Ifa does not pick With one wife, two P10

Yoruba kings, Pgs 20&2

6
concubines, 11 children,
governors do —Oluwo vulcanizer says ‘I need help’
SINCE 1949

NO 1,520 17 JUNE, 2023 NIGERIA’S MOST INFORMATIVE NEWSPAPER N250

www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng

ASARI DOKUBO AT ASO ROCK VILLA:

Army, Navy
behind oil theft
P4

•Claims his men are in charge of Abuja-Kaduna Road security

•Opposes Nnamdi Kanu’s release
IMF endorses Tinubu’s forex Police Commission
appoints Mba,
reform, experts warn against Ciroma as DIGs P6
galloping inflation
•Court sets aside order sacking IGP
P3 Defeated APC Reps
candidates form group,
Court orders SSS to allow Emefiele make demands from
Tinubu P5
access to his family, lawyers P5 My husband married
Armed robbers kill man, rape his 10, 14-yr-old P5 wife number 7 shortly
after our wedding,
daughters in Ibadan •Police confirm arrest of suspects
1
12&2
woman tells court Pgs

‘Most rich people in the North don’t care about us, the poor’ P7

3 www.tribuneonlineng.com
Feature
IMF, experts laud exchange rates unification 
•Fears over galloping inflation, rising poverty level, more hardship
T
Joseph Inokotong | Abuja 
HE International
Monetary Fund
(IMF) has thrown
its weight behind
the Central Bank of
Nigeria (CBN’s) decision to
unify the exchange rates,
stating its readiness to sup-
port the new administration
in its implementation of forex
reforms.
The Resident Representative
of IMF in Nigeria Ari Aisen said
in a terse statement on Friday:
“The IMF would like to share
the following statement to the
attention of the press.
“The Fund greatly wel-
comes the authorities’ deci-
sion to introduce a unified
market-reflective exchange
rate regime in line with our
long-standing recommenda-
tions. 
“We stand ready to sup-
port the new administration
in its implementation of FX
reforms.”
Experts laud policy, warn against galloping inflation, rising
poverty level
Experts in economy have also commended the unification of
the exchange rates by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) but
cautioned that the policy should be implemented with care to
avoid adverse consequences.  hardships and retain a high inflation rate”.
They agreed that the unification of the exchange rates would make
for a more transparent forex market, engender healthy competition
among FX dealers as merging the rates will reduce arbitraging, specula-
tion, and curb multiple malpractices in the market.
The experts cautioned that the unification should be handled
with utmost care so that it does not snowball into galloping
inflation, rising poverty level and increasing hardship, against
the backdrop of the recent oil subsidy removal, as the economic
fundamentals required to support a naira float are still very
weak, especially in relation to sources of forex.
Uchenna Uwaleke, Professor of Finance and Capital Market
at the Nasarawa State University said: “Let me say upfront that
I support the unification of exchange rates which makes for a
more transparent forex market.
“But I think that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) should
implement that in a way that does not cause massive distortions
in the general price level.
“In this regard, a sudden free float of the naira is not advised
given that the economic fundamentals required to support a naira
float are still very weak especially in relation to sources of forex.
“It’s rather early to bank on sustainable capital inflows
from foreign direct investments due in part to insecurity
and the overall unconducive environment of doing business
in Nigeria.
“This sudden naira devaluation may draw foreign portfolio in-
vestments which is part of the reason the stock market is surging.
“But we also know that portfolio investments are hot money
and do not represent a sustainable source of forex inflows.
“In consideration of this therefore, I would advise that the
unification of exchange rates should not be a one step process
but should be implemented over a period of time however
short it may be.
“Empirical evidence suggests that reforms are more successful
when they are sequenced and implemented in phases. This is
against the backdrop of the oil subsidy removal which, taken
together, can result in galloping inflation and rising poverty level.
“So, while fiscal and monetary policy reforms are welcome,
absolute care should be taken to strike the right balance and
minimise their unintended consequences”.
Dr. Chijioke Ekechukwu MD/CEO, Dignity Finance and Invest-
ment Ltd., in his reaction stated that: “The unification of the
exchange rate and floating of the foreign currency market has
come as a welcome development.  and supply fundamentals in the foreign exchange market.  tions thereby creating credibility problems with their offshore
“With this, Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) can now go source
their own funds and sell to users at their own rate and margin.
This is going to bring a rate war amongst them, which will force
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023
the rates lower. that would reduce uncertainty and inspire the confidence of
“Merging the rates will reduce arbitraging, speculation, and investors. It would minimize discretion and arbitrage in the
curb multiple malpractices in the market.  foreign exchange allocation mechanism”, Dr. Yusuf further
“In the short run, however, before the rates drop, and  before explained.
a higher supply of foreign currencies, rates will still remain rea- He added that rate unification does not imply that rates
sonably high, which may affect the cost and prices of imported will be exactly the same in all segments of the market, but
products, including petroleum products. This may increase noted that the objective is to ensure that the differentials
are very minimal, possibly between 5-10 percent.
Dr. Muda Yusuf Director/CEO, Centre for the Promotion of Expatiating on why the policy is laudable, Dr. Yusuf said: “A
Private Enterprise (CPPE) stated that the FX unification is not a unified exchange rate regime offers the following benefits for
devaluation policy, but a normalisation of the foreign exchange the economy: It enhances liquidity in the foreign exchange
policy regime and an adjustment of rate to reflect the funda- market. It reduces uncertainty in the foreign exchange mar-
mentals of demand and supply.   ket and therefore enhances the confidence of investors. It is
According to him, in the short term, a depreciation of the cur- more transparent as mechanism for forex allocation.
rency should be expected in the official window because of the “It minimises discretion in the allocation of forex and re-
huge demand backlog, but as the market conditions normalise duces corruption vulnerabilities.
and move towards equilibrium, the rate would moderate.   It reduces opportunities for round tripping and other sharp
He also anticipates the new policy regime to boost inflows practices. It would increase disclosures with respect to export
and strengthen the supply side amidst elevated investors’ proceeds and compliance with non-oil export declarations,
confidence as the component of forex demand driven by especially the non-oil export documentation (NXP). 
arbitrage, rent seekers, speculators and other economic “It would boost government revenue by a minimum of
parasites would also fizzle out, thus restoring stability to N4 trillion through additional remittance of exchange rate
the forex market. surplus to the federation account by the CBN. The use of
Dr. Yusuf stated: “Meanwhile, it is important to reiterate naira cards for limited international transactions would be
that this is not a devaluation policy, it is a normalisation of the restored in the short to medium term. It would facilitate the
foreign exchange policy regime and an adjustment of rate to mopping up of naira liquidity in the economy in the short
reflect the fundamentals of demand and supply. It would be to medium term. This would impact positively on inflation
dynamic, and the naira will appreciate or depreciate depending outlook. It would deepen the autonomous foreign exchange
on the fundamentals. market through the liberalisation of inflows from Export Pro-
“In the short term, we expect a depreciation of the currency ceeds, Diaspora Remittances, Multinational oil companies,
in the official window because of the huge demand backlog, diplomatic missions etc.”
but as the market conditions normalises and moves towards Dr. Yusuf took the view that the erstwhile foreign exchange
equilibrium, the rate would moderate.   policy regime on the other hand was, for all practical pur-
“We also expect the new policy regime to boost inflows and poses, a fixed exchange rate regime, which created many
strengthen the supply side amidst elevated investors’ confi- distortions and negative outcomes.
dence. The component of forex demand driven by arbitrage, He enumerated distortions and adverse consequences of
rent seekers, speculators and other economic parasites would the fixed exchange rate regime to include: “Widening gap
also fizzle out, thus restoring stability to the forex market”. between the official, other multiple windows and parallel
Dr. Yusuf cautioned: “However, the CBN should position itself market exchange rates which created room forex roundtrip-
for periodic intervention in the forex market, as and when nec- ping to flourish. 
essary, to stabilise the exchange rate and prevent volatility. This Collapse of liquidity in the foreign exchange market result-
should happen not by fixing rate, but by boosting supply to ing in acute forex scarcity”. 
the extent that the reserves can support”. Dt. Yusuf noted that “It fueled demand for forex because of
He commended the bold step taken by the government the incredible rent opportunities created by the huge paral-
towards the unification of the naira exchange rate, and ex- lel market premium; created a major disincentive for forex
plained that the liberalisation of the foreign exchange mar- inflows into the economy, thus suppressing forex supply”.
ket would unlock the huge potentials for investment, jobs,  He pointed out that fueled mounting trade debts; increased
capital flows and impact positively Investors’ confidence.  factory closure as many manufacturers were not able to access
“Meanwhile, it should be clarified that this is not a devalua- foreign exchange for raw materials and other inputs, adding
tion policy, but a pricing mechanism that reflects the demand that many investors were not able to meet offshore obliga-
It is a framework which allows for flexible rate adjustments suppliers. 
as and when necessary.  It is a model that is predictable, The CPPE boss reiterated that the fixed FX rates led to surg-
equitable, transparent and sustainable.  It is a policy regime ing inflationary pressures and sharp drop in capital inflows.

4 www.tribuneonlineng.com
news
Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State (right) welcoming Mr Olivier Gilard of the French Development Agency (AFD) to his office at Oke-Mosan,
Abeokuta, on Friday.
Army, Navy behind oil theft, says
Asari-Dokubo at Aso Rock
•Claims his men are in charge of Abuja-Kaduna Road security
•Opposes Nnamdi Kanu’s release
L
Leon Usigbe | Abuja
EADER of the Niger
Delta Volunteer Force
((NDVF), Asari-Doku-
bo, on Friday met with
President Bola Tinubu
at the Aso Villa, Abuja, de-
claring that crude oil theft is
perpetrated by military cabals,
especially in the Nigerian
Army and the Nigerian Navy.
Speaking with newsmen af-
ter the meeting, Asari-Dokubo
said the people of the Niger
Delta have now resolved to
ensure zero crude oil theft in
the region.
The former militant leader
argued that ordinary Niger
Delta citizens who are often
blamed for the action are
innocent as they do not have
the wherewithal to carry out
such theft.
According to him, there are
“notorious” army and naval oil
kingpins that have engaged in
unprecedented crude oil theft
in the last eight years.
He asserted that with Presi-
dent Tinubu, the military
kingpins have met their match
as they would now be flushed
out of the system.
According to him, the way
the oil thieves have gone
about their criminal activities
has stripped the people of the
Niger Delta of their livelihood.
Dokubo also alleged that it
is an act of blackmail for the
military to say that they have
insufficient armaments to
deal with insecurity, accusing
them of forfeiting their weap-
ons to insurgents, a develop-
ment which he said continues
to fuel insurgency.
Speaking on his discussion
with the President, he said:
“We discussed on a wide
range of issues, especially on
security and oil theft in the
Niger Delta. My brothers and
I have assured the President
that there would be zero oil
theft and vandalisation in the
Niger Delta. We are going to
work with the NNPCL and
the IOCs to make sure that oil
theft is brought to zero.
“I also want to say that oil
theft is encouraged by the
military. The military is at the
center of oil theft and we have
to make this very, very clear to
the Nigerian public. Ninety-
nine percent of oil theft can
be traced to the Nigerian
military, the army and the
navy especially.
“The Army and the Navy in-
timidate the Civil Defence who
are, by status, the people who
are supposed to guard these
pipelines. They receive a lot of
money from the NNPCL and the
IOCs and just across the corner,
you will see a houseboat. A few
meters from the houseboat,
you will see an oil bunkering
refinery or tapping directly from
oil wellheads.
“It is very pathetic. What
has happened in the Niger
Delta for the past eight years is
unprecedented in the history
of oil production anywhere in
the world.
“The vandals do not only
attack the pipelines, they have
migrated from the pipeline
and have gone directly to the
oil wellheads and they take di-
rectly from the oil wellheads.
They set up haphazard fa-
cilities they call local refinery,
artisanal refinery. This is crime
against humanity because the
livelihood of the people is be-
ing destroyed.
“The livelihood of the peo-
ple is totally destroyed and
every meter, you see a naval
houseboat or an army house-
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune
boat stationed.
“So, the main culprits are the
army and the navy. And there
are notorious naval com-
manders who are known to be
kingpins of these bunkering
activities.
“Even if they give one billion
contracts to everybody in the
Niger Delta, because these
military men are armed from
the army and the navy, noth-
ing will happen.
“The President has promised
to take a decisive action to
make sure that this is brought
to an end. It is very shame-
ful. So, I have volunteered to
help, to assist and to do the
things that are necessary to
put a stop to this evil that is
being perpetrated against the
people of the Niger Delta, the
oil community and the whole
of Nigerians.”
On insecurity in the country,
Dokubo observed that Nigeria
is currently going through a
full-scale wars in different
parts of the country, adding
that he had continued to
render mercenary services to
the Federal Government to
keep all parts of the country
safe for citizens to be able
to travel and go about their
normal businesses.
He said: “On security, I want
to clearly say that there are
full-scale wars going on in dif-
ferent parts of this country.
In the South-East, the IPOB/
ESN is waging a full-scale war
against the government of
this country and many local
governments, many commu-
nities are deserted, schools
and hospitals are closed.
“In the same vein, in Niger,
in Zamfara, in Plateau, in Ka-
duna, in Yobe, in Borno, we
are only talking about Boko
Haram. Boko Haram is just a
Nigerian Tribune
tip of the iceberg.”
On the military’s claim of
not having enough weaponry,
the former Niger Delta agita-
tor maintained: “There is a
full-scale war going on and
the blackmail of the Nigerian
state by the Nigerian military
is shameful. They said they do
not have enough armament
and people listen to this false
narrative. They are lying. They
are liars. I repeat, they are liars
because I am a participant.
“I am a participant in this war.
I fight on the side of the govern-
ment of the Nigerian state in
Plateau, in Niger, in Anambra, in
Imo, in Abia and in Rivers. And
in Abuja today, you are travel-
ling to Kaduna on this road. It is
not the army that makes it pos-
sible for you to travel to Abuja
or travel to Kaduna, vice versa.
It is my men, employed by the
government of the Nigerian
state, stationed in Niger.
“Today, you travel to Baga,
you go to Shiroro, you go to
Wase. We have lost so many
men and in all these engage-
ments, we don’t even have
one percent of the armament
deployed by the Nigerian
military. One percent and we
have had resounding success.
So, this blackmail must end.
They have enough resources
to fight. Instead of fighting,
they are busy stealing. They
are busy making the govern-
ment spend unnecessarily.”
Dokubo also said that the
leader of the Indigenous Peo-
ple of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi
Kanu, should not be released.
“Releasing Nnamdi Kanu
is rewarding criminality and
rewarding gruesome murder
of innocent people. He should
face the law for the actions
and instigations he has carried
out,” he said.
tribuneonlineng
Ogun partners French
Development Agency on
improved water supply
THE problem of water scarcity
in Abeokuta and its environs
will soon be a thing of the past
as the French Development
Agency (AFD) is partnering
the Ogun State Water Corpo-
ration to rehabilitate water
plants and improve distri-
bution network to deliver
portable water to the people.
Speaking in an interview
after leading a delegation to a
meeting with Governor Dapo
Abiodun in his office at Oke-
Mosan, Abeokuta on Friday,
the task team leader of the
AFD in charge of water and
sanitation, Mr Olivier Gilard,
said they were in the state to
make final evaluation of the
state’s Urban Water Project.
Gilard said: “I am here to
make final evaluation of the
Ogun State Urban Water
Project that is being funded
by AFD and implemented by
the State Water Corporation.
“The project is important for
Abeokuta City because with
the financing, the corpora-
tion was able to rehabilitate
its water plants and improve
the distribution network to be
able to deliver water to more
people in the city.
“The project focuses on
Abeokuta and all the infra-
structure has been built and
ready to operate. It is now
for the corporation and the
state government to provide
the needed running funds to
start operation.”
He said though the proj-
ect would not only solve all
problems relating to water in
the metropolis and the state,
it would, on completion,
provide thousands of people
in the city access to potable
water in the nearest future.
Group counsels Tinubu on
appointment of new IGP
PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has
been advised to regard adher-
ence to the provision of the law
as the primary consideration
in the appointment of the next
Inspector General of Police.
A civil society organisation,
the Nigerian Civil Society Con-
tact Group (CSCG), an amalgam
of many non-governmental
and civil society organisations,
with focus on good governance
and human rights, made the
submission at a media briefing
on Thursday.
Tinubu is expected to an-
nounce a replacement for the
current IGP, Usman Alkali Baba,
who should have exited office
in March after reaching the
compulsory retirement age
of 60, but was retained by
the immediate past President,
Muhammadu Buhari.
In a statement, Director-
General of CSCG, Taiwo Akin-
dolu, noted that while former
President Buhari disregarded
the provision of the law in the
appointments of the three
17 JUNE, 2023
Mr Gilard described water
as a basic service needed by
the people and necessary
for economic development
and commended Governor
Abiodun for being proactive
in the water sector.
Also speaking, the acting
General Manager of the
State Water Corporation,
Mrs Olufunmilayo Jaji, said
the project is divided into
infrastructure and soft com-
ponents, emphasising that
the objective is to increase
the coverage, continuity and
ensure quality water supply
in Abeokuta and its environs.
Mrs Jaji noted that the proj-
ect is to improve financial
viability of the corporation to
enable it improve on its rev-
enue generation and reduce
cost, adding that it’s also to
improve governance in the
water sector of the state.
On the efforts of the corpo-
ration to make water avail-
able to the people, Mrs Jaji
disclosed that the rehabilita-
tion of essential infrastruc-
ture has been completed,
giving the assurance that
when the remaining inputs
have been put in place, water
would flow in all the nooks
and crannies of Abeokuta and
other parts of the state.
While appealing to the
people to bear with the cor-
poration in its efforts to make
water available, the acting
General Manager called on
them to pay their bills when
water is restored to keep the
organisation in business.
The AFD delegation included
Margot Maugenest, Project
Manager, Josephine Musa and
Aletan Olubiyi from the Federal
Ministry of Water Resources.
IGPs that served in his eight
years governing the country,
especially the current occupier
of the office, President Tinubu
must not emulate those uncon-
stitutional steps.
Akindolu said the Police Act
2020 signed into law by Buhari
stipulates the requirements for
the appointment of an Inspec-
tor General of Police, warning
that any action outside of the
provision of the law could breed
controversy which the new
government can ill afford.
According to the group, an
officer nearing retirement can-
not have the same zeal, focus
and energy that the demanding
office of the IGP requires and
cannot aggregate the capacity
to run the office productively.
The group further observed
that the law, with the provision
of a four-year tenure, satisfies
the need to appoint an IGP
that will have the time frame to
develop his plans and vision and
execute the same in the interest
of the Force and Nigeria.

5 www.tribuneonlineng.com
news
Defeated APC Reps candidates demand patronage from Tinubu
S
Taiwo Amodu | Abuja
OME candidates of
the All Progressives
Congress (APC) who
lost in their bids to
go to the House of
Representatives in the last
National Assembly election
have formed a forum with
which they are pleading for
patronage from President
Bola Tinubu and his govern-
ment.
The forum, christened the
APC House of Representatives
Candidates, at a press briefing
on Friday at the APC national
secretariat in Abuja, said its
members were ready to make
their expertise available to
Tinubu’s administration.
The chairman of the forum,
Honourable Chisom Promise
Dike, asked the APC National
Working Committee (NWC) to
NJC bars judges from switching from High
Court to head Customary Courts of Appeal
Sunday Ejike | Abuja
THE National Judicial Council
(NJC) has barred judicial of-
ficers from switching from
High Court of Justice to the
Customary Court of Appeal
and vice versa.
A statement by the Director
of Information of the council,
Mr Soji Oye, on Friday said the
NJC took the decision at its
102nd meeting presided over
by the Chief Justice of Nigeria
(CJN) and Chairman of the
NJC, Justice Kayode Ariwoola,
which was held on 14 and 15
June, 2023.
The statement said the only
exception allowed is when a
new Customary Court of Ap-
peal is established in a state.
Judges who indicate interest
to go to the Customary Court
of Appeal in such states will be
allowed to proceed.
“Once established, the
candidates for the headship
of the court must be drawn
from that court only, even if
all the judges of the court are
junior to their counterparts
in other courts,” the state-
ment said.
It said the NJC considered
the reports from various in-
vestigation committees and
Court orders DSS to allow Emefiele access to his family, lawyers
Saliu Gbadamosi | Abuja
JUSTICE Hamza Muazu of
the High Court of the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT) sitting
in Maitama, Abuja, on Friday
ordered the Department of
State Services (DSS) and its
Director-General to allow
family members and lawyers
of the suspended governor
of the Central Bank of Nige-
ria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele,
have unhindered access to
•Seek support over election petitions
assist the candidates who are in
various election petition tribu-
nals challenging the winners of
the National Assembly election.
Dike appealed to Nigerians
to be patient with the new
administration as it unveils its
economic policies and agenda.
“The task of nation-building
requires careful planning,
consultation and deliberate
action. Let us extend our
trust and confidence to the
President as he embarks on
this journey of transformative
changes,” he said.
Dike also congratulated the
new presiding officers of the
10th National Assembly and
prayed that their “tenure be
marked with accomplishments,
unity and steadfast commit-
ment to the welfare and ad-
vancement of our great nation.”
He said: “Our main objective
is to bridge the gap in public
the preliminary complaints
assessment committees on
petitions written against judi-
cial officers from the Court of
Appeal and State High Courts
and agreed with the commit-
tee’s recommendations to
empanel investigation com-
mittees against seven judges
of different states.
Petition against the re-
maining judicial officers
were dismissed for lack of
merit, lack of diligent pros-
ecution, withdrawal of the
petition, being subjudice and
for the subject judge having
retired from service.
The dismissed petitions
were written against Justice
Mary Peter Odili, rtd Justice
of the Supreme Court, Jus-
tices A.R. Barka, James G.
Abundaga, O.O. Olasumbo
Goodluck, Ibrahim A. Andetur-
Yangsto, all of the Court of Ap-
peal, Justices F.O. Liman, A.R.
Mohammed, H. A. A. Dashen,
Peter Lifu, F. O. G. Ogunbanjo,
A. Lewis Allagoa, D. E. Osiagor
all of the Federal High Court.
Others are Justice Theresa
O. Diai, Chief Judge, Delta
State, Justices S.B. Belgore,
K.N. Ogbonnaya Jude On-
wuegbuzie, Edward Okpe of
the High Court of the Fed-
him in custody.
Justice Muazu gave the or-
der following an oral applica-
tion by counsel for Emefiele,
Joseph Daudu (SAN), with
Michael Aondoakaa (SAN).
The senior advocate
made the application in
a suit marked, FCT/HC/
CV/6450/23, with the At-
torney-General of the Fed-
eration (AGF), the DSS Di-
rector-General and the DSS
as respondents.
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune
service delivery in areas with-
out elected representatives
from our party and to serve
as a medium for discussion on
important socio-political and
economic issues, supporting
government initiatives and of-
fering collaborative solutions
to challenges in our society.
“As candidates and repre-
sentatives of the All Progres-
sives Congress (APC) across
the nation, we embrace the
fulfillment of the ‘Renewed
Hope’ campaign mantra of
our President. We recognise
that the battle ahead is not
an easy one, but we firmly
believe in the potential of a
better Nigeria. We stand with
His Excellency, President Ti-
nubu, and we are committed
to supporting his vision for the
development of our nation.
“We appeal to Mr President
to capture the interest of the
eral Capital Territory, Abuja,
Justices Joseph I Acha, Vesty
O. Eboreime, both of High
Court, Edo State, Justices
Thelma Adanna Achom,
Elvis A. Ngene of the Ebonyi
State High Court, Justices
A.B. Usman, M.M. Abubakar
of Bauchi State High Court,
Justice O.A. Opesanwo of
the Lagos State High Court,
Justice Oladiran Akintola of
Oyo State High Court and
Justice Gegele A. Hammed
of Kwara State High Court.
The rest are Justice K.N.
Udobong of Akwa-Ibom State
High Court, Justice B. C. Iheka,
Imo State High Court, Justice
M.A. Zandai, High Court, Bor-
no State, Justice Mohammed
Shinkafi of Zamfara State High
Court, Justice R.S. Ladoja of
the Kaduna State High Court
and Justice M.S.A. Moham-
med of the High Court of
Niger State.
The NJC also considered the
report of its interview com-
mittee and recommended 37
judicial officers for appoint-
ment to the President and
seven Governors as Justices of
the Court of Appeal, Heads of
Court and Judges of the High
Court and Customary Courts
of Appeal.
In his submission before
the court, Daudu stated
that he had written letters
to the respondents, includ-
ing the one of Wednesday,
June 14, to enable him
have access to the plaintiff
with a view to taking fur-
ther instruction from him
(Emefiele).
According to him, the DSS
has refused to respond to
the letters, thus preventing
the lawyers to have access
Nigerian Tribune
House of Reps candidates that
couldn’t make it through dur-
ing the election but are ready
to contribute their expertise
to his administration suc-
cesses through government
patronage.
“We however seek the sup-
port of the party’s leadership
to support many of the APC
candidates currently in tribu-
nals to reclaim their stolen
mandates.
“We are reassured by the
President’s competence in se-
lecting a diverse and capable
administrative team compris-
ing resourceful professionals
and party faithful from within
and outside Nigeria to provide
Nigerians with the best team
and we are optimistic that our
nation will witness positive
and impactful transformation
across various sectors.
“We therefore appeal to
Armed robbers kill man, rape his 10,
14-yr-old daughters in Ibadan
•Police confirm arrest of suspects
By Soji Ajibola
THE police in Oyo State have
confirmed the arrest of sus-
pected armed robbers who
killed a middle-aged man
identified as Makanjuola
Ogedengbe and raped his
two little daughters during
an operation at Apatuku/
Onireke village in Akobo, in
Lagelu Local Government
Area of the state.
Confirming the arrest on
Friday in Ibadan, the state
Police Public Relations Of-
ficer, Adewale Osifeso, said
the suspects are assisting
the police with information.
Osifeso stated that the
suspects, who were armed
with dangerous weapons,
invaded the area on Sunday,
14 May, 2023, at 2.00 a.m.
and carried out the dastardly
act.
The police spokesman said
victims of the robbery at-
tack, including Ogedengbe
who was shot and killed by
the assailants, were dispos-
sessed of their property.
He quoted a police report
to their client.
Responding to this, coun-
sel for the DSS DG and the
Service, I. Awo, said the
DSS did not have penchant
for refusing such a request,
adding that it was wrong
to do so.
He then gave the assurance
that the secret police would
abide the court order and
allow Emefiele’s lawyers and
family members to have ac-
cess to him in custody.
tribuneonlineng
fellow Nigerians to exercise
patience and allow the presi-
dent the opportunity to fully
unveil his policies and agenda
for the nation. The task of
nation-building requires a
careful planning, consulta-
tion, and deliberate action.
Let us extend our trust and
confidence to the President as
he embarks on this journey of
transformative changes.
“We also urge Nigerians to
set aside their differences and
come together in unity be-
cause our strength lies in our
diversity, and it is essential to
embrace the collective iden-
tity of being Nigerians. We
must transcend the boundar-
ies of religion, tribe, political
party or personal beliefs and
work towards a common goal
of national progress and unity.
“The forum seeks the sup-
port of all and sundry for the
as saying, “On 14th May,
2023 at about 0400hrs, a
group of armed robbers
invaded Apatuku/Onireke
in Akobo area in Ibadan and
robbed residents of their
valuables.
“The assailants killed one
Makanjuola Ogedengbe, m,
and raped his two daughters
aged 14y and 10y during the
incident.
“The case was transferred
to SCID, Iyaganku, for dis-
creet investigation.
“During investigation, it
was revealed that one Ibra-
him Rasaq ‘m’ 31yrs; one
Abiodun Olalekan ‘m’ 32yrs;
and one Abolade Morenikeji
‘m’ 34yrs, who were earlier
arrested in connection with
the armed robbery opera-
tion at Sawia Estate at Og-
bere in Ibadan, which was
reported on 16 April, 2023,
are the same gang who
invaded Apatuku/Onireke
community.
“The two daughters of the
deceased were allegedly
raped by Abolade Morenikeji
and one Sodiq. The said
The office of the Attorney-
General of the Federation
did not oppose the applica-
tion.
Ruling on the application,
Justice Muazu ordered that
lawyers for the embattled
Emefiele are to have access
to him not only immedi-
ately but at reasonable time
regularly.
“The lawyers of the appli-
cant shall have access to the
applicant immediately. And
17 JUNE, 2023
President Tinubu-led admin-
istration through active par-
ticipation in the growth and
development of our beloved
nation, understanding that
the responsibility of progress
rests upon each and every one
of us. By working together,
we can overcome our pres-
ent challenges and create a
Nigeria that is prosperous, in-
clusive and sustainable for all.
“We commend the gov-
ernment of President Bola
Ahmed Tinubu for his uncom-
mon courage and decisive-
ness to remove the ‘elephant
in the room’, the fuel subsidy.
It is our belief that the govern-
ment means well for all citi-
zens and will stop at nothing
to ensure that our standard
of living improves within a
very short time. Therefore, we
urge all to be patient with the
government.”
Sodiq, who was the group’s
alleged leader, was killed
during the operation by
the community’s security
guards.
“The assailants also shot at
the community’s night guard
who is currently receiving
treatment.
“On 16/6/2023 at about
03300hrs, one Adebayo Sa-
lami ‘m’, who is a major
receiver/informant of the
group and landlord at Ajara
Olohunda, Akobo, in Ibadan
was arrested in connection
with the case.
“During interrogation, he
confessed to have invited
the group for the robbery
operation at the Apatuku
area where one Makanjuola
Ogedengbe ‘m’ was killed
and his two daughters aged
14 and 10 were defiled by
the robbery gang.”
The command also paraded
20 other suspects for various
crimes, including armed rob-
bery, unlawful possession of
firearms, possession of items
suspected to be India hemp
and attempted murder.
regularly at reasonable time,
pending the determination
of the application,” Justice
Muazu said, as contained
in the enrolled order dated
June 16.
Emefiele was suspended
by President Bola Tinubu last
week following which he was
arrested by the DSS in Lagos
Friday last week and flown to
Abuja the following day. He
has since been in the secret
police’s custody.

6 www.tribuneonlineng.com
News
PSC appoints Frank Mba, Bala Ciroma as DIGs
T
Jacob Segun Olatunji | Abuja
HE Police Service
Commission has ap-
proved the appoint-
ment of Assistant
Inspectors General
of Police, AIGs Frank Mba
and Bala Ciroma as Deputy
Inspectors General of Police
(DIGs).
This was contained in a
statement made available to
newsmen in Abuja on Friday
by the spokesperson of the
commission, Mr Ikechikwu
Ani.
According to the state-
ment, DIG Ciroma will re-
place DIG Ali Janga who has
NYP congratulates Akpabio, Abbas,
others, urges youth inclusion in govt
By Taoheed Adegbite
THE Nigerian Youth Parlia-
ment (NYP) has congrat-
ulated Senator Godswill
Akpabio and Honourable
Tajuddeen Abbas on their
emergence as Senate Presid-
ent and Speaker of the House
of Representatives, respect-
ively.
The platform which was
created for young people to
express their views and par-
ticipate in the democratic
process, also congratulated
Senator George Akume and
Honourable Femi Gbajabia-
milla on their appointments
by President Bola Ahmed
Tinubu as Secretary to the
Government of the Federa-
tion (SGF) and Chief of Staff
to the President, respectively.
In the congratulatory mes-
sage, the Speaker of the Par-
liament, Dr Azeezat Yishawu,
stated that the nation, at this
crucial time, needed a parlia-
ment that would improve on
the accomplishments of the
ninth National Assembly and
work in Nigerians’ interest.
Yishawu, therefore, urged
the leaders of the 10th Na-
tional Assembly to justify the
confidence reposed in them,
especially at a moment such
as this.
“With the full knowledge
of Senator Godswill Akpa-
bio’s partnership with the
Nigerian Youth Parliament,
since the inception of the
parliament in 2008, when
he was the governor of
Akwa Ibom and when the
platform produced an Akwa
Ibom-born member as the
pioneer Speaker of the par-
Adelowo Oladipo | Minna
THE police in Niger State
have arrested two suspec-
ted criminals over allega-
tions of criminal conspiracy
and culpable homicide.
A crime bulletin issued
on Friday by the state
Police Public Relations
Officer, Wasiu Abiodun,
stated that an incident of
a suspected culpable hom-
icide from Izom, Gurara
Local Government Area
retired from service and
had represented the North
East geo-political zone in the
Police Management team.
DIG Ciroma, the most senior
officer from the zone will
henceforth represent the
zone while DIG Mba will rep-
resent the South East zone
and replace retired DIG John
Amadi who before his retire-
ment represented the zone.
The statement explained
further that the commission
also approved the promotion
of 14 Commissioners of Police
to the next rank of Assistant
Inspectors General of Police
and 22 Deputy Commission-
ers of Police to the substant-
liament,” she noted.
She expressed hope that
now Akpabio is the President
of the Senate, he will engage
members of the NYP more
closely, especially in the pro-
cess of making decisions that
affect young Nigerians.
Yishawu also noted that
the Parliament, since its es-
tablishment, had remained
a partner with successive
Speakers of the House of
Representatives which res-
ulted in the initiation of the
Legislative Mentorship Initi-
ative by Honourable Gbaja-
biamila to intensify the train-
ing of youths on legislation.
She urged the new Speaker
to sustain the partnership.
She described the process
that produced the leaders
of the National Assembly as
free and fair, adding that the
appointment of Akume and
Gbajabiamila by President
Tinubu was reassuring to Ni-
gerians.
Yishawu said: “Young
people need to be engaged
on issues that affect them
directly which is the reason
for the establishment of
the Nigerian Youth Parlia-
ment to ensure that young
people contribute to the
decision-making process.
“It will be a very big
achievement to engage the
Nigerian Youth Parliament
as a replica of the Nigerian
Senate with 109 young
people representing their
senatorial districts. Also, it
will give the National As-
sembly a true picture of
the real challenges and the
needs of young people in
the country.”
Police in Niger arrest two suspects over murder of 14-yr-old girl
was reported on 5 June,
2023 at Gawu-Babangida
Division.
The bulletin said that on
the same date at about
1900hrs, a young girl,
Ubaida Surajo, 14-year-old
of Izom, was killed in her
parent’s residence, when
the mother was at Izom
market.
Abiodun said, “Upon re-
ceipt of the unfortunate
incident, police operatives
attached to the division
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune
ive rank of commissioners .
According to the state-
ment, “these decisions were
highpoints of the 21st Plenary
Meeting of the Commission
presided over by its Chair-
man, Dr. Solomon Arase,
retired Inspector General of
Police and attended by all the
Members of the commission
including the permanent sec-
retary/secretary to the com-
mission, Dr. (Mrs) Ifeoma
Adaora Anyanwutaku.
It added that he new AIGs
“are CP Abubakar Lawal; CP
Alhassan Aminu; CP Abdul
Umar; CP Shettima Zannah;
CP Ebong Eyibio Ebong; CP
Adepoju Ayiinde Ilori and CP
Sanusi visits Tinubu, demands justice for herdsmen
bombed by Air Force in Nasarawa
Leon Usigbe | Abuja
FORMER Emir of Kano,
Muhammad Sanusi II, has
met with President Bola
Tinubu at the Presidential
Villa, Abuja, telling him to
look into the bombing of 37
herdsmen sometime ago in
Nasarawa State.
Recall that in January the
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breed-
ers Association of Nigeria
(MACBAN) had accused the
Air Force of killing its mem-
bers in the Rukubi community
of Doma Local Government
Area of the state.
Speaking to reporters after
a meeting with Tinubu on
Thursday evening, the former
governor of the Central Bank
Court sets aside order sacking IGP
A Federal High Court in
Awka, Anambra State, has
set aside its sack order on
the Inspector-General of Po-
lice, Mr Usman Alkali Baba.
The court upheld the
right of Alkali to fair hear-
ing as enshrined in Section
36 of the 1999 Constitu-
tion which was not con-
sidered by the plaintiff in
his application.
It said it was convinced
by the depositions of the
court’s bailiff that the IGP
was not served the originat-
ing summons.
Justice Fatun Riman re-
versed the court’s earlier
ruling following an applic-
ation by the IGP’s counsel,
Abdullahi Abdulhakeem
Ago, against a previous rul-
ing in favour of the plaintiff,
commenced a preliminary
investigation and arrested
the two suspects, one Nuhu
Mohammed, aged 26, and
22-year-old Sani Usman
both of Izon town at a tea
joint in Izom on Tuesday, 6
June, 2023.
The bulletin noted that
during interrogation, Nuhu,
who was a tenant in the
same residence, confessed
that in the early hours of
the day, there was an alter-
cation between him and the
Nigerian Tribune
Okon Okon Effiong.
Others are; CP Echeng
Eworo Echeng; CP Susan Uk-
panukiema Horsfall; CP Bankole
Lanre Sikiru; CP Oladimeji Yomi
Olarewaju; CP Sani Gwarzo
and CP Odama Paul Ojeka.
According to it, “the 22
Deputy Commissioners of
Police promoted to the rank
of Commissioners are; DCP
Abibo Deinma Reuben; DCP
Thomas Abraham Nabhoni;
DCP Wakil Abdul Salamai;
DCP Enyinnaya Inonachi; DCP
Ronke Nurat Okunade; DCP
Adekunle Ismail Olusokan;
DCP Hassan Abdu Yabnet;
DCP Festus Chinedu Oko; DCP
Aminu Baba Raji; DCP Omol-
of Nigeria (CBN) said that one
of the issues he discussed
with him was the bombing
and the need for it not to be
swept under the carpet.
He said: “I’m concerned
with the issue of herdsmen -
farmer clashes. He (President
Tinubu) is also concerned.
And we discussed steps that
need to be taken to begin to
look at some of those issues.
“But in particular, I came to
appeal to him on the case of
the 37 herdsmen who were
bombed by the airforce in
Nasarawa state a few months
ago which we wrote a letter
to President Buhari on.
“And we have now written
a reminder because it was a
matter we didn’t want to be
Okechukwu Nwafor.
The court had, on May
19, 2023, declared that the
Inspector-General of Police,
Usman Alkali Baba, is an il-
legal occupant of the office
of the IGP.
Justice Riman, who gave
the order, insisted that
Baba’s continued stay in
office was against the pro-
visions of the Police Act,
2020. The judge said it is
“unlawful and unconstitu-
tional”.
The court made the or-
der in its judgment in a
suit marked FHC/AKW/
CS/58/2023, filed by
Okechukwu Nwafor, who
claimed to be a taxpayer.
But the IGP went back to
the court and asked the to
set aside the judgment be-
deceased’s mother about
her missing sum of N90,000
as he (Nuhu Mohammed)
was accused of stealing the
money.
The first suspect was said
to have claimed that the
accusation got him angry,
after which he invited his
friend, Sani Uman, to the
house and attacked the
daughter (the deceased)
immediately after the girl
returned from school.
The suspect was said to
tribuneonlineng
ara Ibidun Oluntola; DCP
Akoh Benedict Gabriel; DCP
Alamutu Abiodun Mustapha;
DCP Bafda Magaji Jahun, DCP
Ahmadu Tijani Abdullahi; and
DCP Mohamned Mu’azu;
Others are, DCP Bretet Em-
manuel Simon; DCP Ihebom
M Chukuma; DCP Shettima
Mohamned Qurtu; DCP Ola-
tokunbo Maxwell Olabisi;
DCP Yusuf Mohammed
Lawal; DCP Monica Leo and
DCP Abaniwonda Surajudeen
Olufemi.
It added that the com-
mission also approved the
promotion of 24 Assistant
Commissioners of Police to
the next rank of Deputy Com-
swept under the carpet. The
President has asked me to
send him that letter and I’m
sure that he will look into the
matter.”
MACBAN President, Baba
Ngelzarma, had alleged that
the herders, numbering
about were killed by operat-
ives of the Nigerian Air Force
Base in Makurdi, Benue State.
According to him, they
were returning from Mak-
urdi, the Benue State capital,
where they went to retrieve
over 1,000 cows seized by the
Benue Livestock Guards.
The former royal father said
he was also in the Villa to
commend the President for
solving, once and for all, the
double hedged menaces of
cause the subject matter
had been determined by
another Federal High Court
presided over by Justice J.K.
Omotosho in suit FHC/ABJ/
CS/31/2023.
The police chief also asked
the court to quash its judg-
ment due to non-service of
the originating processes on
him.
The court, in its ruling, up-
held the arguments of the
Inspector-General of Police
in a 17-page ruling on June
15, 2023.
Justice Riman said a court
could reverse its judgment
where there was a funda-
mental error.
The judge said: “The law is
settled that any court of re-
cord, including the Supreme
Court, has the inherent jur-
have confessed further that
the girl was injured in the
head and strangulated to
death by him and his part-
ner in crime.
Nuhu further said that
they immediately left the
scene, locked the entrance
gate to the house from
outside and went away un-
til when the mother came
back from the market and
the crime was discovered.
It was further learnt that in
the course of investigation,
17 JUNE, 2023
missioners.
“They include, ACP Ezekiel
Ibrahim, Project Monitoring
Unit, Force Headquarters,
Abuja; Mohammed Sham-
sudeen, Assistant Director,
OPS, Kaduna (NCCSALW);
ACP Khan Salihu Usman,
Networking Admin ICT FHQ,
Abuja; ACP Wan Mantu
Chongs, Commander PMF
19 Portharcourt; Baba Lawan
Audu, Area Commander, Ex-
eter Akwa-Ibom State Com-
mand; Okon Etim Asuquo,
Department of Operations,
Benue State Command and
Louis Chike Nwabuwa, De-
partment of Operations, Plat-
eau State Command.
fuel subsidy and multiple ex-
change rate regimes
Sanusi added: “The first
reason was to come and con-
gratulate him formally, but
also because I wear many
caps, I wear the cap of an eco-
nomist so I came to thank him
for the steps he has taken to
put this economy on course.
“As you know many of the
issues that we’ve talking
about; the subsidy that has
cause a hemorrhage on the
fiscal’s, the multiple exchange
rates regime and on. These
are issues that I have person-
ally been talking about for a
long time and I’m happy that
on his very first day, he has
addressed these issues and
the markets are happy.”
isdiction to set aside its own
judgment given in any pro-
ceeding in which there must
have been a fundamental
defect such as one which
goes to the issue of jurisdic-
tion and competence of the
court.
“Such a judgment is a
nullity. A person affected
by it, is therefore, entitled
ex-debito justicae to have it
set aside. The court can set
it aside suo motu and the
person affected may apply
by motion and not neces-
sarily by way of appeal. A
judgment or order which is
a nullity owing to failure to
comply with an essential
provision such as service of
process can be set aside by
the court which gave it or
made the order.”
a search was conducted and
the following exhibits were
recovered: six knives, two
cutlasses, a digger, a blood-
stained shirt belonging to
Nuhu and some other pieces
of clothes.
The police spokesman dis-
closed that the suspects had
been transferred to the State
Criminal Investigation De-
partment (SCID), Minna, for
further investigation, after
which they will be prosec-
uted.
 SATURDAY TRIBUNE

7 www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023

HUMAN Street ith Kangmwa Gofwen | 08057002359 gofwenjoy@gmail.com | IG:@gofwenjoy

‘Most rich people in the north don’t

care about us, the poor’
•‘We hustle in the south and send money home to feed our family’

O
By Kangmwa Gofwen

N May 29, this year in his inaugural speech, Pres-

ident Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel
subsidy. Ever since, a lot of things have changed
and life has not been the same for many people.
For Umar Shehu, a fruits seller at a popular junc-
tion in Ibadan, Oyo State, since the subsidy was removed, the
market has become “unbearable” because of the high costs of
goods in the market.
Shehu said he and others from the North came to Ibadan in
search of greener pastures but they face many challenges down
South, including from task forces that enforce environmental
laws.
“Our greatest challenge is how the market is becoming
unbearable with the increased costs of goods because of the
high cost of petrol. The subsidy removal has really affected our
businesses because everything is now expensive.
“The market we go to buy our stock is far, we get these fruits
from Oje or Bodija market and for a distance that we used to
pay N200 as transport, we now pay N500 or more and those
who brought the fruits to the market have also increased the
prices as well,” he told Saturday Tribune in an interview during
the week.
Shehu said he settled for the fruits business out of the many
he tried because it was easy to manage and he is working
towards returning to his home state to continue his education
after saving.
“I chose this business because I felt this is better to manage
among other businesses I tried but I am praying and working
towards saving for my education. I will like to go back to Kebbi
and continue my education in the future. I’m just doing this to
support myself and my family.”
He said he was inspired to go back to school because life is
easier when you are educated and you would interact differ-
ently with people whether business partners or friends. He said
his friends and relatives that went to school are doing well for
themselves back home.
“When you are educated, you would know how to interact the time. We don’t know what to do, even when we plead with collect money from us. We pay N100 every day; every person
with people and your life becomes easier. Because of education, them, they don’t listen to us and that is a big problem for any you see here pays that daily N100 but our issue is not the money
you live in peace with everybody around you. Like, if a customer business because one has to be stable in a place in order to be but the place to generate that money is our challenge,” he said.
approaches me rudely, I’ll be able to respond calmly not in an able to make reasonable sales.” The Kebbi man said he had been in the fruits business for six
apprehensive manner and we will part in peace. “So now, we are pleading with this government to come to years in the same area and they cleaned the environment after
“And like I said earlier, being uneducated is worst for us here our defense so that we can do our business because some of every close of business while adding that people look down on
because we speak Hausa. Back home, life is easier when you us have families in the north and it is from what we make here the once they know they are Hausa not minding if they were
are educated. Like my friends and cousins that were able to that we send something home for them to feed. I don’t know literates or not.
go to school, some of them now work with the government, if it is government that is bothering us or individuals. “I have been doing this business for six years and I have been
companies, banks and organisations. They are doing well, God “But most times it is some people wearing uniform with ‘Ul- paying the daily fees since I started selling here. It used to be
is helping them and through that, they take care of their parents tima’ inscription that comes to disturb us. When they come, N50 before it was increased to the current amount we pay. And
and family. So that is why I want to go back to school. they push our goods while we run helter-skelter. And when at the end of each business day, we put together N50 each to
“You’d have many problems with your business partners and they chase us, they don’t allocate another position for us to be pay for cleaning this place; there is no day that we leave this
even friends when you are not educated and that has been why able to make our sales they just ask us to leave and again, they place dirty after the close of the day’s business.
I really desire to go back to school,” he told Saturday Tribune. “We don’t know if we pay those charges because we are
He said he couldn’t further his education because of his Hausa or not. People look down on us, they don’t care whether
father’s incapacity to see him through and he also lacked sup- we are educated or not. Once we speak Hausa they don’t
port from people around him in Kebbi. respect us anymore. I am not an illiterate, at least I went to
“My father was not buoyant enough to send me to school. secondary school,” he added.
I tried my best to raise money to further my education but I Regardless of the many challenges that came Shehu’s way,
couldn’t raise enough money. I sought for support from people he is determined to achieve his aim of moving far from home.
but you know most rich people in the north don’t care about
us the poor and that was how I stopped schooling.
When you are educated, you “We have many unforgettable experiences here, some
people will come to buy fruits and will refuse to pay and will
“So, I look for other things to do and that was how I found would know how to interact dare us to a fight but because we are here for business, we
myself here. If I had gone to school, I wouldn’t be here. I would
have been working or doing a better business at home that with people and your life would just let it go. Some will say they had given us money
even when they did not and will insist on collecting the fruits
would be able to take care of myself, my family and friends.”
He pleaded with the government to allow them carry out
becomes easier. Because of but we leave all that to God because if we decide to react they
would scatter our goods.
their business where they are or allocate a suitable location
for them around the area.
education, you live in peace “So, whenever we sense any trouble, we are quick to pack
“We came here from the north in search of greener pastures with everybody around you. our things and leave at once. Someone that came this far for
business would have to live in peace with everyone in other
but wherever we set up our businesses, people who claim to to achieve his aim.”
be government task forces do not allow us, they chase us all

9 www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune
Ask the doctor
My sensitive teeth
I have been finding it diffi- the roots of your teeth are
cult to drink hot or very cold left unprotected and there-
beverages for the past two fore your nerves are strongly
months. Kindly let me know affected.If you find it very
what I can do about this. difficult to drink very hot or
Okafor (by SMS) very cold beverages and bite
into hard food, you should
Similar to gum indentation, consult your doctor. You
teeth can become sensi- should also start brushing
tive when the enamel is re- your teeth more calmly and
moved. It is simply because gently.
What is ulcer?
PLEASE, I want to know about Ul- to the development of stomach ul-
cer, its causes, cure, diagnosis and cers include: Medications such as
prevention. aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen
Kayode(by SMS) sodium can irritate the stomach lin-
ing and increase the risk of develop-
The commonest form of Ulcer is ing ulcers. Some individuals natu-
the stomach ulcer, also known as a rally produce more stomach acid
gastric ulcer. It is a painful sore that than others, which can increase
forms on the lining of the stomach. the likelihood of developing ulcers.
It is a type of peptic ulcer, which
refers to ulcers that occur in the
Smoking interferes with the protec-
tive mechanisms of the stomach
stomach or the upper part of the lining, making it more susceptible
small intestine, called the duode- to damage. Alcohol can irritate the
num. Stomach ulcers are a common stomach lining and increase acid
medical condition that can cause production, contributing to the
discomfort and various symptoms. formation of ulcers. While stress
In this article, we will explore the does not directly cause ulcers, it can
causes, symptoms, and effective worsen the symptoms and delay
ways to treat stomach ulcers. Stom- the healing process. Stomach ulcers
ach ulcers are primarily caused by can cause various symptoms, which
an imbalance between stomach may vary in intensity and duration.
acid and the protective lining of the Common symptoms of stomach ul-
stomach. The most common cause cers include; The most prominent
is the infection of the stomach lin- symptom of a stomach ulcer is a
ing with a bacterium called Helico- burning or gnawing pain in the up-
bacter pylori (H. pylori). This bacte- per abdomen. This pain can occur
rium weakens the protective mucus anywhere between the navel and
layer of the stomach, allowing acid the breastbone. Many individu-
to damage the underlying tissues. als with stomach ulcers experience
Other factors that can contribute indigestion, including bloating,
Dark circles under my eyes
I am a 45 -year old lady. My prob- This can give rise to puffiness and
lem is that I have dark circles under dark circles. Allergic reactions can
my eyes. Kindly let me know what to also trigger itching and rubbing of
do about them. the eyes, which can worsen the dis-
Glory (by SMS) coloration. Excessive sun exposure
without adequate protection can
Dark circles under the eyes can be stimulate the production of mela-
a frustrating cosmetic concern for nin, the pigment responsible for
many individuals. These stubborn skin color. When the skin under the
discolorations can make you look eyes is exposed to harmful UV rays,
tired, older, and less vibrant. While it can darken and create the ap-
there are numerous creams and pearance of dark circles.Unhealthy
remedies available on the market, lifestyle choices, such as excessive
it’s important to address the root alcohol consumption, smoking, and
cause of dark circles to achieve long- a poor diet, can contribute to the
lasting results. One of the primary development of dark circles. These
culprits behind dark circles is insuf- habits can cause dehydration, skin
ficient sleep. When you don’t get inflammation, and nutrient defi-
enough rest, blood vessels under ciencies, all of which can affect the
the eyes can dilate, leading to a blu- appearance of the under-eye area.
ish tint. The skin in this delicate area Treatment will be to identify and
is thinner, which makes the discol- avoid any of the above challenges.
oration more noticeable.Genetics Fixing the root cause of dark circles
and the natural aging process can under the eyes involves a holistic
also contribute to the development approach that addresses various fac-
of dark circles. Some individuals tors such as sleep, allergies, lifestyle
are genetically predisposed to hav- choices, and skincare. By prioritizing
ing thinner skin under their eyes, quality sleep, protecting your skin
which can expose the underlying from the sun, addressing allergies,
blood vessels and result in a dark and adopting a healthy lifestyle, you
appearance. As you age, collagen can significantly improve the appear-
and fat loss can further exacerbate ance of dark circles. Additionally,
this issue. Seasonal allergies and incorporating skincare routines, try-
nasal congestion can cause blood ing natural remedies, and consider-
vessels to dilate and lead to the ac- ing cosmetic treatments can further
cumulation of fluid under the eyes. enhance your results.
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
@nigeriantribune
belching, and feelings of fullness.
Stomach ulcers can be treated using
a combination of medications, life-
style modifications, and, in severe
cases, surgical intervention.
Certain lifestyle modifications can
help in managing stomach ulcers
and preventing their recurrence.
Avoiding spicy, acidic, and fatty
foods can help reduce the irrita-
tion of the stomach lining. Includ-
ing more fruits, vegetables, whole
grains, and lean proteins in the diet
is beneficial for promoting healing.
Alcohol and caffeine can irritate the
stomach lining and increase acid
production. It is advisable to limit or
avoid their consumption to prevent
worsening of symptoms. Smoking
interferes with the healing process
of stomach ulcers and increases
the risk of complications. Quitting
smoking is essential for promoting
ulcer healing and overall health.
Although stress does not directly
cause stomach ulcers, but it can ex-
acerbate symptoms and delay heal-
ing. Engaging in stress-reducing ac-
tivities such as exercise, meditation,
and hobbies can be beneficial.
How to get rid of my stretch marks
I am a 30-year mother of two. I have
some ugly stretch marks on my ab-
domen and thighs. Kindly let me
know how to get rid of them
Faith (by SMS)
Stretch marks that look like white
and purple scars affect almost 90%
of women after pregnancy. They
can also appear in men and ado-
lescents. Stretch marks are seen as
a problem and everyone wants to
get rid of them. Stretch marks, also
known as striae, occur when the skin
is pulled by rapid growth or stretch-
ing. This is also the reason why scars
can form. They affect not only wom-
en after pregnancy, but also teenag-
ers that suddenly grew up during
the summer, athletes who are very
physically active, bodybuilders who
gain and lose weight, people taking
steroids, people who’ve lost weight
rapidly, people who’ve gained
weight rapidly, people who’ve un-
dergone breast enlargement sur-
gery, people with thin skin, people
who have a genetic predisposition,
people with hormonal failure. Treat-
ment include a balanced diet which
contain all the necessary vitamins
and elements. Most of them influ-
ence the heel and the elasticity of
the skin. Also, drinking lots of wa-
ter is good because the elasticity of
the skin depends on the amount of
Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng
With Dr. Wale Okediran
+234 8035 765 553 (sms only) | waleokediran@yahoo.co.uk
How to protect my liver
I am a 35-year old civil servant. One
of my friends was recently diag-
nosed with a Liver problem. I want
to know the kinds of foods I should
take to protect my Liver.
Kazeem (by SMS)
Our liver is a vital organ responsi-
ble for several essential functions in
our body. From processing nutrients
to detoxifying harmful substances,
it plays a crucial role in maintaining
overall health. However, certain di-
etary choices can have a detrimen-
tal impact on liver health. In this
article, we will explore seven foods
that can negatively affect your liv-
er and discuss the importance of
adopting a liver-friendly diet.Before
delving into the foods that harm the
liver, it’s important to understand
the liver’s role in our body. The liv-
er is the largest internal organ and
performs various functions, includ-
My nagging headache
I am tired of taking drugs for my
nagging headache. Kindly let me
know what else I can do to cure it.
Promise (by SMS)
Headaches happen. The good
news is that there are several sim-
ple things you can do to relieve pain
without having to go to the doctor
or pharmacy. Try these tips and
start feeling better fast. If you have
a migraine, put a cold pack on your
forehead. Ice cubes wrapped in a
towel, a bag of frozen peas, or even
a cold bath can ease the pain. Keep
the compress on your head for 15
minutes and then take a 15 minute
break. If you have a tension head-
moisture it contains. It is also im-
portant to watch your weight. Don’t
lose or gain weight too fast.If you
don’t have scars, lotions, oils, and
creams work well. If you apply them
during a massage, your skin will be
more elastic, elastic, and healthy.
Laser therapy is one of the newest
and most effective methods against
stretch marks. Microdermabrasion
devices, such as lasers, remove the
skin and affect the deeper layers.
Sometimes the procedure is done
under general anesthesia. As for the
advantages, it is not that expensive
and there is little chance of having
an adverse reaction.Sometimes
people turn to this method to re-
move damaged skin and replace it
with healthier skin. These opera-
tions are quite expensive and take
much longer to recover, up to 8
months in some cases.
17 JUNE, 2023
ing metabolizing nutrients, filtering
toxins from the blood, producing
bile for digestion, and storing vita-
mins and minerals.Maintaining a
liver-friendly diet is crucial for pro-
moting optimal liver health and
preventing liver diseases. By mak-
ing mindful food choices, you can
reduce the risk of liver damage
and support its proper function-
ing. A liver-friendly diet focuses
on consuming nutrient-rich foods
while minimising the intake of
foods that burden the liver. These
include, leafy greens such as spin-
ach, fatty fish like salmon, mack-
erel, and sardines, Nuts and seeds
like walnuts, and fiber that promote
liver health. In addition, Olive oil,
especially extra virgin olive oil and
green tea is known for its high an-
tioxidant content, which helps pro-
tect the liver from damage and sup-
ports its overall health.
ache, place a heating pad on your
neck or the back of your head. If you
have a sinus headache, put a warm
washcloth over the painful area. A
hot bath can also solve the prob-
lem. If your ponytail is too tight, it
can cause a headache. These “ex-
ternal compression headaches”
can also be caused by wearing a
cap, bandana, or even tight-fitting
swimming goggles. In one study,
women who let their hair down saw
their headaches go away. Bright or
flashing lights, even on a computer
screen, can cause migraines. If you
are prone to them, cover your win-
dows with blackout curtains during
the day.
Wear sunglasses outdoors. You
can also add anti-glare screens to
your computer and use daylight
spectrum fluorescent lamps in your
accessories. Avoid crunchy and
sticky foods and be sure to take
small bites. If you grind your teeth
at night, ask your dentist about a
mouthguard. This can reduce your
morning headaches. Have some
tea, coffee, or something with a
little caffeine. Just don’t drink too
much, because caffeine withdrawal
can cause its own kind of headache.
Whether it’s stretching, yoga, medi-
tation, or progressive muscle relax-
ation, learning to relax when you
have a headache can help with the
pain.You can do it yourself. A few
minutes of massaging the neck and
temples can help relieve tension
headaches, which can result from
stress.And be sure to talk to your
doctor about headache symptoms
that you shouldn’t try to treat at
home.

10 www.tribuneonlineng.com
LIfe Creeks
With one wife, two concubines, 11 children,
vulcanizer says ‘I need help’
O
Ebenezer Adurokiya | Warri
N a Sunday morning when the
Christian faithful were trooping
out to their various worship cen-
tres, Peter (Amayo) was at a spot
where he does his vulcanizing job.
He is christened Peter but he does not go to
church. Faith and piety towards God reside in
the heart, he claims. “I have no money to drop
as offering. I don’t have money to give them.
That is why I am in my ‘office’ to try and earn
a living for the day,” Amayo said.
Amayo, as he is fondly called, is a ubiquitous
vulcanizer in streets across the Warri South
Local Government Area of Delta State. His
present spot, after operating at Robert Road
and Okere Road for some years, is Ginuwa
Junction, Warri-Sapele Road.
Dark-complexioned and of some average
height, the father-of-eleven is gradually age-
ing and losing hope of achieving his dreams,
one of which is educating his last two male
children who have consistently drummed
into his ears their ambitions to be a doctor
and a lawyer. According to him, the boys,
Efosa, 9, and Destiny, 7, are intelligent and
such brains must not be allowed to rot. But
how will he bring the children’s dreams to
fruition with his meager daily earnings from
vulcanizing?
“I am doing everything within my power to
make sure that my children succeed, espe-
cially in their education. The two youngest
boys in my family have said they wanted
to be a doctor and a lawyer, and I will do
everything to make sure their dreams come
true,” he vowed.
Amayo didn’t start out to be in the lowest
rung of the social ladder. He had dreams, lofty
ones, but fate had something else in store
for him. In his early days after finishing from
popular Urhobo College in 1973, he decided
to learn a skill. Then, Warri was the hub of the
manufacturing industry. The moribund Delta
Steel Company (DSC), Aladja, was where he
learnt how to operate cranes and do welding
and vulcanizing.
“I have been doing this job for more than
40 years. I started in 1974. I learnt the job at
Julius Berger, Aladja Steel Plant for four years.
I didn’t pay for the training, but instead, they
were paying me because I was working in their
workshop at that time. I left in 1978 because it
was a contract work. After that, I opened my
own vulcanizing spot at Robert Road, spent
three years there, went to Okere Road and so
on,” he told Saturday Tribune.
Before he left Delta Steel Company, he had
had relationships that birthed him nine chil-
dren. According to him, he had it relatively
rossy then, as Warri was booming with wealth
and economic activities. The two youngest
kids are from two concubines. His oldest child,
he said, is based abroad. “I have one wife, two
concubines and 11 children. The oldest one is
out of the country,” Amayo noted, adding that the
boy abroad gives him handouts once in a while.
“I hail from Uhunmwonde Local Government
Area of Edo State. The headquarters of the lo-
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune
W ith Ebenezer Adurokiya | 08057002359
Because I don’t have a
workshop with a roof to shield
me from rain or sun, I always
look for a shade to wait out the
rain or scorching sun. If it is
raining and there is a customer,
one must enter the rain to do
the job, because, if you don’t,
that means you are not ready to
eat that day.
Nigerian Tribune
ebenezeradurokiya@yahoo.com
especially in Warri, is to learn a trade so that they can be
independent in their old age. If you can’t go to school, it is
advisable to learn a craft. No matter how unfulfilled I may
appear, I don’t beg before I can eat.”
tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023
cal government is Ehor. I was born to an
Itsekiri mother in Warri in 1955. I have 12
siblings,” he said.
As an artisan, Saturday Tribune sought to
know if he had added value or trained others
in the trade he plies. This is relevant owing to
the fact that except for young girls appren-
ticing in occupations like confectionery and
tailoring, young boys are hardly interested
in learning a trade even when they have
dropped out of school.
Responding, Amayo said: “I have trained
two persons since I learnt the work, but I
have not trained any other since those two
left because Warri boys don’t like learning a
trade. What they like doing is Yahoo Yahoo
or pilfering and sometimes, for some of the
girls, following men because that is where
quick money is.”
With the dream of owning a house, what
are his daily earnings like, especially amid the
ongoing economic hardship in the country?
He said: “There is money in the trade some-
times. For instance, recently, the daily money
I went home with was just N500 because
there were not many cutomers. But if there
is work, on a good day, I go home with N3,00
or N4,000.
“I don’t have a house but I hope to build
one. How? I can’t tell. I did crane operating,
but I can’t do it again because of age. I can
also do welding, but in welding, when you
get to a particular age, you have to stop, else
your eyes are gone.”
Amayo’s workshop, which is a ‘rented’
open spot at a setback of an ancient house
managed by a retired professor, is a bare
ground which also serves as a footpath. The
traders, who are indigent folks like Amayo,
plying their menial trade on the government
setback, cough up, at least, N10,000 per
annum to the professor whose late parents
actually owned the house. In a bid to eke a
living for his two boys and himself, Amayo
endures clement and inclement weathers,
yearly, in the sun and in the rain.
“Because I don’t have a workshop with a
roof to shield me from rain or sun, I always
look for a shade to wait out the rain or
scorching sun. If it is raining and there is a
customer, one must enter the rain to do the
job, because, if you don’t, that means you are
not ready to eat that day,” he stated.
Speaking on his ugly moments in life, the
68-year-old said: “One of the few challenges
I have passed through is a sickness, and that
was malaria and typhoid fever. It was so seri-
ous that I had to stay at home for months.
I suffered hunger during those trying times
but I survived.
“I would like some assistance in acquiring
a shop where I can be selling tubes and
tyres in addition to doing my vulcanizing
job,” he pleaded.
Amayo, however, dropped a piece of advice
to Nigerian youths: “My advice to young guys,

11 www.tribuneonlineng.com
Women, Wealth & Wills
With Omolara Garuba, LLB., BL. | 07056676746 | talktolaragaruba@gmail.com
Financial games couples play (2)
A
FTER a year, Adetutu applied to an International
art gallery to enable her to showcase some of
her work. She was picked among 50 applicants.
She did not say a word of it to Emeka, she told
Emeka she was traveling to Lagos to visit her
elder sister who was sick and would be staying with her for
2 weeks. Unknown to Emeka that Adetutu was going to an
International Exhibition in Lagos.
Adetutu’s work of art stood out among the other exhibi-
tors, earning her widespread recognition. The media and
paparazzi hounded her relentlessly, bombarding her with
requests for social media, television, and radio interviews.
Reluctantly, she agreed to most of them, always mindful
of the possibility that her husband might stumble upon her
interviews.
As the interviews continued, Adetutu began strategizing
with her sister about the narrative she would share with
her husband. Concerned for her sister, Adetutu’s sister
had already taken the initiative to send numerous selfies
of the two of them together at the gallery to Adetutu’s
husband.
When Emeka received the pictures on his WhatsApp, he
dismissed them, thinking that Adetutu and her sister were
simply having fun. Unknown to him, the images were part
of a bigger story.
Emeka’s phone rang, interrupting his thoughts, and he saw
that it was his old friend Tunde calling. “Are you in town,
bro?” Tunde asked. He had heard about the art gallery ex-
Windows
Demolishing Abba Yusuf
THE Kano State governor, Mr. Abba Kabir Yusuf, is having
himself a ball at the moment undoing virtually everything his
predecessor, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, did. In the early hours
of Wednesday this week, Mr. Yusuf brought down the N160
million roundabout built by Ganduje in 2017 and located
close to the Kano Government House. Apparently, Mr. Yu-
suf, an engineer, didn’t want to leave anything to chance;
he just had to be there to engineer the destruction. Prior
to the Wednesday episode, His Excellency had demolished
shops built by the fence of the Sani Abacha Stadium at Kofar
Mata, GSS Kofar Nasarawa and buildings by GGSS Dukawuya,
Goron Dutse. Three people were rescued critically injured
and a body was found buried under the rubble of Daula
Hotel, a structure that Yusuf yanked off in his bid to bring
“sanity” to the city.”
The outrage that followed Yusuf’s wayward Wednesday
was severe, and so the Secretary to the State Government,
Abdullahi Baffa, cocked his gun. The monument, he averred,
was pulled down because it carried a Christian symbol. Hear
him: “The design in the roundabout is blocking road users’
front view because of its size. Secondly, if you use a drone
shot of the aerial view of the monument (sic), you will see
a sign of a cross and in Kano we are 99.9 per cent if not 100
per cent Muslims (and) you cannot put a cross sign in the
front of a Government House.”
Actually, Yusuf’s vendetta did not begin on May 29. Prior
to his inauguration, he had invented the illegal Office of the
Governor-Elect and threatened fire and brimstone. And on
May 29, with the dictator installed in the office he could not
wait to occupy, darkness descended upon Kano in the form
of a red cap capping off buffoonery.
If, per the literary critic Benedict Ibitokun, all criticism is
self-criticism, then Yusuf’s demolition jamboree is nothing
but the demolition of himself, the unmasking of his troubled
persona. Yusuf exults in his erosion of Ganduje’s influence,
but it is his image that he is really destroying in the eyes of
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune
hibition and was curious if Emeka had attended.
“Town? How I go dey town? And I no go tell you? Me I dey
my village, going about my business,” Emeka replied.
“Bros, you no try o. How could you not support your
wife on this momentous occasion here in Lagos?” Tunde
questioned.
Out of 50 exhibitors from
Nigeria, Italy, the United
Kingdom, Turkey, Scotland,
and South Africa, Adetutu,
a native of Ondo State, had
been selected as one of
the top three exhibitors. Her
artwork, which depicted
African religion and heritage,
left everyone in awe.
With Abiodun Awolaja
08053030234
e-mail: awolajaa@yahoo.com
decent people. Mr. Yusuf does not fool me with his crusad-
ing rhetoric: I happen to have studied a bit of history and
literature and he strikes me as a dangerous and destructive
individual on a vendetta mission. And so, like General Sam
does in Achebe’s Anthills, he preaches a senseless sermon
about “the security of the state” while needlessly badmouth-
ing and destroying the projects of his predecessor in a state
where, going by electoral figures, the opposition is just as
plenteous as his Kwankwassiya horde. On assuming office,
Yusuf declared war on his predecessor knowing the proclivity
of political pirates to profit from chaos. The binary dichotomy
that Yusuf is trying to set up between Ganduje and himself
is false; you cannot persuade me that a man on a vendetta
mission has anything of value for anyone. Yusuf can rage and
rant all he wants; it changes nothing.
Nigeria’s political class is so crass. The moment an individual is
pronounced governor-elect, he starts seeing himself as the man
in charge, issuing proclamations and edicts. The real governor
cannot do anything else without his approval, or he will make a
great show of reversing the action(s) once in charge. If this ugly
trend continues, a governor is going to clamp a governor-elect
in jail very soon. This is a clime where a power-drunk governor
has just revoked the licence of a university owned by his state,
and where a governor personally drove a bulldozer and brought
down the residence of his political rival.Many of the country’s
governors act like drunken sailors.
It is clear that Yusuf has no sense of decency, and certainly
no sense of history. His project in his first days in office is to
destroy anything Ganduje. I suppose he will also uproot the
iconic bridges Ganduje built. Now, Ganduje was captured
on tape stuffing dollars in his robe and I do not hold him
aloft as a model of decency. But as a writer I always strive
to give Jack his jacket and I must declare that Ganduje had
great infrastructure projects. Yusuf, with his blind, tyranni-
cal, religiously insensitive and doctrinaire philosophy that
consists in mobilizing young, deprived citizens for elections
tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023
“I don’t understand you, Tunde. Have you been drinking
again? It’s just the afternoon. Momentous occasion? Where?
Who? When?” Emeka was bewildered.
Tunde sent him a screenshot of a news flash from a popu-
lar blog titled “Young Adetutu mesmerizes with her Art.”
Emeka’s phone slipped from his hands in disbelief. His heart
skipped a bit. This couldn’t be his Adetutu. He scrolled down
to read the full story.
Out of 50 exhibitors from Nigeria, Italy, the United Kingdom,
Turkey, Scotland, and South Africa, Adetutu, a native of Ondo
State, had been selected as one of the top three exhibitors.
Her artwork, which depicted African religion and heritage,
left everyone in awe. In no time, all her pieces were sold out,
impressing even the most influential figures.
Emeka couldn’t hold back his tears. He was still in shock,
struggling to believe what he had just read. Why had his
wife kept such a significant event and achievement a secret
from him? Questions raced through his mind, leaving him
feeling lost and helpless.
“Thank you, Tunde. I’ll call you back later,” Emeka managed
to utter before ending the call. He couldn’t focus on anything
for the rest of the day. He felt paralyzed, unsure whether to
reach out to Adetutu or send her the link to the news flash.
He sat there motionless, lost in his thoughts, contemplating
what this revelation meant for their relationship.
To be continued.
[Part 1 of this story was published last Saturday, refer to
part 1 for better understanding]
and parading red caps as the face of civilization, is going to
set Kano on fire in his blind rage.
Folks, these individuals are not leaders by any stretch of
the imagination. They do not care if the house collapses on
people as long as they can feed their depraved cravings. They
seek more power amid enormous power. They are adherents
of Arthur Nzeribe’s theory about the essence of politics being
the pursuit of power. Their mentality is warped, reflecting
their background of bigotry.
Here I have to laugh; what Abba thinks to be a sign of the
cross is not one at all. From the Cross perspective, it is a de-
sign that is so out of shape as to invite the strictest of censure.
But if the sign of the Cross, a tiny dot on the wall, was the
problem, then why not wipe it off instead of demolishing the
entire structure that cost a fortune to put up? And is Abba
suggesting that the Christians in Kano State, even if they are
only 10 in number, cannot have a representation in public
monuments? If so, why would anyone take issue with Nye-
som Wike describing Rivers State as a Christian state? Wike
is no more Christian than a hound, but the point is that he
shares the same destructive and despotic attributes as Abba.
It is time we let these charlatans know that it was time and
chance that gave them power: they are not more intelligent,
and certainly not more educated, than the rest of us. They
are mere products of Nigeria’s warped leadership recruit-
ment process, a fitting symbol of our national miasma. If
Nigeria of today had half the quality of a decent clime, most
of these guys would be nothing more than shoe-shiners and
hewers of wood. They are spectacularly incompetent, eerily
incoherent, ideologically vacuous and morally crippled. But
surrounded by wealth not backed up by a history of hard
work, a rich supply of women and wine, and fawning aides,
they talk like lunatics and act like demons. They demolish
houses to inflict pain on their opponents. Yusuf acts like his
predecessor was Lucifer and he is Kano’s Rescue Angel but
available evidence portrays him as a mistake.

12 17 JUNE, 2023
My husband is a womaniser, he married wife
number 7 shortly after me —Wife
•‘My wife aborted her pregnancy, deserted me after I set her up in business —Husband
A
By Toluwani Olamitoke
man, Yunisa Abdullahi has approached Grade A
Customary Court, Oja Oba, Mapo, Ibadan, praying
that it stopped his nine-year-old union with his wife,
Zainab Abdullahi, who he alleged was troublesome
and in the habit of fighting him all the time.
He also stated that his wife always accused him of wanting
to kill her.
Yunisa also accused Zainab of engaging in immoral act in the
presence of their nine years old child, which she now practiced.
According to Yunisa, Zainab deserted him after he set her up
in a lucrative business and also denied him access to their child.
The plaintiff pleaded with the court if his prayer was answered
to grant him custody of their only child so that he can give her
a good upbringing.
Zainab denied the allegations brought against her, but agreed
to divorce.
She also refused that her husband had custody of their child
stating that he neglected his responsibility towards her.
The defendant told the court that her husband was a woman-
iser and that he married his seventh wife while their child was
just three months old.
Zainab added that he was a brute, Yinusa always beat her any
time she turned down his request for money.
Zainab further stated that she once reported Yinusa to the po-
lice after he beat her blue black for refusing to give him money.
According to her, she moved out of his house when she could
no longer bear his maltreatment.
Yunisa in his evidence said, “I met my wife in 2014 and we
went into a relationship.
“I impregnated her while we were courting and she moved
into my house.
“Zainab to my surprise, went ahead to terminate the preg-
nancy without my knowledge.
“This caused a strain in our relationship, but we later made up.
“Her second pregnancy produced a female child who happens
to be the only child in our marriage.
“My lord, the more I tried to make our marriage work, the
more Zainab frustrated me, which resulted in the two of us
drifting apart.
“My wife is troublesome and was always seeking every op-
portunity to fight me.
“I hated and feared to return home after work, because I was
sure my wife was going to raise a trivial issue, which she would
ensure ended in a brawl.
“Our neighbours knew no peace because of my wife’s shame-
ful behaviour. We were always waking them up late in the night
with our fight.
“Zainab dented my image in our compound and neighbour-
hood because she never ceased to accuse me of wanting to kill
her, but she failed to prove her claim.
“I overlooked my wife’s shortcomings and went ahead to set
her up in a business which was quite lucrative.
“Zainab’s lot changed and she had said all she wanted.
“I returned from work one day and discovered that she had
packed her belongings and moved out of my house.
“Zainab through her indecent conduct exposes our child to
immorality.
“I requested that our child pay me visits some times, but
was surprised to notice a particular misconduct in her the few
times she came.
“My lord, I caught our daughter removed her pant and that of
her step sister and she went on to lie on her step sister.
“I caught them in this act thrice and I called my wife’s atten-
tion to it.
“Zainab stopped our daughter from paying me visits after this
and denied me access to our daughter.
“She keeps changing her school because she is always moving
from one house to another.
“My lord, it is obvious that there is no future in my relation-
ship with Zainab.
“I, therefore, appeal to this honourable court to dissolve
our union and grant me custody of our only child so that I can
inculcate in her the right values.”
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune
Court and Crime
Zainab in her testimony said: “I met my husband in 2014 and
he impregnated me while we were courting.
“I moved into his house as his sixth wife and then, my life
fell apart.
“I never enjoyed a moment of our marriage because he is
cruel and was always beating me.
“We fought throughout my pregnancy, but I was lucky to be
delivered of a healthy child.
“My husband impregnated another woman and married her
as his seventh wife while our child was only three months old.
“Yinusa constantly shirked his responsibility towards me and
our child. He neglected us.
“My husband has no shame. He was always demanding money
Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng
from me without doing a refund.
“Any day I turned down his request, he would come to my
shop and beat me to a pulp.
“I once got fed up with his maltreatment of me and reported
him to the police.
“I moved out of his house when I could no longer cope with
his rash dealing of me.
“My lord, I agree to divorce, but I beg the court to grant me
custody of our child whom he has neglected for long.
“He has refused to pay her school fees and carry out other
responsibilities as it is expected of him.”
The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, adjourned the case
after she had heard both parties.
‘My husband starves me, our child, spends his income on women’
By Toluwani Olamitoke
A woman, Opeyemi Ogundiran has told Grade A Customary
Court, Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, that she is no longer interested
in her marriage to her husband, Kunle Ogundiran, who she
stated was a drunk and womaniser.
According to the plaintiff, the defendant abandoned his duty
towards their only child and made her shoulder his respons-
ibilities.
Opeyemi entreated the court to grant her custody of their
child, and make her husband responsible for his upkeep.
Kunle was not in court despite being served court summonses.
Opeyemi said: “My lord, I am no longer interested in my
marriage to my husband. I want divorce.
“I moved into my husband’s house after he impregnated me.
“We did not hold a wedding ceremony, and no dowry was
paid on me.
“I began to understand my husband’s true nature shortly after
we got married.
“He starved me throughout the time, I was pregnant and
contributed nothing towards my ante natal care.
“It was my parents who came to my aid by providing me with
foodstuff and money.
“My husband proved to be more irresponsible after I put to
‘My ex-wife refused to leave my home, invited her family to beat me’
A 50-year-old man, Mukhtar Ibrahim has prayed a Shari’a court
sitting in Kaduna, Kaduna State to evict his ex-wife, Sa’adatu
Abdulhadi from his house.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the complain-
ant who made the prayer through his counsel, Jamilu Sulaiman
also prayed the court to confirm the third pronouncement of
divorce he gave to the defendant.
“I also want the custody of my four children because she lacks
I slept with my wife only 6 times, the child can’t be mine —Husband
•The child belongs to him —Wife
A 38-year-old man, Samaila Salisu, has denied paternity of the child
that his wife, Mary Ibrahim stated that she bore for him.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Samaila told the
Sharia Court in Magajin Gari, Kaduna, Kaduna State that: “I had
intercourse with her only six times since we got married in 2022.
“I was not aware of any pregnancy. I am just hearing the news
today. I am sure that the pregnancy through which this child was
delivered was not mine.
“I have witnesses that can testify that the pregnancy wasn’t mine
because she left our matrimonial home since August 2022,” he said.
In her defense, Mary, said the baby belonged to Samaila.
“We used to spend time together even after I left my matrimonial
home.
“My husband failed to keep his promise to take care of me. I wasn’t
My husband’s brother neglected me, failed to care for the 3 children I
•She can’t sue me for divorce, ’cos we only cohabited-Man
THE Livingstone local court in Zambia, has castigated a couple for
what it termed as incestuous affair after it was revealed that the
woman was in a sexual relationship with her former husband’s
brother.
According to Zambia Observer, Senior Local Court magistrate,
Frederick Mainza described Catharine Phiri and her lover, Joseph
Mwamba’s affair as shameful, inappropriate and culturally unac-
ceptable.
“You must end this relationship. It is inappropriate and a violation
of cultural norms. Do not engage in unconventional relationships
as there are consequences to this kind of behaviour,” the court
advised.
This was in a case in which Catherine, from Malala village, sued
Joseph, her former husband’s brother, for divorce.
Earlier, Catherine told the court that the couple had been on
separation for three years due to issues related to their uncon-
ventional relationship.
“Joseph and I have been living together as husband and wife
although he had not paid any dowry. Together we have three chil-
17 JUNE, 2023
21
bed. He was indifferent to my welfare and that of our child.
“I work round the clock to ensure that our child receives sound
education. I enrolled him in a good school and have been paying
his school fees from the outset of his training.
“My husband has not contributed a dime towards his training
in school. Neither did he deem it fit to check or monitor his
academic performance in school.
“All that my husband spends his time and income on are
women and alcohol.
“Kunle drinks himself to stupour almost every day while he
cannot do without women.
“He has chains of girlfriends whom he lavishes his income on
while he leaves me and our son eating from hand to mouth.
“The more I complain, the more indifferent he is to our plight.
“My lord, I am fed up living an impoverished lifestyle and have
decided to move on.
“I, therefore, plead that our marriage be stopped and the
custody of our child granted me.
“I pray the court to mandate my husband to be responsible
for our child’s upkeep, giving priority to his feeding, education
and medical service.”
The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, adjourned the case
till July 24.
good manners. She had once called her family to beat me up,
thus leaving me with injury and bruises.
“Right now, I am sacred of my life and I can’t sleep with my two
eyes closed since she had refused to leave the house”, he said.
The defendant was not in court but the court messenger
confirmed serving her the court sermon.
The judge, Malam Isiyaku Abdulrahman adjourned the case
till July 10.
comfortable in the village where he kept me.
“In the village my breakfast was pap without sugar and left over
food. At home, I take tea with milk and bread.
“I couldn’t cope in the village, ”she said.
Earlier, Salisu urged the court to interpret the position of his
marriage.
“She left my house and all efforts made that she might return
failed,” he said.
The judge, Malam Isiyaku Abdulrahman adjourned the matter
for the complainant to present witnesses testifying that his wife
cheated and got pregnant.
He warned that if the witnesses failed to convince the court, the
complainant would be punished for lying and defaming his wife.
dren. During the time of our separation, Joseph visited my home,
insulting and troubling my life,” she complained.
She also said that Joseph was not responsible and failed to
provide for their children.
But Joseph, who admitted cohabiting with Catherine, said she
should have sued his brother for divorce, not him, because the
two were not married.
“I am not the right person she has sued. She should have sued
my brother for divorce, not me, because we were not married, just
cohabiting. I have not paid any dowry on her,” he said.
But passing judgment, Senior Local Court magistrate, Frederick
Mainza warned the couple against engaging in unconventional
relationships.
The court empasised the importance of respecting cultural
norms and avoiding practices that may lead to social and legal
consequences.
“It is essential that individuals follow the established legal pro-
cedures when entering into marriage or relationships to avoid any
misunderstandings and legal repercussions, “the court advised.

13 www.tribuneonlineng.com
Interview
Land grabbing, ethnic cleansing, political penetration
responsible for Plateau attacks —Nwatiri
Militias terrorising parts of Plateau State have intensified their onslaught in recent times, killing more than 300 people within the space of three months. In
this interview by ISAAC SHOBAYO, the Chief Executive Officer, Emancipation Centre for Crisis Victims in Nigeria, who is also the National President, Berom
P
Youth Moulders (BYM), Mr. Solomon Dalyop Nwatiri, speaks on the attacks and other issues. Excerpts:
LATEAU State, specifically Plateau North and some
parts of Plateau Central, have been grappling with
attacks by Fulani militias for quite some time. What
is responsible for this?
The quest for land grabbing and ethnic cleansing are
responsible for this, as is the desire to have political penetra-
tion, among other factors. Why I said quest for land grabbing is
because that is what is in vogue among the elements behind the
attacks. In Plateau alone, we have not less than 102 communi-
ties and villages that have been sacked and are currently under
the occupation of the Fulani militias, who have infiltrated the
state long before now. Also, this can be linked to ethnic cleans-
ing, which is ravaging Plateau State today. People are being
killed without any justification, just as we witnessed in recent
times where over 200 people were killed in the Mangu Local
Government area of the state, coupled with the recent attack
in Riyom local government where over 20 people were killed.
It wasn’t a surprise attack because we got local intelligence that
the Fulani militias were coming to attack Rim, Jol, Kwi, Alle, and
other neighboring villages. It was reported to the appropriate
authorities. The attackers, however, struck a day after the in-
formation was released, and they came in large numbers. It is
an orchestrated plan to kill the people and scare the survivors
away from their lands. So land grabbing cannot be separated
from ethnic cleansing because once the people are uprooted,
the land belongs to them. It is unfortunate that this kind of
barbaric attack takes place in a country where there are laws
to regulate people’s activities. But it seems like a compromise,
or there is no political will to curtail the situation. Our belief
is that the new administration both at the state and federal
levels would rise to the occasion, but should things continue
like this, I can see communities, especially in Beron Land, going
into extinction.
What is the response of the government and the security
agencies to this menace of land grabbing?
Of course, the government’s response has always been that
they will look into it. Simon Lalong, who constituted a task force
on anti-land grabbing based on the provision of the anti-land
grabbing law of Plateau State, said that there will be a task
force that will look into the incidences of land grabbing, and
our expectation was that the government would then follow
through on its word with action by inaugurating the task force,
but it went on in silence. If the government had the willpower,
then the incidence of land grabbing would have been taken
care of. Even though the constitution provides that everyone
has the right to reside anywhere in the country. That is freedom
of movement. There is also a provision on how to acquire land,
but these militias have unfettered power as they arrogate land
to themselves without the consent and approval of the consti-
tuted authority. Only the government has the right to acquire
land compulsorily, and even at that, there must be adequate
compensation by the government. In this case, the militias are
not the government; they are elements that have connections
with ISWAP. Based on the intelligence gathered, most of these
attackers are from the north-east and north-west, and nothing
is being done to check their incursion into Plateau State. The
only solace that we have now is the assurance by the new state
and federal governments that the insecurity will be tackled,
believing that some positive will come out of their assurances;
otherwise, we may see a worse situation. The issue of the
government’s raising up to its constitutional mandate is what
we are looking forward to seeing, especially this government’s
marching words with action.
Based on the available information, the natives and the
Fulanis have been living together for a long time without any
problems. Where is the missing link in this situation?
The law is very explicit and express in terms of who is an of-
fender or who is a party to an offense. The fact that mercenaries
have been brought from outside the state is a serious concern
to us, the natives, and the question of who actually brought
them is a question to be answered. It was the Fulani that we
have hosted over time that brought these mercinaries for their
territorial expansion agenda. Despite the ones they have, they
still want to have more, and you can see by implication that
they want larger land so that political coloration will come into
this and they will begin to contest for political offices. But what
have they contributed to Plateau State other than terrorism?
Yet they are still saying they have contributed to the develop-
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune
ment of Plateau State. Already, they have taken over the source
of livelihood for the natives because, by grabbing those lands,
they have killed agriculture and as well renamed the places
they occupied. The people engaged in dry and rainy season
farming, so now that the Fulani have taken over, they have
taken over Shono and other places. If you go to Shono now, all
their plantains are being harvested by the Fulanis; in just one
week, one person can harvest two trucks’ worth of bananas.
Ever since their displacement in 2014, the Fulani have been the
ones harvesting those banana plantations.
The local Fulani are equally claiming that the natives are
the aggressors; there were instances where they accused the
natives of cattle rustling.
The allegation is to justify their killings, but they should know
that the Berom too had cows before now. They have rustled the
cows of people in Bachit. In Riyom District, the cows belonging
to the natives of Fan and other places rustled. They will always
hide under the guise of cattle rustling to unleash mayhem.
Cattle rustling is a criminal act that, once done, should be re-
ported to the authorities concerned, like the police and other
sister agencies. Why should cattle rustling justify mayhem and
acts of genocide against innocent people? Cattle rustling is just
a ploy. Once these people want to attack the natives, they will
always come up with false accusations. I want to correct one
impression: there is nothing like herders and farmers clashing;
this is another angle that the media needs to get right. This
might be the case in other places, but not in Plateau State.
What is happening in Plateau State is purely an act of terror-
ism, banditry, and other forms of criminality. The nature of the
The constitution provides
that everyone has the right
to reside anywhere in the
country. That is freedom of
movement. There is also a
provision on how to acquire
land, but these militias have
unfettered power as they
arrogate land to themselves
without the consent and
approval of the constituted
authority.
tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023
killings in Plateau State did not reflect this. The Fulani also farm;
why have they not been destroying their farms? Just yesterday,
they killed eleven people in Kwi. The night before this morning,
they destroyed almost all of the farmland. It was reported to
the security, but the security said they don’t know how to ap-
proach it because it is already night. I don’t blame them; they
are humans like any other. Even the security men are not safe
in the hands of the Fulani. We have a situation where some
people were arrested only to be taken to Abuja and returned
within the space of one week to continue with their nefarious
activities, which became more dreaded. If the natives are as
aggressive as they claim, they wouldn’t have accommodated
them in the first instance.
The immediate past administration claimed to have com-
menced what it called reconstruction of destroyed commu-
nities to enable those displaced to return to their ancestral
homes before the end of its administration. How many com-
munities have been resettled?
This is just a political statement; there is nothing like resettle-
ment and reconstruction for the IDPs. I did not see any efforts
on the part of the immediate past government to resettle any
group of people. What the former government did in 2020 was
that the IDPs of Ghashishi were said to have been resettled;
what was given to them were some bundles of roofing materials
and ten measures of grains for people who had lost everything
they had. After some days, the people left and returned to the
town, and the governor went to close down all the IDP camps
without anything. The question is: why will the government ask
them to return and to cohabit with those who have taken over
their houses? That is insensibility on the part of the government,
and this has further emboldened the terrorists to continue with
their onslaught against innocent people.
The previous government, on different occasions, had
brought both the natives and Fulani together for reconcilia-
tion, but shortly after, you see them returning to the trenches.
In your opinion, what is responsible for such a failure or
breakdown?
That purported reconciliation was just a cosmetic one, just to give
the impression that the government is on ground; the governor
was not on ground to manage the security situation in the state,
and the reconciliation was never monitored. In the real sense of
the word, there was no reconciliation; there is no way you will
reconcile somebody who is already armed; we are unarmed
people. You must disarm the armed person first, dislodge the
bad elements, and then bring them to the round table when they
are on equal footing. But when there is imbalance between two
parties, the reconciliation will be an encouragement to someone
who is already armed to continue, and at any given time he will
overrun you, and that is what we are witnessing today. Shortly
after the election, Plateau recorded about 400 deaths. There has
been no effort to resettle the IDPs since 2021. In 2018, when the
former Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, visited Plateau
State, there was a pledge of N10 billion for the reconstruction and
resettlement of the IDPs on the Plateau. Up until today, the money
has not been released. This is a lack of political will on the part of
the government, but we have seen the ongoing resettlement and
all the packages that the federal government is providing for the
people in the North-East, and we are being treated as if we are
not Nigerians. You can see the bias on the part of the government.
This bias suggests an encouragement to the militias and bandits
to continue their onslaught on the plateau.
What do you think the government can do to stop the attacks
on Plateau State communities and villages?
Mobile policemen should be deployed to the troubled parts of
Plateau State. During the administration of the former Governor
Jonah Jang, mobile policemen were deployed, and there was
relative peace. In their case, they swung into action. If there is a de-
ployment of mobile policemen, particularly in these crisis-affected
areas, I want to believe there will be an improvement. Presently,
Operation Safe Haven, Sector 6, is making remarkable efforts; it
deserves commendation, but there is still much to be done. I am
also appealing to the Federal Government to revisit the promise of
N10 billion to resettle the IDPs in the state because their number
is increasing. There are several situations where people have been
made IDPs several times because they are often attacked wherever
they run. Also, the locations of militias on the plateau should be
spotted, and they should be dislodged.
 SATURDAY TRIBUNE
14 www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023

Kids & Teens

With Aunty Yemi | 08056834515 | ojeleyeoyeyemi@yahoo.com

What we expect from President Tinubu, Govs —Children

On May 29, Nigeria’s new president and governors were sworn into office for a 4-year term. Not only adults have expectations from these new leaders, children are not
left out. Some pupils of ROSAFIELD PEACE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, Basorun, Ibadan, Oyo State, tell what they want from the new administrations in Nigeria.

O
Olajuwon Oladipo Adedamola Adeyemo Jesufirekunmi Kehinde Ireayomide Adelakun
LAJUWON
Oladipo, 10 yrs
old, basic
My expec-
tations are as
follows: security, decrease
in crime, and good educa-
tional system. My prayer
for the new regimes both at
federal and state levels, is
that God shall give the lead-
ers wisdom, knowledge and
understanding on all issues
and how to solve them. As
for the new president, his
reign should rain peace and
happiness for Nigerians. I
am expecting reduction in
the cost of food stuff in the
market. I also pray for Gov-
ernor Seyi Makinde of Oyo
State that God will give him
wisdom so that we can have
a more peaceful state.
Adedamola Adeyemo, 8
yrs old, basic 3
I pray that God will grant
the new president long life
and sound health. My state
governor has been kind, I
wish he continues to rule
us for the better. One of my
expectations is that kids in
this nation will enjoy good
education because we are
leaders of tomorrow. I want
a nation that is safe from
kidnapping, killing; a nation
where our roads will be free
to travel on without fear.
Jesufirekunmi Kehinde,
basic 5
My expectations from the
new regime are: security,
job creation, reduction in
cost of food. Now that we
have a new president in Ni-
geria, he should restore se-
curity so that there will no
longer be news of people
being kidnapped and killed.
Employment should also
be provided too for youths
and henceforth, the farmers
Moyinoluwa Afolayan
should be helped so that
there will be enough food
in the nation. I pray God
will grant him knowledge to
lead. My expectations from
our governor in his second
term is more good roads.
Ireayomide Adelakun, 10
yrs old, basic 5
Our new President should
please make this country
a good place to live in like
abroad. Other things I wish
we enjoy in the new admin-
istration are, good health
care services, a nation
where we will not hear of
fraud among the people in
government as we hear in
the news.
Moyinoluwa Afolayan, 9
yrs old, basic 4
I pray for our new presi-
dent that God will give him
wisdom and ability to lead
to make Nigeria great.
Adesewa Abdulkareem Nathaniel Olanrewaju
What amazes me about
Governor Seyi Makinde is
his intelligence which helps
him to do well. I like him
because he takes Oyo State
like his family. I believe he
will do well in this second
term.
Adesewa Abdulkareem,
10 yrs old, basic 4
Basic amenities should be
provided. Sometimes ago,
one of my cousins benefited
from the governor’s scholar-
ship so I expect more of such
for students in Oyo State.
Both the president and the
governor should please pro-
tect lives and properties.
Nathaniel Olanrewaju, 9
yrs old, basic 4
I heard that Bola Tinubu
was once Lagos State gover-
nor, so I feel he knows better
to lead this nation. My expec-
tations are improvement in
Ifeoluwa Mosobalaje
security, healthcare services
and removal of subsidy while
I pray that God will make him
live long, lead with wisdom
and good health throughout
his tenure. What I want from
Oyo State governor is good
jobs for the youths which will
not give room for them to
get involved in wrong things.
I like the Oyo State governor
because he is calm, truth-
ful, very caring and does not
keep things secret.
Ifeoluwa Mosobalaje, 8
yrs old, basic 3
My expectation from the
new president is to lead us
right so may God bless him
with wisdom to do this. In
addition, I expect that in
this new regime, Nigeria
will enjoy peace every-
where. Oyo State should
also continue to experience
peace and everything that
needs to be fixed should be
Semilore Ikpe Enoch Adedamola
given attention by Governor
Seyi Makinde.
Semilore Ikpe, 10 yrs old,
basic 5
I want constant power
supply everywhere in Nige-
ria, decrease in crime. I do
not wish for scarcity of fuel
and no more kidnapping.
May God give all newly
elected leaders wisdom,
knowledge and understand-
ing to rule us.
Enoch Adedamola, 8 yrs
old, basic 3
My desire is that prices
of food stuff will reduce, he
should show kindness to Ni-
gerians and I pray that God
will help him to make Nige-
ria a better country to live
in. The Oyo State governor
should continue to be good
to the citizens by providing
things that will make life
easy for them.

Mum & Child Edited by Kangmwa Gofwen

08057002359 | gofwenjoy@gmail.com

Why singing, chanting oriki, and storytelling are good for your baby —Experts

M
By Sade Oguntola
USIC, dancing, and playing instruments have
been an essential part of our culture for
a long time. From the moment babies are
born, parents sing to them to calm, appease
and engage them. Infant-directed singing fo-
cuses the infant’s attention, controls their level of arousal,
and eases their suffering.
What most people didn’t know until now is that aside
from the rhythm of songs and rhymes ensuring that moth-
ers feel more emotionally connected to their babies, sing-
ing to children from a young age has a significant impact on
their brain development.
In a recent study published in the Proceedings of the Na-
tional Academy of Sciences journal, researchers said sing-
ing to babies’ (lullabies) will improve their social interaction
across development, becoming detectable at two months
and more pronounced by six months.
Children are born with billions of brain cells, also known
as neurons. Over the first year of life, these neurons form
connections, and the more these connections are used, the
stronger they become. One of the ways to work out and
strengthen these connections is music.
In fact, songs with actions in them are especially good be-
cause babies can join in with them by moving their body
or doing the actions like clapping, or opening and closing
their hands, long before they can sing along. They gradu-
ally learn to do more complicated actions as they grow and
develop.
In the present study, researchers evaluated whether in-
fant-directed singing’s rhythm impacted infants’ visual at-
tention in 56 two-month and 56 six-month-old infants.
Audiovisual (AV) recordings of infant-directed singing
were employed. The speed, amplitude, and pitch of nurs-
ery rhymes like “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” and “Old
MacDonald” with naturally occurring variations were per-
formed by amateur singers. A total of nine AV recordings
were utilised, with each recording lasting almost 24 sec-
onds.
Eye-tracking technology (ISCAN) was employed to mea-
sure infants’ visual scanning. Also, measured was the timing
of synchronised responses of the infant and the caregiver
as well as extent of newborn singing rhythms synchronising
with eye movements.
Infants aged two months and six months exhibited sig-
nificantly increased eye-looking that was time-locked with
the beat of the caregiver singing. Yet, the magnitude of
the increase was significantly higher for the six-month-old
compared to the two-month-old infants.
Overall, the results showed that infant-directed singing
could entrain infants’ gaze to the eyes of the caregivers.
This provides a mechanism for infant-directed singing to
facilitate social interaction across development, becom-
ing detectable at two months and more pronounced by six
months.
Dr Olubukola Salam, a consultant family physician at the
University College Hospital, Ibadan in a reaction to the stu-
dy’s finding said “In our culture, as the mother sings the
oriki(their praise), the child calms down. The child will be
looking at her face and smiling. Singing their oriki fosters
bonding; the child will understand the mummy’s voice and
recognise her body odour, too.”
She added “Aside from breastfeeding creating a moth-
er-baby bonding, when the mother holds her baby and
keeps talking or singing to him, the baby looks directly into
the mother’s eyes, making eye contact. That is why at the
daycare centre, once the mother is around, the baby feels
that the mum is around because he can sense her pres-
ence.”
Dr Gbonubola Abiri, a consultant  psychiatrist at the La-
gos State Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), said infant directed
singing is not only beneficial for young children, but also for
babies yet to be born as it is calming and a form of therapy,
depending on the type of music.
According to her, even babies while still in their mother’s
womb can  perceive stimuli such as sound, which is why
women can say that when there is a loud noise, “my baby
jumps in the stomach” and all of that.
“A lot of the research findings encourage that we sing,
read, talk and play music for young children because these
interactions are very soothing, calming and very engaging
for them as well. It also helps their cognitive, language, and
emotional development,” she added
Dr Abiri declared that  the calm, soothing voice of a par-
ent   either when reading, storytelling or singing to a young
child is extremely important in their development as it allows
for bounding between parents and children.
“The time that you spend in doing all of these is also a time
that is useful in creating memories for that child. As a young
child, my father spent time reading to us while my mother
took us to bookstores to buy books. It will be very interesting
to you that now; I don’t know how much I have spent buying
my children books,
“I read to them when they were inside and even without
you encouraging them to read, you will find out that they have
already learnt the culture that reading, even music, is good.
Certainly, our young children are likely to react to whatever
they are exposed to, be it singing, music or even reading.”
It does not matter if it is singing, reading or storytelling to
a young child; the child doesn’t mind. They just love the fact
that they have their mother’s attention and care. They will get
very excited when they know it is singing or reading time as it
will be that special quality one to one time that will create a
stronger bond between you both.
 SATURDAY TRIBUNE
15

Society Gist
www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023

with Tunde Ayanda 08034649018 | ayandaayotunde@yahoo.com

Femi Babalola’s Akinwumi Ambode’s ‘unexpected’ visitor

happy day!
OH! Happy Day is the new song on
the lips of Ibadan-based business-
man and owner of Jogor Events
Centre, Femi Babalola, as he be-
gins the countdown to his 60th
birthday.
The PDP stalwart, who once
nurtured the dream of becoming
the Governor of Oyo State, is said
to be putting final touches to his
plans towards the big day, and as
usual, the people knows what to
expect.
As a socialite and owner of
the most popular events centre
in Ibadan, Babalola’s birthday
can not fall short of expectation.
The city is already grinding with
friends and associates getting set
for the big show.
From indications, the birthday
ceremony would have a special
twist, with the plot by the sea-
soned engineer to mark his 60th
birthday with the opening of his
multimillion naira guest house.
Honour for Elegushi, Gbajabiamila, Fasola
‘NO person has ever been hon-
oured for what he received, hon-
our has been the reward of what
he gave’ acting on this premise by
Calvin Coolidge stirred the Lagos
State University as it confers Hon-
orary Doctorate Degrees on Oba Sa-
heed Elegushi, Femi Gbajabiamila,
Babatunde Fasola, Adejoke Orelope
and Pastor Kayode Olukoya.
The ceremony will take place on
the 22nd of June, 2023 as part of ac-
tivities for the 26th Convocation of
the foremost institution.
The Vice Chancellor of the Uni-
versity , Professor Ibiyemi Olatun-
ji-Bello, stated that Oba Elegushi
and other eminent Nigerians are
T
HE city of Lagos woke
to a rare occurrence
a few days ago, an
unusual happening in
the country’s politi-
cal scene, where the ‘dog eats
dog’ parlance is a common
principle that guides the play-
ers.
The 60th birthday of ex
-governor Akinwumi Ambode
some days ago has changed
the tune of the usual. To many
who had thought the politician
would receive the ‘silent treat-
ment’ like in the past were
shocked when the Lagos State
being honoured for their contribu-
tions to the development of the
university and humanity in general,
through various initiatives and inter-
ventions.
The VC noted that the university
is celebrating its 40 years of estab-
lishment and it is a good time to
honour individuals who have con-
tributed largely to the growth of the
institution.
Oba Elegushi is known to have
graduated from the Lagos State Uni-
versity. He studied Economics and
does not stop to boast that his lead-
ership skills and knowledge came
from his experience and all he learnt
from the Lagos State University.
Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu
cleared his table and breezed
into the home of his predeces-
sor to celebrate with him.
The governor had earlier
in the day conveyed a special
message to the Epe-born pol-
itician, robing him in sweet
words and thanked him pro-
fusely for his service to their
state.
The celebrant, who was ob-
viously pleased by the visit
commended Governor San-
wo-Olu for his dedication and
his true Lagosian spirit which is Dahiru Mangal
rare and distinct. raises the bar
KATSINA-BORN billionaire, Alhaji
Dahiru Mangal’s guiding principle
is to be the best at everything. This
resolve has shown in his lifestyle
and all the pies he puts his hands
on.
His interest in the airline business
some years ago generated some
worries from others who feared the
competitiveness and domination
he would gain in the business, trust
him, he sets the standard with Max
Air that instantly became the per-
fect choice of air farers who savor
the best services and pampering.
Not resting on his oars, the bil-
lionaire, whose dream is to place
Nigeria at the peak of the travels
market made an acquisition some
days ago that wowed his friends
and critics.

BIRTHDAYS

H
Hadiza Isma El-Rufai
ADIZA Isma El-Ru-
fai, 63 years old,
born 21 June 1960),
is a Nigerian writer
(novelist), and wife
to the former governor of
Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir
El-Rufai. She is the founder
of Yasmin El-rufai Foundation
(YELF), a non-profit literary
organisation.
El-Rufai was born Hadiza
Isma in Kano, Nigeria, to Mo-
hammed Musa Isma and Am-
ina Iya Isma. Her father was a
civil servant.
She has a BSc and MSc in
Architecture (1983) and an
MBA (1992) from Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria, as well
as a Masters in Creative Writ-
ing (2012) from Bath Spa Uni-
versity, United Kingdom.
From there, she worked as
a lecturer at the Department
of Architecture at Kaduna
Polytechnic, a few more
years at the National Elec-
tric Power Authority, before
working in private practice.
She also speaks French lan-
guage fluently.
In 1985, she married Mal-
lam Nasir El-Rufai, whom she
met in 1976 at the School of
Basic Studies, Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria.
Sam Egwu
Sam Ominyi Egwu, 69
years old, (born 20 June,
1954), is a Nigerian politician
Hadiza Isma El-Rufai Sam Egwu
and a member of the Peoples
Democratic Party (PDP) in
Nigeria. He was elected
Governor of Ebonyi State in
the 1999 Ebonyi State gu-
bernatorial election from 29
May 1999 to 29 May 2007.
Dr Egwu is noted as pillar of
educational development in
Ebonyi state and Nigeria. He
attended the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka, where he
obtained a Bachelor’s de-
gree in Agriculture in 1981.
He later received a Master’s
degree in Agricultural Stud-
ies from the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka in 1987 and
Doctorate in Agronomy from
Enugu State University of
Technology in 1996. He was a
senior lecturer at Enugu State
University of Technology and
served as Commissioner for
Education in Ebonyi state
contributed to the successes
recorded in education sector
during his tenure as gover-
nor.
Solomon Arase
Viola Onwuliri
In 2008, President Umaru Edo state. He attended Ah-
Yar’Adua appointed him Min- madu Bello University for his
ister of Education, position undergraduate studies and
he held till April 2010 when graduated with Political Sci-
he was replaced by Professor ence degree in 1980.He was
Ruqayyah Ahmed Rufa’i. recruited into the Nigerian
Police a year after on Decem-
Solomon Arase ber 1, 1981.
Solomon Ehigiator Arase,
67 years old, (born 21 June, Viola Onwuliri
1956), is a retired Nigerian Viola Adaku Onwuliri,
police officer. He is currently (born 18 June, 1956), 67
the Chairman of the Nigeria years old, is a university pro-
Police Service Commission fessor of Biochemistry and
(PSC).He was appointed politician who served as Ni-
Chairman in January 2023 geria’s Foreign Minister.
by President Muhammadu Viola Onwuliri is the first
Buhari. Arase also served as daughter of the Royal Fam-
the 18th Inspector-General ily of His Highness Eze Cletus
of Nigerian Police (IGP) after and Ugoeze Dorathy Oparaoji
Suleiman Abba was sacked. of Amuzi, Ahiazu Mbaise
Before his appointment as LGA, Imo State. She comes
IGP, Arase was head of the from Ahiazu Mbaise in Imo
topmost intelligence gather- state, Nigeria and was born in
ing unit of the Nigerian po- Lagos. She attended Owerri
lice, the Criminal Intelligence Girls’ Secondary School be-
and Investigation Bureau. fore the University of Nigeria,
Arase was born in Owan Nsukka where she achieved
West Local Government , a 2nd Class Upper 2:1 in Bio-
Olanrewaju Kassim
chemistry. She also attended
the University of Jos, where
she achieved a PGCE, an MSc
in Applied Organic Chemis-
try and a PhD in Molecular
Biochemistry. She then went
for certificate courses at
Howard University and Har-
vard School of Public Health
in the USA.
Viola returned to Nigeria
where she took a job as a
graduate assistant in 1981; in
2004 she became professor
of Biochemistry in 2004 at
the University of Jos. During
the period she and her hus-
band, Celestine Onwuliri, had
five children.
Olanrewaju Kassim
Shakirudeen Olanrewaju
Kassim, 87 years old, born on
June 25, 1936 is a Nigerian
industrialist, textile magnate,
founder of Shokas Industries
Limited and Solak Textile In-
dustries Limited; philanthro-
pist, religious and community
leader.
Shakirudeen Olanrewaju
Kassim was born on June
25, 1936 to Alhaji Kassim
Odusote and Chief (Mrs.)
Ajatu Idowu Kassim of the
Odusote Are Ago Family
in Ijebu Igbo, Ogun State.
He attended Ogbere Ju-
nior and Secondary School
and Ojowo Primary School,
Atikori, where he obtained
First School Leaving Certifi-
cate. He joined his mother’s
thriving textile business but
left to work as a shop clerk,
time keeper at Costain
West Africa Ltd and driver
at Nigeria Water Resources
Company. He returned to
textile business and regis-
tered The Western Sociable
Store which thrived so well
that he expanded to estab-
lish his own textile and dye
manufacturing outfits that
manufactured lace and bro-
cades and prints.
He is the Bobagunwa of
Ijebuland and the Balogun
of Oke Agbo, Ijebu Igbo
among other chieftaicy ti-
tles. He was honoured with
a Ph.D, honoris causa by the
Olabisi Onabanjo University
in 2007 for his innumerable
contributions to the devel-
opment of the institution.
Alhaji Oloye Shakirudeen
Olanrewaju Kassim served
as the President of Con-
gress of Ijebu-Igbo Commu-
nity development Projects
among other positions.

16 17 JUNE, 2023
Eight immigration officers dismissed, 80 others under probe
as passport racketeering continues in Lagos
•Ex-workers pose as agents, applicants recount ordeals •Why exploitation is rampant at Ikeja, Ikoyi, Festac offices —NIS spokesman
M
RS Victoria (no authorisation to use full name)
planned to travel abroad last year, but her passport
would have expired before the period listed by her
country of choice for visa consideration due to the
impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. She decided
to quickly renew her passport and was confident that the reform
effort of then Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, especially the
introduction of the electronic application method, would make
things easier and faster.
Like thousands of other Nigerians who took the minister’s as-
surance for a new dawn in the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS),
she was dead wrong.
It took her six months and 21 days to have her passport renewed
at the office of the NIS on 3rd Avenue, A Close, Festac Town, Lagos.
The documents she provided showed that she made appoint-
ment request on 25 August, 2022 at exactly 17.28.28 after paying
the mandatory fee of N25,000 for 32-page passport renewal online,
with a N1,000 commission.
Her online application, encouraged by Aregbesola’s encourage-
ment to prospective applicants that it was the new way to go as
patriotic citizens, also showed her appointment date for biometric
capturing was 20 October, 2022 at 9.00 a.m., which was a little less
than two months from the registration date.
On the said date, she honoured the biometric appointment and
was promptly attended to, because the crowd was not big.
The first thing that struck her was that there was no collection
date on the confirmation slip issued her.
Then her wait began.
For months, she tracked the application status, which kept show-
ing “passport pending production”. Her dream of traveling last year
was not only dashed, she said she almost lost hope of ever having
the passport renewed again. The frustration of online waiting got
her talking to many with similar experience, only to be told that it
was a mistake taking the online route, when extra N20,000 could
get the passport delivered to her in days. It wasn’t that she didn’t
have such a proposition from some immigration officers through
her husband, but the couple were resolute about doing the right
thing and not bribe officers at the Ikeja office who promised to
have the renewal done within days for N45,000.
Treading the path of the law cost her but she was determined to
endure to the end. Finally, a miracle came her way after the ninth
Senate began a last-minute probe of the delay being experienced
by Nigerians. Her passport was eventually out. The document bore
the date 11 May, 2023, meaning that she waited for six months
and three weeks for a renewal that was supposed to be done in
three weeks.
She said she would speak openly about her ordeal when the
time is ripe. For her traveling, preparation is starting all over again.
Students not spared
Oreoluwa and Mosinmiloluwa have the blessing of their parents
to continue their education abroad. They also needed to renew
their passports (also known as reissue) and both had their bio-
metrics captured at the Ikeja passport office on 10 January, 2023.
Almost five months after, the status of the application on e-tracking
says their passports are still being produced.
They also applied online and refused to patronise officers who
demanded N45,000 instead of N25,000 to “fast-track” the process.
The collection date on the confirmation slip issued them after
biometric capturing was 15 March, 2023. Their renewal request
is now three months in arrears.
A journalist with a national daily is also a victim of the delay being
experienced in passport issuance which Tony Akuneme, the NIS
spokesperson told Saturday Tribune was as a result of racketeering
Weekend Lagos
TOLA ADENUBI, SUBAIR MOHAMMED and LANRE ADEWOLE write on sordid happenings at passport offices in Lagos.
Ikeja passport office on Thursday. Photo: Sylvester Okoruwa.
at the Lagos passport offices.
After experiencing a long delay in getting gender correction done
on his National Identification Number (NIN), a prerequisite for
passport renewal, he eventually had his biometric capturing done
on 15 March, 2023, with the collection date on his confirmation
slip reading 18 May, 2023.
His tracking status remains “passport pending production”. His
due date now ‘just’ 30 days in arrears. He also registered online
and refused to pay a bribe.
“It is doubtful if corruption can ever be eradicated in passport
procurement. Even with e-registration, the officers are way ahead
of the so-called reform in cheating the system and applicants. I
have a few names of officers who spoke to me about bribing them
to fast-track the process. But it is not about individuals per se, it is
about a rotten system where rotten intermediate officers of today
go to become the head tomorrow. Maybe the system needs a crazy
outsider who would come in with a tsunami. As long as the lead-
ership keeps evolving from within, nothing will change,” he said.
A visit and encounters
On Tuesday last week, a Saturday Tribune correspondent was at
the Ikeja passport office and, as usual, was confronted with hun-
dreds of Nigerian citizens who defied the early morning downpour
to converge on the office for passport application and renewal.
According to the Service and the information pasted on the wall
of the lounge, renewal timeline is three weeks maximum and six
weeks for new passport.
Some of the applicants who spoke to Saturday Tribune expressed
frustration and disappointment about the passport processing
and the shadiness of some NIS officers in handling the processing
and issuance.
They alleged connivance of some passport officers with agents
to exploit applicants after compelling them to wait fruitlessly at
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune
Editor: Lanre Adewole | 0811 695 4637 | olanreade@yahoo.com
the passport processing lounge.
An applicant, Adetunji, who said he was at the Ikeja passport
office for the renewal of his wife’s passport, gave account of how
he negotiated with an officer to get his passport renewed.
According to him, an officer at the Ikeja passport office billed him
N15,000 after he had paid the N26,000 online renewal fee for the
passport to be renewed and delivered in two weeks.
He said: “I applied online for my passport renewal and I paid
online the sum of N26,000 for the processing fee. I picked a date
online but on getting there on the appointed day, it was a different
ball game.
“The online registration was seamless but it was far from the
reality at the passport office. On getting there at the appointed
day, I was first discouraged by the mammoth crowd there. The
processing waiting lounge was overcrowded. I went there with a
printed copy of my application but I waited for hours without any
of the officers attending to me.
“The officers were snubs. They were not ready to talk to you or
assist in any way. I met a female officer who I complained to that
I didn’t have the luxury of time but all she did was to advise me
We need six more passport offices in Ikorodu, Ajah, Iba and
other places. If we get more passport offices, the crowds at the
passport offices will reduce and ultimately, passport racketeering
will stop. It is due to the crowds that people are falling victim to
issues like this.
Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng
to keep waiting.
“Shortly afterwards, I approached another officer who soon be-
gan to call the names of the applicants, many of whom I discovered
ought to have been attended to several months ago.
“The process was frustrating. It was at this time that I chose to
apply wisdom. I asked one of the applicants seated beside me how
things were done there. He advised me to seek the assistance of
any of the officers to know how to go about it.
“Fortunately, I met a male officer who, after listening to my plight,
directed me to another male officer who later directed me to the
gate where a list was placed on a table to write down my name. I
was number 120 on the list of visitors billed for capturing.
“It was at this point I got to know that many of the applicants
had been negotiating and engaging in private talks with the NIS
officers. I met an officer and I was taken to an office upstairs
where we negotiated the amount to be paid for the passport
renewal. He requested for additional N15,000 but I pleaded
with him to pay N12,000 which he agreed to and I paid. I did my
capturing same day and my passport was ready for collection
three weeks later.
“But my wife’s case which is the reason for visiting the passport
office is yet to be attended to. She applied online in November
2022. She chose a date but was unable to get it done on the
appointed date due to the large number of applicants and since
then, she has not been contacted.
“The NIS officers make the process so frustrating for applicants
that you will be left with no other choice than to negotiate with
them. They keep calling names but it won’t get to your turn for
months.”
Retired officers as agents
Another applicant, Owotimo, lamented how an agent at the
Ikoyi passport office demanded for N35,000 for him to get his
passport renewed.
He said: “I went for passport renewal but I was accosted by one
of the staff who I believe was a gateman. He asked what my mis-
sion was and I told him. The immigration officer I met directed me
to a man outside who told me what passport renewal required.
And the man gave me an appointment if I was willing to pay the
amount he demanded. There are different price tags for normal
processing and express passport issuance.
“Once you entered, some agents would approach you. The road-
sides were packed with cars of passport seekers. Bribery cannot be
eradicated in Lagos. I got there around 9.00 a.m. and saw a pool of
applicants but within an hour, I was attended to. I paid and I was
given an appointment. And in no time, my passport was ready.
The agent and NIS officers worked hand in hand.”
Abidemi Kamal claimed to have been patronising an agent at
the Ikoyi passport office for his passport issuance and renewal.
He said: “I applied for passport for myself, my wife and two chil-
dren but my effort was frustrated by officials at the Ikoyi passport
office. It was during my frequent visits seeking a way out of the
passport dilemma that I was introduced to a retired official of the
NIS who, within a space of two weeks, delivered our four passports
without difficulty.
“The man was an agent. I paid him N45,000 for each passport
in two installments. Since I knew the man, any issue relating to
passport has become a thing of the past.
“I paid on a Monday and within a week, our passports were ready.
After the initial deposit, he gave us an appointment and later for
capturing and the following week, our passports were ready for
collection whereas if we had gone through the normal process of
online registration and waiting for an appointment, it might take
three months or even more for our passports to be ready.
“I was told that the man had been operating at the passport
office for over 15 years and he knows the rudiments of passport
application and issuance and therefore he never fails once you
meet his financial demand.”
How to end racketeering in Lagos –NIS spokesman
The NIS has revealed that the crowds at the four passport offices
in Lagos are a major reason why applicants fall prey to unscrupu-
lous officers and agents. This is even as the service said that it has
dismissed eight officers over passport racketeering and is currently
probing 80 others over same issue.
Speaking to Saturday Tribune, the NIS spokesman, Akuneme,
explained that the NIS needs about 10 offices in Lagos to reduce
the crowds in the state and end passport racketeering.
He said: “We are doing our best to stop this third-party passport
application process. The NIS is doing its best to reduce and elim-
inate the issue of third-party application in passport processes.
“What we have realised over time is that a great number of Ni-
gerians don’t believe that they can apply for passport and do the
process themselves. We also know that there are still some bad
17 JUNE, 2023 17
eggs in the system, some officers who deliberately frustrate the
system. You won’t believe that we heard that at some passport
offices, when you go there, these unscrupulous officers will tell
you there are no booklets. Meanwhile, the NIS does not have a
booklet issue. In the last one year, we have had enough booklets
to go round.
“What we had as part of the fallout of COVID-19 is more people
wanting to migrate more than before. Since COVID-19, we have
had an increased number of passport applications, more than
what we used to have. You can call it the japa syndrome.
“A lot of countries like the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia
approach Nigeria to recruit people because they lost manpower
during COVID-19. So, what we have is an increase in the number
of applicants, not shortage of booklets. We have been struggling
with manpower at our disposal and the timing. However, we
are gradually stabilising because the pressure was much during
COVID-19 in 2021.
“Because of all these issues, you will see unscrupulous officers
and agents telling applicants that there are no booklets just to
create panic in the system. We have been telling Nigerians to not
just hang outside passport offices to make enquiries. They should
walk inside and ask for the officer in charge of the passport office.
Walk up to the Public Relations Officers to make your enquiries.
We still have officers who are doing their best to implement the
ongoing reform process of the NIS.
“Yes, we have a few officers scattered around the Lagos area
who are bent on sabotaging the passport reform process of the
NIS. We are fishing them out and punishing them. Some of them
have been dismissed, about eight of them. About 80 officers are
also facing Orderly Room Trial (ORT).
“We have been asking applicants to give us names and numbers
of officers that demand for money from them. Nigerians are in a
desperate rush for passport and that’s why these unscrupulous
officers keep cashing in on them.
“Our Comptroller General has passport issues as part of her
major focus. In fact, she will be coming to Lagos State very soon
to meet the governor on the issue of passport issuance. The
essence of the visit to the Lagos State governor is to request for
more facilities to assist with passport issuance.
“Lagos State, as a whole, requires 10 passports offices to weed
out third-party issues that are currently plaguing passport issuance
in the state. We currently have four passport offices in Lagos. We
just opened one in Alimosho, apart from the ones we have in
Festac, Ikoyi and Ikeja.
“We need 10 passport offices in Lagos to stop the situation
where unscrupulous officers cash in on vulnerable applicants.
Due to just four passport offices, the rush at these offices leads
to people falling victim to passport racketeering by agents and
unscrupulous officers. The crowds at the four passport offices in
Lagos are overwhelming and stretching our facilities.
“We need six more passport offices in Ikorodu, Ajah, Iba and
other places. If we get more passport offices, the crowds at the
passport offices will reduce and ultimately, passport racketeering
will stop. It is due to the crowds that people are falling victim to
issues like this.
“If you go to Nasarawa, Enugu, Ilorin, you will get your passport in
three days because of less demand for passports in these places. In
Lagos, each of our four offices does 500 passports daily, meaning
2,000 daily. In Nasarawa, we manage to do 20 passports a day. In
Enugu, we manage to do 30 passports daily, but in Lagos, we do
2,000 passports daily.
“With more passport offices in Lagos, we will run the unscru-
pulous officers and agents out of business and crowding of the
passport offices will become history.
 SATURDAY TRIBUNE
19
Xquisite
www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023

Edited by Kangmwa Gofwen

08057002359 | gofwenjoy@gmail.com

Through reading, problems are shared, solved

—Ezinne Ibe, founder, TFP Book Club
Ezinne Ibe founded The Female Professionals (TFP) Book Club in 2017 and it has turned out to be a forum where
female professionals share workplace experiences while enjoying their passion: reading. She tells SAM NWAOKO
about the club and issues related to their exciting club. Excerpts:

W
HAT brought about the idea of The Fe-
male Professionals’ Book Club? What is
it about?
TFP Book Club started in 2017. It all
started when I read a book titled “Uplift
Your Productivity” written by Molofuwaso Ilevbare. The
book has nine strategies to maximise your potentials and
your productivity as a professional woman. I found the book
quite interesting and apt for today’s workplace environment.
So, I desired to share what I had learnt with others. Then,
what I had in mind was younger people, younger female
professionals – more like a mentoring thing. But over time I
thought it might become boring at a time, why not open it up
to more people so that everyone would have opportunity to
participate. So, as at today I’ve gifted over 25 copies of that
book to young female professionals in my network. The book
club itself has become a thriving community of women who
love to read and exchange ideas and share knowledge, talk
about their experiences, talk about what they are reading
– discuss books across borders. We now have membership
from over 33 professions cutting across eight cities in Nigeria
and four countries. So, you can imagine the kind of diversity
in such a group, apart from the diversity of the different
professions and diversity of people from different parts of
the world coming together on a platform to talk about one
common thing. So, the basic thing is reading – people that
have passion to read. Over the years, we have some Harvard
Business Reviews, we’ve read things on precision, strategy,
we’ve read fictions, autobiographies and memoirs. We have
had quite interesting reads. It’s a platform to learn, to share
and to have fun.
How do you recruit into the club? What does it take to
be a member of the club?
Membership is open to every professional woman. We
are on various social media channels but the main digital
platform where we interact is WhatsApp. That is where we
have over 110 women currently interacting on a daily basis.
But if you want to become a member, you ask to join any
of the social media groups through the platforms and from
there, we do a documentation of who you are, what you do
and then, you are added to the group.
As a group of professional women who have found them-
selves in the workplace, where do the men come in terms
of partnership or support?
Currently, as women who have found themselves to be
professionals or to be in the workplace, we’ve identified
things that are common to us, factors that are common to
our success in the workplace and also common to our suc-
cess in other spheres of our life and that basically is, apart
from sharing ideas, experiences and knowledge, we have
people who are in their 60s, we have those who are grand-
mothers and we have those who are in their 40s, 30s and
in their 20s. The common thing is that we all find ourselves
in the workplace but the challenges we face on a daily basis
are not the same because we work across borders, across
countries, across industries. Any way you look at it, there
is one knowledge shared somewhere, somehow that may
help you to surmount your challenges and then you would
know that somebody had done this or had passed through
it before or is currently dealing with this. By the time you
voice it out, that thing that didn’t seem to have a form, you
will see how to tackle it.
How do the men come in? One of the writers told me
that her sons and husband were the first to read the book
and they said ‘oh, mummy this happened to you? So you
will see that apart from creating that bonding in the home,
family and circle of people, some of us also used the book
to immortalise some people. I for one used it to immortalise
my grandma and my mum. I feel anything written in black
and white has been put down forever. They might not have
done those large notable things, but in my life they have
done something worth acknowledging. So, for the men it
also makes them to see the point from where the women
are coming from. They say it’s a man’s world but a lot of
men take things for granted when it comes to working with
women in a group. For instance, if there is a group of men
that does something and there is a woman in that group and
they have a female; if they are deciding on what to wear,
you see them put on a white shirt and black trouser and a
It took us about one year
to get approval from the
ministry of education to
hold that programme on
menstrual hygiene for girls.
If it was something we were
not passionate about, we
might just have given up
black jacket but and nobody remembers that there is one
woman in the team who may probably want to appear for
that event in a skirt. So, what stops you from putting trouser/
skirt? It is not about stamping authority or pressurising, it’s
about being felt where you are. There are very competent
women in work places but they are not recognised due to
their competence. An elderly female professor told of how
she went out with a male colleague years ago, she said the
people there were all greeting the man and nobody looked
in her direction. The, the professor they were greeting then
said ‘let me introduce to you Professor so and so-and-so,
she is the Dean of this-and-that” and they all went ‘oh, sorry
ma’ and the reaction to her changed. It shouldn’t be like
that. When you see someone, see the person for who the
person is. Do not wait until you hear titles because titles do
not matter for me; it is your work that places value on you.
Is your club not elitist, one made up of women of means
or on the higher economic pedestal?
Not exactly. It has to do with women who have passion for
reading and people who have passion for sharing knowledge.
So, if I happen to be the one on board, it is most likely that the
people in my circle will know. If it happens to be someone else
from different background or experience, maybe a medical
doctor or HR person, people in that person’s circle may know.
One of the things that make me know it is not an elitist thing
is that every year, we agree on the books that we are going to
read and we agree on a reading plan. Some people for some
reason will say they don’t want the hard copy book either be-
cause it is expensive or because some say they don’t like reading
hard copies but soft copies. You can find a hard copy that sells
for N5,000 and the soft copy, if you purchase online, sells for
N1,000. I noticed that is what some of the younger people in
the group go for. So, nobody feels the difference in the copy
that you have. What matters is what you are able to bring to
the table as regards the content of the book and applying it to
everyday living. Of a fact, we have never had a physical meeting
as it were; our book launch scheduled for Saturday, June 24th
will be the first time most of us would be meeting. The title of
the book is ‘We Live These Lives” and
Do you look at socio-economic realities and how do you
think some of the cultural things inhibit the women?
I will use a programme we organised recently as an example
to answer this question. We called it “Menstrual Hygiene” and
we targetted girls in public secondary schools because we felt
they were the crop of people we wanted and needed to reach
out to at that particular time. When we needed to reach out
to children below 12 on reading, we targetted a different set of
children; when we held a seminar we called “Mum Is It About
All the As?”, we targetted a particular group. We know we
cannot impact the whole nation but little by little, we want to
impact as much as we can do. So, in that particular event, we
spent quality time with the secondary school girls, explaining
to them what they might never know or which people might
not tell them. Medical doctors in the group were the ones that
talked to them. It took us almost one year to get approval from
the ministry of education to hold that programme on menstrual
hygiene for girls. If it was something we were not passionate
about, we might just have given up. It took a lot of time and
pursuit to get an approval. Last year, we did something on
cultural diversity. We have members of the book club form
Liberia and Sierra Leone who told us about their culture and
tradition when it comes to marriage, food and perceptions
about women. Those are some of the things we are doing in
our own little community. We do these to see how we can reach
out to ourselves. We have also done something on money and
it was based on the book “The Smart Money Woman”. Some of
the books we read have movies. When we are reading books,
cultural perspectives are brought in.

20 www.tribuneonlineng.com
Interview
Ifa does not pick Yoruba kings, governors do —Oluwo
The Oluwo of Iwo land, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, is always a delight to engage anytime such opportunity arises. He speaks his mind
without minding whose ox is gored. A few months to his eighth coronation anniversary, he speaks about his life, Yoruba kingship and
Y
more in this interview by TUNDE AYANDA and SEGUN ADEBAYO.
OU will clock 8 years on the
throne in a few months, there
had been attempts to depose
you and you’ve fought different
battles, which of these shook
you the most?
There is nothing in this life that I passed
through that I regretted. I see all occur-
rences in my life as tests to the next level of
my life. There is no peace in the world, the
only place where there is peace is the grave.
You wake up and fight every day, even God
doesn’t sleep. So, no attack shakes me. If
you are in a school and you write an exam
you’ve prepared for, you must pass. I’m
always prepared and God is my strength.
You mean different things to different
people. Some people believe you are
troublesome and some will say you are
different. How do you really see yourself?
When I get to an event and I am not given
the right seat, I will tell them that I am a
First Class Oba; you should treat me with
royalty. Anywhere I am, I always ask for
my right  because nobody is going to give
it to you on a platter of gold, you have to
demand it. When I first became the Oluwo,
I realised that this throne had no respect or
dignity. The royalty and dignity had been
beaten down and almost nonexistent. My
first outing as the Oluwo, I was placed on
the 16th seat and I said no, this is not my
seat. Even in Abuja, I would say no. I know
my class in the comity of Obas, so I don’t
take  anything that falls lower than my
class. In the Western House of Chiefs, I am
number three.
People can say I’m troublesome because
they don’t understand what I fight for; I fight for my rights in
a diplomatic way. I always tell the truth. I don’t like the situa-
tion where people ask me about myself and I won’t be able
to answer.  who are worshipping their fathers on the right track. The king
How did your journey to the throne begin and what prepared
you for this seat?
You know that Yorubas are very deep spiritually, so our kings
are chosen by the Olodumare Himself. So I was chosen by God
to be king, especially for the role I am playing in Yoruba land
today, which is to bring all kings back to Olodumare. My father
was a prince, a very high prince from Iwo known as Prince Kola
Akanbi. He was an Insurance man that worked with Marine
Engineering owned by Fajemirokun. I grew up in that house
beside Bovas fuel station at Total Garden in Ibadan. I attended
Omolewa Nursery and Primary school. On the eighth day of my
birth, somebody came and told my parents that they should not
give me the names they had prepared for me. He came with the
prophecy that I would be a great king and dropped the names
I would be called- Adewale, because he would bring the crown
home, the crown that had been lost from our family for over 400
years, and I would also be called Olusegun, because he would
fall under no attack and also  Akorede and Abdulrasheed. He
warned them that if they called me any other names, people
would be dying. They said the man turned back and disap-
peared. That was what happened on the eighth day. I was at
Iwo Grammar School, but some spiritual issues happened in
1981 that I had to leave, later I finished at Oba Akinyele. Along
the line I lived in Akobo where I met the family of the present
Ooni, it was part of my kingship journey. The Ooni was younger
than us then, but his elder brother, Tunji Ogunwusi, was my
friend, we used to play soccer together, he was in St Patrick’s.
God later used me for them.
You contested against 40 other princes of Iwo but you
emerged winner. Did Ifa pick you at that time?
Tell me one king that Ifa picked in Yoruba land. The person
who is picked by the governor is the one God has ordained
to be the king. There is no Oba in Yoruba land that will say Ifa
picked him. It is after the governor picked you that you now
become a king. Ifa doesn’t have any power over the governor.
May be you watch too much Nollywood movies. Even during
our forefathers, they would make the most powerful person at
that time king. At that time, I didn’t even know the governor
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune
because I had just returned from Canada but I told other con-
testants who were far richer and popular then that I was the
next king even if you know Barack Obama and the governor, it
would not change the fact that I was going to be the next Oluwo.
How did you become the Oba if you didn’t know the gov-
ernor?
When Olodumare wants to work, you can’t even understand
how He would do it. Just for a few months before I became
the king, Olodumare just opened a channel. I didn’t even meet
the governor until the eve of the day I would be announced as
the king. I met him at 1am and that was all! It was the work
of Olodumare, the God of the Yorubas, the God of our fathers
and you can’t understand it. When God brings a king, He brings
him for a purpose.
Has this throne made you richer?
No, I’m just here serving and that is the purpose. I’m here to
serve, nothing else.
You recently married a lady from the North, many would
have thought as a Yoruba Oba, you would marry a Yoruba
woman, what informed that decision?
Many Yoruba women listen to rumours. They judge. Many
rumours were being peddled against me and I was judged.
The former Olori was a set up, she was part of the attacks, and
they paid her to do a lot. I don’t smoke, my people can attest to
that, but she coerced me to help her do some things, you know
she is a Jamaican and she made me believe she must smoke
to survive. You can imagine a woman you don’t have problem
with recording you in your own bedroom, it showed she had an
agenda. All my friends back in Canada know that I don’t smoke.  them in their dream but they woke up later. That’s not true.
I married from the royal family in Kano. I see they are loyal
and honest to their husband and I married from where I’m
comfortable with.
By November this year, you will be marking eight years on
the throne as the Oluwo of Iwo kingdom. If there is one thing
you have enjoyed about being the king of this town, what
would it be?
As soon as you are made the king, you must be able to define
the position you are holding and why you are being called the
king. My prayer everyday on this throne is that I should be
greater than my forefathers who once occupied this seat. I also
pray that by the time I leave this throne, whoever is coming
tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023
after me should be greater than me. When I
first got on the throne, we realised that some
of the things we knew were things we were
made to believe but we found out that they
were wrong. So, the first was to challenge the
status quo by asking questions and making
your research.
What did you find out about the throne
and what has changed in almost eight years?
We found out that kingship in Yoruba land is
more spiritual than the physical. I am not the
real king, the real king is actually Olodumare,
and Olodumare cannot be seen. Kingship is
not the position of humans but one that was
created by God. When you greet the king in
Yoruba land, they say Kabiyesi o. So who is
the Kabiyesi? I can’t be the Kabi o kosi (the
Unquestionable One). Olodumare is the owner
of the odu, which literally means the codes of
life; the owner of creation. There is nobody in
history that answers that name. Olodumare
simply means the one who knows where all
of us are going and where it will all end. So
for me, being able to define what kingship
means and propagating it across the Yoruba
land is a big task. Many who aspire to take the
institution of kingship don’t know that they
are talking the institution of God. What they
don’t know is that the institution of kingship
is a different one entirely and shouldn’t be
compared to worshipping deities. You don’t
mix God’s institution of kingship with Ogun or
Obatala or Sango.
You are a monarch who doesn’t believe in
worshipping deities but you couldn’t have be-
come a king without some of the traditional
rituals you don’t want to have around you.
Who do you worship and how do you worship it?
I worship Olodumare without having to go through Sango,
Obatala or any other deities. My role as a king is to put people
does not practice all religions. The king should not be involved
in any religion that needs you to pass through another god to
talk to Olodumare. When kings these days want to defend this,
they will say they are following what they met as tradition but I
always tell them that they are following what is from the dark
age. You must learn to correct the mistakes of your fathers.
As a Yoruba man, I believe that tradition can be done without
worshipping of deities. Worshipping deities is not tradition; it is
not culture. It is a religion of some people but worshipping Olo-
dumare is the widely acceptable religion and way of life. That’s
why I feel bad when I hear people calling on angels to come
and rescue them or help them take their prayers to God. You
cannot call an angel to come and do anything for you because
they are not responsible to you. It is like somebody working for
me in the palace suddenly disappears and when I found him
and asked where he went to, he told me that another man sent
him on errand. That maid, as far as I am concerned, does not
have a job in the palace again. That’s the same way you can’t
call angel Gabriel and angel Michael because they can’t help
you. Unless his master, God sends him to you; he will not answer
if you call. It is same way you can’t send an angel to God; he
will not deliver your message because you are not his master.
Do you believe in juju?
I don’t believe in magic or juju. I believe magic is just like a
dream come true. You will hear people say somebody attacked
If that person had such powers to attack you in your dream,
you can’t wake up to tell the story. There is so much deceit out
there. These things are not real. But God made us kings over
everything He created. I am not under any deity or traditional
influence; I am far above all deities known to man. What people
call Orisa simply means the specially chosen ones, so everybody
is special in the face of God. But Kings reign supreme over
those who are specially chosen such as Ogun, Obatala, Sango
and other deities known to man. People erroneously say Oba
alase ikeji Orisa but that’s not correct. Oba is not the second in
command to any deity, he’s above all deities.
CONTINUES ON PAGE 26
 SATURDAY TRIBUNE
22 www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023

feature
Three months to take-off, Federal Polytechnic Orogun
brings life to sleepy community
EBENEZER ADUROKIYA, who was at the Federal Polytechnic Orogun, Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State, to

W
assess the level of preparedness for it’s take-off in September, reports the level of work and economic impact on the people.
ORK is still ongoing, but at a very fast pace. Already,
the majestic presence of the citadel of learning is
attracting building structures near the school. A
kind of opening up the surrounding of a school
that’s yet to commence academic activities such
that a plot of land is said to be going for about N800,000 today.
This is one of the benefits of attracting an enduring, life-changing
legacy to one’s society.
The Federal Polytechnic, Orogun, in Ughelli North Local Govern-
ment Area of Delta State is commencing academic activities in
September, 2023, three months from now. The site has been agog
with artisans such as welders who were seen fixing some parts of
the magnificent gate building; inside the premises are beautiful,
modern structures in line with the digital age. The structures with
sublime aesthetics are hospital, administrative blocks, staff quar-
ters, guest houses, lecture theatres, library complex, lecture rooms,
sports complex, and more, all sitting on an over 140 acres of land
at the very outskirts of the ancient Orogun kingdom.
The twin utmost necessities of life - light and water - find expres-
sion in the equation. A stepdown substation and seven generating
plants are to be installed to power the entire campus and forever
ward off darkness, while all the structures are waiting for reticula-
tion as the water project is near completion.
With the recruitment process at its peak, over 26 courses under
the School of Arts and Design, School of Business Studies, School
of Applied Sciences, School of Environmental Sciences and School
of Technology are set to take off. The departments include: Depart-
ment of Computer Science, Department of Mechanical Engineering
Technology, Department of Civil Engineering Technology, Depart-
ment of Electrical/Electronic Engineering Technology, Department
of Chemical Engineering Technology, Department of Agricultural
and Bio-Environmental Technology,
Department of Computer Engineering Technology, Department
of Metallurgical Engineering Technology, Department of Welding
and Fabrication Engineering Technology and Department of
Foundry Engineering Technology.
Others are Department of Science Laboratory Technology,
Department of Statistics, Department of Library and Information
Science, Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, De-
partment of Fine and Applied Arts, Department of Fashion Design
and Clothing Technology, Department of Accountancy, Department
of Business Administration Management, Department of Banking
and Finance and Department of Human Resource Management.
There are also the Department of Marketing, Department of
Mass Communication, Department of Office Technology and
Management, Department of Office Production and Operations
Management, Department of Entrepreneurship Education and
Department of General Studies, among others.
Facilitated via a bill sponsored by the outgoing Deputy President
of the Senate, Ovie Omo-Agege, who represented Delta Central
district, the law for its establishment was approved by former Pres-
ident Muhammadu Buhari in March 2021 while former Minister of
Education, Adamu Adamu, gave approval for the site in June 2021.
Pioneering Rector of the institution, Dr. Duke Okoro, a fellow of
Nigerian Chemical Society and several others, who took journalists
round the campus, enthusiastically averred that the school was
ready to hit the ground running in three months.
“You must have seen a very magnificent gate house as you
enter, followed by the paved path and you can see that the roads
are of international standard. We have the Muhammadu Buhari
Administrative Building, Edwin E.K. Clark Student Building, the
Bola Ahmed Tinubu Sports Complex, which is under construction,
there are about 12 buildings of lecture halls, there’s also the library
building, the lecture theatres, 10 buildings for staff, five buildings
for principal offices fully completed.
“We have to take advantage of all these facilities and infrastruc-
tures that are here to ensure that the students that are yet to be
admitted, will get the best of learning so that they can be fully
certified and contribute to the workforce of not Delta State alone,
but to the nation at large,” the member of the Chemical Profession
of Alberta, Canada, enthused.
Dr Okoro further disclosed that the polytechnic had already gone
into partnership with a Canadian company for skills acquisition in
oil and gas for global relevance.
“We just signed an MoU with a Canadian company that is known
for certification last week and they picked this polytechnic as the
institution that will anchor the training of prospective learners.
“And the certification is such that by the time you obtain it, you
will have a seamless entry to work not just in Canada but around the
globe. We are happy about that, because we are the only institution
in Nigeria chosen for that world-class certification,” he announced.
“As we are here, some of the community leaders are here with
us and I can tell you authoritatively that since the development
started, the cooporation and understanding of the host community
has been very awesome. As a matter of fact, they have ensured that
the contractors have very cordial relationship not just with them,
but with people who come here to work. They have provided a
very peaceful atmosphere that is why under seven months, you
can see this development in the institution. I give kudos to them,”
the Rector disclosed.
Justifying the essence and ideology of polytechnic education in
the technological development of Nigeria, Dr Okoro said: “some
couple of years ago, China converted over 100 universities to
polytechnics and they did that because they realise that university
graduates are thinkers and they needed more of the doers, the
people who will form the workforce which are the people who are
trained with skills set to act like plug and play in the industrial sector.
And when China did that, it worked for them. But the emphasis on
university education here, which produces mostly thinkers, should
be de-emphasized and emphasis should be on the technical per-
sonnel that can drive the country to a superb industrial revolution.”
Our correspondent observed that a massive, structural master-
piece was being mounted just beside the campus with a perimeter
fence demarcating it from the institution. On enquiry, the rector
said the structure is a training school for senior military officers.
“It’s the Nigerian Space School for training with a long shooting
range. A military primary school is also among the buildings sharing
borders with us, which means our security at the polytechnic is
fully guaranteed because we’re going to fully collaborate with the
military personnel and nothing like cultism or insecurity would be
heard around us,” he assured.

Adam & Eve

Adeeko Olusegun | 08116954638 | adeeko.olusegun@yahoo.com

JUST A LAFFING MATA

10 ADVANTAGES OF HIGH FUEL PRICE
1) My compound is now noiseless because the ‘I pass my neighbour’ generators
are now on sabbatical leave.

2) Women are happy thse days because their husbands who like hanging out
are now staying back at home with their family due to absence of cold beers
and the surge in the price of fuel.

3) All housewives are now cooking good foods because there is no longer fast
FAMILY PALAVA...

foods.

4) Kids are reading their books since watching TV needs fuel and daddy is not
putting fuel in the generator unlike before.

5) No more congestion in network since many people’s phones are off.

6) Browsing and downloading is fast. No one wants browsing to kill his or her
phone battery.

7) Parents are over-joyed because their children that were always online now
concentrate on their studies.

8) Everyone sleeps very early now. No more late night movies.

9) There are more prayers and less distractions.

10) Even God himself is happy when he sees people who haven’t gone to church
for months and years going to church and staying for both first and second

24 www.tribuneonlineng.com
SoS
Owo terror attack: One year after
D
O we still remember that on June 5, 2022, some people
went to St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church, Owo, Ondo
State, not for worship but to carry out mass shooting
of worshippers? Do we remember that people − help-
less men, women, boys and girls, including toddlers,
were boxed in by these attackers and shot at will? Have we for-
gotten that 41 people were killed in that heavy gun attack? The
attackers also injured more than 80 others, mind you. How do
we even quantify the number of people who are scared forever
following that event? Does the memory of that incident, in any
way, cause us to wrinkle our brows and leave us in a cringe like
the holy water of David Diop’s The Vultures? Are we not wor-
ried that we are yet to identify the perpetrators of that attack
let alone apprehend them for prosecution? It is forlorn for the
majority of the stakeholders in the event while the unknown
powerful minority’s stake is still not known.
Following that meltdown, the parish closed for 43 weeks and
opened only at Easter this year. That was on April 9. If April 2023
sounds too far off in your memory, it’s just two months ago. The
massacre occurred on Sunday, June 5 last year. The resumption
of liturgical and sundry activities at that parish triggered ques-
tions which are gaping to be fed answers like newly-hatched
fledglings. The parish priest of St. Francis, Owo, Father Michael
Abugan, carried the scar of that event and wishes that even if it
isn’t healed, it should at least be assuaged even if it is for the sake
of the sanctity of life. He thinks Owo as a community will not be
at peace until the perpetrators of that dastardly act are brought
to book. And Father Abagun is a man of hope and faith. Other-
wise, he would not have said of the Nigerian authorities and the
incident: “We don’t want to believe that justice will be denied.
We are hoping, and we know that one day, the government
will do what is necessary to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
What with the forgettable descent of humanity? Why would
Sam Nwaoko be writing about this incident? Is he trying to keep
reminding us of the past we should throw behind us? The past
tells us a lot about the future and every man has his own way
of spewing his chewing stick spittle. Besides, the Esan people of
Edo State have an admirable description of the event of death
and mourners. The people in their wisdom distillate the pain of
death in a very unique way that throws special light on why we
Women Matters
How do you cope with high cost of sanitary pads?
The cost of sanitary pads could have significant impacts on
the wellbeing and quality of life of girls and women. Access
to affordable and reliable menstrual products is crucial for
maintaining personal hygiene and managing menstruation
with comfort. This prompted our topic for today, and we
would be exploring ways of coping with the rising cost of
sanitary pads and the measures that could be taken to ensure
menstrual needs are met. Below are some of the responses of
our contributors.
Muritala Omolara
SANITARY pads are an indispensable necessity for every
woman no matter the hike in their prices. To put up with the
high cost, I have come up with strategies that have been work-
ing for me − budgeting. Including sanitary pads in my monthly
budget, alongside other necessities, has been helpful. At one
point, I thought of using cut-out clothes as a substitute but
had a second thought, because it is unhealthy. Also, I resorted
to reducing the number of pads I use per day.
Oluwamayowa Olatunbosun
Thank God for my friend who introduced me to the use of a
menstrual cup. It is less costly. When it is filled up, you pour
it away, wash and reuse it. It is reusable. It does not get you
stained and it has saved me a lot. So, when people complain
about the cost of sanitary pads and all, I cannot relate to that.
Angela
Things that are needed should be less expensive so that they
could be easily affordable. Sanitary pads are very expensive.
For girls who observe their periods for more than five days,
a pack which is at least 8 pieces, would not be enough for a
month. Such a girl has to buy two packs every month, which
cost almost N1,200. This should be considered in Nigeria.
Most girls cannot afford this, so they use other means which
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
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With Sam Nwaoko
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Sam on Saturday
mourn the way we mourn. They say that each mourner of the
dead is wailing and crying not exactly because of the dead, but
according to the impact of that calamity on him. Perhaps, that
is why the local ordinary in the Catholic Diocese of Ondo, where
the affected church is, Most Reverend Jude Arogundade, didn’t
have to spell it out in black and white. Bishop Arogundade knows
that there is a need for the government in Nigeria to show that
human life in the country has worth. Or does the bishop need
to give a homily for the government to respect the sanctity of
human life? Okay, he did tell the government. He spoke at the
anniversary of the massacre. Bishop Arogundade said although
they say “time heals all wounds”, it is imperative that we must
also continue reminding “the world of the evil of terrorism and
the long-term effects it has on people.” It is hoped that our
government will listen to our bishop and also listen to us. If they
don’t listen to us, those they listen to should please remember
“the evils of terrorism and the long-term effects it has on people”
and tell them. That is enough for a homily. That is a preaching
sound enough for any entity that has ears. Isn’t it the Bible that
teaches in Proverbs 17:27 about wisdom in speech, which Ben-
jamin Franklin adapted to give that timeless maxim: “A word is
enough for the wise”?
The anniversary of the Owo Catholic Church shooting, Bishop
Arogundade says “presents an opportunity for us to reflect on
what we have done so far and what further we can do to relieve
those who are still suffering and help them live with their grief
and trauma.” He says a lot still needed to be done to console
the victims and that whatever support they receive as a diocese
would be plowed into helping the victims who are still in need.
Indeed, the scar is a deep one and the pain, eternal more so
because nobody has been called to question. Nobody’s been
brought to book. The bombing of St. Theresa Catholic Church,
Madalla in Nigeria State happened in 2011. It was Boko Haram
we were told. Shooting happened in Anambra State when gun-
men without shape or form entered a Catholic Church in Nnewi,
shot and killed several people and went away unhindered just as
they had gone there. Official reports were not made available to
Nigerians on why that happened. There was nothing made known
as regards who made it happen and what those perpetrators
aimed to achieve. Everything about that deadly attack ended in
With Adewunmi Adedayo
08130552562
Email: adewunmiadedayo24@gmail.com
are not healthy. The pads should be almost free or given for
free. I have been coping because my mom sells provisions.
I take the pads from her shop – sometimes, I pay for them.
Deborah Agbor
I have been coping well. Thank God for the provision. Al-
though the prices of pads are expensive now, God has been
making a way for me.
Omolade Gbemisola
Dealing with the high cost of sanitary pads could be challeng-
ing. Purchasing a pad that was originally N300 for N800, or
even higher, is saddening. Fortunately, I am involved with an
organization, Enactus TASUED, where I volunteer. We produce
cost-effective sanitary products that are both eco-friendly and
biodegradable. This has alleviated the financial burden I face
with sanitary pads.
Modupe Abayomi
With the current situation of the country, almost every
product is twice its normal price, but we have no choice but
to keep buying them. A sanitary towel is a compulsory com-
modity every woman purchases every month. Since there is
an increment in the price, and there is no other substitution
for it, one needs to keep getting it. I get them in bulk, the ones
that could last me for three months. Every month, there is a
budget for my sanitary towels.
Tope Adetoun
It is becoming worrisome. The last time I bought two packs
of sanitary pads it cost N600 − then the month after, N800.
Now, it is N1000. I have a heavy flow. So, I have to buy two
packs all the time. This is something that is not spoken about
much. It is costly and something needs to be done about
it. It has not been easy, especially with everything that is
getting expensive.
tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023
the usual Nigerians’ speculations of vengeance against one man
suspected of being a criminal. The donor of the church building
was even blamed by some people as the reason people were
shot that callously during worship. Nothing official was really
said about it, and to the knowledge of most Nigerians, nothing
official has been done in that case. Everything about it diffused
like smoke as we moved on as usual.
Bishop Felix Femi Ajakaye is as vocal as Bishop Matthew Hassan
Kukah. They are not found wanting when Nigerians need people
to speak up and defend the sanctity of human life. They are both
victims of criminality. Bishop Ajakaye’s priest, Father Emmanuel
Akingbade, was kidnapped but was released in miraculous cir-
cumstances. Bishop Kukah’s seminarian was shot dead by terror-
ists even after ransom demanded for his release was paid. They
have the locus to speak on sustained killings in Nigeria. Bishop
Ajakaye has asked General Lucky Irabor, the Chief of Defence Staff
about the people he told the world were arrested in connection
to the Owo massacre. General Irabor has not responded.
Nigeria has mellifluous ways of making the christening of
persistent ugly violence sound acceptable. The argument has
been on the table that the type of violence being experienced in
Nigeria is simply a ploy, a deliberate activity geared towards an
end. The victims know how to put it better. The daily reports of
deaths in the country have covered Nigerians with yet another
layer of skin on their usual thick skin to the news. We are some-
thing else! For instance, the constant willful killings in parts of our
country are conveniently referred to as ‘conflicts’. By not calling
terrorism what it is, we are just telling the mad man that he is
the bridegroom so as to get our free and unfettered passage.
Conflicts have different hues and are generally two-sided. Delib-
erate labelling of what is going on in parts of Nigeria as ‘conflicts’
tend to whittle down the intensity of the crimes. Where herders
are fingered in the attacks and killings, they fine-tune the name
as farmer-herder conflicts without the courtesy of looking at the
lopsidedness of the deadly attacks. They remain ‘conflicts’ even
when witnesses claim otherwise and when evidence shows a
well-orchestrated, armed vicious attack on unarmed people −
including hapless women and unaware children. These ‘conflicts’
give us names and our new government must find a way to
rechristen us and our country.
Ajibola Florence
Inflation cuts across all sectors of the economy. Sanitary
pads are not an exception. I changed the brand I use to cut
costs. I now use affordable brands. It does not make much
difference.
Joy David
I have struggled with the cost of sanitary pads going up all
the time. I also had the challenge of managing my menstrual
hygiene because of the high cost. But, I have explored other
options. Sometimes, I use clothes. Sometimes, I buy the less
expensive ones and mix them with clothes. If I am going out,
I use sanitary pads. If I am indoors, I use clothes. That way, I
can reduce costs.
Shayo Adelakun
I have weighed my options and concluded that using
sanitary pads would not pay because I would not be able
to reuse them and their prices keep increasing. However, it
is not so bad when compared with monthly data subscrip-
tions and the like. But, sometimes, I would not be financially
capable to purchase the pads. So, I opt for a menstrual cup.
That has saved me from the stress of buying costly pads and
disposing of them.
Amaka Mbah
Fortunately, I have been able to cope with the cost of pads
by making a few adjustments to my spending habits. I have
started to buy the pads in bulk. It has helped me to save
some money. I have also checked different brands and types
of sanitary pads to find more affordable options without
compromising on quality.
Esther Adekanye
It has not been easy. I pray the prices of things come down
soon enough.

25 www.tribuneonlineng.com
Interview
The more people drift from God, the more their
marriages fall apart —Revd. Omowumi Popoola
Reverend (Mrs) Omowumi Popoola, wife of Apostle Sunday Popoola, President, Word Communication and Evangeli-
cal Ministries (WOCOM), is a lawyer and the convener of the annual Unique Woman Conference, where women from all
walks of life converge to be inspired, trained and mentored on how to discover and maximise their potentials. In this inter-
view with MODUPE GEORGE, she speaks on women’s issues, the 31 year-old conference, among others.
R
ECENTLY, at a bi-monthly meeting by the Women
Intercessory Network (WIN), you told Nigerians
to stop blaming former President Buhari for their
problems. Why did you give such an advice?
The society is a reflection of what the home is. It is
easy to pick on our leaders, be it the president, prime minister,
governor, or anyone in the position of authority. They always
bear the brunt and take the blame for every societal ill and
whatever happens to the people. The reason I said people
should shift their gaze from the president was that if we all do
our part from our different homes, we will realise that 90 per
cent of the nation’s problems would be solved. So, that is why
I said let’s look at it from the root and the root of every society
is the family. Whatever you and I refuse to do at our different
corners will add up to the societal malady. Buhari whom people
are blaming is a product of a home − he inherited his disposi-
tions somewhere.
What do you think is responsible for the increasing rate of
divorce and broken homes in the society these days?
God is the author of marriage. So, in ensense, He is the
manufacturer, and every manufacturer attaches a handbook
to their product. If you neglect the handbook, you will damage
the product. Also, the product will not serve its purpose and
you won’t enjoy the full benefit. In our world today, we have
pushed God aside. We want to run our marriages according
to our cultures. Meanwhile, the concept of marriage did not
emanate from any culture. It emanated from God. Therefore,
we must consult God to run it. Unfortunately, this is the age
where people want to do everything in marriage without God
and that is the reason why the rate of divorce is high. Even the
core values held by our forefathers who were not religious like us
were similar to God’s dictates on marriage and their marriages
lasted much longer than it is now. The more people drift away
from God, the more their marriages will fall apart. That is why
we are doing our best to teach people from God’s word how
to run their marriages.
It is believed that children from dysfunctional homes are the
bane of the society. What is your take on this?
I empathise with every child who is from a dysfunctional
home. Primarily, the child’s life, in a way, has been turned up-
side down. So, this will leave the child confused, unhappy and
unfulfilled, due to what the parents and home have epitomised
to him or her. So, it’s right to say that children from dysfunctional
marriages and homes are sources of some ills in the society.
Getting a child exposed to the right kind of leadership from
home will go a long way in stabilising our society.
What do you think is the ideal marriage?
The ideal marriage is one where love rules and reigns. Love is
seeking the interest of another and bending backwards to meet
their needs. To bend backwards means you don’t just meet the
needs of your spouse only when it’s convenient for you, but
also otherwise. An ideal marriage is one where love governs
and where there The submission from both parties, while they
consistently protect the interest of each other. Unfortunately,
in some cases, each partner comes into the marriage with un-
realistic expectations such as ‘I need a woman/man who can
be this or that to me because I was deficient in that particular
aspect of life.
For instance, you could hear a man say because I didn’t experi-
ence the true love of motherhood, so now that I’m going into
marriage, I need a woman who will be a mother to me, cook for
me, wash my clothes; one who will be my prayer warrior, and
the list is endless. Everything is all about you. You are not mindful
of the needs or dreams of the woman you are marrying, and
not bothered if they would be met or fulfilled. The woman, on
the other hand, is also thinking about living with a man who will
be lovely, loving and caring; a man who will provide everything
and one she could cry on his shoulders.
The two parties are only thinking about how the marriage
would fulfil ‘me’ and not ‘us’. Each of them is going into a mar-
riage like a half-bodied person who needs someone to make
them complete. So, when those needs are not met, there would
be issues. And when there are issues, instead of each party
looking inward to make amends, they begin to cast blames and
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Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune
find faults in the other person.
However, if everyone going into a marriage can come with the
mindset of wanting to complement their partner, make them
happy, look out for their interests, no one will be unhappy in
marriage.
Women and mothers have key roles to play in nation-build-
ing. How best should women prepare themselves for this task?
You find leadership in every facet of life. There is something
every human being is designed to do better than anyone else
and be a leader in that regard. I want to encourage every
woman to look inward to discover that unique endowments.
Having discovered what you are gifted to do, develop it and
get proper and adequate training to sharpen the skill. We
should also ensure that we do well whatever we are called
to do. In the long run, your work will speak for itself and
people will begin to accept your claims or follow you. In
that wise, you’re providing leadership. As women, we need
to get to a point where people cannot push us aside just
because our claims don’t match up or our products lack the
expected standards.
There is a saying that ‘A woman must do twice better than a
man before she can be given her place.’ It is so on this side of
the world, but I always wondered why it should be that way. So,
for a woman to be substandard, she has unconsciously ruled
herself out. We are in a society where, before you are even
The ideal marriage is
one where love governs
and where there is
submission from both
parties, while they
consistently protect the
interest of each other.
tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023
given a chance, you must have done twice better than a man.
I’m 64 years old, and I’m technology savvy. That is what it is.
What prepared you for leadership?
I would say the home again. I can’t talk about all that I’m doing
now without mentioning the key role that my father played in
preparing me ahead of the future. My father taught me both
in words and actions. I remember those days he would take
me aside, under the moonlight, and be talking to me about
how to take up leadership responsibilities. Then, I thought it
was because I was the first child, but later I got to know that
he was grooming me because of what I’m going to become in
the future. He taught me about womanhood and sex education
before I could hear anything from my friend or being taught in
school. He taught me everything. My mother also taught me
a lot of things.
You are a wife, a mother, a lawyer, and a pastor. What mo-
tivates and inspires you to do more?
God has given every woman the ability to multitask. The abil-
ity to function in these roles is a creational gift, which God has
helped me to be able to tap into. You can be given a gift and
you may not know how to utilise it. I’m grateful that God made
me a woman and has given me the ability to multitask. So, it’s
the grace of God. I‘m always inspired when I see how my life is
impacting people and how they are getting up. My motivation
is people’s development.
The judiciary in Nigeria is full of compromises. What is your
view on this?
It’s a shame to see a place you look up to let you down.
The judiciary should be spotless and above board because
the society looks up to the judiciary to be able to deliver
justice. This is the reason why every country makes sure it
takes proper care of its judiciary. However, when you find
that kind of weakness in a judiciary, it’s quite disappointing
and dashes the hope of the downtrodden. It is a function of
how you are brought up as well as your spirit being regen-
erated. Anyone whose spirit is not regenerated would fall
for anything substandard because there’s a limit to how a
person can resist evil if you don’t have God. The God factor
is needed for people in this sector to be able to uphold the
value that is expected of them and also to be contented.
Let us talk about the annual The Unique Woman Conference.
Why the need for a women’s conference?
I have discovered that women constitute the largest work-
force of any nation and I believe that if that aspect is not
well-developed, the nation cannot come to its maximum
fulfilment. Any nation that’s not looking up to developing its
women will not be able to get to its destination. Every woman
is unique. This means that your uniqueness is what makes
you a gift to your world, which you must try to discover,
develop and deploy. For instance, the dress I’m wearing is
made by LadyLooks. She has carved out her own niche and
she is doing well. A woman has what it takes to develop a
nation. So, there should be a way of bringing this important
and powerful workforce together and empowering women
to be able to contribute to national development. This is not
about Nigeria alone. It cuts across international boundaries;
homes, marriages, ethnic groups, cultures or anything that
represents nation to womanhood. That is the rationale for
the unique conference, and it has been on since 1992.
What is the theme of this year’s conference?
This year’s theme is ‘Nation Builders’. It’s about calling
ourselves home as women and reminding ourselves of the
fact that we have been called to build , while we also show
how we should build.
You look beautiful and elegant in your 60s. What is the
secret?
There are times that I have to purposely switch off my mind
from worrying over things that I cannot change or have no
control over. I look away from things that don’t matter and I
concentrate on the ones that are of more importance. Also,
how you feel on the inside has a way of reflecting on your
outward appearance.
 SATURDAY TRIBUNE
26 www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023

Interview
My former wife set me up —Oluwo
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 20
Other Obas who have not discovered that truth can continue
to play second fiddle to the deities. I just want people to know
and change. If you look in the Bible, who did Moses, David and
Jesus Christ, Noah and even Abraham consult before having
access to God? They spoke directly to God alone. So why do
we have to speak through somebody before we have access to
our father? So, why do Yoruba people want to see God through
somebody else? God is indescribable. So, the king represents
God on earth. If I go to church or mosque, I have gone there to
bless their prayers because I am the only one empowered by
God to bless people’s prayers as God’s representation. If a king
recognises God and worships Him alone, if he goes to a mosque
or church, he has gone there to bless them. That’s why I said
the Yoruab race is the most blessed in the world. God blessed
us so much that we don’t have to be worried about anything
as long as we can call Olodumare and worship Him. Christians
and Muslims need to understand that they don’t have to bow
down to any other deity. The future of the Yoruba is very bright.
Recently, the Ooni of Ife and veteran actor, Pete Edochie were
in the news because the latter greeted the Ooni by shaking
hands with him. As the custodian of tradition and culture of
the Yoruba race, what do you make of that scenario?
 I believe that a king should know his office. When people
see their religious leaders, they want them to pray for them
and bless them. But do you know that the blessing of a king is
greater than that of any religious or spiritual fathers you can
think about? But the problem is that people don’t see that a
king’s blessing is greater than that of any religious leader. Many
kings belong to secret societies where you see that a road
side mechanic is not only a member, but the boss. Kings have
become so hopeless in their offices that they don’t know that
the day you become a king, you are not expected to be part of
any secret cult. Do you know we don’t have a Yoruba Council
of Obas? We are supposed to merge the kings in Yorubaland
together which will be greater than any other secret society.
But some people won’t let that happen because they want to
weaken the traditional institution. So, as first class kings, we
must come together and take back our institution but it can nev-
er happen because the kings will never agree that Olodumare
is the owner of the stool. In Ogun State, they worship Agemo
and their kings worship with them, Oyo worships Sango, Ife will
say it is worshipping 400 deities. I don’t know how they came
about 400 deities. They need to tell us the names of each of
the deities. If all kings come under the umbrella of Olodumare,
we will enjoy the respect we desire. If you attend functions in
the North, only the President can sit with the traditional rulers.
Ministers, governors and other political office holders will sit
behind their Emirs but in Yoruba land, they relegate the Obas to
the back seats, you will be seeing Senators and House of Reps
members at the front, even state house of assembly members
will sit ahead of their Obas. Kings have become powerless in
Yoruba land. That’s why I was talking about secret cults, imagine
a Sultan in the same secret cult as a mechanic, what do you
expect? You can see what is wrong with the Yoruba kingship,
they have signs and will signal to him, they can even tell him
they would kill him, that’s why they are powerless.  You are a luxurious king, but they say luxury is not cheap…
If you were in that situation, what would you have done?
I will not shake Edochie. We’ve seen billionaires like Dangote,
Taiwo Afolabi bows when they want to greet me. Otedola bow,
even the President, Bola Tinubu bows, Baba Lai Mohammed
bows, these are great men and are symbols of humility. I can
show you their pictures, you can see where President Tinubu
greeted me, a whole president! But If I were in the shoes of the
Ooni, I would not shake hands with that man. If you are coming
to greet me and you can’t bow, then keep your greeting. I have
met eminent Nigerians who would greet me with humility and
I will in return extend my hand to shake them. 
Nigerians are groaning under the yoke of fuel price hike oc-
casioned by the removal of fuel subsidy, what do you think
of this decision by President Bola Tinubu at this critical time?
Removing subsidy is the best thing to do for the survival of
the country. Subsidy is an organised crime with some elites
sharing the money. Who are they subsidising for? Do you
subsidise petroleum products? You subsidise housing and
healthcare. Petroleum is luxury, so you don’t subsidise it.
Let’s build our railways with that money and our roads as
well. Let the government start giving palliatives and increase
the minimum wage.
You have brought a lot of class and royalty to this throne in
the last seven years, but some people argued that the standard
you have set for the kingdom is too expensive for the town to
manage. What does it cost you to be classy?
It can cost you so much and it can cost you less if you are
confident in what you are wearing and how you carry yourself.
You can use an Ankara to propagate your style. You can even use
Kampala to elevate your status as a king. It depends on how you
move with confidence and boldness no matter what you wear.
It doesn’t come cheap but the way you carry yourself will make
people come and ask you what you are wearing and who makes
what you wear. That’s why I tell people that a king’s luxury is
his people. If you are milking your people as a king, you will be
enjoying luxury in fear and that doesn’t add up to being bold
and confident. I am the first king in the world that the people
rose to fight on his behalf when some people said they wanted
to dethrone me. My people will fight for me because I don’t
take anything from them. So my people are my wealth, my
strength and boldness because power lies in the hands of the
people and I am serving them.

4 killed as kidnappers engage policemen in Former Oyo AD gov candidate

gun duel in Ogun State
Olalekan Olabulo | Lagos Adamu, in a statement on
Friday said some of the kid-
FOUR suspected kidnappers nappers escaped with bullet
allegedly terrorising residents wounds.
of Ogun State lost their lives “On 6th May, 2023, at
during a gun duel between about 1800hrs, intelligence
them and policemen from the was given to the AIG Ari Mo-
Zone 2 Police Formation, com- hammed Alifcia, that a syn-
prising Lagos and Ogun states. dicate of kidnappers terror-
Some of the kidnappers ising Abeokuta (the capital of
were said to have been re- Ogun State) and its environs
cruited from Niger Republic were seen somewhere sus-
and Chad. pected to be their hideout.
The image maker in charge “Consequently, a team of
of the zone, Hauwa Idris- detectives from the Zonal
Su-Kazeem drums support for Tinubu
Soji Ajibola that the nation would have
gone beyond this level if the
AN Ibadan-based business 1993 presidential election
magnate and an ally of the was not annuled by the mil-
late Chief MKO Abiola, Al- itary junta.
haji Sufianu Kazeem, has He, however, stated that
drummed support for Pres- with the election of Tinubu
ident Bola Ahmed Tinubu- as president there is a ray of
led administration. hope.
He assured that Tinubu Alhaji Kazeem said late
would bring his wealth of Abiola was passionate
experience to bear in repos- about the unity of the coun-
itioning the economy of the try hence the massive sup-
country just like late Chief port he garnered across the
Moshoof Abiola planned to country in the election.
do in 1993. He noted that those en-
Alhaji Su-Kazeem insisted joying Nigeria’s democracy
Monitoring Unit swung
into action. On sighting the
Police in their hideout at a
forest at Ibara Orile, Ogun
State, the kidnappers en-
gaged the detectives in a
gun duel in which four kid-
nappers were neutralised,
while others escaped with
bullet wounds.
“Thereafter, when the
hideout was searched, one
unregistered Bajaj Motor-
cycle, four AK47 rifles, six
magazines loaded with 20
today were the same ele-
ments who annulled the
1993 election.
Alhaji Kazeem said June
12 was a reminder of what
prominent Nigerians of
good conscience did to
bring an end to military
junta and restore demo-
cracy.
“It’s been 29 years since
these struggles started.
Don’t let us forget how we
got here and why we must
not travel further with
those who directly particip-
ated or those who were and
live ammunition, 10 expen-
ded ammunition were re-
covered.
“Further investigation into
the incident revealed that
members of the syndicate
were drawn from different
parts of the country, while
some of them came from
neighbouring countries of
Niger and Chad respectively.”
The police image maker
also added that “efforts are
on top gear to arrest the oth-
ers.”
have remained complicit in
these acts against our col-
lective humanity!
Alhaji Kazeem also re-
counted his first meeting
with President Tinubu at
Ibadan in 1972 through one
Mrs Tokun, who then was
working with Daily Sketch in
Ibadan.
He said compared to pre-
vious elections which were
marred by massive fraud,
violence and intimidation,
the June 12, 1993 presid-
ential election was peaceful
and credible.
gets chieftaincy title in
Orile-Igbon
A former governorship
candidate of the Alliance
for Democracy (AD) in Oyo
State, Chief Babatunde
Tijani, popularly known
as Double T, will be con-
ferred with the chieftaincy
title of Otunba Bobaselu
of Orile-Igbon Kingdom in
Surulere Local Government,
Oyo State, today.
The Olugbon of Orile-Ig-
bon, Oba Francis Olushola
Alao, will confer the chief-
taincy title on Tijani, a grass-
roots politician and philan-
thropist.
Double T is renowned for
his deep loyalty, ability to
deliver on tactical political
tasks and leveraging on his
closeness with Governor
Makinde for the betterment
of the state and humanity, a
development that made all
members of the Omituntun
Political Family, a platform
comprising loyalists of the
governor, to designate him
as the Olori Ebi.
Speaking about the chief-
taincy, Tijani said: “I feel
very honoured with the
chieftaincy title. It shows
that the Kabiyesi and the
people of Orile-Igbon ap-
preciate all my contribu-
tions to the state.”
A product of the pres-
tigious Lagelu Grammar
school, Ibadan, Tijani holds
a Diploma Certificate and
a degree in Law from the
Olabisi Onabanjo Univer-
sity and the National Open
University of Nigeria, while
he is currently pursuing an-
other degree at the Univer-
sity of Ibadan.
He served as a member
of the Oyo State Rent Court
between 2001 and 2005
and as a legislative aide
at the National Assembly
between 2005 and 2007,
courtesy of Hon Babatunde
Oduyoye.
He rose to the national
limelight when he was elec-
ted Deputy National Sec-
retary and later Acting Na-
tional Secretary of Alliance
for Democracy between
2008 to 2013 before joining
the Social Democratic Party
(SDP).

My life in danger, Ogun NNPP’s lawyer, Izunya cries out to IGP, Gov Abiodun
By Nurudeen Alimi
NEW counsel for the New
Nigeria People’s Party,
(NNPP) in Ogun State cur-
rently representing the
party in its petition against
the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC),
Governor Dapo Abiodun and
the All Progressives Congress
(APC) in court over omission
of the party’s name in the bal-
lot used in the last governor-
ship election, Mr. I.D lzunya
has raised the alarm that his
life and that of his immediate
family are in danger.
He has therefore sent a
“Save my Soul” message to
the Ogun State Commis-
sioner of Police, Inspector
General of Police, Usman Al-
kali Baba and the Ogun State
Governor, Dapo Abiodun,
saying being a counsel for
a political party should not
cost him and his family their
lives as he was only doing a
professional job which he
has been trained to do.
While addressing journ-
alists in Abeokuta, Izunya
alleged that his wife was
attacked and was almost
killed on Tuesday, June 13
but miraculously survived
saying the attack was polit-
ically motivated and that it
might be as a result of his
role as counsel for the NNPP
in Ogun State.
In a statement on Thursday,
Izunya said, “I wish to use
this medium, to inform the
Ogun State Commissioner of
Police, the Governor of Ogun
State, the Inspector General
of Police and other Secur-
ity agencies that my life and
that of my family is in danger
and they should deploy all
legal arsenals to protect me
and my family.”

27 www.tribuneonlineng.com
Feature
Kwara boat tragedy: Many perished because
they tried to save their children
Liman Ahmed, father of victim.
Usman Abubakar, father of victim
S
Biola Azeez | Ilorin
URVIVORS of the boat accident in the Patigi Local
Government Area of Kwara state have recounted
their narrow escape in a tragedy that happened in
the dead of the night and right in the middle of the
River Niger.
Unconfirmed sources put the casualty figure at about 110,
while the state police command said that 106 persons died in
the accident with about 144 persons rescued.
Saturday Tribune gathered that most of the victims were
women and children, as some men were able to swim to safety.
Ibrahim Mohammed, 26, is one of the survivors of the acci-
dent. Ibrahim said he survived because he could swim, adding
that others, like women, could swim, too, but they died trying
to save their children.
“We went for a wedding at Gboti under Patigi Local Gov-
ernment area. After the completion of all what we went for,
we all converged at the water-side from different villages at
about 3:O0 am.
“We all entered the boat. It was just about two to three
minutes that we entered that the boat collapsed in the
middle of the water not even far from where we started the
journey. I survived because I can swim.
“Many people that lost their lives could swim too but
because of the little children that some women carried. All
their strategies failed while trying to save their children .
Immediately I got to the shore, I could not come back again
to assist others,” he said.
Usman Abubakar was not part of the journey, but he lost his
15-year-old son in the boat accident. He said his son, a tailor
was one of the people that went for the wedding. He said that
he was told that the boat broke into two in the middle of the
river and capsized, killing many people.
“I’m Usman Abubakar. I’m a farmer. My son was the bread
winner of the family. He was hardworking and quite helpful.
How to continue to live is my concern now. He’s our source of
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023
Ibraheem Mohammed, community leader.
Mohammed Abdullahi, survivor.
livelihood. He’s gone,” he lamented. males who could swim got to the river bank, while the female
Mohammed Abdulahi is another survivor. Abdullahi said a ones and their children died.
tree saved him. “God just helped me with the tree. When On the possible cause of the mishap, the community
the boat broke into two, God just helped me as I held on leader said that the canoe was overloaded and broke
to the tree and I climbed it to come out of the boat. That’s into two.
how I survived”. “Had it been there’s an access road, they wouldn’t have gone
The community leader, Mallam Liman Ahmed, put the figure through the river. It’s just because there’s no road network in
of affected people in the boat accident at 180, saying that about the area. The whole of the three villages are not linked with
200 persons were inside the boat. He added that the boat sank road. So, they’re forced to pass through the river. The perma-
before the people could get to the river bank, adding that the nent solution is to link the communities with accessible road
networks,” he said.
The unfortunate boat accident happened at about 03:00 hours
on Monday, June 12, 2023, when the boat was conveying about
250 people from a village called Gboti via Patigi to Ebu Village
and Dzakan Village, all within Patigi local government area, after
a wedding ceremony.
The state Police command said that the boat mishap hap-
pened when, “one part of the boat, by the engine side, col-
One part of the boat by the lapsed where water penetrated the boat, which ultimately led
engine side collapsed. That is to the boat capsizing. All efforts to draw the attention of the
villagers hosting the wedding ceremony for assistance by the
where water penetrated the persons in the boat proved abortive, leading to the deaths of
about 106 people.
boat, which ultimately led to “The boat was said to have conveyed about 250 people from
the boat capsizing. All efforts a village called Gboti via Patigi after a wedding ceremony to Ebu
Village and Dzakan Village, all within Patigi’s local government area.
to draw the attention of the “On leaving the shore, one part of the boat by the engine side
villagers hosting the wedding collapsed. That is where water penetrated the boat, which ulti-
mately led to the boat capsizing. All efforts to draw the attention
ceremony for assistance of the villagers hosting the wedding ceremony for assistance by
the persons in the boat proved abortive, leading to the deaths
by the persons in the boat of about one hundred and six (106) people.
proved abortive, leading “Among the casualties were people from Ebu Village with 61
casualties, Dzakan Village with 38, Kpada Village with four dead,
to the deaths of about 106 and three other casualties from Kogi State, putting the total
people. number of casualties at 106 and the total number of rescued
people at about 144,” the police said.

28
News
Ede rallies support for Oba Lawal
Laminisa on 15th coronation anniversary
C
HIEFS, commu-
nity leaders and
indigenes of Ede
in Osun State have
rallied support for
the their traditional ruler,
the Timi Edeland, Oba Mu-
nirudeen Adesola Lawal
Laminisa I, on the occasion
of his 15th coronation anni-
versary, saying he deserved
their support for the contin-
ued peace and prosperity of
Edeland.
The Babasanya of Ede-
land, Chief Lateef Fola-
ranmi Lawal and the Aare
Bobaselu of Edeland, Chief
Kamorudeen Debo Akanbi
Omo Ologbojo (Osun Ag-
Oyo Fulani leader, Bello, urges Tinubu to run inclusive govt
By Saheed Salawu
A leader of the Fulani com-
munity in Oyo State, Alhaji
Yakubu Bello, has urged
President Bola Tinubu to
form a cabinet peopled by
capable Nigerians of all eth-
nic, religious and political
persuasions to enhance the
country’s unity and develop-
ment.
Bello, who is a former
chairman of the Miyetti Allah
Cattle Breeders Association
of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Oyo
State, gave the advice during
, OPEYEMI
I, formerly Opeyemi Adeola
Salami now OPEYEMI
ADEOLA OKE. All former
documents remain valid.
General public take note.
, ELEBHOSE
I, formerly Elebhose Ose
Deborah now EDUWO
OSE DEBORAH. All
former documents remain
valid. General public take
note.
, AKINTOMOWO
I, formerly Miss Akintomowo
Aina Sade now MRS
AKINNADE AINA SADE
MERCY. All former
documents remain valid.
General public take note.
, KAREEM
CORRECTION OF NAME: I hereby
declare that my correct name is Kareem
Sheriff Kolawole and not Kareem
Abimbola and Kareem Kolawole
Sheriff as mistakenly written on my
account details. Henceforth, I want
to be known as KAREEM SHERIFF
KOLAWOLE. All former documents
remain valid. General public take note.
, SAIBU
I, formerly Aikore Racheal Ajinun
and Aikore Racheal Ajiun now to
be known and addressed as SAIBU
RAMATA AIKORE. Also, my date
of birth is not May 2, 1940. My
correct date of birth is May 2, 1945.
All former documents remain valid.
Concerned authorities, banks and
general public take note.
, AYODELE
CORRECTION OF NAME: In
my Bank Verification Number,
my name was written as Ayodele
Tobi Ayomide. My correct name
is AYODELE OLUWATOBI
AYOMIDE. All former documents
remain valid. Concerned authorities,
banks and general public take note.
, SAMUEL
I, formerly known as Samuel
Amaka Faith now AMAKOR
AMAKA FAITH. All former
documents remain valid.
General public take note.
www.tribuneonlineng.com
beni), who spoke at the cel-
ebration of the Timi’s 15th
coronation anniversary, de-
scribed Oba Lawal one who
has brought accelerated
progress and development
to Ede and called on all
and sundry to continue to
support the monarch as he
rules over his people.
Also speaking a commu-
nity leader and the wife of
the chief of staff to the Osun
State governor, Alhaja Bi-
likis Akinleye and the Baale
Olokosu, Chief Abdulwakil
Yakub and a newly-ap-
pointed permanent sec-
retary in the state, Idowu
Bashiru Bello, who is also an
a chat with newsmen in his
office in Iseyin.
The Sarkin Fulani of Oke-
Ogun underscored the need
for the people of Oyo State
and the country at large to
embrace peace and support
the Federal Government to
succeed in solving the prob-
lems confronting the country
and bringing a new lease on
life to the populace.
He noted that Tinubu’s
track record while he held
sway as the governor of La-
gos State, his sagacity and
progressive politics stood
, KATEANAH
I, formerly Kateanah
Ibukunoluwa Akinmeji
now KATEANAH
I B U K U N O L U WA
AKINMEJI-OKEKE. All
former documents remain
valid. General public take note.
, IGBORODOWO
I, formerly Igborodowo
Ayo Joseph now IGBORO
AYO JOSEPH. All former
documents remain valid.
Concerned authorities and
general public take note.
, AFOLARIN
I, formerly Mrs Afolarin Rachael
Adebola now MRS ONIKORO
RACHAEL ADEBOLA. All
former documents remain valid.
Ondo State Teaching Service
Commission and general public
take note.
, AJIBADE
I, formerly Ajibade
Adeyinka Benjamen now
BENJAMIN ADEYINKA
AYOOLA. All former
documents remain valid.
General public take note.
, ADESIYAN
I, formerly Miss Adewole
Aanuoluwapo Deborah now to
be known and addressed as MRS
ADESIYAN AANUOLUWAPO
DEBORAH. All former
documents remain valid.
Concerned authorities, banks
and general public take note.
, ODEJA
I, formerly Miss Bakare Ayodele
Adebanke now to be known
and addressed as MRS. ODEJA
AYODELE ADEBANKE. All
former documents remain valid.
Concerned authorities, banks
and general public take note.
, OLADEJO
I, formerly Oladejo Tolulope
Dorcas now FOLORUNSO
TOLULOPE DORCAS. All
former documents remain
valid. General public take
note.
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune
indigene of Ede, hailed Oba
Lawal and described him as
one of the factors that have
positively impacted the
town.
They said Oba Lawal is
a virtuous man with good
leadership qualities and
a philanthropist who has
aided the growth of the
town and its people.
The community lead-
ers commend Governor
Ademola Adeleke on his
achievements as governor
of the state and also hailed
the citizens of the state for
their cooperation with and
support for the administra-
tion of Governor Adeleke.
him in a good stead to be-
come the kind of president
Nigeria needs at this period
to tackle its challenges and
get back on track.
He saluted the president’s
courage in confronting the
contentious issue of petrol
subsidy and commended
him on the manner in which
he is managing the outcome
of the decision.
Bello advised Nigerians to
bear the pains of the subsidy
removal in the hope that the
result will bring long-lasting
succour to the citizenry.
, AKINRADEWO
I, formerly Miss Akinradewo
Theresa Nike now MRS
OLANIYI THERESA NIKE.
All former documents remain
valid. Concerned authorities,
banks and general public take
note.
, ADEREMI
I, formerly Aderemi Busayo
Eunice now FAPARUSI
BUSAYO EUNICE. All former
documents remain valid.
Concerned authorities and
general public take note.
, ODUNLAMI
I, formerly Miss Odunlami
Bosede Precious now
MRS. ADELEKE BOSEDE
PRECIOUS. All former
documents remain valid.
General public take note.
, AKINRINLOLA
I, formerly Miss Akinrinlola
Ajoke, Akinrinlola Ajoke Victoria
now MRS AKINBINUADE
AJOKE. All former documents
remain valid. Concerned
authorities, banks and general
public take note.
, BELLO
I, formerly Miss Ajala Olamide
Omotolani now to be known
and addressed as MRS. BELLO
OLAMIDE OMOTOLANI. All
former documents remain valid.
Concerned authorities, banks,
and general public take note.
, OGUNKANBI
I, formerly Ogunkanbi Ebenezer
Segun now to be known and
addressed as OGUNKANBI
EBENEZER OLUSEGUN. All
former documents remain valid.
Concerned authorities, banks
and general public take note.
, SOTONADE
I, formerly Mr Sotonade
Ayobami Oluwadamilare now
to be known and addressed as
MR ZION-STONE AYOBAMI
OLUWADAMILARE. All
former documents remain valid.
Concerned authorities, banks
and general public take note.
Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023
,
,
OLAOSEBIKAN , OLAYIWOLA NWAFOR
I, formerly Olaosebikan I, formerly Olayiwola CORRECTION OF NAME: I, Nwafor
Chigozie Frank. That my name was
Kehinde Funmilayo now Aminat Olamide now wrongly written as Nwafor Chigozie
ADEMOYEGUN KEHINDE MUHAMMED RAJI Tallest. Henceforth, I wish to be known
as NWAFOR CHIGOZIE FRANK.
FUNMILAYO. All former AMINAT. All former My date of birth is 7/5/1983 and not
documents remain valid. documents remain valid. 31/5/1991. All former documents
General public take note. General public take note. remain valid.General public take note.
, ASISHANA , ADESINA , OWOLABI
I, formerly Asishana I, formerly Adesina I, formerly Owolabi Jumoke
Titilayo Oluwaferanmi Oluwasegun Adelere now Sadia now AKINOLA
now AJAYI TITILAYO ADESINA OLUSEGUN OLAJUMOKE ABOSEDE.
OLUWAFERANMI. All ADELERE. All former All former documents remain
former documents remain documents remain valid. valid. Concerned authorities
valid. General public take note. General public take note. and general public take note.
, AROWOLO-FUNMILOLA , BENJAMEN , ADEKILEKUN
I, formerly Arowolo- I, formerly Miss Benjamen Naomi I, formerly Adekilekun Sakirat
Funmilola Anike, now Onome now MRS ADEDOYIN Ajoke now ALAO SAKIRAT
NAOMI-BENJAMIN. All former AJOKE. All former documents
HASSAN FUNMILOLA. All remain valid.. Osun State Local
documents remain valid. CBN,
former documents remain NIMC, Nigeria Immigration Government Service Commission,
valid. General public take Service, All banks, CAC and Ede North Local Government and
note. general public take note. general public take note.
, OLAYIWOLA , JOSEPH , MANUWA
I, Olayiwola Elizabeth Funmilayo am I, formerly Joseph Bunmi I, formerly Manuwa
the same person bearing Funmilayo
Funmilayo Elizabeth. Now, I wish Orimolade now SAMUEL Adewunmi Victoria now
to be known called and addressed
GIFT GBENGA. All former MRS SAMA ADEWUNMI
as OLAYIWOLA ELIZABETH
FUNMILAYO. All former documents VICTORIA. All former
remain valid. UBA Plc and General
documents remain valid. documents remain valid.
public take note. General public take note. General public take note.
, ADESINA , OLUWAKEMI , ADEGBITE
I, formerly Adesina Asiata I, formerly Miss Oluwakemi I, formerly Adegbite Adeola
Kemi now wish to be known Biliki Showunmi now MRS Sekinat now ONABAMIJI
and addressed as ADESHINA OLUWAKEMI BILIKI ADEOLA SEKINAT. All
ASIATA OLUWAKEMI. All former documents remain
former documents remain ADEBAYO. All former
documents remain valid. valid. General public take
valid. General public take
note. General public take note. note.
, JIMOH , TAJUDEEN , ADETARAMI
I, formerly addressed as Jimoh I, Tajudeen Adeyemi Adefisoye wish CORRECTION OF NAME: I,
Adepoju Alimi now want to notify the general public that my Adetarami Kolawole whose name
to be addressed as JIMOH son who was formerly known and was wrongly written as Adetarami
Kolawole Tunji on my BVN instead
ADEPOJU ADEBAYO. All
called Adefisoye Faizan Abimbola,
should henceforth be known and called of Adetarami Kolawole. Henceforth,
former documents remain ADEFISOYE ROLLAND ABIMBOLA. my correct name is ADETARAMI
KOLAWOLE. All former documents
All former documents remain valid.
valid. Banks and general NIMC, Nigeria Immigration Service, remain valid. General public take
public take note. Banks and general public take note. note.
, OLAKANMI , ADIAT , KOLAWOLE
I, formerly Miss Olakanmi I, formerly Adiat Mustapha I, formerly Kolawole Ajoke
Oluwaseyi now MRS Oluwaseyi now ADIAT Dasola now KOLAWOLE
OLABOYE OLUWASEYI. All MUSTAPHA SHINA. All GANIYAT AJOKE. All former
former documents remain former documents remain
valid. General public take documents remain valid.
valid. General public take
note. note. General public take note.
, OGUNKUNLE , MAWEDO , OGUNYEMI
I, formerly Ogunkunle I formerly Mawedo Amedu I, formerly Ogunyemi
Oyindamola Dorcas now wish Theresa now THERESA Kehinde Dorcas now IBIYEMI
to be addressed and known as MAWEDO AMEDU. All KEHINDE DORCAS. All
MRS ALAKA OYINDAMOLA
former documents remain former documents remain
DORCAS. All former
documents remain valid. valid. General public take valid. General public take
General public take note. note. note.
, ADEDEJI , OLUKOYA , DADA
I, formerly Miss Adedeji I, formerly Miss Olukoya I, formerly known as Miss
Anifat Oluwatoyin now Opeoluwa Esther now MRS Dada Taiwo Grace now to be
MRS. MAKINDE ANIFAT KAJOPELAYE OPEOLUWA known as MRS. AJAGUNNA
OLUWATOYIN. All former ESTHER. All former TAIWO GRACE. All former
documents remain valid.
documents remain valid. Banks and general public take documents remain valid.
General public take note. note. General public take note.
, ABIDOYE , DADA , OKUNLOLA
I, formerly Miss Abidoye I, formerly Miss Dada Toyin I, formerly Okunlola Adelani
Omolara Oluwatoyin now Fadekemi now MRS YAKUBU Francis now JESULOLAMI
ADELANI FRANCIS. All
MRS. ADU OMOLARA TOYIN FADEKEMI. All
OLUWATOYIN. All former former documents remain former documents remain
documents remain valid. valid. General public take valid. General public take
General public take note. note. note.
, AMUBIEYA , OYEBANJO , ISIAKA
I, formerlyAmubieya Ibrahim I, formerly Oyebanjo I, formerly Isiaka Mariam
Abiola with date of birth as Gbemisola Janet now MRS Tutu now ISIAKA MARIAM
15th April, 1979 now LAWAL
IBRAHEEM ABIOLA with OWOLABI GBEMISOLA SUBAIR. All former
correct date of birth as 23 March JANET. All documents remain
1977. All former documents valid. General public take documents remain valid.
remain valid. Banks and general
public take note. note. General public take note.
, ISIAKA , OGUNGBENRO , AJALA
I, formerly Miss Isiaka Iyabo CORRECTION OF NAME: My I, formerly Miss Ajala
name was wrongly written in my
Rokibat now MRS OJO account details as Ogungbenro Olabisi Tolani now MRS
Suliat Opeyemi instead of AZEEZ OGUNGBENRO OLABISI
ROKIBAT ISIAK. All former SULIAT OPEYEMI. My date of birth
is 15th May, 1997. All documents TOLANI. All former
documents remain valid. bearing the two names are mine and
documents remain valid.
remain valid. Concerned authorities
General public take note. and the general public take note. General public take note.
, LAWAL , IBIKUNLE , OJO
I, formerly Miss Lawal I formerly Miss Ibikunle
CORRECTION OF NAME: I,
Deborah Idowu now MRS Yemi Temiloluwa now formerly Ojo Olugbenga Peter
OLATINWO DEBORAH MRS ADESINA YEMI now OJO GBENGA PETER..
IDOWU. All former TEMILOLUWA. All former All former documents remain
documents remain valid. documents remain valid. valid. General public take
General public take note. General public take note. note.
, OGUNKUNLE , AJAYI , ABODERIN
I, formerly Ogunkunle I, formerly Ajayi Olabisi now I, formerly Aboderin
Temilola Aina now AJAYI OLABISI RACHEAL. Doyinsola Hamidat now
LAWAL DOYINSOLA
OGUNKUNLE MAGRET My correct date of birth is 6th
TEMILOLA. All former of March, 1965. All former HAMIDAT. All former
documents remain valid. documents remain valid. documents remain valid.
NYSC and general public take
General public take note. General public take note. note.

29 www.tribuneonlineng.com
View.com
President Tinubu and the emerging Nigerian ideal
I
By Tunji Olaopa
think that right from the very first and May 29 inaugural
speech, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has set the ball rolling
on reflections around what we can call the Tinubu Agenda
for transforming the Nigerian state and society. Of course,
most Nigerians are struggling with the ripple effects of the
announcement, in the same speech, of the end to the fuel sub-
sidy regime—something that the outgone Buhari administration
had brokered before leaving. However, I believe the speech does
more in outlining a preliminary set of thinking points than the
microeconomics of fuel subsidy.
Inaugural speeches are often difficult to write. And this is
because the one who is setting out the vision—in this case,
the new president of the federal republic of Nigeria—is as yet
sufficiently acquainted with the structural and institutional
dynamics of the new office or status. And such a person does
not really want to set a bad precedent in terms of what is not
clearly seen yet. But then, an inaugural speech must be written
and the tone must set out specifics that others, the readers and
citizens, can take seriously as outlining the intentions of the one
giving the speech.
However, Bola Ahmed Tinubu is no stranger to politics, and
Nigerian administrative trajectory. He has been a student of
Nigerian politics for as long as anyone could remember. He was
there at some of the most turbulent periods in Nigerian history,
especially the tough and dangerous times when democratic
governance was struggling to be born. He was singular in the
defining of good governance in Lagos State, and in the consoli-
dation of the state’s infrastructural development and mega-city
superstructure that other governors would later build on. Bola
Ahmed Tinubu knows Nigeria.
And so, the speech touched on some of the most significant
issues that we expect are critical to handling some of the major
predicaments that the Nigerian state has been facing since
independence. Unemployment and taxation are critical to the
infrastructural and economic development of Nigeria, and the
transformation of the well-being of Nigerians. And security is
key to any progress a country might wish to make since it is
within the ambit of law and order that a state could put all the
variables of growth and development together. By touching
on agriculture,
the president hints at the fundamental issue of diversifying
the Nigerian economy away from its monocultural dependence
on crude oil in a global world that is fast moving away from
such dependence.
From the opposition parties to many Nigerians, the traumatic
experiences of protracted bad governance, in the last decades,
demand extreme skepticism about what to expect from the
new administration. And no one can beat one’s experience,
especially for the past sixty-three years that the Nigerian state
has been trying to make sense of Nigeria’s plural experience
and underdevelopment. Or even for the last twenty-four years
Understanding the media ombudsman machinery
By Lanre Idowu
I will like to begin with some general thoughts on the place of
the media in society. Every society has a legitimate interest in
determining what ends its media systems are directed to.
Every media system has an historic duty to develop, promote,
and protect its vision of the professional practice that it has
earned for itself.
In the same vein, every government tries to put in place a
media system that does not give them endless sleepless nights.
Nigeria has a rich history of an ambivalent relationship be-
tween the media, its citizens, and government. In broad terms,
whilst some see the media as an important pillar of democracy
that has demonstrated commendable resilience and patriotism
over the years, others may choose to see it as a meddling tool of
the privileged and powerful to foist their own biases on society,
pretending to serve the public good. Yet many also see it as a
powerful tool that needs steady guidance and support for it to
play out its true role as a guiding light of society.
The Nigerian media in general subscribes to a guiding philos-
ophy of journalism that is free, strong, and socially responsible.
The challenge has always been to marry the interests of the
government, media, and the public in such a way that the at-
tending tensions and conflicts are managed in a way that does
not destroy the binding social cords.
How does society achieve this delicate balancing act? It is
through an understanding of the rules of engagement that are
encapsulated in the journalists’ professional code of ethics. It is
SATURDAY TRIBUNE
Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune
since we began the experiment with democratic governance.
The last eight years of the last administration provides a layer
of relative fresh failure, especially with the security architecture
of the Nigerian state and how the security apparatuses failed
to protect Nigerians.
And yet, we cannot succumb to hopelessness or cynicism
despite the horrors of our underdevelopment and leadership
failure. Hopelessness is existential death. It means that there
is nothing to still live for. And Tinubu’s call for renewed hope
should be seen as a call to stave off such hopelessness and
death. Vaclav Havel, the former president of the Czech Republic,
provides a profound statement: “Hope is not the conviction
that something will turn out well but the certainty that some-
thing makes sense, regardless of how it turns out.” Hope does
not mean you have to stop questioning the realities of your
existence. But it definitely means that you have to focus your
belief on something that makes sense. By calling for renewed
hope, President Tinubu is asking that Nigerians focus on Nigeria
as a phenomenon that makes sense; something worth hoping
in; something worth fighting for. And that is what democracy
preaches—insistent hope that something good can still come
out of the Nigerian state under a leadership that knows the right
things to do and how to do them right. Every new administration
speaks to the possibility of hope; the possibility of renewing
hope around Nigeria and her greatness that has remained
latent for sixty-three years. President Tinubu, in that inaugural
speech, however, goes beyond just selling hope to Nigerians. He
sells us also an ideal around which we can hang our collective
hope; the ideal around which the Tinubu Agenda can be framed.
He sells to us what he calls the “Nigerian Ideal.” This is a bold
offering; almost like wanting to close the chapter on our pains
and suffering—or even the governance failure of the past eight
years, while opening up before us the circumference of a new
vista of freshness, and
what makes sense. An ideal always makes sense, something
for us to believe in and yearn for and work to achieve. “The
human soul, says Victor Hugo, the French Romantic writer and
politicians, “has still greater need of the ideal than of the real.
It is by the real that we exist; it is by the ideal that we live.” The
distinction between existing and living is crucial to existential-
ism. Existing is just being there—like a stone or a tree; passively
allowing several things to happen without participating in the
happening. It would seem that our postcolonial experiences as
Nigerians have put us in a place of merely existing and bearing
the burden of our collective existence outside of any vision of a
good life, like Aristotle outlined for all governments. Living, on
the other hand, is doing more than just allowing the traumatic
realities to happen to us. Living implies allowing the imagination
to propose a framework of goodness, or the good life or good
governance that we can vigorously work towards. So, what is
this “Nigerian Ideal”? It is a vision of what we want this Nigeria
of multiple ethnicities and religions to be in a collective frame-
work of national unity. The Nigerian Ideal is what we want,
through the use of civilised engagements, and the instruments
of the law. But because not all conflicts need to end in the law
courts, not all conflicts are of a criminal nature, there is the
alternative dispute resolution mechanism that allows for such
conflicts arising from alleged ethical violations to be resolved
through mediation.
The media ombudsman mechanism is one such body that
has been established to handle complaints of an ethical nature
against Nigerian journalists and media organisations. It involves
receiving complaints of an alleged ethical breach from any
member of the public, serving such notice to the media where
there is merit in it, and inviting a response. It involves arriving
at a decision after a thorough and fair review.
Publication of rulings:“If the Ombudsman upholds the complaint,
the publication concerned will be obliged to publish the decision
in full, and with reasonable prominence, within seven days of the
ruling being delivered to it. All NPAN members shall be obliged to
publish an abstract of the ruling produced by the Ombudsman not
later than 14 days of the delivery of the ruling to the publication.
Where the Ombudsman determines that a particular ruling
affects the fundamental rights of the parties involved or is of
grave importance to journalism practice and/or the publishing
industry, then the ruling shall be published by the publication
involved and all members of NPAN within seven days of the
ruling. This provision is necessary to ensure that only very
important cases are published in full.
Unlike the previous model of statutory regulation known
variously as the Nigerian Media Council and later the Nigerian
tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023
through political will and national zeal, to deploy Nigeria’s ethnic
capital to achieving in terms of translating the diversity into a
development performance. It is the vision of one Nigeria that
is not reducible to the five principles highlighted by President
Tinubu—rule of law, stability, economic growth, youth and
women development, and anti-corruption—but is impossible
without them. The Nigerian Ideal translates into the conscious
efforts by the political class and Nigerians to recognize the
ethnic differences that characterize us, and to harness these
differences into a diversity management framework for moving
Nigeria forward. This is why, even in linguistic terms, President
Tinubu speaks more within the context of the collective “we”
than in the solitariness of the “I”. In sociological terms, rebuilding
the broken walls of the Nigerian society is a joint and collective
efforts that transcends the negotiability of the Nigerian nation.
And the first step in that regard is the willingness of the political
class, represented by the President himself, to gamble on the
development and nationhood of the Nigerian state. National
integration, that is, the political realization of the Nigerian Ideal,
comes at a cost: the cost is the elite suicide of the political class.
Committing elite suicide simply translates into the political class
deliberately refraining from playing bad politics with Nigeria’s
future. Put graphically, the Nigerian Ideal emerges when we
deliberately and systematically undermine the Nigerian Factor.
The latter is our own ways of destroying our nation-building
visions and strategies through corrupt living, impunity, bureau-
pathologies, and many of the ways we live and transacts in the
Nigerian socioeconomic and sociopolitical spaces. Within the
context of the Nigerian factor, our predicament is the result of a
leadership and followership problem. The irrefutable condition
for achieving the Nigerian Ideal—and the President grounds it
poetically—is living and working together in the trenches of
our collective destiny. According to him, despite the trauma of
what had happened to us in the past, “…we have shouldered
the heavy burden to arrive at this sublime moment where the
prospect of a better future merges with our improved capacity
to create that future…. For me, political coloration has faded
away. All I see are Nigerians.” And yet, the Nigerian Ideal, like
the rise of civilizations and the progress of nations are driven by
a few—those who can translate national visions into strategic
governance that locks the citizens into a collective resolve to live
and toil together under a national banner. Arnold Toynbee, in
A Study of History, calls them the “creative minorities”—those
who drive the engine of growth in ways that prevent stagnation
and inspire the citizens to follow their lead and their policy in-
novation. This is the very core of the leadership challenge that
many scholars, philosophers and political scientists in Nigeria
have spoken about. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has outlined
what we all consciously hope for. May the coming years see
him give institutional and developmental teeth to the ideal by
which we need to live and transform our lives.
Professor Olaopa is a retired Federal Permanent Secretary
and Professor of Public Administration.
Press Council, the Media Ombudsman subscribes to what
is described as co-regulation. It is a coming together of nine
professionals from the media, law, academia, civil society and
government. It employs the power of moral suasion, anchored
on the knowledge of the Code of Ethics for Nigerian journalists,
to evaluate media conduct. It does not suffer the unhealthy
suspicion of seeing a statutory press council as an attempt to
emasculate the Nigerian media.
That is what the organised media comprising of the News-
paper Proprietors Association of Nigeria, the Nigerian Guild
of Editors, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Broadcasting
Organisations of Nigeria, the Guild of Corporate Online Pub-
lishers, and several Media NGOS subscribe to. That is what we
ask the Guild as one of the midwives of the Media Ombudsman
to rally round and support. You can do so by ensuring that you
comply with the invitations of the Ombudsman, by publicising
its decisions and in kindling public trust in its processes. It is in
our enlightened self interest to do so.
Since the adoption of a new code of ethics on November 14,
2022, and the inauguration of the board on April 3, 2023, we have
commenced work. With your help, we are determined to represent
the best interests of the Nigerian people. Will you help us to employ
the power of moral suasion and the name-and-shame mechanism
to strengthen public confidence in our media?
We thank you
Remarks by Mr. Lanre Idowu, FNGE at the 2023 Convention
of the Nigerian Guild of Editors in Owerri, Imo State, June
16, 2023.
 SATURDAY TRIBUNE
30 www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023

Sport
Chelsea may beat Arsenal to Caicedo deal
CHELSEA are moving closer to
signing Moisés Caicedo in a
deal that could be worth £80
million, according to Fabrizio
Romano.
The Blues have been compet-
ing with London rivals Arsenal
for the signature of the Brigh-
ton midfielder but The Times
reports that the Gunners had
withdrawn their interest in the
Ecuador international after
having two bids rejected in the
January transfer window.
Sky Sport Deutschland also
reports that Bayern Munich had
been contention.
Arsenal are focusing on se-
curing a £100m-plus move for
West Ham United captain De-
clan Rice, as well as Chelsea
forward Kai Havertz.
Caicedo impressed in 37
appearances in the Premier
League last season, where he
helped Brighton to a record
sixth-place finish, as they quali-
fied for Europe for the first time
in their history. He is under con-
tract until 2027 after signing a
new long-term deal in March,
but Romano adds that he is
nearing agreement on personal
terms with Chelsea.
Meanwhile, Inter Milan for-
ward, Lautaro Martinez, is ea-
ger to join Chelsea, reports
Football Insider. The Italian gi-
ants are looking to offload sev-
eral players to fund their sum-
mer signings, and the report
suggests that £60million could
be enough to see the Argentina
international swap the San Siro
for Stamford Bridge.
Manchester United are also
reported to hold an interest in
the forward, as the Red Devils
look to alternative targets, after
dropping their interest in Tot-
tenham talisman Harry Kane.
Martinez was integral to Inter
last season, notching 21 goals
and helping the club reach the
Champions League final.

Jamaica players
lament ahead 2023
Women’s World Cup
LEADING Jamaica players
have expressed their “ut-
most disappointment” at
the lack of support from the
Jamaican Football Federa-
tion (JFF) ahead of the 2023
Women’s World Cup.
The players said their fo-
cus had been hindered by a
number issues such as inad-
equate planning and access
to proper resources ahead
of the showpiece event,
which kicks off on July 20 in
Australia and New Zealand.
“Qualifying for a second
World Cup is something
most never imagined or
thought possible for the
Reggae Girlz,” the play-
ers wrote in a open letter
posted on social media on
Thursday.
“At a time where we
should be focused solely on
preparing to compete on the
world’s largest stage, we are
unfortunately compelled to

Man Utd retain

express our utmost disap-
pointment with the Jamaica
Football Federation.
“On multiple occasions,

Greenwood
we have sat down with the
federation to respectfully
address concerns result-
ing from sub-par planning,

transportation, accommo-
dations, training conditions,
compensation, communica-
tion, nutrition, and acces-
sibility to proper resources.
“We have also showed up
repeatedly without receiv-
ing contractually agreed
upon compensation,” they
added.
Reuters have contacted
the JFF for a comment.
Earlier this year, JFF Presi-
dent Michael Ricketts said
the governing body was
struggling to find the money
to fund the World Cup cam-
paign.
Chicago Red Stars forward
Cheyna Matthews said the
mother of one of her club
teammates had started a
crowdfunding campaign to
raise $100,000 for the Ja-
maica squad.
M
ANCHESTER
United have
included Ma-
son Green-
wood on their
retained list for the 2023-24
season, the club announced
on Friday, but sources have
told ESPN that United have
not yet made a decision on
the footballer’s future.
The 21-year-old has been
suspended from matches
and training since he was
charged with attempted
rape, assault and controlling
and coercive behaviour in
January 2022—charges that
which subsequently dropped
in February 2023. United im-
mediately opened their own
investigation and the process
is ongoing.
Sources told ESPN that
Greenwood’s inclusion on
the club’s retained list, which
has been sent to the Premier
League, reflects his position
as a contracted player and is
not considered to be an indi-
cator of his future at United.
He has a contract at Old
Trafford until 2025 with the
option of an additional year.
Meanwhile, United remain
in talks with goalkeeper Da-
vid De Gea about extending
his deal.
The goalkeeper, who was
manager Erik ten Hag’s No.1
last season, will officially be-
come a free agent once his con-
tract expires on June 30 but the
club are keen for him to stay.
United are hoping to agree
an extension that would see
the 32-year-old significantly
reduce his basic wage, but
with built-in bonuses de-
pending on the amount of
games he plays.
Sources told ESPN that
even if De Gea stays, Ten Hag
would like to sign another
goalkeeper this summer to
offer the Spaniard more com-
petition for his place.
Jack Butland, who arrived
on loan from Crystal Palace in
January, has signed for Rang-
ers but Tom Heaton will stay
at United after the club acti-
vated a one-year option in his
contract.
Phil Jones and Axel Tuan-
zebe are among the play-
ers who have been released
following the expiry of their
contracts.

Leicester set to name Guardiola’s assistant as coach

TREBLE-winning Manchester
City assistant coach, Enzo
Maresca, is set to be appoint-
ed Leicester City manager
after agreeing terms with the
Foxes.
The 43-year-old Italian
could be named the new
boss as early as Friday, re-
ports BBC Radio Leicester.
If so, it would come six
days after Manchester City’s
Champions League win.
He would replace interim
boss Dean Smith, who over-
saw just two victories from
eight games in a failed at-
tempt to keep the Foxes in
the Premier League.
Smith took the job in April
following Brendan Rodgers’
dismissal after four years in
charge.
Maresca’s move to the King
Power Stadium would bring
an end to a hugely success-
ful year as part of Pep Guar-
diola’s backroom team in
what was his second stint as
a coach at Manchester City,
having previously worked as
their Under-23s boss.
He had an unsuccessful
180-day spell as Parma boss
in 2021, overseeing just four
wins from 14 games after they
were relegated from Serie A.
Leicester are back in the
Championship for the first
time in 10 years after a di-
sastrous campaign that
saw them finish 18th in the
table with just nine Premier
League wins.
 SATURDAY TRIBUNE
31 www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune @nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune tribuneonlineng 17 JUNE, 2023

Sport
Adeleye savours
Eagles recall
SUPER Eagles goalkeeper, Adebayo
Adeleye, has expressed joy at his recall
to the national team.
Adeleye who plays for Israeli side
Hapoel Jerusalem was one of the best
goalkeepers in the Israeli top flight, re-
cording eight clean sheets in 20 games,
albeit he conceded 20 goals.
The 23-year-old goalkeeper is return-
ing to the Super Eagles squad for the
first time since the World Cup break
last October as he was not invited to
the games against Guinea-Bissau ear-
lier this year.
Adeleye has revealed that he is hap-
py to be back in the national team.
“I feel good, I feel honoured, I’m
grateful to Almighty God, I’m happy to
be back,” Adeleye told Soccernet.ng.
Meanwhile, Adeleye who has a strik-
ing resemblance with Inter Milan goal-

Go and book AFCON

keeper Andre Onana, has stated that
he is different from the Cameroonian
goalkeeper.
“They say I look like Andre Onana,

tickets now, Chukwueze

but I don’t know, I play my own way
and he plays his own way as well. They
say we are similar but I’m not so sure,”
he said.

tells Nigerians
With the absence of Francis Uzoho,
the Hapoel Jerusalem shot-stopper
is set to man the sticks for Nigeria to-
morrow as he is the highest-rated goal-
keeper in the camp.

Eagles will bag AFCON By Ganiyu Salman there [to the finals in Ivory Coast],” told ESPN.

V
with agency report
ticket —Semi Ajayi ILLARREAL winger,
Samuel Chukwueze, is so
confident of Nigeria’s vic-
tory against Sierra Leone,
as he urged fans to start
booking 2023 Cote d’Ivoire tickets.
The Super Eagles face the Leone
Stars tomorrow in Monrovia, Li-
beria, in a matchday five group A
fixture of the 2023 Africa Cup of
Nations qualifier; as a win by Jose
Peseiro’s side already with nine
points will seal the ticket to the AF-
CON billed for next January in Ivory
Coast.
“Nigerians should expect a win
because we have to qualify for the
next African Nations Cup. They
should just book their tickets be-
cause we are going to win and go
Chukwueze said.
The 2019 AFCON bronze medallist
added the target remains to win the
African title: “We want to win the
AFCON for sure, because we have
great young talents and we have
young players who are actually
ready to fight.
“For me, I need to win a trophy
with the Super Eagles because I
cannot play to the end of my career
without winning any trophy with
the Super Eagles. This is our time.”
Recall Nigeria came from behind
to beat Sierra Leone 2-1 during their
first meeting in Abuja.
Captain Ahmed Musa, believes
the Leone Stars pose a threat re-
gardless of the venue of the match.
“It’s not that easy to say you’re
going to the tournament to win,”
Musa who won the 2013 AFCON
“The most important thing is to
qualify first. Of course our target is
to win the AFCON but the first thing
we have to do is to qualify first.
“We have played them before and
we know how difficult they can be.
And even though they are not play-
ing at their home [ground], they are
still the home team and they will
want to win.”
Meanwhile, Peseiro expects his
team to qualify and is keeping his
eyes firmly on the prize.
“We want to beat Sierra Leone
and qualify for the Nations Cup.
“We have stars, we have good
players who did fantastic jobs in Eu-
rope., But we need to be organised
because they can’t play well if our
organisation is not good. And then
we can go to AFCON and we want to
go there and win,” he said.

Lookman vows ahead

SUPER Eagles defender, Semi
Ajayi, ahead of tomorrow’s 2023
Africa Cup of Nations quali-
fier against Sierra Leone has ex-
pressed confidence that the team
would qualify for the 2023 AF-
CON.
Ajayi also savours his return to
the national team.
“It’s good to be back among the
[Super Eagles] lads. I had a few in-
juries that derailed my season but
it’s good to be back,” he told Brila
FM Lagos.
Ajayi stated that he has put be-
hind him the disappointment of
his Championship side West Brom
failing to gain promotion to the
Premier League.
“Our goal was to gain promo-
tion to the top-flight. But we have
Leone Stars clash
SUPER Eagles forward, Ade-
mola Lookman, has assured
put that behind us and will work Nigerian fans of giving his
towards getting back to the big best as the Super Eagles
stage next season,” he said. tackle the Leone Stars of
The Baggies finished in ninth Sierra Leone tomorrow, Soc-
place in the Championship in the cernet.ng reports.
2022/2023 season with 66 points The Nigerian star, despite
and missed out on the Promotion being faced with injury, and
playoffs places. falling out of Gian Piero Gas-
Speaking on the game against Si- perini’s starting lineup since
erra Leone, the centre back said:
“We don’t focus on them but on his return from injury, was
ourselves. We have go out with called up to Jose Peseiro’s
the right frame of minds and lis- 23-man roster to face the
ten to the coaches. John Kiester’s troops.
“We appreciate the support of Lookman expressed his
our fans and hope they we can commitment to ensuring
make them proud.” that Nigeria secure their
Ajayi has gone the distance in spot in the 2023 AFCON.
three of of the four games played The former RB Leipzig star,
by the Super Eagles in 2023 AF- who joined Atalanta BC in
CON qualifying campaign. the summer of 2022, has
made an impressive impact,
scoring 12 goals in his first
20 Serie A games for the
Bergamo-based club.
Although he has faced
challenges with fatigue and
injury, Lookman remains de-
termined to give his best for
the national team.
Despite this, Lookman ex-
pressed that he would keep
doing what he always does,
which is to give his best to
the team.
“[My aim is] to give my
best, like what I always try to
do. You know, If I could give
my best, there is not much
more than to give your best,
and work hard. And to keep
trying. Try to control what I
can control, ” he said.
 SATURDAY
www.tribuneonlineng.com Nigerian Tribune
NO 1,520 SATURDAY, 17 JUNE, 2023
with
Shettima: From “Boko Haram sponsor” to anti-Muslim Muslim?
V
ICE President Kashim Shettima is
undergoing an interesting notional
transformation in Nigeria’s
fractured public sphere. Before
and during the last presidential
election, his opponents, particularly in
the South, tagged him as the “founder of
Boko Haram” even though he was a mere
commissioner in 2009 when Boko Haram
burst forth into national consciousness and he
had exactly zero connection with the group’s
founding.
People who couldn’t sustain the charge
that he founded Boko Haram (because the
chronology of Boko Haram’s emergence and
the rise of his political stature don’t align)
caused a 2017 photo of him dining on a
mat with Fulani herders whose children he
enrolled in a secular school he built for them
when he was governor of Borno to go viral on
social media. The Fulani herders were labelled
“Boko Haram terrorists” with whom Shettima
was allegedly hatching sinister designs.
Several fact-checks, including by the BBC’s
Global Disinformation Team that famously
exposed in a January 18 investigation that
“parties give out cash, lavish gifts, government
contracts and even political appointments”
for disinformation against political
opponents, revealed that the photo emerged
from an innocuous, publicly available record
of Shettima’s move to promote Western
education among the children of nomadic
Fulani people in Borno, which is paradoxically
a direct attack on Boko Haram’s ideology.
But the fact-checks did nothing to attenuate
the narrative that he is a Boko Haram
sponsor, or that the viral photo was merely
the photographic record of his meeting with
parents of children he enrolled in a Western
school.
Neither Shettima nor his media team, to
my knowledge, did anything to dispel the
reputationally damaging falsehoods about his
connections to Boko Haram. He even made
a joking reference to his being the “sponsor
of Boko Haram” when he announced his
appointment of two Christians as his first
volitional hires as vice president, indicating
that it doesn’t worry him.
The reference to appointing Christians as
his personal aides was unnecessary because
Sports
Falcons name Oshoala, 22 others for World Cup
SUPER Falcons head coach, Randy Waldrum,
on Friday, released the list of 23 players
who will represent Nigeria at the 2023 FIFA
Women’s World Cup to be jointly hosted by
Australia and New Zealand.
The list as usual is dominated by players
plying their trade outside Nigeria, as only
two players from the home front made the
final cut for the World Cup.
Top on the list is Asisat Oshoala, who won
the Champions League title with Barcelona,
Printed and Published by the African Newspapers of Nigeria PLC, Imalefalafia Street, Oke-Ado, Ibadan. Abuja Corporate Office: Piwoyi Village, Off Airport Road, Abuja. E mail: editornigeriantribune@yahoo.com Website: www.tribuneonlineng.com
MANAGING DIRECTOR / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: EDWARD DICKSON. EDITOR: LASISI OLAGUNJU. All Correspondence to P.O. Box 78, Ibadan. ISSN 2712. ABC Member of the Audit Bureau of Circulation. 17/6/2023.
SINCE 1949
@nigeriantribune Nigerian Tribune
Notes from Atlanta
FAROOQ KPEROGI
farooqkperogi@yahoo.com | Twitter:@farooqkperogi | (+1)404-573-9697
he is on record as the first governor of Borno
to appoint southern Christians as aides. His
Chief Detail was a certain Ifeanyi Onwubuya.
One Christopher Godwin Akaba who is my
Facebook friend also served as his Special
Assistant. And Chief Kester Ogualili was his
Special Adviser on Community Relations.
Shettima probably hasn’t cared to correct
the false narrative of his Boko Haram
associational baggage because it doesn’t
cause him any reputational harm in his
natal constituency, by which I mean Muslim
northern Nigeria. But he now has a reason
to be worried about his acceptance in this
constituency for a different, even ironic,
reason.
This week, his forceful, impassioned appeal
to northern Muslim senators to concede the
senate presidency to a southern Christian
in light of the current political power
configuration that is disproportionately tilted
in favor of Muslims caused offense to many
Northern Muslims and earned him the rather
ironic label of being an “anti-Muslim” or, if
you like Christophilic, Muslim.
(I am using Muslim Christophilia here
to denote notions of excessive, often
compensatory, empathy for Christians by a
Muslim who wants to show that he or she
is not bigoted against Christians. It’s the
opposite of Christian Islamophilia).
In an address to an informal gathering of
senators on June 11, Shettima said, “For me,
under the current dispensation, the worst,
the most incompetent Southern Christian
is better than the most puritanical Northern
Muslim for the Presidency of the Senate of
the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” And all hell
broke loose in Muslim northern Nigeria.
Shettima’s media aide initially issued a
statement that accused critics of Shettima’s
statement of being “mischief makers”
who “twisted” his words in the service of
a predetermined agenda. That was both
inaccurate and unhelpful. Several of the people
I read criticizing him over the statement were
well-meaning, non-partisan people who aren’t
given to unwarranted toxicity.
I first became aware of Shettima’s speech
from a Facebook friend by the name of
Muhammad Sulaiman Abdullahi who is
an editor with an online newspaper called
as the squad also boasts record-making
captain Onome Ebi and attacking midfielder
Rasheedat Ajibade.
Experienced players like goalkeeper
Chiamaka Nnadozie, Francisca Ordega and
Halimatu Ayinde, who have all featured at
one time or the other in previous editions
of the World Cup, are also on the list made
public by the Nigeria Football Federation
(NFF).
Waldrum also gave opportunities to
Go and book
AFCON tickets
now, Chukwueze
tribuneonlineng
tells NigeriansINSIDE
N250
The Daily Reality. He was peeved by what
Shettima said, but I don’t know him to be
politically partisan.
Even Northern Elders Forum’s Dr Hakeem
Baba-Ahmed who criticized Shettima’s words
as “unfortunate” and helped amplify the
reach of his speech isn’t a “mischief maker.”
He is a deeply intellectual yet temperate,
amiable, and mild-mannered person.
Nonetheless, I think the reaction to
Shettima’s speech in Muslim northern
Nigeria, even from Baba-Ahmed, missed the
context of his text. It was obviously a case of
the main point of a speech being lost in a maze
of figures of speech. He deployed intentional
exaggeration and rhetorical contrast to
aggrandize the point he wanted to make.
He proceeded from the assumption that his
audience agreed with him that a “puritanical
Northern Muslim” embodies the ultimate
standard of perfection. That leap isn’t
surprising because, like me, Shettima was
raised by a father who was an Arabic and
Islamic Studies teacher. (Shettima’s father
taught Arabic and Islamic Studies to former
Borno State governor, Mala Kachalla in
primary school in Maiduguri).
Shettima deployed the ideal of a “puritanical
Northern Muslim” as the basis for a contrast
with the “worst, most incompetent” southern
Christian to dramatize the exigency (or what
Martin Luther King, Jr would have called
the “fierce urgency”) of electing a Southern
Christian senate president because the
president, vice president, speaker, and Chief
Justice of Nigeria are (in the case of the
speaker would be) Muslims.
So, the operative term was “under the
current dispensation.” In other words,
he wanted to communicate the idea that
sometimes circumstances dictate the ideals
we should promote. I made a similar, if
reverse, argument in my June 12, 2022, article
titled “A Muslim-Muslim Ticket in APC?”
which opposed the Muslim-Muslim ticket
Shettima is a beneficiary of.
I wrote: “When Obasanjo favored northern
Christians in appointments during his
administration, he defended his action by
insisting that he was guided by considerations
of competence, not religion or region.
“Some of the same people who’re defending
newbies like Oluwatosin Demehin, Jennifer
Echegin Rofiat Imura and the likes in his
World Cup-bound squad.
Nigeria will play Canada, co-host nation
Australia and the Republic of Ireland in that
order at the biggest-ever FIFA Women’s
World Cup finals in history, with 32 teams
set to debut at the championship – the same
number as for the men’s finals in Qatar last
year.
Nine-time African champions, Nigeria,
the prospect of a Muslim-Muslim ticket in
APC using ‘competence’ as a defense (as if
competence is delimited by religion or region)
told Obasanjo that sensitivity to intra-regional
diversity trumped ‘competence.’ Hypocrisy
seems to be grafted into our DNA.”
If he had chosen to be plain, Shettima’s
speech would have read something like, “I
am the son of an Islamic Studies teacher and
deeply respect the ideal of a pious Muslim
leading the polity. But to tell you how much
I want a Southern Christian to be Senate
president since every other position in the
highest reaches of government is occupied
by Muslims in a multi-religious country
like Nigeria, I’d be prepared, under the
circumstance, to sacrifice the leadership of
the pious Muslim leader I’ve been brought up
to cherish, which tells you how much invested
I am in averting the disruption that I think
will result from electing another Muslim as a
senate president.”
Contrary to what many northern Muslims
understood him as saying, he was actually
manifesting praise and approval for the
hypothetical “puritanical northern Muslim.”
The only criticism of his speech that is valid,
in my opinion, is that which says his concerns
for reflecting religious plurality in leadership
at the top is at best self-serving. Had he
rejected being a running mate to President
Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a fellow Muslim, on
account of the sameness of the faith he shares
with the president, he would have stood on
firm moral grounds to campaign against the
dominance of one faith in the leadership of
the country.
Well, Shettima has now apologized because
he has understood if, as a leader, your
communication isn’t understood, the fault
lies not with the followers but with you. As
I pointed out in my September 17, 2022,
column titled“Shettima as Tinubu’s Chief
De-Marketer,” the vice president needs to be
attentive to his communication style.
I wrote: “He appears to just love the show of
erudition and bibliophilia that comes from his
exhibitionistic verbal swagger. It may excite his
admirers and may even be cherished by Nigerian
rhetorical scholars, but it’s a treacherous
political minefield.” I am sure he will agree with
me now—and has learned his lesson.
would be hoping to match or surpass their
best outing in the history of the Women’s
World Cup having made it to the quarter-
final in 1999.
The then coach, Isamaila Mabo’s tutored
side was closing in on a spot in the semi-
finals before losing to Brazil in extra time in
the United States of America in 1999.
Nigeria remain the only African team to
have played in all eight Women’s World Cup
finals since 1991.