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Ondo: When lawmakers suspended a member for fetish objects

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Two months ago, the Ondo State House of Assembly suspended a legislator, Hon. Fola Olasehinde over the uproar caused following the discovery of some fetish objects in her former apartment. The incident led to setting of a committee to unravel all the facts surrounding the issue. SINA FADARE and OJO OYEWAMIDE write that even when opinions are divided on the merits and demerits of the action, the public is asking that the whole truth be established.

Recent events in the Ondo State House of Assembly over the discovery of fetish objects in the apartment of a member, Hon. Fola Olasehinde, representing Ose Constituency, have taken many political observers by surprise.

The House of Assembly had since suspended Olasehinde over the discovery in the apartment, at No. 6, Olasehinde Lane, Ijapo Estate, Akure.

The decision to suspend her was taken during a plenary session presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Dare Emiola. The motion for her suspension was sponsored by the Majority Leader, Dayo Akinsoyinu, who alleged that Olasehinde’s activities brought ridicule and embarrassment to the House. Following debate on the motion, it resolved to set up a five-man committee headed by Hon. Olotu Fatai to investigate the allegation against the lawmaker and report its findings within two weeks.

It was alleged that Fola Olasehinde locked the apartment and refused handing over the keys to the landlord, Kolawole or his agent. The landlord therefore approached the Magistrate Court which gave an order that the apartment be forcibly opened.

Against this backdrop, Kolawole invited principal officers of the House led by the Deputy Speaker to see things for themselves. Fetish objects allegedly found in the apartment included amulets, snail shells, live snails, cow horns of different sizes wrapped in coloured cloths, miniature coffins, images of humans and animals, concoction prepared inside black clay pots, as well as bottles and cans containing all manner of liquids.

Others were charms with labels to identify items used in preparing them such as Rasu, Aso Eegun, Eegun Ekun, Iye Agbe, Aluko, Irun ori omo tuntun (hair of a new born baby) and odidi osio.

There were other bottles labelled Gbetugbetu, Ajatuka etc. Some personal effects of the female lawmaker including an official House of Assembly vehicle plate number, ODHA 44, campaign posters and hand bills were said to have been found in the hurriedly vacated apartment, as no furniture or other belongings were left behind.

The landlord had given Hon.Olasehinde a quit notice in October, 2012. Kolawole said he went to court to get an injunction to force all the doors to the residence open since the lawmaker refused to quit or pay her rent. He however, said he was surprised to find some terrible, stinking and ugly fetish items in all the rooms.

The landlord claimed that no one had access to the apartment since it was under lock by the lawmaker who refused to hand in the keys. Kolawole said “She happened to have come from Idogun in Ose Local Government Area as myself. She approached me that she needed an accommodation and I decided to help her because I know the elder brother to her father. The elder brother to her father was my teacher at Grade II Teachers Training College between 1961 and 1962.

“I gave her the accommodation in 2009. From that year 2009 to 2012, she was my tenant. Apart from what she paid in the first year, , she never completely paid her rent for the second year. She paid in two instalments, claiming her husband was sick.

During that period, she was my tenant land apart from the first year, she would not pay even when her rent was due, “he said.

The landlord said; “We will disagree and quarrel. She would also have one excuse or the other for not paying her due rent. The second year that she paid N400, 000, her balance was N300, 000. We knew she had money but refused to pay. “After a lot of pressure, she paid and I decided to give her an eleven-month eviction notice.

Before expiration, the state government gave her accommodation. She then moved out and locked the gate and entrance to the main building. There was no way to go inside but my lawyer kept going to see her but she would not allow entry into the house.

“We later went to court and the Magistrate asked her to appear but she would not come. Based on that, the Magistrate gave her ruling that she should pay arrears of money owed which is N498, 033. 33k for seven months rent.

Kolawole explained “We went to court and were given the permission to force the doors open. The court also gave us a staff and two policemen. When the doors were opened, the police personnel were surprised that the residential apartment had been turned to a shrine”.

However, while defending herself, Mrs. Olasehinde who is the daughter of Dr. M.O Olasehinde, the first Commissioner for Works in the old Ondo State and a lawyer, denied ever having any knowledge of the items, saying she had moved all her belongings out of the building to a new accommodation at GRA, Alagbaka, Akure, since October, 2012.

According to her, she handed the keys to her Personal Assistant (PA) to give to a co-tenant because the two duplexes shared the same water system, adding that she expected the co-tenant to have given the keys to the landlord on her behalf.

She said: “Personally, I started moving out of the house three months to expiration of the 12 months notice, precisely in August.

In the middle of the election campaign of last year, I started moving to my house. I got allocation into the Ondo State Government Residential Area, where other House members are living and I started renovating the house immediately.

The renovation was rushed and I moved everything from the old apartment to the new one. She insisted that, “I personally supervised the removal of all items in that house from Ijapo to the new one at Alagbaka. Even my campaign buses that were not in good condition were towed from Ijapo to Alagbaka and they are now in my house. So, everything I had in that house was removed. All my personal effects, even to my livestock, I packed everything out of the house.

“When I moved, I called the landlord that I had left the house as mandated through his lawyer. I gave the keys to my personal assistant to give to him.

The keys were given to my co-tenant; and not only that but because the co-tenant and I shared access to the same water mains for the twin duplexes ,even as the switch was in my own apartment.

“We lived together in harmony and I felt he was the best person I could leave the keys with to give to the landlord. The landlord even called my personal assistant that we had not removed our Mikano generator from the house and my PA told him it was because we could not get the vehicle to tow it. When we eventually brought a vehicle from Owo, we moved the generator to my new house at Alagbaka, two days after our conversation”.

However, speaking to National Mirror on the suspension of the lawmaker, Chief Yemi Elebuibon, the Araba of Osogbo noted that there is nothing strange in what they found in her apartment.

Elebuibon pointed out that under the constitution of Nigeria, everyone is free to choose any religion of his or her choice, and therefore the woman cannot be crucified for this. “I don’t think what the House of Assembly did was right, anyone has the right to have protective powers or charms that can wade off evil on his or her way.”

The renowned herbalist argued that as long as she did not harm anyone with the charms,”I do not see any reason why she should be suspended.

She should have such a collection of charms to protect herself.” In his comment on the issue, Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ondo State, Mr. Ebenezer Alabi, noted that if the fetish materials were found inside her apartment, it does not warrant being suspended from the House.

Alabi said the fact remains that there is freedom of religion which nobody can fault, adding that if she believes in ‘Ogun’, the god of iron or ‘Sango’ the god of thunder that is her personal conviction which she cannot be crucified for. “I am constrained to comment on the issue, the facts on ground will go a long way to determining whether she was rightly or wrongly suspended. But if she is now using the diabolic power on anyone, she can be pronounced guilty.

Was she suspended because they found fetish materials in her apartment? Or she was practicing what she believes as a way of life?” The chairman argued that suspending her on the fact that she is practicing what she has faith in is wrong.

Speaking in the same vein, Human rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu said that with the fact of the situation on ground, it is evident that the lawmakers in Ondo State are idle that is why they can dabble into such on the floor of the House.

Aturu regretted that in other clime where lawmakers are debating on matters that will turn around the lives of the people for the better, the Ondo Assembly are chasing the shadow.”It is wrong, barbaric and uncalled for.” According to him, whatever the woman does in the corner of her rooms is her business.

“Apart from trampling on her fundamental human right, it is none of their business what she decided to use her private life for.

That shows they have nothing doing there, they are embarrassing us, therefore they should stop the drama.” However, the Chairman of Labour Party, LP in Ondo State, Mr. Olu Ogidan while speaking to National Mirror, said that until the committee set up by the House concludes its investigations, ‘one cannot comment on the issue’. Ogidan argued that it could be that the issue is being stage-managed to soil the reputation of the legislator.

Adding that, “If somebody believes in juju as a way of life, it should not be used against her. As regard her suspension, let us wait till the House committee submits its report on the issue”. He pointed out that; “even if the allegation turns out to be true, she is free to worship whatever she believes in her house.

There are some areas in Ondo State where they believe in ‘Ogun’, the god of iron, can one say that is fetish? That is why when you get to the court, you can swear on oath either by the Bible, Quran or by mere affirmation. Therefore, one cannot say that she has committed any offence against the law”, he explained.

If the explanation by the suspended lawmaker is anything to go by, that all the items found in the apartment are not hers because she has removed all her belongings from the house before the incidence, then a lot of questions are begging for answers, especially on how her photos and car number plate got into the strong room?

Why did she refuse to release the keys to the house when the landlord demanded for them? Since no one opened the doors to the house until the landlord sought a court order to do so, then the question is, where did the strange items come from? Perhaps, findings of the House Committee will shed more light on those grey areas.

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Posted in Nigerian Newspapers. A DisNaija.Com network.

Source: National Mirror Newspaper

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This Day

Military, Police Ring Abuja to Forestall Boko Haram Attack

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•Deploy more personnel as army chief vows to wipe out terror group
•Security beefed up at N’Assembly

Deji Elumoye and Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

Abuja, Nigeria’s seat of power, is under a massive security cordon following threats of attacks by insurgents and the increasing wave of banditry in the contiguous states of Kaduna, Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger States, THISDAY’s investigation has revealed.

There has been a wave of kidnappings in the outskirts of the federal capital, notably Pegi, Tuganmaje and Kuje among others, which the police have battled in recent times.

The security situation in and around the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was heightened by the pronouncement of the Niger State Governor, Mr. Sani Bello, that Boko Haram fighters who he said sacked 50 villages in the state and hoisted the terror group’s flag, were about two hours drive away from the FCT.

Security has also been beefed up at the National Assembly as operatives, yesterday, thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

The deteriorating security situation nationwide prompted the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, to warn that the 2023 general election may not hold, demanding the declaration of a state of emergency as well as the convocation of a national conference.
However, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, yesterday restated the Nigerian Army’s determination to annihilate Boko Haram.

But the Governor of Katsina State, Hon. Bello Masari, cautioned against declaring a state of emergency, saying doing so isn’t the solution to combat the security challenges facing the country.
The security of the nation’s airports was also in focus yesterday as the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) said there was no threat to them.

THISDAY’s investigations showed increased presence of troops, police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) personnel and intelligence operatives at the three strategic entrances to the city notably, Keffi, Zuba and Gwagwalada.

More checkpoints were also mounted around Gwagwalada and Keffi.
THISDAY also observed increased intelligence deployment at the entrance and the borders of FCT with contiguous states.

Beyond the borders, there were more deployments and police patrols inside the city and increased intelligence deployments as well.
Security sources told THISDAY: “There are deployments here and there but they are routine. Alertness is key to a secure environment.”

It was also learnt that security agencies were involved in frenzied meetings throughout yesterday.
The meetings, coordinated by the office of the Chief of Defence Staff under the new joint operational strategy of the armed forces, were aimed at coordinating a joint response to possible threats of attack to the FCT.

“I understand the security teams have been meeting for some days now and if you look around you, you will notice that there are increasing patrols and numbers of security personnel. The threats are not been taken lightly,” a source said.

National Assembly workers, lawmakers and visitors also had a harrowing experience accessing the legislative complex due to heightened security in the area.
Security operatives thoroughly screened every vehicle approaching the National Assembly complex in Abuja, impeding both human and vehicular traffic.

The Sergeant-at-arm of the National Assembly and other security agencies supervised the operations, leading to huge traffic build-up inside the complex.

Legislative staff, visitors and lawmakers were seen patiently waiting for their cars to be searched so that they could go ahead with the business of the day.
Some staff and visitors at some point got tired of waiting and were seen alighting from their cars to trek from the gate to the complex.

Meanwhile, the ONSA has said there is no threat to the nation’s airports.
A statement by the Head of Strategic Communication, Mr. Zachari Usman, said the reports of threats to the airports were an internal correspondence of security threat assessment misconstrued as security threat to the airports.

PDP Demands State of Emergency

In a related development, the PDP National Chairman, Prince Uche Secondus, yesterday demanded the declaration of a state of emergency, warning that the 2023 general election might not hold if the federal government failed to tackle insecurity.

He called on the federal government to summon a national conference to address the spike in insecurity.
Secondus added that the national caucus of the party will meet today to discuss the state of the nation.

Addressing members of the National Executive Committee (NEC) in Abuja, Secondus said: “We are worried Abuja is not even safe. It is no longer politics. We got alert of plots to bomb and burn down our airports.

“We urge the federal government to declare a national state of emergency in security. There is the need to call a national conference to discuss the insecurity in the country.

“There may not be any election in 2023 in Nigeria due to insecurity. This government must listen to the people. The Buhari government should call a national confab to discuss security and state of the nation. It is no longer politics. This time we are not playing politics. Let’s keep politics aside and move the nation forward.”
He said the country had been grounded, regretting that there had been no matching response from the federal government.

Secondus said in the past, terrorism in the North was confined to the North-east, but with the report of Boko Haram occupying villages in Niger State, terrorism had spread to the North-central
“Herdsmen are also menacing in the West; gunmen causing havoc in the East; and the militants in the South; all killing, looting, raping, maiming and burning down homes. The situation is bad; Nigerians all over are living in fear,” he said.

The Senate Minority Leader, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, said the problem of Nigeria was outside of the PDP headquarters, while pledging the support of the Senate to the declaration of state of emergency in security.

Abaribe said he deliberately decided not to speak on the floor of the Senate but to allow the APC senators to speak so as to avoid being accused of giving a partisan colouration to the issue of insecurity.

He stated that only electoral reforms would give victory to the opposition party in the 2023 general election and ensure a democratic defeat of the APC-led federal government.
Also, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, commended the NEC and the PDP leadership for their collective efforts at resolving the House leadership crisis.

The NEC meeting adopted the position of Secondus, calling on the federal government to convoke a national conference to discuss the state of insecurity in the country, according to a communiqué read by the National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan.

Army Chief Vows to Wipe Out Boko Haram

The army yesterday reiterated its commitment to wipe out Boko Haram.
Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, told reporters in Maiduguri, Borno State that Boko Haram had been defeated in many encounters and would continue to be defeated until it’s annihilated from Nigeria.

“We will take on Boko Haram decisively, and we are committed to the focus of the operations, which is the total annihilation of Boko Haram from Nigeria,” he said.

The COAS, who was visiting the headquarters of Operation Lafiya Dole in Maiduguri for the fifth time since his appointment four months ago, said the visit was to boost the morale of the troops, reassure them and listen to any issues affecting them.

Earlier, the Theatre Commander of Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. Gen. Farouq Yahaya, lauded the visit, which he said had continued to boost the morale of the troops.
“We are honoured, we are grateful, we are encouraged by those visits. You provided us guidance, logistics and other things we required. We are most grateful for those visits,” Yahaya said.

State of Emergency Won’t Solve Security Challenges, Says Masari

Katsina State Governor, Hon. Aminu Masari, has, however, said declaration of a state of emergency won’t solve the security challenges facing the nation.
Masari, who spoke yesterday with journalists after meeting with the Chief of Staff to the President, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari at the State House, Abuja stated that he was against the recent call by the House of Representatives for the declaration of a state of emergency in the security sector as it would not solve the problem.
According to him, declaring a state of emergency will not achieve the desired effect as the security structure and personnel to be used to execute the emergency are already overstretched in a bid to safeguard lives and property.

Sourced From: THISDAYLIVE

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Tribune

Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110

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Tribune Online
Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has recorded 62 new cases of COVID-19, bringing the total number of infections in the country to 165,110. The NCDC disclosed this on its official Twitter handle on Friday. “55 new cases of #COVID19Nigeria; Lagos-21, Yobe-19, Ogun-6, Akwa Ibom-3, Kaduna-2, Plateau-2, FCT-1, Rivers-1.” YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE COVID-19: Nigeria Recorded […]

Nigeria records 55 new COVID-19 infections, total now 165,110
Tribune Online

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The Nation

UFC: Usman gets N584m after beating Masvidal

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Kamaru Usman has raked in a mammoth £1.1million, about N584.2 million after his impressive knockout victory over Jorge Masvidal on Saturday night, Sportivation.com.ng reports.

The Nigerian Nightmare has been handsomely rewarded for his stunning performance and he was the best-paid fighter on the card which was witnessed by 15, 000 fans in Florida.

According to Daily Mail, Usman earned £538,000 to show up, £459,000 pay-per-view bonus, a £43,000 sponsorship bonus and a well deserved £35,000 Performance of the Night bonus.

Jorge Masvidal also earned £358,000 to show, £186,000 in pay-per-view money and a £28,000 sponsorship bonus.

This is the biggest payday of Usman’s career so far and the Welterweight champion also benefited from the fact that Masvidal is also a top draw for the fans.

Kamaru Usman is a Nigerian-American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle wrestler and graduated folkstyle wrestler.

Sourced From: Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics

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Vanguard

Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo

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By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The people of the South East region have been urged to explore the power of negotiation and mutual settlement in the face of ongoing killings and security challenges in the zone because the east can not afford another war at present.

Stakeholders from the South-East geo-political zone made the remark on Thursday, at the unveiling of the book, “Igbo, 50 years after Biafra,” written by Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Drainage Services, Joe Igbokwe, held at Ikeja G.R.A.

Speaking at the unveiling of the book, the chairman of the occasion, Mr. Cutis Adigba,
urged the people of the South-East to learn to build bridges across the country, so that they can realise their ambition of producing the next president of Nigeria.

Adigba urged leaders from the zone to discourage the move and agitation by some youths in the South East to go to war and secede out of Nigeria.

Also read: Banditry: Disregard viral video, Niger State gov’t urges residents

He said that Igbo have always found it difficult to rule Nigeria because they refused to build bridges across the six geo-political zones that made up Nigeria.

While describing the agitation as uncalled for, Adigba noted that after two decades that Nigeria returned to civil rule, the Igbo has predominantly identified with only one political party.

He maintained that remaining in one party can not advance the cause of the people of South East and cannot make them realise their objective of producing an Igbo man as president.

He maintained that the publisher of the book, Igbokwe played politics outside his state, so that the Igbo race can be integrated with one another race.

Adigba said the failure of the Igbo to reintegrate with other ethnic nationalities politically was responsible for the retrogression of the race in Nigerian politics.

Igbokwe, also addressing guests on the occasion, maintained that the Igbo are not advancing politically because they refused to be integrated into National politics, lamenting that, despite their success in business, they are not successful in playing politics at the national level.

Corroborating Dimgba, Igbokwe noted that there was the need for the Igbo people to stand up and build bridges so that their objective of producing the next president of Nigeria could be realised.

According to him: “I have decided to raise my voice, I hope my people will hear me while trying to quell the effect of the war, our people are spoiling for another war, mayhem is being unleashed in Igbo land, and there is palpable fear.

“Those who could speak have lost their voice, mindful of the consequences of their actions, I am calling on all Igbo leaders to speak up because all actions carry consequences, consequences of the silence will be too dastardly to sustain.

“Those silently supporting the wild wind should be careful or else they hand over to their children,” he said.

Igbokwe urged those spoiling for war to jettison their plan and embrace dialogue, urging them to learn from the South West region that despite the challenges faced after the annulment of the June 12, 1993, election, they did not go to war, and the region had the opportunity of producing two of her sons for presidential position in 1999.

“You have to build bridges to become president of Nigeria, but it is unfortunate the Igbo are burning bridges.”

Speaking at the event, Chief Uche Dimgba who is the coordinator of Igbo in All Progressives Congress, APC in Lagos, described Igbokwe as “a Frank, fearless and reliable leader, who based his views on issues and stand by his opinions, and we the Igbo have confidence in him and believe he can lead us aright.”

“He is a leader we Igbo believe in and we will follow him. If he can serve all the governors produced in Lagos State since 1999, he is a better man to follow because he possesses all the experience that can be of benefit to Igbo both at home and in the diaspora.”

Vanguard News Nigeria 

The post Attacks on S’East: We must explore all options of negotiation — Stakeholders urge Igbo appeared first on Vanguard News.

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