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Ritual or? How man raped, made incision on a young woman

On May 3, an Ikeja Sexual Offences and Domestic Violence Court will continue hearing at the trial of one Lukman Alade, who allegedly made incisions on the private parts of an 18-year-old girl (name withheld) and raped her.

While being led in evidence by the state counsel, Ms Bukola Okeowo, the Investigative Police Officer (IPO) in the matter, DSP Morayo Ogunsokan narrated the sordid tale to the court.

Ogunsokan told the court presided by Justice Rahman Oshodi that she received a report of an alleged rape on September 12, 2022 at about 4.30 p.m. from the said survivor and immediately took her voluntary statement while the statement of the defendant was taken under caution.

According to the IPO: “The survivor told me that she was on her way to collect her phone when she was accosted by the defendant and he made sexual advances towards her but she bluffed him.

“She said she later found herself in the room of the defendant with her pants removed, her pubic hair shaved and the defendant had put incisions on her vagina and legs.

“She added that the defendant put a ring into his finger, inserted the same finger into her vagina and raped her thereafter.

“She said it was when her phone rang that she became conscious of what was going on and she asked the defendant what she was doing in his house.”

The witness further told the court that the alleged survivor asked the defendant where her pubic hair was and he gave it to her.

According to her, the alleged survivor reported the case to her parents when she got home. It was reported to a vigilante group and the defendant was arrested by the police.

The IPO told the court that the defendant confessed to removing her pants, shaving the girl’s pubic hair and putting incisions on her vagina and legs.

The witness added that when she got to the scene of the incident, the house was locked and the landlord said he had chased the friend of the defendant, whom they stayed together, away due to the incident.

“Based on what was reported and what the defendant said, he accepted shaving the pubic hair, giving her incision and the lady said he slept with her.

“I am not a medical practitioner, that was why I sent her to Mirabel Medical Centre for examination.

“After the result at Mirabel, the defendant was charged to court based on the allegation against him,” Ogunsokan said.

The state counsel, Okeowo, then prayed the court for a short adjourned date for the witness to conclude her examination in chief.

Okeowo submitted that the original case file was not with the prosecution.

There was no objection from the defence counsel, Mr. Lekan Egberongbe.

The defendant is standing trial on a two-count charge of rape and sexual assault by penetration.

The prosecutor told the court that the defendant allegedly committed the offences on September 12, 2022 on Enu-Owa Street, Lagos Island.

According to the prosecution, the alleged offences violate Sections 260 and 261 of the Criminal Laws of Lagos State, 2015.

Presidency sources reveal how Buhari’s ministers and others are quietly returning stolen funds

Insinuations are rife that the current administration of President Bola Tinubu has been reluctant to openly probe into serious allegations of corruption against some ministers and senior officials who served in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari. This, according to critics, was because the President was trying to avoid rubbishing the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to which they both belong. A dependable source in the Presidency disclosed that Tinubu adopted a silent mode of probe where those found culpable among the former ministers were made to return their loot secretly into government coffers without raising any eyebrow.

The source, who craved anonymity because he had no mandate to speak on the matter said: “The President is seriously after the looters in Buhari’s administration. “Some of the ministers under probe have pleaded to return their loot to avoid prosecution. “Several billions of Naira and others in hard currencies have been returned to the gov- ernment while investigations into their activities continue.” Another source added: “Almost all the heads of agencies and parastatals under the former President are under investigation. “You will see that the President has been sacking them one after the other. Some of them have pleaded for out of court settlement by refunding looted funds traced to them.

“Those proving stubborn among the corrupt officials would soon be charged to court. “It would interest you to know that the former President has refused to intercede for any of his ministers found culpable. “We learnt that Buhari had expressed surprise at the level of sleaze perpetrated by his ministers and that he had told anyone of them found culpable to face the consequences of their actions. “He had told them never to bother him in his retirement with their problems.” Meanwhile, the major opposition political parties, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP), have both welcomed the development with the two calling for transparency and prosecution of those found culpable.

The Publicity Secretaries of the parties, Debo Ologunagba and Obiora Ifoh, in separate telephone chats with Saturday Telegraph yesterday’ however, maintained that the development, if true, would allow the country to have access to more funds to run the country. Reacting to the development, Ologunagba said: “You are saying that you have a good authority but I don’t know the authority that you have now,” while asking for specific details with regards to those involved in the various financial crimes during the life of the immediate past regime. The PDP spokesman concluded by urging the media and other stakeholders to help make the government more transparent on the issue, saying, “May be if you write this and other stakeholders talk, the NSA and the EFCC will be forced to talk.”

On his party, Ifoh, who welcomed the development, urged the Federal Government to prosecute those involved with a view to making it serve as a deterrent measure to those who might want to loot the country in future. “I have not read the story before but if it is true, it is a welcome development. For us in the Labour Party, the issue should move beyond returning money. “The government should also mete out the punishment that is involved in such an act, Ifoh said.

Recall that the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) had said all the stolen public funds recovered between 2016 and 2019 by the immediate past government of Muhammadu Buhari are missing from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

The group revealed this on 14 February via its verified X-page, adding that the missing looted funds were discovered when the management of the apex bank could not account for them.   

“BREAKING: Recovered stolen public funds between 2016 and 2019 are reportedly missing from the Central Bank of Nigeria [CBN].  The Auditor-General of the Federation wants the CBN to account for the money,” the group wrote on X.

Earlier the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) disagreed with the Nigerian government on the amount of looted funds the latter said it recovered from 2015 to 2022

The Buhari Government disclosed that over one billion dollars were recovered as looted funds by the administration within the period of seven and half years.

The former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who made this known while briefing newsmen said $1 billion in looted funds had so far been recovered by the Buhari-led administration.

Commenting on the issue of looted funds, Malami stated that the funds had been deployed to various sectors of the economy, including poverty alleviation.

However, Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre had disclosed that the figure published by the government was not accurate.

He said the only thing that was correct about President Buhari’s administration was the inconsistency in the stating and flaunting of figures, especially regarding asset recovery.

Suraju lamented that the government’s asset recovery programme had not been coordinated.

He explained that a serious government that values statistics and data could have been more constructive and responsible to provide data that covers international recoveries and local recoveries.

Will other big monies ever be recovered?

in June 2023, BusinessDay reported how the hopes of many Nigerians were dashed few hours after Hadi Sirika, the former minister of aviation had made a static display of what was supposed to be the resurrected Nigerian carrier, Nigeria Air.

Few hours after Nigerians had celebrated the arrival of the aircraft, then videos, evidences and pictures started to trickle in showing that the said aircraft used for the static display was ‘borrowed’ from Ethiopian airlines.

Nigerians who were taken aback at this display of what they described as ‘fraud’ wondered why a government would go as far as deceiving its own citizens of floating a non-existing airline.

In 2015, when Sirika was appointed minister of Aviation, he had put forward an aviation roadmap with National Carrier as the queen project, which he promised must be delivered to the Nigerian people before the end of Muhammadu Buhari administration.

After failed attempts by other ministers to set up and successful run a sustainable national carrier in the last 50 years from Nigerian Airways to New Co, Nigerian Global, Nigerian Eagle, Virgin Nigeria, Air Nigeria and Nigeria one, Sirika had promised that the former President Muhammadu Buhari administration was going to restore the pride of Nigeria in the skies by floating a national carrier which would bear Nigerian flag.

The first display of what was supposed to be an unveiling of the airline was done in another country.

The former minister had in 2018 unveiled Nigeria Air as its new national carrier at the Farnborough Air Show in the U.K. This ceremony had raised dust as many wondered why the unveiling of Nigeria’s own airline was done in another country.

Before and after the launch of the carrier, the prospective airline continued to gulp huge sums of money, despite not acquiring a single aircraft.

N85bn spent on Nigeria Air in 8yrs

In eight years, Buhari’s administration spent over N85 billion on Nigeria Air.

Data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) and Compilation of Budgetary Allocations show that the Federal Government spent N85.42billion on transaction advisers, working capital and consultancy bills for Nigeria Air between 2016 and 2023.

Despite the huge amount spent on the national carrier, the airline has not only failed to secure Air Operating Certificate, an approval granted by a Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to an aircraft operator to allow it use aircraft for commercial flight operations, but has also not secured a single aircraft for its operations.

As Buhari’s administration was close to winding up, stakeholders reminded Sirika of the monies spent on the national carrier and his promise to deliver the project before the administration was over.

Sirika, who had already ticked a scorecard for himself as achieving 98 percent of all he promised on his aviation roadmap including the Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO) facility; the Aviati)on Leasing Company (ALC); Aerotropolis, Airport concession and the development of agro-allied cargo terminals, just needed a last tick on national carrier to bid the aviation sector goodbye.

Sirika had boasted that the national carrier project was going to be the icing on the cake as he would be achieving 100 percent of his road map with the floating of the national carrier.

For Sirika, a static display of an aircraft branded and labeled ‘Nigeria Air’ would probably help achieve the ‘dream’ of resurrecting the national carrier and 100 percent achievement of the aviation roadmap.

The static display of wingless carrier

Findings show that the former minister of Aviation had contacted Ethiopian Airlines few days before the handover, to provide an aircraft that would be presented to Nigerians as an aircraft belonging to Nigeria Air.

Ethiopian Airline had obliged by repainting and rebranding one of its Boeing 737-860 Max aircraft.

Investigations show that the Boeing 737-800 aircraft has registration Number ET-APL, Mode S Q4005C and serial number: 40965/4075.

Further investigations show that the national carrier is about 11 years and and first flight with the aircraft was done on 22nd June 2012 as Ethiopian Airlines aircraft.

The aircraft became Malawi Airlines on 16th February 2014 and released to Ethiopian Airlines on 12th August 2015.

Checks show that the aircraft changed colours but ownership remains that of Ethiopian Airlines.

Alex Nwuba, CEO of Ghana-based Smile Aviation and former CEO of Nigerian-based Associated Airlines, described the national carrier as unbudgeted billions spent on frivolities, showcasing, and unveilings.

“From ribbons to Ethiopian Aircraft all in the name of Nigeria Air; from the demolition of offices of staff of Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria to actual demolition of a few houses. From airport concessions to two funny concessions.

“The establishment of an unseen leasing company to Aerotroprolis even the drawings are yet to be seen. In the end we’re here pockets emptied and hopes dashed,” Nwuba said.

Two days after the static display, flight live tracker ‘flightrader24.com’ showed the Nigeria Air plane was back to Ethiopia where it was brought in from.

David Hundeyin, independent journalist, had drawn people’s attention to the flight tracker.

“Behold your freshly commissioned “Nigeria Air” Boeing 737 heading back to Addis Ababa right now as we speak, where the hurried paint job will be removed and it will go back into @flyethiopian regular service,” Hundeyin had said.

Three days after, the live tracker showed the aircraft was back to regular flight service for Ethiopian Airlines on its Addis Ababa-Mogadishu route, which appears to be the same route it flew before being brought into Nigeria and presented as Nigeria Air plane.

Hundeyin, again tweeted: “The ‘Nigeria Air’ Boeing 737-800 has had its hurried wrap job removed and is now back in regular service for @flyethiopian on its usual Addis Ababa-Mogadishu route – the same route it flew as recently as last week before being “commissioned” in Abuja by @hadisirika,” Hundeyin stated.

It was therefore, not surprising, that the House of Representatives has faulted the Nigeria Air purported launch of May 26, 2023, stating that Sirika, and other proponents sought to hoodwink the country.

Nnolim Nnaji, Chairman of the House Committee on Aviation, declared the launch of Nigeria Air a fraud.

The Ministry of Aviation claimed Nigeria Air was only unveiled and not launched, which the committee dismissed as an attempt to divert the lawmakers’ attention.

Members of the committee were shocked when Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) disclosed that the aircraft bearing Nigerian colours was on a chartered flight to Nigeria.

Dapo Olumide, Interim managing director of Nigeria Air, had also confirmed the aircraft used to unveil the country’s national career was a legitimate chartered flight from Ethiopian Airlines.

Olumide said the aircraft returned to Ethiopian Airlines after the unveiling. He said this before the Senate Committee on Aviation.

The Committee members expressed misgivings towards the unveiling of the national carrier during a meeting with Olumide; the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation, Emmanuel Meribole; as well as heads of aviation agencies.

At the meeting, Biodun Olujimi, chairman of the Senate Aviation Committee, wondered why Hadi Sirika, the immediate past Minister of Aviation, hurriedly unveiled a national carrier on the last day of the Muhammadu Buhari administration…

Will Nigeria Air ever fly?

Many have since asked if Nigeria Air would ever fly again despite the issues surrounding it.

Many stakeholders are calling for a forensic audit of the process of Nigeria Air and many regard it as a scam, which the former Minister used to delude Nigerians, after over N85 billion was spent on the Nigerian carrier programme.

John Ojikutu, Executive Secretary of Aviation Round Table (ART), a think-tank body in the industry, advised that the project should be discarded.

“There should be flag carriers at least two: one regional and continental and the other intercontinental from the existing carriers. National Carrier as being envisaged will end up as government carrier and die like the Nigeria Airways,” he said.

Ojikutu added that no government of any developing country has the financial resources to solely finance an airline, not even the USA the largest economy in the world has a national carrier but flag carriers.

“Please discard what Sirika is doing with the industry at quarter to go,” he said.

Other stakeholders are of the view that if the national carrier must be floated, it must be done in a transparent manner and all stakeholders must be carried along in the process, as this was what Nigeria Air lacked in the first place.

Despite the disgrace and the embarrassment he brought to Nigeria, Sirika was “handsomely rewarded” by Buhari with Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), during the hurriedly packaged 2023 National Honours that have remained controversial.

Sources: New Telegraph, Sahara Reporters and BusinessDay

Intimate Affairs: Is he a real or fake crown?

By Funke Egbemode

Show me a woman who does not believe in love and I will show you a liar. Every woman wants to be loved. We all long for that indescribable feeling that keeps our heads in the cloud. That feeling that makes you feel that you and your man are the only ones on the surface of the earth and when he touches you, you feel this tingling sensation running down your spine. His voice does things to your system, etcetera etcetera.

It is a feeling that makes a woman see life through rose-tinted glasses. It is a delicious feeling. It leads you into temptation. It makes you do things that you may later in life wonder how you ever contemplated at all. Sometimes it puts a smile on your face in a crowd of serious people doing serious business when your mind wanders to those loving moments. They all look at you like you are losing it, but you are glorying in something you hold or once held so dear.

Is your man a protector or a liability? Is he a shield in times of attack? Is he a real crown or just a bling-bling accessory?

Sometimes a love experience does not end in marriage and till death do you part. But it does not take away from the solid fact that for the rest of your life, you will never forget it. Remember that song:

Everybody, think back

To your very first time

Oh, not when you lost your virginity this time. That could be memorable too but we will talk about that sometime soon.

Love. It makes you defy reason, logic, sound advice. Anything that wants to come between you and your Romeo would simply have to step aside or go to blazes, whichever they prefer.

Did you ever defy your parents for the lover boy? Did you steal your mother’s jewelry to sell so your Romeo could buy a ticket to Britain? The things we have all done for love… the things women are still doing for love, in the name of love…Ah. They scare me but what is life without love? It is a feeling every man, every woman must experience. And because the cupid’s arrow does not strike often, for some people it is a once in a lifetime thing, it must be savoured.

But is love enough to make a marriage work? Is it all the ingredients that makes a relationship work and worth it? Which is more valuable in marriage, any serious relationship, love or respect? Tendency is everyone will scream love. Or am I mistaken? I’m not prescribing anything here. Let us just all look at the two emotions as dispassionately as possible.

A man loves his wife. His wife loves him. In fact, they married for love. They have two kids, both girls, both delivered through caesarean section. The last almost cost the woman her life. The doctor advised that because of the peculiar complications that surface in the theatre (doctors always have a name for everything, even when we think an ailment is the handiwork of witches and wizards), Madam should stop at two. For a few years, the man lived with this harsh fact that he’d never have a son from his wife. Then he started dropping hints about alternative medicine and the wonders of local herbs. And how God is a miracle worker.

All the sweet talks to get Madam to get pregnant again. She also wanted a boy and fell for it because she was also afraid of the alternatives open to her husband, a second wife for instance. By the time she was 10 weeks gone, it became obvious that she was on a suicide mission. She could no longer move about without sudden dizzying spells. The doctor recommended abortion. The man said he would fly her out of the country for better care. She wept, scared she would die trying to find a son. Who would be the mother to her pretty daughters? The doctors did their best but everything came loose at 11 weeks. She was distraught and relieved at the same time. Hubby was angry and accused her of conniving with the doctor to abort the baby. Crazy, isn’t it?

Was that love? Would respect have made the situation easier to handle? He went on to get a second wife and he luckily got a son.

If a woman respects a man, do you think she would let her own brothers disrespect him? If she treats him like a king, her siblings would do the same but if she rains abuses on him in their presence, chances that they would look down on the ‘fool their sister married’ would be high. How many men can stand disrespect from their in-laws? How long does it take for love to take flight when a man feels like he’s less than a man in his own house?

In the same vein, there are men who allow their sisters, brothers and mothers to ride roughshod over their wives. Have we not heard of women who have been beaten up by their sisters-in-law? A younger friend of mine who got married in 2006 was looking like a bad replica of herself when I saw her two weeks ago. She used to be very attractive with a beautiful spring in her steps.

Today her skin looks dry, lips chapped and she generally looks 10 years older. I locked my office door and asked her to spill it, all of it. She started crying.

“I have been through a lot, auntie. If I had known this is what marriage is like I would not have bothered. My in-laws are mean. Because I could not conceive within one year, they started persecuting me. They have called me everything from a male dog to a man.

“Because my business is doing fine, my mother-in-law told my husband, in my presence, that I have done money rituals with my womb and that is why I can buy a new car when I’m supposed to be looking for a child. I have done all the tests the doctors prescribed but I’m still not pregnant. My sisters-in-law are even worse than their mother.”

What did her dear husband have to say about this domestic violence against his wife?

“He tells me to ignore them. I don’t think he is the problem…”

If you ask me, Joy, that’s her name, is living in denial. Her problem is largely her man. I think the guy is actually less than a man if you take away what is in between his legs. How can you tell a woman being harassed by your mother and sisters to ignore her assailants? Do you treat headache by ignoring it? When a mosquito perches on your skin, does ignoring it reduce its bite or stop it from passing malaria parasites into your bloodstream? A man who respects his wife will protect her. That is why he is the crown, the head of his home. But a man who watches his mother torment his wife is a fake crown. His home is headless. How long will it take love to fly away from such a relationship?

An old schoolmate of mine simply moved out of Lagos to the East when his mother came to his house every day to torment and taunt his wife. The poor woman’s sin was not even barrenness. They had kids. It was just that my friend made a few bad business decisions in his bid to leave paid employment and his fortunes took a nose dive. Trust Yoruba people. In such situations, the wife bears the brunt. She is the one with two left legs. She is the harbinger of failure.

Every woman wants to be loved. We all long for that indescribable feeling that keeps our heads in the cloud.

The poor girl was miserable and, being an old school introvert, she refused to report her mother-in-law who always chose the time her son was not around to unleash her special brand of terror. She would cry and cry. She was losing weight because it was getting too much for her. Until one day, mama was found out in her iniquity by her son. He simply asked for transfer to the East. They were there for five years before they made contact with the old woman. The rest is history.

So, what do you think? Which is a bigger ingredient, love or respect? Is your man a protector or a liability? Is he a shield in times of attack? Is he a real crown or just a bling-bling accessory?

Funke Egbemode ([email protected])

VIDEO: ‘Have you seen my car? I can date his mother.’ El-Rufai’s son justifies rape comment against mother of his critic

By Ishaya Ibrahim

Bello el-Rufai, a House of Representatives member and eldest son of the former governor of Kaduna State, Nasir el-Rufai, has justified his April 12, 2020 comment where he threatened to rape the mother of a Twitter, now X, user and pass her over to his friends.

El-Rufai’s son had made the threat after disagreeing with @thanos_zer on President Muhammadu Buhari’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While featuring on a podcast hosted by Seun Okinbaloye, the young el-Rufai was reminded by the host that he threatened to rape the mother of one of his critics in the year 2020.

The 36-year-old Bello el-Rufai, who is now the chairman, House Committee on Banking Regulations, replied Seun: “I can ask his mother out, I can date her. He thinks he is bad. I can date his mother, and I’m sure I can. Have you seen my car?”

READ ALSO:  Conflict of Duty

Bello el-Rufai’s recent comment on @themiconshow which is set to air on Saturday by 7pm, contradicts his initial apology following the outrage that followed the comment.

He had said: “I wish to withdraw that statement and apologise to the gentleman concerned for the hurtful comment. I also apologise for appearing to attack an entire ethnic group for the misdeed of one person.”

His mother, Hadiza el-Rufai, had also initially backed her son, but later apologised following rage from Nigerians.

Culled from The Niche

International Women’s Day 2024 and the two male icons

By Amina A. Salihu

In 2017, I challenged myself and all my sisters to do two things every March 8, International Women’s Day (IWD), namely:

a. Celebrate a sister whose strength has borne you through the years.

b. Write an open letter of affirmation to one male champion who has been a firm handhold and foothold on life’s journey. Continuing that challenge, I celebrate two sisters this IWD 2024. They are Chief Moji Makanjuola and Hajiya Amina Jummai Gimba. Genuine sisters, strong women, phenomenal mothers and enablers.

My open letter is to two community farming icons: Alhaji Garba ABCD (Mallam Nomau) and Alhaji Ado Charanchi Kano (Nome Karkara Magajin Garba).

A Letter to Mallam Nomau and Nome Karkara on International Women’s Day 2024

Voice is powerful. Science and native wisdom agree that we hear the world’s noise before we are born. After birth, the world continues to sing its hymn through voices imported into our homes via contraptions designed to educate, inform, guide and mould our behaviour. Voice serves as the distinct pieces of cloth sewn into an unforgettable quilt we come to trust and cherish. In my childhood, that contraption was the radio. It was a member of the Salihu family with the right to drone on all day, sometimes all night, and every waking hour like a much- indulged grandparent. It spoke Hausa, Yoruba, Pidgin, Queen’s English and more. It chortled comedy and told the news and wisdom, too. Radio moulded us effortlessly. I didn’t quite know its power until I realised the bits and pieces of voice that lived on in my head, embedded in my memory.

Growing up we listened to each other’s favourite program and vicariously experienced thrill or trauma because the radio was always loud. For example, disco music blaring from a neighbour’s radio was very welcome since you would not dare tune to a station playing the
same at home, and not when your parents wanted to listen to the news or some such important to an adult, but arduous to a child, program. The radio’s volume was only turned down during prayer times in my house. That is when my technician father would say, ‘Slow the radio’.

My 2024 tribute to a male champion is not to the radio. I am not sure it has a sex or gender. But radio enabled two male icons to shape my youth’s mind and draw me toward agriculture. Garba ABCD also known as Mallam Nomau (the master farmer), and Ado Charanchi, also known
as Nome Karkara Magajin Garba (Garba’s heir, the quintessential farmer).

I am a farmer today due in part to my parents and these two agricultural extension gurus of the
20th century. In their heydays in the 1980s – 2000, they visited hundreds of the most illustrious farms and farmers and interviewed presidents. In a predominantly Muslim northern Nigeria, where women carried out all work within the home, they nudged and hailed women farmers and encouraged their active role in agriculture. Women of my mother’s generation and their children listened to Mallam Nomau as part of their repertoire of radio menus. Our mothers practised agriculture in gardens, invested in noman lambu (irrigated farming), and knew the value of fresh farm vegetables to the wellbeing of their families. They bought directly from farmers because of Mallam Nomau.

I felt my heart leap when our mentor, Dr Kole Shettima, a radio lover, asked in the context of a gender policy in agriculture convening, whether we recalled Mallam Nomau. I screeched, ‘Is he alive’? And his ‘yes’ teleported me to nostalgia. Nomau indeed lived on in Nome Karkara, his heir. Working side by side via Radio Nigeria Kaduna and Kano airwaves, Nome Karkara carried on after the death of Mallam Nomau (Garba ABCD), becoming the new Mallam Nomau and Garba’s heir or magaji. This is an amazing lesson in succession planning and transitioning.

The traditional African line of sight to education is oral. Radio is a technology which has aided that tradition. Agricultural extension and radio are great allies cooperating to reach millions of ears through locally adapted programming in agrarian societies. There remains a high listening culture in Nigeria, especially in the north. The Broadcasting Governor’s Board Gallup (2022) holds that 77% of Nigerians listen to the radio at least once a week. The radio’s malleability, portability and low maintenance persona lend it well to this connector role. Even with evolving technology, you can still find a radio on the phone and choose thousands of stations globally just by clicking a button. The radio is an idea whose time is enduring.

I celebrate these two sterling gentlemen I had never met but whose can-do spirit stoked and inspired me and hundreds of thousands of Hausa-speaking women to be food growers, contributing to women’s economic empowerment and dignity. A farmer’s place has never been more important than at this time in our national life when faced with a 33% food inflation due partly to climate change, conflict and convoluted public policy. At the same time, agricultural extension service is in remission and, at best, is approaching revival. Extension services used to be the livewire of farming and the source of new knowledge and advisory. The ingenuity and creativity of the farmer and our willingness to explore and elevate agriculture along its entire value chain, leveraging adaptive technology, is what may save us.

The ‘Nomau’ voice made generations. They came on radio Kaduna every week, reporting farming innovations in a folkloric manner, telling tales of travels and encounters with banter. Farming communities depended on the programme. The duo loved to talk with their studio guests about seedlings and fertiliser application techniques, which farmers were wise because they embraced modern farming methods and the commensurate size of their harvest. They made farming romantic and endearing. I can still hear their voice’s warm, rolling cadence more than 40 years later.

The Oyster–Hadis award given to Alhaji Ado Chiranchi, Nome Karkara, Magajin Garba in 2024, read ‘in gratitude, for inspiring generations of farmers’. We have heroes and sheroes in our communities. We just have to find them, name them, and hail them.

Mallam Nomau, and Nome Karkara, may your legacy continue to endure. Happy International Women’s Day 2024.

‘Invest in women: Accelerate progress

#InspireInclusion

Amina A. Salihu
Abuja
March 8, 2024

Justice Theresa Orji-Abadua is dead

The Presiding Justice of the Court of Appeal Benin division, Hon. Justice Theresa Ngolika Orji-Abadua is dead.

Sources close to the 64 year-old jurist told Law & Society Magazine that she died this morning (Friday, 8 March).

Justice Orji-Abadua who was on the reserve list of nominees for last rear’s appointment to the Supreme Court was from Ikeduru in Imo State.

Born on the 15th of October 1959, she studied law at the London Metropolitan University from 1980 to 1983 and was at the Nigeria Law school from 1983 to 1984 when she was called to the bar.

She also studied at the School of Arts and Social Sciences of Northumbria University in the UK.

Her Lordship was elevated from the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory to the Court of Appeal on 15 February 2008.

International Women’s Day 2024: FIDA, WARDC advocate for inclusion, security, gender justice for women in Nigeria

As the world celebrates the 2024 International Women’s Day, the International Federation of Women Lawyers, FIDA Nigeria, insists that “a world that is equitable and inclusive is possible where our unique differences are valued and celebrated.”

FIDA in a statement signed by its Country Vice President/National President, Amina Suzanah Agbaje, (Mrs.) notes that: “Together we can accelerate progress for society when we choose to invest in women, advance equality and inspire inclusion for all!”

Likewise, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC) in a statement signed by its Co-Founder, Dr. Abiola Akiyode –Afolabi raised a number of concerns.

“In Nigeria’s Senate, there are only 4 women out of 109 senators. In the House of Representatives, the situation is as dire- there are 14 women of 360 representatives. The situation is glaring: there is very poor inclusion of women in politics and governance. At State Assemblies, women have only 4.7% of seats overall/ 15 states in Nigeria do not have any woman in parliament. In the 2023 Women, Peace and Security (WPS) report, Nigeria ranked 162 out of 177 countries. This means that Nigeria is the 16th worst country to live in as a woman. The index also showed that Nigeria is one of the 5 countries with the worst Political Violence Targeting Women.

“Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress” is the theme for International Women’s Day 2024. Today, Women Advocates Research and Documentation Center (WARDC) celebrates all Nigerian girls, adolescents and women who, in the face of daunting obstacles, continue to brave up and show up in business, governance and politics, sports, education, leadership and much more. International Women’s Day affords us another opportunity to X-ray the huge gender gap in Nigeria. For a country where women make up almost 50% of the population, there is an unfortunate imbalance in access to opportunities for women.

“Despite the passage of the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (2015), Sexual and Gender based Violence has been on the increase in Nigeria, especially since the COVID-19 lockdown. The statistics on Gender – based Violence, which include physical, mental, economic abuse is startling. Nigeria has approximately 20 million survivors, representing 10% of survivors worldwide. Nigeria also has the 3rd highest incidence of Female Genital Mutilation worldwide. There is an urgent need to drop these numbers.

“A few days ago, gunmen abducted about 200 women and girls from Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Gamboru Ngala near Nigeria’s border with Cameroon and Chad. We condemned the inability of the government to protect citizens of Nigeria. With continued conflict in Nigeria, women and girls remain at the brunt of the crisis. Women and girls are violated and turned to sex slaved by bandits.

“We call on the government to immediately rise up to the occasion and end the long-standing conflicts in Nigeria. Women in and out of IDP camps must be protected from all forms of violations and inhumane treatments.

“On this International Women Day, we call on governments at all levels to uphold the constitution and protect the lives of Nigerian women. We call on the National Assembly to revisit the five gender bills to enshrine the rights of women and improve women’s representation in politics and governance. We call on state governors to put their monies where their mouths are. 34 states have now domesticated the VAPP Act. It is crucial to now provide budgets that cater for the inclusion of women and to implement the VAPP Act.”

On its part, FIDA in its statement said:

In spite of the campaign theme for the 2024 International Women’s Day being ‘Inspire Inclusion’, FIDA Nigeria is deeply disheartened by the non-inclusion and discrimination of women in critical spheres. This exclusion is not only a setback; it is a stain on the fabric of our collective conscience, hindering progress and perpetuating systemic injustice.

In Nigeria with the spate of violent extremism and acts of terrorism further escalating humanitarian crises in emergency context, women and children are highly vulnerable and exposed, suffering the brunt of the crises. This is because in every conflict setting, gender-based violence increases while insecurity is exacerbated and this sorry state of affairs compounds the existing inequalities that women already face on a daily basis.

It is premised on the above and in commemoration of this globally important day that FIDA Nigeria highlights the urgent need for collective action to drive gender parity and address the following areas as spotlighted by the  United  Nations  where  women  are  grossly  neglected  and  largely  overlooked

Investment in women as a human rights issue: Women’s rights are human rights, yet women are consistently denied access to essential resources, opportunities, and decision-making spaces. This systemic neglect robs women of their dignity and perpetuates a cycle of inequality and injustice.

Prioritize education for women: Females are hugely disenfranchised with respect to educational opportunities and access to same by barriers such as early or forced marriages, poverty, gender based violence, cultural norms, amongst several other factors thereby contributing to the huge gender gap in education.

End poverty: Women, especially those from marginalized communities, bear the brunt of poverty’s harsh realities. The lack of economic empowerment and access to basic necessities relegates countless women to lives of desperation and destitution.

Implement gender-responsive financing and budgeting: Financial systems are rife with gender biases and discriminatory practices and policies, denying women fair access to capital and resources. Gender- responsive financing is imperative to rectify this injustice and ensure women’s full participation in economic activities.

Shift to a green economy and care society: Women bear disproportionate burdens from environmental degradation. Yet, their voices are often ignored in discussions on sustainable development and climate action. It is time to recognize and empower women as key agents of change in building a sustainable future.

Support change drivers: Women activists and leaders courageously champion gender equality and social justice, often at great personal risk. Yet, they face rampant discrimination, violence, and harassment. It is incumbent upon society to stand in solidarity with these fearless trail blazing advocates and provide them with unwavering support and protection.

“FIDA Nigeria makes a concerted call upon the Federal Government, institutions, stakeholders, policy makers, civil society organizations and all individuals of goodwill to heed this urgent call to action. A world that is equitable and inclusive is possible, where our unique differences are valued and celebrated. Together we can accelerate progress for society when we choose to invest in women, advance equality and inspire inclusion for all!

Let us commit ourselves to dismantle all barriers that exclude and oppress women, and pave the way for a more just, equitable, egalitarian and inclusive society for all.

Batta Kingdom endorses gender inclusion for development

Press Statement

The Batta kingdom of Demsa Local Government Area of Adamawa State has thrown its weight behind the global advocacy for gender inclusion for accelerated development at all levels.

His Royal Majesty, the Hama Batta, Humon Alhamdu Gladstone Teneke ( DIYOSHIFATO ,TIKULO BATTA , KPANGGASHYE ) stated this while identifying and showing solidarity with women all over the world on the occasion of the International Women’s Day.
The monarch pays special tributes to women in Batta kingdom in particular and Nigeria at large for their strengths, resilience and enormous contributions to nation building.
The Royal father noted that women constitute critical mass of the nation’s population and applauded their unmeasurable contributions to the promotion of peaceful coexistence, enhancing family values and economic development.

Humon Alhamdu Gladstone Teneke appealed to Nigerians and stakeholders in development structures to reflect on the imperative of Gender inclusion and take deliberate steps to invest in women with a view to building a country that is gender responsive and inclusive.

In a statement by the spokesperson to the Humon Batta, chief Ladi Bala, the Royal father used the occasion of the International Women’s Day to appeal to sons and daughters as well as traditional title holders of BATTA KINGDOM to in the interest of societal transformation and development, invest in women in the areas of education and entrepreneur ventures in BATTA KINGDOM.

He particularly lamented the number of out of school children especially girls in the country describing it as worrisome and call for proactive steps to tackle it.
He says; “The issue around education should be tackled by all as a corporate responsibility to humanity not government alone.

The Royal father also noted with concern the current hardship and economic challenges facing Nigeria and Nigerians, adding that it required input and support of all and sundry to overcome them.

He tasked youths , men and women to embrace farming and other agricultural activities to engender economic value addition and to serve as source of income thereby increasing their purchasing power and food security.

Ladi Bala
Spokesperson to the Hama Batta .
(Nzubyalata Humon Batta )
8th March, 2024

Conflict of Duty

By James Chandler

Publishing Date: June 4th, 2024

Series: Sam Johnstone Legal Thrillers Available Formats: eBook, Paperback Price: eBook- 6.99, Paperback- 17.99

ISBN: 9781648755873 (PB)

Page Count: 332

Publisher: Severn River Publishing

Genre: Legal Thriller

Book Description:

The pursuit of the truth might cost one Wyoming lawyer everything…

In the wake of a trial loss and personal upheaval,

defense attorney Sam Johnstone is drawn back into the legal fray by an accused drug dealer involved in a fatal fentanyl case. The dealer’s tantalizing offer? Pivotal information that could exonerate the son of Sam’s former partner in exchange for representation.

As Sam ventures deeper into this moral minefield, he uncovers suppressed testimony that could incriminate a former client… and threaten his own career.

From Wall Street Journal bestselling author James Chandler comes the sixth book in the Sam Johnstone legal thriller series; perfect for fans of John Grisham, James Patterson, and C.J. Box.

About the Author:

Wall Street Journal bestselling author James Chandler spent his formative years in the western United States. When he wasn’t catching fish or footballs, he was roaming centerfield and trying to hit the breaking pitch. After a mediocre college baseball career, he exchanged jersey No. 7 for camouflage issued by the United States Army, which he wore around the globe and with great pride for twenty years. Since law school, he has favored dark suits and a steerhide briefcase. When he isn’t working or writing, he’ll likely have a fly rod, shotgun or rifle in hand. He and his wife are blessed with two wonderful adult daughters.

When will this insecurity end? — Joy Ezeilo, SAN

Professor of Law and ex- United Nations Special Rapporteur on Trafficking persons in Africa, Joy Ezeilo, SAN, has condemned the Monday abduction of over 100 girls by terrorists from three Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Ngala tow, the headquarters of Gamboru Ngala Local Government Area at the border of Cameroon.

Ezeilo on her X page wrote: “Terrorists struck yet again! When will this insecurity end? While still grieving the abduction of some yet-to-be-rescued Chibok girls in 2014, 10 years later, yet another colossal kidnapping of over 100 female Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ngala, IDP Camp in Borno state by terrorists. This reportedly happened on Sunday, 3rd March 2024. I hope the government will swiftly rescue them.  My prayers are with the family and people of Borno state who have witnessed these unprecedented terrorist attacks since the Boko Haram insurgency.”

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