back to the compound and dumped her under the tree. The only people that can do this are not strangers but members of this community.”

    Since then, the search for the perpetrators of the wicked act had been on.

    But in a new twist to the drama and an apparent no-confidence vote on security operatives, particularly the police, in unravelling the masterminds of the dastard act, the family recently took the ancient means to solve the puzzle. They have decided to consult the oracle.

    To show their determination, the leaders of Obite 3, during an emergency meeting raised N500, 000 to consult oracles, deities and perform rituals to assist them find the killers of their daughter.

    It was gathered that the decision to use the ancient means to unravel her killers became necessary because no motives could be found for anybody to want to kill the young.

    “We cannot remember her having any quarrel or disagreement with anyone,” one of her siblings told Niger Delta Report.

    Chief Ndubuisi Nwankwoala, the oldest man in the family and the brother to the deceased, alleged that his sister was strangulated to death. He noted that the bruises at her body and the police confirmation attest to how she was killed, adding that nothing will stop him to find the perpetrator of the evil act and bring them to justice.

    Chief Ndubuisi said his younger sister did not complain of any sickness nor did she had any altercation with any member of the family or the community.

    “According to my younger brother she was not sick; she didn’t have any confrontation with anybody before she went to the bed. But it happened that by 3am on January 5, 2014 when one of her brothers came outside to urinate, he saw her lifeless body under the tree in front of her room.

    “I was in Port Harcourt when it happened then I asked by brother who informed me about the incident to go and called the elders and ensure that they followed him to the scene where her corpse was dumped. I also instructed him to call the ambulance and take her lifeless body to the mortuary after the elders might have seen the corpse,” he said.

    Chief Ndubuisi said while the elders would be using the traditional way to search for the killer he will also be giving his support to the police who have come to the family to get all necessary information and materials for their investigation. He said he is happy that the chief and elders including the youths at the community are not sleeping over the issue of his sister’s murder.

    “Everybody in this community is not sleeping over the murder of my sister; they want to know those behind her death. Strangers cannot enter this community and strangulate my sister to death those who did this are not living far from this community.,” he added.

    Comrade Anaele Cyracus, the youth leader of Obite 3 community said youths will do everything possible to unmasked the killers of Chikodi.

    “We are not happy on what happened; we are presently graved at the moment over the death of Chikodi. The youths have agreed to give our support to the family members and the community by ensuring that whoever that killed our sister must be exposed and face wrath of the law,” Anaele vowed.

    Still the security forces, including JTF, police and State Security Service (SSS), continued an intensive manhunt for the renegade. Sources in the area said Kelvin was confined to a section of the forest in the area, where usually moved in the dead of the night. A newspaper report, which speculated that the wanted criminal had sneaked out of the country to the Republic of Benin, later turned out to be untrue.

    The Nation reliably gathered that when security dragnet closed in on him, Kelvin made desperate effort to top official of the state government. “He offered to surrender if the government would be granted him amnesty,” our source said.

    It was gathered that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan, who was approached about the offer turned it down, insisting that Kelvin had committed too many atrocities and killed too many innocent persons to get a soft landing.

    It was in the midst of his desperate effort for immunity from his crimes that he allegedly resurfaced in Kokori on Thursday, September 19 to declare his preparedness to fight for the emancipation of the Urhobo people.

    He gave the Federal Government 60-day ultimatum to meet his demands in order to avert disaster. The story was that he stormed the community with masked youths armed with dangerous weapons. He was reportedly welcome by hundreds of dancing women and children, who described him as their saviour and a freedom fighter.

     

     

  • ‘Time has come for woman governor’

    ‘Time has come for woman governor’

    Senator Nkechi Justina Nwaogu, born to Ngwa parents in Abia State, is a grassroots politician with vast experience in business. In this interview with SUNNY NWANKWO in Aba, the Senator representing Abia Central Senatorial District, who chairs the Senate Committee on Oil and Gas, speaks on many issues, including the possibility of a woman becoming a governor, the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s letter to President Goodluck Jonathan and her rumoured interest in the Abia governorship race. Excerpts:

    What is your experience in the House of Representatives and Senate?

    I served one term in the House of Representatives from 2003 to 2007, and I represented Obingwa, Osisioma and Ugwunagbo at the House of Representatives. This time around I represent Abia Central.

    As a federal lawmaker, this is my 11th year in the National Assembly. I will say that as a lawmaker, I have introduced, sponsored and co-sponsored bills and motions. One of them was the establishment of Asset Management Company (AMCON). It was that bill which eventually became law that made it possible today for banks to be able to offload their bad loans to this asset management company. This is the law that will outlive even Nigeria because without the asset management company law, most banks would be today suffering from having paper profit, but with the AMCON in place, banks are able to offload their bad debts and they are repaid at a discounted rate and the banks are like being recharged financially and are able to offer their financial services to the generality of businessmen and women in Nigeria.

    I have also been able to co-sponsor the establishment of the National Assembly Budget Office (NABO). This budget office makes it possible for us to effectively trail the activities of the executive arm of the federal government. The national assembly budget office makes it like we have now a shadow office so that we will be able to monitor the budget approvals being done by the National Assembly. This will make the executive to sit up and be able to discharge their duties effectively.

    I have also co-sponsored a lot of bills, one of them was when I was in Labour and Productivity Committee. I have also co-sponsored many other bills and motions too numerous to mention. I am also sponsoring right now a bill that will give teeth to the law on dishonoured cheques. That is a new bill coming up from me.

    On dishonoured cheques, I believe that the law as it is right now is quite watery to an extent that people are issuing cheques even when they knows that their accounts are not funded. But the bill amendment that I am coming up with will eventually make it a punishable offence.

    I know there is one right now, but the process is quite lengthy and is not easily enforceable. But I am coming up with a bill that will ensure that businessmen and women in Nigeria will accept cheques easily. Today, when you buy any good, and you issue a cheque to the person, they will ask you to leave your goods behind until your cheque is cleared. They are not a good way of improving our financial sector or running away from carrying huge cash to go to market to buy anything.

    Once that dishonoured bill is passed as a law, it will reinstate the confidence in the business world. People can exchange goods for cheques, knowing full well what awaits person who gives out a cheque when his or her account is not funded. People will now be able and freely accept cheques for exchange of goods.

    I am also doing a bill on the one we call on providing bulk petroleum products to bulk marketers especially kerosene. Today, it is the ‘Big Eight’ companies that have access to bulk allocation of kerosene. We are saying that in order to remove the ‘middlemanness’ of business of buying and selling of kerosene which has made it extremely difficult for the rural communities to have access to kerosene that is affordable.

    The ‘Big Eight’ buy this kerosene at N44-N48 per liter. But they get to the hands of the final consumers at over N100 per liter because it has gone through many hands of the middlemen.

    We are saying that there is a group of business people called “The Kerosene Bulk Buyers”, these kerosene bulk buyers are members of PENGASSAN (Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria) from what we are told.  If they are also given access to bulk purchase of kerosene, they are the ones that have surface tanks in the rural areas. The big suppliers/oil companies do not have any outlets at the rural areas. Consequently, they sell to a middleman or woman and so on before the product gets to final consumers.

    These bulk kerosene sellers are the ones that are entitled and they do have surface tanks in villages and market places where an ordinary grassroots or community person can have access to this kerosene at a price not more than N60 per liter and we are saying that there is a law in the petroleum act of 1969 that says, “only the big petrol dealers are entitled”. So, we want to take that bit out from petroleum act of 1969. Remove that section 2 and say, “the petroleum dealers and bulk purchaser” just to make sure that the rural dwellers that constitute more than 80% of people that are actually using this kerosene, get it not at this exorbitant rate, but at affordable price not more than N60-N70 per liter unlike what it is being sold right now. Also, of course, you know that we are working on the Petroleum Industry Bill. This PIB when it becomes law, it will simplify the process of doing business in the petroleum industry sector.

    When we see that there is stiff opposition to a particular law, for me,

    The issue of Petroleum Industry Bill has lingered for so long in the National Assembly, what is the problem for this? I am chairman committee on gas, the upstream oil, upstream gas, downstream oil, downstream gas and midstream gas. Upstream gas is the exploration of gas and oil. The midstream is the processing of oil and gas. The downstream is the distribution of oil and gas. So, I am quite in it very deep. I am a crusader for early passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill, because I think it will bring in new investment blood into the petroleum sector. It will assure the IOCs’ (International Oil Companies) that Nigeria has no hidden agenda towards them and it is expected that it will bring about extra revenue for Nigerian government. It will also bring about, enlarged participation of the local content company which is our own dear Nigerian companies. It is expected that it will open up entries and exit into the oil industries. What has been keeping it is majorly, the mood of the National Assembly. There is something they call the mood of the National Assembly. When I mean mood, I mean that when we see that if we bring this bill on the floor of both chambers, that there are stiff opposition in the sense that we feel that there are external influences that will affect negatively to the early passage of this bill. What we have done is to keep the bill until proper consultations and underground work is done so that people who did not understand why we are trying to enact this law will now know. And if we see that there are external influences as we believe that are working against the early passage of the petroleum industry bill, we work towards finding out where the unseen hands trying to pull down the PIB is coming from.

    No woman has ever governed Abia State since its creation. Can things change anytime soon?

    Well, not only in Abia State has there not been any woman governor; in the entire 36 states of the federation, there has never been any female governor. But I believe that a journey of a thousand miles will always start with one step. A day begins a story. It was one day in the story of United Kingdom when Margaret Thatcher after over 150 years ascended the throne as the first female prime minister of United Kingdom. One day in the history of Liberia after all their chequered history of war and all that, it was a woman that came on board as the first female president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and she is running for second term.

    It was one day in the history of Nigeria when President Goodluck Jonathan who is very gender sensitive made a woman in the name of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala coordinating minister in-charge of men and women ministers of his cabinet. It was a day that this event took place and it has become something that is now a precedent. One day in the history of Nigeria, President Jonathan made a woman, the minister for petroleum resources and of all the years over almost 50 years in Nigeria, never have we had a female minister in charge of petroleum ministry, but today in Nigeria we have a female minster. In the 36 states of the federation, I think that time has come, but nobody makes herself or himself a governor. We did have Mrs. Dame Virginia Ngozi Etiaba; she was a deputy governor and when the incumbent governor was removed she had to stand out for a couple of months. We are talking about a woman who shall run for office of governor, campaign for office of governor, is elected as the female governor and I believe that the time is ripe and the time is now.

    If a level play ground is given and a conscious effort is made and a woman emerges from Abia and other states, we will use it to turn things around, I can assure Nigerians.

    In the case of Abia, I am offering myself to run for the office of the governor in 2015. For me, I would want to follow suit the legacies of our current governor built on his legacies because he has tried. He has established the framework for the next governor to follow and I am proud of him. Look at what he has done. Not every governor would have had the courage or the guts to move Umuahia Main market to Ubani Ibeku. Since the relocation of the market it has cleansed the state. Before, the state capital was really crowded with a market right almost at the door mouth of the Government House and it was an eyesore and he has done a lot of laudable programmes and I would want to emulate and build on the legacies he has started. I believe it is the people that will chose the people, not the woman saying because I am a woman, I am going to be governor. It behooves on abians and Nigerians to choose right.

    If I am giving the opportunity and elected as the female governor of the state, one thing I will do like is follow the legacies of the current governor of the state. Because you know Nigerians have a penchant for abandoning projects established by our predecessors and that is why at some point, we had over six to 7000 abandoned projects nationwide. I am assuring Abians that if I am given the opportunity, I will ensure that I build on the legacies of the projects established by the current government.

    I will also ensure that there is more dividends of democracy by bringing my own style to usher in wealth and job creation.

    I think it is extremely important because we need both wealth and job creation in this state and of course as a woman, I know that as a woman, I have a different style government but I do not think that this is the right time to start talking about it.

    Can you assess the 7th National Assembly?

    I think that the 7th Senate and indeed the 7th National Assembly have done creditably well in the sense that there has been physical stability in the polity because the legislature is the barometer for democracy. If the legislature is in turmoil, that will affect the wellbeing of democracy in any nation. And where there is no democracy, you will have anarchy or dictatorship, but we haven’t experienced any of these.

    Take for instance, if you cast your mind back, not only in the 7th senate, from the 6th senate when we introduced for the sake of stability of this nation the doctrine of necessity, without that doctrine of necessity, who knows what would have happened to our dear country, Nigeria. It was that doctrine of necessity that provided the legality ascension of the throne to presidency of our current president Jonathan during the time.

    The constitution didn’t envisage that and we didn’t have in the constitution what will be the action when a president is sick for a very long time like our former president of the blessed memory was. So, we brought about the doctrine of necessity. Today, in this 7th senate the senate President, David Mark, he has been able to chart and lead the senate and indeed the national assembly to stability. Like I said, 469 legislators from both the upper and lower chambers they are barometer for the stability of polity in Nigeria and they are influenced so much externally, because they were sent by 360 people from their federal constituency and 109 senatorial districts. So the national assembly has a lot of external influence. Your leaders, governors, stakeholders from various constituencies can tell you, you will support this or that, and it will affect your behavior on the floor of the senate. The 7th senate of course the help from the house of reps, we have been able to bring about stability.

    You do not know the price of stability until you have been faced with either breakups or uncontrollable situations that could affect the unity of this country.

    So, if you ask me, we have been able to introduce more quality laws and it is expected because this is 14 years from when we commenced our third term democracy. The legislature just like any other thing is evolving, graduating and maturing and in doing that, it is coming up with quality legislations better ways of handling issues and ensuring that there is amicable, understanding between the three tiers of government. So, I think that the 7th senate and indeed the 7th session we are a stabilizer to the national unity of this country.

    My assessment of our performance is that we have done well. Whether there are things we could have done better and we haven’t done it. Like I said, the legislative work is a process, not an event. What we are unable to finish in the 7th senate; people that will come back in the 8th senate will continue from where we stopped, governance is a continuum.

    So, I think that the nation has improved and that we have done well. I do not have any doubt that we will even do much better which is a natural progression and I have no doubt that the 8th senate and indeed, the 8th national assembly will even do much better. These laws that we have made, all we need do is to ensure that between we the lawmakers and executive the implementers and of course, the judiciary, the interpreters to ensure that there is a harmonious relationship amongst the tripod.

    What is your reaction on the controversial 18-page letter written by former President Obasanjo and President Jonathan’s response to the letter? In my mind, I think it was wrong to have started it that way because you don’t pull down a house that you have built. I think that President Obasanjo facilitated or made it possible, God used him to bring President Jonathan to power and therefore, in my mind, it is my own personal opinion that you don’t pull down a house you have built.

    Secondly, that letter and its content could have gone through a better process and channel and receive better attention that the way it became public document.

    Thirdly, I believe think it was right that our president Jonathan replied him because of the stage of the political development in Nigeria. A lot of people may not understand that there may be things more than those things as written by president Obasanjo behind his action of writing that letter. I am not a lawyer but if keep quiet to some certain things it means that you are in agreement to all those things. So, it was good that he replied and clarified certain issue. Having said that I also hope that there will also be mediating channels to bring about reconciliation because we need that in this nation. We do not need anything that would bring about division, destruction and derailment of our democracy must be cautiously handled so that we do not go back to Egypt.

     

  • Woman threatens to report RSUST to EFCC over alleged fraud

    A former postgraduate student of the Rivers State University of Science and Technology (RSUST), Mrs. Ann Nwanbi Kaizer has called on the institution to release her Masters Degree result or face the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

    Mrs Kaizer said the university’s insistence that she must pay full tuition fees after she had been issued a clearance letter showing that she was not owing is fraudulent.

    The teacher gave the university two weeks to release her result or face her wrath.

    She noted that many other students told the same thing have paid the new fees because they are desperate to secure a new job with their results.

    Mrs. Kaizer said: “I was admitted into the institution on 20th August, 2007 with Matriculation number PG.2006/SW/0006 for my M.Ed. degree programme in Business Education and I defended my thesis on 17th of September 2009 but I was denied of my result after being issued with the letter of clearance.

    “The letter of clearance, indicated that I had paid my school fees up to date, photocopies of clearance letter is also available, I cannot go back to pay another full academic programme as requested as other people did with tears, but I will not shed tears for fees I have already paid.

    “At the Bursary Unit, an Officer informed me that the Senate issued a directive that all those cases of outstanding results were required to pay school fees up to the current year amounting to N514, 500.

    “In my case, the current Head of my Department informed me that though my result had been prepared at the Department, it cannot be presented to the Senate unless I pay the new added fees.”

    When contacted, the University through the Public Relation Officer, Mr Desmond Wosu, said there is no way somebody would paid his or her school fees and the university would demand for another fees.

    “It is not in our character; the results are being computerised and made easy for collection for those who do not owe the institution. We are not fraudulent,” he said.

     

  • A woman of substance

    Mrs Elizabeth Olomofe-Kufeji, 67, and proprietress of Starland Private School in Ogba, Lagos beamed with smiles as she was installed the District 911 Chairman of International Inner Wheel.

    Mrs Olomofe-Kufeji, the Vice-President and Chairman, Education Committee, National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools, Southwest Zone became the 30th chairman of Inner Wheel at an elaborate event at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel in Ikeja.

    She joined the club in the early ’80s and served in different positions before becoming the chairman of District 911, Nigeria. Her district comprises Lagos and Ogun states.

    She wore a blue lace with a yellow damask gele to complement her looks.

    Most of the guests and Inner Wheel members at the event turned out dressed in various attires. Some wore suits; others were in natives with gele on their heads. Wrappers and blouses, Iro and buba, skirt and blouse and gown competed for the best attire trophy.

    The few men there looked good in suits and ties, others donned native wears with caps.

    The event started with the Inner Wheel anthem.

    Guests, members and executives, both past and present, were all recognised, including some Rotary Club members.

    Lagos and Ogun Inner Wheel Club presidents danced to the podium with their banners flying high.

    Awards were given to The Sun Deputy Managing Director, Mr Femi Adesina, and The Guardian Newspapers for their contribution to the progress of the club.

    After the citation, the immediate past chairman, Mrs Taiwo Adisa, removed her collaret and placed it on Mrs Olomofe-Kufeji.

    Thereafter, the new executive was inducted.

    Before stepping aside, Mrs Adisa mentioned two people who were assisted by the club for hip replacement surgery.

    They thanked the club for giving them a second chance to “come back to life.”

    The new chairman welcomed her team on board and prayed to God to see them through the year. She promised to do her best.

    She called on members and guests to continue to assist the club financially to achieve its goals.

    “I feel fulfilled being the new district chairman and I want to also feel fulfilled by the end of my tenure that I have done my best,” she said.

    Mrs Adisa enjoined the new leader to look up to the Lord and she promised to give her support to the new executive.

    She wished them a successful tenure and urged them to ceaselessly put smiles on the faces of the less privileged.

    National representative/President of the Club Ifeyinwa Ndefo congratulated Mrs Olomofe-Kufeji. She told her to work hand-in-hand with her executive and club members to achieve success.

    The guest speaker, Dr Taiwo Afolabi, said the executive should give priority to looking after orphans and widows.

    Afolabi, who was represented by director, Sifas Group, Major Henry Ajetunmobi,, said the district must work towards uplifting people.

    He also said they needed to look for more opportunities to make greater impacts in the society.

    Guests at the event included the 9110 District Governor of Rotary International, Olugbemiga Olowu, and his wife, a retired Director of the Budget Office of the Federation, Margaret Olaore.