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my family support me through my scandals – Nuella Njubigbo

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on April 8, 2011 at 9:13pm
pix201104092465251.jpgScriptwriter and actress, Nuella Njubigbo, is gradually becoming a household name but her success is not without a scent of scandals, with one of them being her alleged romance with top movie director cum producer, Iyke Odife. In this interview with ADA ONYEMA, she talks about her career and her relationship with Odife What’s new about Nuella Njubigbo?

I’m writing a script that will be shot in Spain. It will be an Afro-Spanish film. We’re going to use two Spanish actors – a female and a male – and Nigerian actors will also be there.

Why Spanish?

It is going to be a mixed script fusing the two parties together. Although they don’t speak English Language, we have sent the script to them and they are translating it. They are working on it and I’m still trying to inject the particular theme that I want into it. For now, we’re having conferences and correcting ourselves. They already have the idea of what we want and everything is being done to achieve it.

What is the story line?

The story is about a girl that was taken out of this country at a very early age, simply because she lost her parents at a very tender age. It paints the picture of all her struggle in Europe, how she went through negative experiences. It is about child trafficking and the movie is for the cinema; it is not the regular kind of movie that I used to do. We’re not limiting it to Nigeria; it will go to about five to 10 countries of the world.

Are you producing the movie?

No. I’m just writing the script and I will also act in it.

How come you have not done any movie that went to the cinema before now?

Actually, I have done one and the film was entitled, Room Service, and I acted alongside Mercy Johnson. The truth is that I have stopped doing anything that comes my way, but I still have other blockbuster movies in the market now. I’m very choosy when it comes to taking scripts, because I’m a writer and should be able to determine a good script. I’m having more demands from people who want me to write scripts for them, but I can’t do that because I have to get myself involved with acting too. I’m choosy and can’t do anything I see.

You once told us that you have slowed down in writing. When did you pick it up again?

I slowed down in writing because I wanted to start working on special scripts. I want to write a script that can be of Hollywood standard. I want to do something that people out there will reckon with. I don’t write like before again; anything that I’m coming out with now will be a blockbuster. I can’t stop writing, it is in me and sometimes I miss it.

Where does your passion really lie? Is it in acting or writing?

I can’t really say because I love the two creative professions. I can’t point my finger and say that I love this one more than the other; it is just that acting for me is more demanding than writing. I have passion for the two.

Are you in any relationship now?

Yes, I’m and I don’t want to talk about the person now. You will know at the right time.

Many people still believe that Iyke Odife is the man in your life. Can you clear the air on this?

I have made this statement a number of times: I’m not dating Iyke Odife, simple. Iyke Odife brought me into the industry and he is my very good friend. He will remain my very good friend.

We learnt you dumped him for another rich guy.

I have never had any romantic relationship with Iyke, so how can I dump him? I’m in a relationship, but it is not with (Iyke) Odife. I’m in relationship with a young man and I don’t want to talk about it. 

Is he an industry practitioner?

No, he is not an industry person. (Laughs) Just leave it; I don’t want to talk about him now.

Many people believe that Nuella is now glamorous. What is the secret?

It’s true, the industry has changed my life so much and a lot of good things are beginning to happen to me now. Although acting has its low moments as a result of the controversial side of it, there are things you can’t do freely anymore because you will not want people to see you in a wrong direction, but the industry has helped me. It has helped me financially, socially, and in every sense of it. I will say that it has really helped me in life. I have got a lot of things since I became an actress, and I can go to places now. Before, I was into the supply business and it wasn’t easy at all, but now it is easier for me. Acting opens doors for you anywhere and anytime. Things that would have been hard for you to get are made easier. Things come your way easily because people will always want to help or do things for you.

Apart from this business and acting, what other things are you into?

I’m an actress, movie scriptwriter and a business woman. I don’t do anything else, but what I do has been satisfying me financially.

Were you removed from President Jonathan’s campaign list? Your name was there but we didn’t hear your jingles or see you on the screen.

I didn’t drop out along the way. I was giving my own support in my own way. We need support in what we do, and anybody who supports what I do; I will definitely support that person because it is my career. If anybody wants to help me grow, I will help the person to grow also.

So, what really happened, how are you giving your own support to him?

I don’t what to talk about it.

You are now wearing tattoos, why?

I have had this tattoo for two years now. I got it in 2009; maybe it’s very small that is why you have not noticed it. It is just a normal tattoo and it is a butterfly and I love butterflies because they signify tenderness. Butterflies are very colourful and most of them are very beautiful. They symbolise beauty and tenderness. 

But it looks very new; how much did it cost?

(Laughs) Forget it, I won’t tell you that.

Do you have other ones in other parts of your body?

(Laughs) Please next question. Anyway, I don’t have another tattoo on my body. 

What is fashion for you?

Fashion is anybody’s personal style; I don’t believe that there is anything called fashion with the meaning that something must go in a particular way. You might dress in one style and I will decide to dress in another style. It is all about what suits everybody. For me, fashion is my style and my fashion is my style.

What are the labels that you wear now?

I still wear Nigerian labels and they look good on me. I wear a lot of foreign brands, but I still wear Nigerian labels. In perfumes, I like Marc Jacobs and Tom Ford. I don’t think that I can wear any other kind of perfume now.

How was growing up like for you?

Growing up was very normal and I was a happy child. It was a small family of my parents and two younger brothers. I was taken care of but not pampered; I had sweet parents who taught me the right things at the proper time.

What are those things that acting has deprived you from doing?

There are just a few things because I’m still myself, but I’m very careful of where I enter and what I do. Before I enter any crowd, I have to make sure of what is happening and the people inside. I have stopped attending events and parties anyhow. I have to be careful now and I must be officially invited before stepping into any gathering.

Don’t your parents feel that you are tarnishing their image and name with scandals?

They have always supported me even when I am at the low moment. They have always lifted me up when I am down. If I complain too much about scandals, they will tell me that I should have known that such things will come up before going into acting. Anytime there is a scandal, the first thing that comes to my mind is my family and I will ask myself, who knows how they will feel if they see this? Surprisingly, they have supported me in these periods because they know what I can do and what I can’t do.

How come you are not close to other actresses?

I’m very friendly with all of them, but I’m just being myself. I have people who I hang out with, but naturally, I’m just myself. I am neither here or there, just like a jelly fish and you can’t hold me down. I keep friends who are real and can open up to me. I don’t like fake friends who cannot be loyal to me.
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DDoS botnet family discovered targeting scores of sites

Posted by technology on August 28, 2010 at 12:53pm
A new family of bots is responsible for nearly 200 distributeddenial-of-service attacks targeting websites in China, the UnitedStates, South Korea and Germany, according to researchers at securityfirm Arbor Networks

The bot family, which has been dubbed "YoyoDDoS" after the hostname of one of its initial command-and-control (C&C)servers, was first detected in March. To date, Arbor Networks hasprocessed more than 70 variants from the family and identified at least34 C&C servers, all but three of which are located in China.

DDoS attacks use large numbers of compromised PCs to flood a targeted website withtraffic with the goal of knocking it offline. Out of the 180 YoyoDDoSattacks that have been identified, 126 of them targeted IP addresses inChina, while 32 targeted victims in the United States, nine in SouthKorea, and five in Germany.

Several different online merchants have been targeted, including sites selling auto parts and cosmetics,Edwards said. Several gaming and gambling sites also were attacked,along with a website-hosting provider, a music forum and a personalblog..

“It is not targeted at a specific industry,” said Edwards, a former FBI special agent assigned to the Detroit CybercrimeSquad. “Its more like a general tool, and if somebody wants to take asite down for a certain reason, a lot of time they use this YoyoDDos.”

The attacks typically last between a few hours to two days, he added.Several sites have been attacked continuously for 24 to 48 hours.

Researchers at Arbor Networks said they do not know how many computers have beeninfected with the bot malware, but they believe there are at least threeor four independent YoyoDDoS botnets being controlled by independentoperators.

If this is the case, the code to create the bot malware may be circulating in the cybercrminal underground, Edwards said.

The bot malware, which Edwards said is not especially sophisticated, couldmake its way onto a user's PC via malicious links or attachments inemails. After instillation, the bot connects to the C&C server andreports back details about the victim host, including the make, modeland speed of the processor and the operating system service pack level.Additionally, every time an infected computer is started, the malwaremakes contact with the C&C server.

The bot family uses four different types of DDoS attacks – HTTP, UDP, SYN and ICMP – all ofwhich flood a victim with different types of traffic, Edwards said. Ifan attack is launched with a certain type of traffic, and the victim hasa firewall or another security device that blocks it, another attackmode can be used.

“I do know that it is being actively used based on the number of attacks we are logging,” Edwards said. “We arestill logging attacks and finding [bot malware] specimens we haven'tseen.”

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Man robs family, rapes three sisters

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on July 10, 2010 at 1:45am
A 27-year-old man has been arrested by the Oyo State Police Command for allegedly robbing a family and raping three sisters.
The suspect, identified simply as Segun, was said to have invaded his victims' residence in Orogun area of Ibadan, the state capital with a member of his robbery gang currently at large.

The two were said to have forcibly entered the house at about 5am on June 24, 2010, armed with cutlasses.

Having gained access into the apartment, the suspects were said to have robbed the family of valuables including money, telephone handsets and jewellery among other items.

Unknown to the suspects, however, while the operation was going on, some neighbours who were aware of the incident quickly alerted the command headquarters to the incident and a patrol team was dispatched to the scene.

Obviously unaware of the arrival of policemen, Segun, not satisfied with their loot, reportedly started raping the three daughters of the family one after the other.

He reportedly raped the ladies - a set of twins and their sister- in the full glare of their helpless parents.

By the time the policemen led by the Divisional Crime Officer, Mr. Busari Kabiru, arrived on the scene, they met the suspect pants down on one of the ladies while his accomplice quickly fled from the scene. He was arrested immediately..

Confirming the incident, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adisa Bolanta, said that efforts were on to track down Segun's fleeing accomplice.

Bolanta assured residents of the state that his command would leave no stone unturned to ensure safety of lives and property.

He further urged members of the public to assist the police in fighting crime by reporting suspicious movements around their areas at the nearest police station.
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Yar'Adua's health divides Turai, family members

Posted by Paul "EFCC" Hawk Adams on March 3, 2010 at 6:33am

A Presidency source, who disclosed these on Tuesday, said the Yar'Adua family members held a crucial meeting in Abuja on Monday night.

pix200810202262154[1].jpg

Turai's role in the Yar'Adua health saga, the controversy that attended the manner of his return and his incommunicado were reportedly discussed.


The source said that 15 family members attended the meeting.


The source said, "Members of the family are particularly bothered that since the President took ill, they have been denied access to him in spite of the strong biological links they have with him."


Besides, family members are concerned about the image of the family, going by the controversy his health has generated.


It was learnt that they expressed deep worry about the full restoration of all the privileges of the President against the backdrop of the actions of some individuals, which tended to smear him his reputation.


Meanwhile, fresh indications have emerged that the Acting President may have extracted a promise to see the ailing President from Turai and her clique.


It was gathered that the Acting President made another move to see his boss on Saturday without success.


The aides of the President were said to have told the Acting President that he would see the President soon.


However, no date was given.


Jonathan had made not less than three moves to see his boss without success since Yar'Adua returned last Wednesday



A Presidency source, who disclosed these on Tuesday, said the Yar'Adua family members held a crucial meeting in Abuja on Monday night.

Turai's role in the Yar'Adua health saga, the controversy that attended the manner of his return and his incommunicado were reportedly discussed.

The source said that 15 family members attended the meeting.

The source said, "Members of the family are particularly bothered that since the President took ill, they have been denied access to him in spite of the strong biological links they have with him."

Besides, family members are concerned about the image of the family, going by the controversy his health has generated.

It was learnt that they expressed deep worry about the full restoration of all the privileges of the President against the backdrop of the actions of some individuals, which tended to smear him his reputation.

Meanwhile, fresh indications have emerged that the Acting President may have extracted a promise to see the ailing President from Turai and her clique.

It was gathered that the Acting President made another move to see his boss on Saturday without success.

The aides of the President were said to have told the Acting President that he would see the President soon.

However, no date was given.

Jonathan had made not less than three moves to see his boss without success since Yar'Adua returned last Wednesday

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Mother Or Wife ? Yar’Adua’s family divided over resignation bid - Mum:"He must resign" Turai:" No, he’s fit to continue"

Posted by 9jabook.com on December 2, 2009 at 7:41pm
Yar’Adua’s family divided over resignation bid - He must resign - Mum - No, he’s fit to continue - Turai - Resign now, el-Rufai, Nnamani, Masari, Falae, 50 others tell Yar’Adua - Security tightened at Aso Rock - Ogbulafor meets Jonathan - Senate rejects motion on president’s health - VP summons Bayelsa gov, deputy From Taiwo Adisa, Adewale Ajayi, Donald Ojogo, Okey Muogbo and Ayodele Adesanmi THE family of President Umaru Yar’Adua is said to be divided over the bid by some forces to have the President resign his position on the basis of his ill health. your 9jabook advertisement here call 07083793511 Sources on Tuesday said there was a sharp division between the president’s wife, Hajia Turai and his mother, Hajia Dada Habib, over the next step to take by the president. While the mother was said to be advocating that the president should resign so that he could take care of his health, Hajia Turai was said to be insisting that he would soon get over his health challenges. A source said the matriarch of the Yar’Adua family was insisting that her son should be brought back to the country alive, while he should resign from the office to face his health situation. It was gathered that the matriarch also insisted in her calls to Hajia Turai that she did not want to lose Umaru like she lost his elder brother, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. It was gathered that Turai had to attend this year’s hajj and she was sighted at Mina, Saudi Arabia. This, a source said, she had to do, though it was not originally on the travel agenda. It was gathered that the first lady had insisted that her prayers and those of millions of Nigerians would surely work and her husband would soon recover. Calls for the president to resign had started gaining grounds on Tuesday, following indications that his condition relapsed at the weekend. Though there were plans to receive the president early this week, this did not materialise, as his condition was said to have relapsed late on Saturday. Reports from the governors and other government functionaries who visited Saudi Arabia also indicated that none of them was able to see the president as he had been kept in intensive care from Sunday. It was gathered that the presidency had beefed up security at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while the Vice-President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, was said to have cancelled all late night appointments. Sources said the vice-president had taken the precaution since Thursday, so as not to give the wrong impression that he was holding nocturnal meetings. A source said most of those who had late night appointments on Friday were reached to either come earlier in the day, or reschedule such appointments for another day. Also in Abuja, on Tuesday, sources informed that some Northern political power brokers had started thinking of options left in the wake of the president’s ailing health. It was gathered that some groups were already thinking of supporting the bid to ask the president to resign from office so as to pave the way for a strong personality to emerge as vice-president to Jonathan. It was, however, gathered that underneath such plans was the plot that would ensure that the vice presidential candidate would engineer the removal of Jonathan through impeachment after a short stay in office, such that power could effectively return to the North. But some concerned Nigerians were already alerting the international community to the unfolding situation in the country. Former governor of Lagos State, Senator Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday, visited the British Embassy in Abuja, where he discussed the issues of Nigeria’s electoral reform and the president’s health with the high commissioner. Tinubu had earlier visited the German and the United States embassies before the Tuesday call at the British embassy. He specifically raised the issue of electoral reform during his earlier visits to the embassies. Sources said Tinubu spoke the minds of opposition figures during the visit to the British embassy, where he was said to have told the high commissioner that Nigeria would abide by constitutional order, no matter what happenned to the president. Sources close to some groups in the North, however, said the only option open to the region now was to quickly pick a strong candidate as vice-president, while allowing Jonathan to take over as president. Meanwhile, former Senate President Mr. Ken Nnamami; former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Honourable Aminu Masari; General Alani Akinrinade, Chief Olu Falae and 50 other eminent Nigerians have demanded for the resignation of President Yar’Adua, arguing that his deteriorating health had made it difficult for him to perform his functions as the president of the country. The concerned Nigerians, which included members of the civil society groups, Dr. Joe Okei–Odumakin and Mrs Ayo Obe, said it was known to every discerning observer that President Yar’Adua’s physical condition had had a negative impact on his ability to discharge the functions of the highest office in the nation. According to them, “within the last few months, he has been unable to attend to crucial affairs of the state at home and abroad and whenever he has found time to do so, his judgment appears impaired by his ill-health.“ They noted that his health condition had necessitated several medical trips abroad but he had not transmitted to the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives a written declaration that he was proceeding on vacation or that he was, otherwise, unable to discharge the functions of his office as required by Section 145 of the 1999 Constitution. They observed that President Yar’Adua, though was invited to attend the United Nations General Assembly for which a private meeting had been arranged between him and President Barack Obama for high level discussions of issues mutually beneficial to Nigeria and the United States, he went to Saudi Arabia to “open a university” which was a dummy sold to cover up his treatment. The concerned Nigerians said it was also common knowledge that the incapacity of the president had affected the implementation of the nation’s budget because he had been unable to coordinate the management of the national economy and to preside over the Federal Executive Council (FEC) in a diligent manner. They noted that in the circumstance, ministers had routinely flouted the orders of the president and engaged in in-fighting as a direct result in the vacuum of leadership. “As responsible and concerned individuals from every part of Nigeria, we call on President Yar’Adua to immediately choose the honourable option of either resigning his office immediately, or, if he is confident of his true physical condition, request the FEC to pass a resolution pursuant to Section 144 (1) of the Constitution to the effect that the president appears incapable of discharging the functions of his office. This honourable step will enable the Senate President to appoint a medical panel to confirm the fitness or otherwise of the president to continue in office,” they said. The group of Nigerians said they sympathised with the president over his health, but the country needed effective governance. “We sympathise with him and believe that his health should be given priority attention. At the same time, the need to provide effective governance for this nation of over 150 million people cannot be compromised,” they said. Those that signed the document included Alhaji Balarabe Musa, Chief John Oyegun, Dr. Tunji Braith-waite, Colonel Abubakar Umar (rtd). Others were Professor Itse Sagay, Alhaji Buba Galadima, Honourable Olawale Oshun, Dr. Usman Bugaje, Alhaji Adamu Waziri, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, Mr. Femi Falana, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, Alhaji Sadiq Yar’Adua, Honourable Adamu Farouk Aliyu, Chief Jos Ayomike. Also included were Hajia Naja’atu Muha-mmeed, Ms. Annkio Briggs, Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose, Chief Supo Shonibare, Mr. Odia Ofeimun, Honourable Lawal Garuba, Mr. Biodun Sowunmi and Dr. Ishaq Kurufi, among others. Meanwhile, suspense and uncertainty still remain the words, as the nation prays for the quick recovery of President Yar’Adua who is currently undergoing medical attention in Saudi Arabia. The suspense heightened as security around the President Villa, Abuja, has been tighetened. Vice-President Jonathan, who, the Nigerian Tribune learnt, gave the directive, had also barred visitors who did not have any official responsiblity. This development is coming amid political power permutations and debates over a perceived succession battle between the South and North. The nation has contended with media reports that the number two man, from the South-South, has been under intense pressure from Northern power players to resign in anticipation of a vacuum arising from the inability of President Yar’Adua to continue in office. Both the office of the vice-president and the ruling PDP had denied that there were such pressures on Jonathan. But, according to the source, the vice-president, on Monday evening, subtly restricted all visitors to the villa. “From Monday evening, oga has directed that all visitors who do not have any official thing to do should be stopped by the security agents. This will remain in force until the arrival of the president anytime from now. “For now, there are no more courtesy calls because such calls are usually unpatriotic and mischievous in their motives and intentions. The man has told those who wanted to pay a courtesy visit to him to wait until after this period of prayers for the president. Most importantly, those who want to offer prayers for the president or support the vice-president in prayer should remain in their homes. Most of such moves are indirect lobbying for a non-existing position because by the grace of God, the president will join us soon,” the source said. However, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Vincent Ogbulafor, was sighted at the office of the vice-president on Tuesday afternoon. The purpose of the visit was not known as State House reporters could not have an interview with him before he left. He came at the time the vice-president was meeting with a team of businessmen from South Korea and went upstairs. Ogbulafor was quoted in one national daily on Tuesday to have declared that the office of the president of Nigeria was not vacant, an apparent reference to those calling for constitutional action over the long period the president had been away for medical treatment. Meanwhile, the office of President Yar’Adua remained quiet on Tuesday as government activities shifted to the office of vice- president. But Vice-President Jonathan, it was learnt, has summoned the Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva and his deputy, Peremobowei Ebebi, to Abuja, over the current political turmoil pervading the state in the wake of the local government primary of the party. Violence was reported to have marred the exercise, even as protests rocked the state in the last four days, with each trading accusations. The invitation to Abuja, it was learnt, was not unconnected to the reported explosion which occurred beside a filling station reportedly owned by the deputy governor, who had raised the alarm that his life was being threatened by agents alleged to be the governor’s loyalists. The Senate, at the plenary session on Tuesday, refused to have a special debate on the state of the health of President Yar’Adua, who was currently undergoing medical treatment in a Saudi Arabian hospital. It, however, urged all Nigerians, no matter their religious beliefs, to fervently pray for quick recovery of the president. The Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate, Senator Victor Ndoma-Egba, after Order 42 and 52 of Senate Standing Rule, asked the Senate to allow him to present a motion on the state of health of the president. According to him, “Mr. President, the subject matter of my motion which I discussed with you yesterday and this morning is the state of health of our dear president, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.” “Under Orders 42 and 52 of the Senate Standing Rule, the matter for discussion shall, if possible, be referred to the President of the Senate before commencement of the day’s sitting and the President of the Senate shall refuse to allow the claim unless he is satisfied that the matter is definite and urgent. “Notice shall not be dispensed with in the case of a motion or in respect of any other proceeding for which notice is required except with the consent of the president of the Senate and general assent of the senators present.” Consequently, in a reply to Ndoma-Egba, the Senate President, David Mark, said “distinguished colleagues, Senator Ndoma-Egba discussed a motion which he intends to raise this morning with me. I have no problem with the motion. Basically, it is just to ask us and the nation to continue to pray for the improvement and for the quick recovery of the president. “That is the summary of the motion. I have no problem with it, but as is required by Order 42, I have to seek the consent of the Senate and if we are up to one-fifth in support of his moving the motion, then we allow him to raise the motion. It is a very short motion.” However, when the Senate President put it to the whole house, the response was negative. The Senate Committee Chairman on Media and Publicity, Senator Ayogu Eze, told newsmen that the Senate President had earlier called for prayer for the president and it would be a mere waste of time to start debating it. Eze, who briefed National Assembly correspondents, said, “the reason we did not take that motion is that as a serious chamber, we don’t indulge in surplusage. The Senate President is the chief spokesman for the Senate and chief spokesman for the National Assembly and he has just issued a statement on the same matter, asking Nigerians to pray for our president.
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Tragedy on the Lagoon - Husband died trying to save wife of 7 days - You killed our son’, hubby’s family tells survivor wife

Posted by cozzy webtatafo on August 27, 2009 at 9:13pm
The recent death of Lekan Benson Adelaja and others in boats mishap in a Lagos community, just seven days after his wedding, has generated many controversies between his family and his wife’s. Adewale Ajayi reports. When the family of Benson Adelaja gathered on August 1 to consummate the marriage of their son, Lekan to Sunbo in Ikenne, Ogun State, they never knew that the joy of their son getting married would be short-lived . The family never had any inkling that the husband would die a week after his wedding, although there was a spiritual warning handed over to Lekan’s mother that his son should not travel out of his town Sagamu, Ogun State, some days after his wedding, a warning which his mother was said to have repeated to him. On August 7, a Friday , Lekan was said to have left Sagamu to attend a party organised by his boss somewhere in Ajah , Eti Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State. He was said to have travelled in company of his wife, younger sister, two of his friends , and his boss’s wife, who was said to have been picked up in Ikorodu for the trip. They drove to Baiyeku, in Ikorodu Local Government Area, and decided to make the rest of the trip by canoe , which transports people from that area to Ajah and Langbasa. Lekan parked his car, a metallic colour Honda Accord with registration number KC 906 KJA by the shore of the river, and off they went. Less than 10 minutes after, the canoe left the shore and, still within the vicinity of the shore, capsized , it ran into strong ocean waves , which damaged the steering of the boat engine. The canoe capsized, , throwing its about 26 passengers overboard. The sailor of another canoe, which had six passengers had, on the scene of the accident, attempted to rescue the passengers of the capsized canoe. But that also capsized, and the passengers in the two canoes were discharged into the lagoon. With the assistance of fishermen, divers and marine policemen that came on board, some passengers were rescued, among whom was Lekan. He, however, took a plunge into the lagoon when his wife, Sunbo, was not found. Eventually, his wife was rescued, and a search for him and others continued. On that day, five people were said to have been rescued alive, out of whom two dropped dead before medical aid could reach them, while five corpses were also said to have been brought out of the lagoon, including that of a woman with a baby strapped to her back. The baby was still alive. Of the three rescued, one survivor was said to have swam to the shore. The rescue operation was put on hold till the next day , which was a Saturday, exactly a week after Lekan consummated his marriage to Sunbo. The salvage operation was put on hold because it was assumed that the victims would have died, as they had not been found three hours after the incident, and that their corpses would be found floating on the river by the next day. On Saturday, the environment became tense; the entire community was in a mournful mood, as friends and relatives of those who came in search of their loved ones bewailed their loss. Friends of Lekan from Ijagba, in Sagamu, Ogun State, besieged the town, demanding for explanations on why such a thing should happen to their pal, and blaming the boat operators for failing to provide safety measures like life jackets for their passengers . They wondered why such a thing should happen to him barely a week after his marriage. While some wailed to register their displeasure, others threatened to set ablaze, the houses in the community. Though they were prevented from doing that, the canoe operators’ office was not spared. It was vandalised, and the locally-made life jackets hung on the wall were destroyed and thrown into the lagoon. Those whose relatives were yet to be found were seen moving up and down the shore of the lagoon with drawn faces, while others glued their eyes to the lagoon, perhaps probing it for swallowing their loved ones. On the third day of the incident, a Sunday, six swollen corpses were found. Among them was Lekan’s, his friend’s and his sister-in-law’s. The atmosphere became charged, as members of his family became enraged, blaming his wife for contributing to his death, arguing that if he had not taken the risk of plunging into the lagoon , in search of the wife, he would probably have been alive today. The two families that had, a week earlier, exchanged pleasantries when giving out their children in marriage , suddenly became enemies , and Lekan’s friends threatened to beat them up. It took the intervention of members of Baiyeku community and the policemen drafted to the town to restore order. In line with the Yoruba tradition , to the effect that anyone who dies in a river , lagoon , sea or brook should be buried at its bank , it was unanimously agreed that the corpses be buried at the bank of the lagoon . In other to scare the women and other lily-livered men away from the burial site, the Oro (traditional ritual which women were forbidden to watch) was invoked, while the corpses were ferried to the portion earmarked for their burial with a boat, and the corpses floated on the lagoon, tied to the canoe. It was an emotion-laden event, as relatives of the deceased wept , as the corpses were being pulled from the lagoon into their grave. Commenting on the incident, Mr Kunle Jegede, who claimed to have been traveling to Ajah on boat en route Baiyeku in the last seven years, said the boat operators should be blamed for the incident, because many of them usually overloaded their boats and failed to provide life jackets for their passengers. He explained that government should also share part of the blame , explaining that despite the approval given to the boat operators by the government, they were not being properly monitored. He explained further that the boat in question had once been involved in an accident at Majidun, near Ikorodu town, and that this was why it was barred from loading in the area, and was eventually taken to Baiyeku . Another boat operator in Baiyeku, Mr. Segun Omogunle, said officials of the Lagos State Water Traffic Management Authority (LASTWA) had, on many occasions, arrested the boat operators, and that in the last one year, they have been arrested more than 20 times for failing to comply with laid-down regulations for operation. He explained that on one occasion, the marine police impounded three of the boats because they lacked the necessary facilities, and they had to bribe the police with N60,000 before the boats were released . Speaking on the development, the head of the community, Chief Kehinde Ogunyera, said such a sad incident had never occurred in the past 70 years of his existence. He explained that the council of chiefs in the community usually took time off to monitor the activities of the boat operators, and that they usually complied with the conditions and rules given to them. He said they never overloaded their boats, as claimed by some people, and that the life jackets they used were the brand recommended for them, and were not inferior as claimed . Chief Ogunyera stated that, many times , the passengers refused to wear life jacket given to them , giving the excuse that they might contact disease by wearing it , because people afflicted with a disease might have worn it before. A spiritual dimension was, however, introduced by some people, who blamed the community for failing to make sacrifices to the water goddess, arguing that the river goddess was probably angry. Some blamed Lekan for refusing to abide by the spiritual instruction given to him through his mother, which forbade him from going out of his town, Sagamu, for some days. Buttressing that fact, Lekan’s boss, Chief Muyideen Oladegun, said although Lekan had been travelling on that lagoon for over seven years, and that he and Lekan used that route many times, he had warned him against attending the ill-fated party, having earlier on reminded him of the spiritual message which forbade him from going out of his town for some days after his wedding. While those who lost their loved ones are bemoaning their ill-fortune, it is necessary for the state government, which has made known its intention to popularize water transportation, to make sure that most of the private boat operators who are given approval are closely monitored, to prevent tragedies such as the one that claimed passengers.
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