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Thursday, March 28, 2024

Nigerian newspapers headlines Sunday morning

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Edo Gov’ship: Obaseki, Ize-Iyamu In Photo Finish [LEADERSHIP]

The two main candidates in the governorship election in Edo State, Governor Godwin Obaseki of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) were yesterday locked in a close contest.

Early result from yesterday’s election showed that both candidates and their parties were running toward the finishing line neck and neck, just as they consolidated in their areas of strength.

This comes as voters turned out en masse across the 192 political wards in the state to exercise their franchise, in spite of pockets of violence recorded in five local government areas of the state.

The conduct of the election was peaceful in most voting centres visited by LEADERSHIP Sunday, as officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commenced the accreditation and voting process.

As early as 6am, security operatives drawn from the various security units mounted roadblocks at strategic major road in Benin City, the state capital, to ensure the peaceful conduct of the election.

The state governor, Godwin Obaseki arrived at his Oredo unit 4 at exactly 10:24 am to cast his vote, while his major contender, Pastor Ize-Iyamu cast his vote at his Iguododdo unit 26 in Orhionmwon local government council of the state at about 9:25am.

Ize-Iyamu joined the queue at his polling unit located at Iguododo

Primary school at about 9:20am before casting his vote at about 9:25am.

He, however, expressed disappointment over the failure of card readers in several wards across the state.

Also, Obaseki who spoke to journalists shortly after casting his vote yesterday in Oredo local government area of the state lamented the hours spent on the queue due to card reader issues.

He further lambasted INEC for the failure of the card readers, saying it shows the commission’s unpreparedness.

The governor said, “I expected better preparation on the part of those saddled with the responsibility to conduct this election. To wait for one and a half hours on the queue before exercising my franchise is a bit disappointing.

“Given that this is a sole day’s election, I expected better planning and preparation and resources should have been put into this election. At the last presidential election, in my polling unit, there were two polling points which eased the burden on voters. You all are witnesses to how long it has taken.

“The card reader here is working slowly, and this is the situation in all the major voting centres in Oredo local government area of the state as I speak. At Garrick Memorial School, I understand that over 500 voters are already stranded because they can’t vote due to the slow processing of the card reader.

“One would have expected that INEC will have deployed more card readers and more voting points in high-density polling centres”.

Responding to the issue of vote-buying at polling units, Obaseki alleged that the security agencies were not doing what they assured the Edo people and Nigerians that they would do before the election.

He continued: “The security agencies assured us that they won’t allow anybody who doesn’t have business of voting into a particular place, but they are working contrary to what they promised us.

“You can see cars parked with a lot of cash being disbursed to people buying votes, and it seems to be normal practice, but we are not perturbed as people know what to do. Cash can’t buy their future”.

In contrast to the governor’s position, APC candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu, expressed satisfaction with the conduct of the exercise.

Speaking to journalists after exercising his franchise, Ize-Iyamu commended INEC for a peaceful conduct of the electoral process as well as ensuring the adherence to the COVID-19 protocol.

The APC candidate said, “The process is good and going on smoothly; there is no thuggery and violence, the place is peaceful and calm. I am happy that INEC has a thermometer to check the temperature and they also gave out face masks to our people.

“We encourage our people to come out in batches so they can strictly adhere to the COVID-19 protocols of social distancing”.

Ize-Iyamu however said he was unable to get information about the conduct of the election across the state due to the poor network at his voting community.

He expressed optimism that he would emerge victorious in the election, saying, “I am confident of victory across the 18 local government areas of the state”.

LEADERSHIP Sunday learnt that at Esan Central, Ward 7, Unit 6, miscreants suspected to be working for political parties, tried to disrupt voting and intimidate voters who refused to accept financial inducements by threatening to visit their homes.

In Ovia Southwest, Ward 4, Unit 7, party agents also tried to stop those of opposing parties from inducing voters with cash, a situation which caused a fracas.

However, despite assurance and sensitisation of the electorate ahead of the election, voters hardly adhered to the COVID-19 protocols of wearing a face masks and social distance.

Reacting to the conduct of the poll, the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, expressed satisfaction saying against popular predictions, the election was quite peaceful except for few and isolated skirmishes.

”Nigeria has disappointed those who predicted massive disruption. The elections went well but for few hiccups,” Mustapha noted in a statement by his media office as he monitored early returns from the field.

He said INEC did fairly well and could improve on its performance.

But a pro-democracy organisation, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) condemned the high incidence of vote-trading recorded yesterday in the Edo State governorship election.

Addressing journalists yesterday in Abuja, director of CDD, Idayat Hassan, while unveiling their preliminary report on the election said it is quite worrisome that young girls were used for “indirect” vote-buying during the election.

 

Nigeria at 60: Diamond in the rough [LEADERSHIP]

Way back in the late 80s and the early 90s, when the Nigeria Television Authority’s (NTA) programme content was rich with educative and infotainment material, I was stuck to a particular theme song for a military parade that was aired regularly. I memorised it and still remember some of the very profound words and messages embedded in it. ….. “you laid your lives, for a truly just cause, Nigeria remembers you. We salute you, your courage we adore that Nigeria may be one, strong united sovereign states, Nigeria remembers you.” It was put together to celebrate the 15th January, Army remembrance day, and from then on, it aired on and on, on NTA. Thousands, of Nigerian soldiers have laid their lives for Nigeria to remain one. From the coup d’etat of 1966, to the civil war of 6th July, 1967 to 15th January, 1970, Nigerians have fought on. Various forms of conflicts like the Ife/Modakeke wars, the Tiv Jukun crises, the Fulani/Berom crises, the Fulani/ Southern Kaduna crises, and the communities of Ebonyi and Cross Rivers’ border wars, as well as the Fulani and Sayawa conflicts in Bauchi state all account for thousands of lives of soldiers and law enforcement personnel of the different security agencies in our country. The Maitatsine crisis of the 80s, the Boko Haram war that has lasted 10 years, the Kidnappings scourge, and the war against banditry of late, continue to claim the lives of Nigerians, both civilian and military/ para military. A brief summary tells you that in our 60 years of existence, we have had approximately 15 years of conflict and war.

Juxtapose our 60 years old Nigeria with a 300 years old America of today, headed for the polls in November, and you will appreciate that yes; we are indeed a diamond in the rough. Who would have ever thought that the US would be engulfed in so much racial, ethnic and religious tensions over their elections? Who would have thought they would have food queues at food banks all over the country? Didn’t we believe that theirs was a utopian society and ours was a failed state? Now we have a sitting United States President, backed by his Republican party, pulling all the ethnic and religious strings, stirring up and appeasing his base of supporters, so he and his party members can be re-elected. 200,000 lives have been lost in the US, due to his poor leadership, in handling the corona pandemic, but all he is up and about, is winning the November polls. Americans were tear-gased and dispersed, just so President Trump, could take a picture holding a bible infront of a church near the Whitehouse. What a year!

So at 60, Nigerians are well aware of the intrigues, games and manipulations of politicians, as the games start early ahead of the elections. Politicians know their bases well, and play to the gallery of riling up their bases and mopping up sentiments in their favor, or that of their party, or their candidate. As it is, when they make inflammatory and insidious proclamations to drive up tensions especially against the government of the day, the Nigerian public space is no longer surprised, nor excited by them. We know just where they are headed and that is starkly 2023 and nothing more or short of that. Their remarks and snares are all about the appropriation of power and the resources that come with it.

Politicians from the South East/ South South, and those of the South West, have been at the forefront of making statements that touch on the future and sovereignty of Nigeria as a nation going forward. By 2023, PMB would have exhausted the North’s share of an unwritten agreement of power sharing between the North and the South. So when OBJ says, “I do appreciate that you all feel sad and embarrassed as most of us feel as Nigerians, with the situation we find ourselves in. Today Nigeria is fast drifting into a failed and badly divided state; economically our country is becoming a basket case and poverty capital of the world, and socially, we are firming up as an unwholesome and insecure country.” He said this to a panel of groups that are notoriously at the front table, when it comes to the struggle for power to their zones, and what comes with it for themselves. If you are still second guessing, they are no other than your usuals; Afenifere, Middle-Belt forum, Northern Elders forum, Ohanaeze-Ndigbo, and Pan Niger-Delta Forum. Prof. Wole Soyinka threw his weight behind OBJ, while distancing himself from OBJ’s antecedents, as he said that OBJ is a co-architect of the crumbling edifice that is still generously called Nigeria. Prof. Soyinka said the country was a contraption teetering on the edge of total collapse. These two goliaths who are always at opposing polls whenever it comes to national dialogue cannot be on the same page, other than a voicenote to power shift to the South, most glaringly, the South West. Stalwarts in the APC like Gov. Elrufai, have stated that APC intends to honor its ‘agreement’ of power shift come 2023. What remains to be seen is what the PDP will be up to.

 

Lagos okays full reopening of churches, mosques [THE NATION]

Churches and  mosques in Lagos State are now free to resume full worship following approval by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Saturday for further relaxation of restrictions imposed in the wake of the coronavirus lockdown.

Government also granted permission for the re-opening of basic and secondary schools with effect from tomorrow   although only pupils in Junior Secondary School Three (JSS 3) and Senior Secondary School Two (SSS 2) are allowed to resume for physical classes in public schools.

Cinemas and gyms can also reopen   but with a maximum of 33 per cent occupancy.

Giving an update on COVID-19 yesterday,the governor said mosques could open for    prayers five times daily while churches could  also resume their various services.

But he  warned that the safety protocols released by the government must be strictly adhered to.

“Muslims can now have their five times daily prayers in mosques. Churches can also begin mid-week services,” the Governor said

Worship centres in the state were ordered closed in March as part of measures to check the spread of COVID-19.

The reopening  of schools will be in phases, according to him.

Consequently, only pupils in Junior Secondary School Three (JSS 3) and Senior Secondary School Two (SSS 2) are allowed to resume for physical classes in public schools.

The Governor said the public schools’ resumption would allow the JSS 3 pupils to revise and prepare for Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) scheduled  for October 12, 2020 while pupils in SSS 2 are expected to  use the period to prepare for their transitional exams to SSS 3.

All levels of class in private schools are allowed to   resume   but their owners were asked  to consider implementing a staggered daily resumption schedule and classes on alternate days during the week.

All pre-primary school classes, including nursery, daycare centres and kindergarten, in both public and private schools are to remain shut.

Sanwo-Olu said all re-opened schools must comply with safety protocols and hygiene guidelines as instructed by the State Government through the Office of Education Quality Assurance (OEQA). He said the Department would monitor and evaluate Schools’ preparedness.

”For all other public school classes in primary school and JSS 1, JSS 2, and SSS 1, announcements for resumption will be made as soon as the State Government is satisfied that all necessary resumption protocols have been put in place,” he said.

“In the meantime, these yet-to-resume classes in public schools are expected to continue their lessons on our various distance learning platforms (online, radio, television and WhatsApp) pending the announcement of dates for physical resumption.”

From next week, Sanwo-Olu said all primary and secondary schools in the State that have more than two-storey structures will be subjected to integrity test to ensure the safety of pupils. The Governor spoke against the backdrop of the Saturday collapse of Excel Secondary School – a private school – in Ejigbo area of the State.

14 corpses recovered from Ebonyi river

Thirteen bodies have been recovered from the Akaeze-Ukwu River in Ebonyi state, site of the deadly motor accident which occurred Friday night.

This followed the location and recovery of the bus by divers brought into the state from neighbouring states to aid in the search and rescue of the victims. The Nation had reported how a bus carrying over 30 passengers plunged into the River along the Akaeze-Ishiagu expressway, Ivo local government area of the state.

Five of the passengers, who were returning from a burial, were rescued and taken to hospital on Friday. However, one of them died at the hospital while the others are said to still be unconscious.

Chairman of the local government, Onyebuchi Ogbadu confirmed the recovery of the extra thirteen dead bodies on Saturday. According to him, the State government had to bring in divers from Rivers and Cross River states to help in the search of the bus.

“The divers were able to locate the bus and pushed it up to enable the crane to pull it out”, he said.

The Chairman said they are still searching for the remaining passengers aboard the bus. “The driver said he was carrying 32 persons in the bus so we are still looking for about 13 or more persons.”

Ogbadu said the driver was able to dive out of the bus as it was plunging into the river and was one of those rescued on Friday.

 

PDP: Fear of factionalisation increases in Southwest [THE NATION]

There are indications that the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may be heading back to its troubled past as the party’s chapter in the Southwest zone gradually returns to its inglorious era of factionalisation following fresh disagreements among its leaders over congresses to elect new leadership for the party states. The Nation also gathered that the fresh crises threatening Southwest PDP may not be unconnected with a subtle but fierce struggle among its leading chieftains, for the control of the zone ahead of the 2023 general election.

With plans underway for the conduct of a zonal congress that will produce zonal executive committee members for the region, party sources say the atmosphere within the party is tense as party leaders, including serving and former governors, past and current National Assembly members, as well as other prominent chieftains, have broken into camps as various interest groups, within and outside the zone, scheme to ensure the emergence of their preferred candidates as officials of the party in furtherance of their interests come 2023.

The development, The Nation learnt, is already generating tension within and outside the zone. “Party leaders are scared that a return of the party to factions in the Southwest may cause a serious crisis at the national level,” a source said on Thursday in Lagos. A former senator representing one of the districts in the North-central also confirmed the anxiety currently gripping leaders of the party over the worrisome development in the Southwest when he said the National Working Committee (NWC) plans to meet PDP chieftains in the Southwest soon.

“We are not unaware of some development in the Southwest chapter of the party. But it is exaggerating to say there is a crisis in the party because of that. These are developments that arose as a result of recent elective congresses in some states in that zone. As usual, some people are displeased with the outcome and they are protesting. We have our own way of resolving such grievances and I can assure you that once we do that, the unrest will end. What is happening is not unusual. We are concerned and we are going to meet the stakeholders very soon,” he said.

Failed peace moves

In spite of recent efforts by the Uche Secondus-led NWC to prevent a resurgence of crisis in the zone, leaders of the PDP in the zone appear unable to bury the hatchets and embrace peace. Following lingering disagreement over the composition of the zonal leadership, the PDP last July, announced the dissolution of the Eddy Olafeso-led zonal Caretaker Committee and announced a new Caretaker Committee. The Nation gathered the decisions were the outcome of several peace meetings called by Secondus, pursuant to Sections 29 (2)(b) and 31(2)(e) of the PDP Constitution.

Dayo Ogungbenro emerged as the new Zonal Chairman with Daisi Akinniran as Secretary. Other members of the committee are Taiwo Kuye, Adeola Ogunrinde, Oyebola Awolowo, Prince Olagbegi, Funmi Oguns and Owokoniran Wahab. According to the NWC, the new Caretaker Committee is to pilot the affairs of the party in the Southwest Zone for a period not exceeding three months (90 days) as prescribed by section 32(2)(e) of the PDP Constitution pending the conduct of elective zonal congress. According to very reliable party sources, all interest groups across the zone made input into the new caretaker committee.

There were high hopes that the unrest in the zone will end with the NWC’s intervention. Weeks after the installation of the new interim zonal leadership, Secondus, in a move obviously meant to further reorganise the party in the zone, publicly affirmed Governor Seyi Makinde as the leader of the PDP in the Southwest. He made the statement while announcing the party’s campaign plans for the Ondo gubernatorial election. While it was obvious that not all chieftains of the party in the zone were pleased with the affirmation of Makinde’s leadership, the party went ahead to name him as the helmsman for the Ondo guber campaign.

Expectedly, the Ogungbenro-led exco worked closely with Makinde in the discharge of their duties, especially in preparation for the zonal congress expected to take place at the expiration of their three-month mandate. Although the party experienced relative peace afterwards, in spite of the peace accord, all the interest groups continued in their schemes towards the zonal congress. “While the media war and threats of factionalisation abated, it was clear to all observers that the peace was that of the graveyard as the struggle for the control of the party did not actually stop,” a party chieftain from Ogun State said.

 

Violence: Edo poll proves pundits wrong [PUNCH]

Against nationwide apprehension that Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State would be marred by large scale violence, the election held peacefully in most parts of the state, save for disruptions recorded in few Local Government Areas.

Our correspondents who monitored the poll in different parts of the state observed that voting was conducted in a peaceful manner as security agents kept guard at the different polling units.

The fear of violence during and after the election had prompted the Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, to summon the candidates of the All Progressives Congress, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu and the Peoples Democratic Party, Godwin Obaseki to his palace, over their hot verbal exchanges, clashes among their supporters and pockets of violence that had characterised their campaigns.

Fourteen political parties participated in the exercise, but the contest was believed to have largely been between the incumbent governor, Obaseki and Ize-Iyamu.

Meanwhile, following the fear of violence, the National Peace Committee, headed by a former Head of State, General Abdusalami Abubakar, intervened in a state election as against its usual practice of intervening in presidential elections.

Also, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had expressed concerns over the possible fear of violence during the election, which prompted the commission to invite the candidates and the political parties to sign a peace deal on Tuesday.

Yakubu had said two weeks ago that the National Peace Committee, INEC and every conscientious Nigerian were concerned about the fear of violence in elections. Similarly, the two major political parties had on several occasions accused each other of importing thugs and purchasing arms to be used to disrupt the election.

Thus, INEC, which threatened that it would not hesitate to stop the election mid-way if there was violence, earlier told Sunday PUNCH that it insured all its ad hoc staff and full staff against death and other election hazards. The police, in its response, deploying 31,000 policemen to the state for the exercise.

But, in contrast to the fears, the election was largely peaceful.

One of our correspondents who visited several polling units in Etsako West Local Government Area noticed the heavy security agents at the polling units as they were seen maintaining law and order during the voting exercise.

At Unit 001, Ward 10, Iyamho, where former APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, voted, 19 security agents were sighted. At Units 009, 010, and 011, Ward 9, Elele, there were more than 20 security agents in total. A significant number of security agents was also observed at Unit 002, Ward 10, Ogbido and Unit 003, Ward 10, Uluoke/Ayaoghena.

Also, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the election, Mr Leye Oyebade, told one of our correspondents on the telephone after the voting had ended that the poll was generally peaceful. He said this did not mean there were no incidents during the exercise.

The DIG said, “We have helicopters that flew across the state to monitor activities. You said there was shooting but we had people who came out to say this is the best election they have witnessed. If there were one or two things that happened, we are collating and we will address everything together later.”

Our correspondents who monitored the election at Iguododo community in Orhionwon Local Government Area and some of the adjoining communities as well as Ikpoba-Okah Local Government Area observed that there was no violence in those areas.

At Unit 26 Ward 5 in Iguododo community where Ize-Iyamu voted, three unarmed policemen and two officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps were present. Ize-Iyamu was accompanied to the polling unit by some persons. However, a team of policemen later came when the APC candidate had cast his vote and left the premises of Iguododo Primary School.

Even though there were roadblocks on the Benin-Abraka Road in line with the restriction on movement, some passenger vehicles coming into Benin from Abraka were seen loaded with passengers at around 2pm before the election was concluded.

In Edo North, an election observer with Centre for Democracy and Development, Mr John Atsegameh, told the News Agency of Nigeria that the election was peaceful and devoid of violence.

“From the reports I’m getting from other places, the election is free and devoid of violence. The electorate conducted themselves properly and there was a strict adherence to COVID-19 safety protocols. So far, no form of violence, party agents conducted themselves and cooperated with INEC personnel.”

Meanwhile, our correspondents reported that there were pockets of violence in some polling units in Oredo, Orhionmwon, Igueben, Egor, including ballot box snatching, shooting, interference and disruption of the exercise.

Also, in Ogbe Primarily School in Benin, suspected thugs entered a voting centre and ordered all voters out at gunpoint. The wife of an APC local government chairman was also beaten up by suspected political thugs. These two were among the few skirmishes that marred the Edo poll.

Some stakeholders said they believed the exercise was the most peaceful in the political history of the South-South state.

Some observers also noted that the voter turnout was large.

Oba of Benin’s intervention did the magic – Community leader

Meanwhile, a voter, Chief Etiosa Omoemu, thanked the Oba of Benin for cautioning the governorship candidates of the two major parties, adding that the intervention from the monarch contributed to the peaceful conduct of the election.

Omoemu said, “It (election) is peaceful and the weather has been clement. There was massive turnout, which is encouraging. I think the awareness among the citizens about this election was quite high, hence, the massive turnout.

“I thank the Oba of Benin for his intervention. That bold effort to come out and call both parties to order was useful. To a large extent, that helped to calm down the violence that was escalating. Since then, there has been observable calm everywhere.”

Obaseki, Oshiomhole, Odigie-Oyegun berate INEC over card hitches

Meanwhile, Obaseki Oshiomhole, and a former National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, alleged foul play in the election as some card readers allegedly malfunctioned and delayed voting.

Governor Obaseki, who is also the candidate of the PDP, said in a statement by his Special Adviser, Crusoe Osagie, that there was election manipulation in areas where he was popular.

The statement reads partly, “Suddenly, card readers are not working in areas where Governor Godwin Obaseki is very popular. Voters are being disenfranchised and we are constrained to say that this is sabotage.

“Specifically, in Oredo Ward 1, Unit 20 and other places where the governor is clearly popular, the card readers are not working.”

Obaseki, shortly after casting his vote around 11.48am, said he expected better preparations from the INEC, noting that he waited for one and half hours in the queue before he could vote.

He added, “Given that this is a sole day election, I expected that a bit more planning, preparation and resources should have been put into this election. The card reader is working very slowly, and this is the situation in all the major voting centers in the Oredo Local Government Area of the state.

“In Garrick Memorial Secondary School, I understand that over 500 voters are stranded as they can’t vote because of the slow processing of the card readers.”

On the issue of vote-buying at polling units, the governor said security agencies were not doing what they promised Edo people and Nigerians before the election.

Oshiomhole, who described the voter turnout for election as the “highest since 1999,” said his “only disappointment so far” was that that the smart card readers were not working.

 

Police arrest man for allegedly killing poly student for ritual [THE NATION]

It’s sunset at dawn for 20-year-old Toluwalase Kembi, a polytechnic student awaiting industrial training.

A visit to her friend in the Ikorodu area sadly led to her death allegedly by boyfriend who claimed he was paid N2m to carry out the act.

The 33-year-old suspect, Owolabi Yusuf also known as alfa, is now cooling his heels in the custody of the Elere Police Division in the Agege area, where the matter was reported to.

Our correspondent gathered that the victim, who lived with her parents on Orile Road, TabonTabon, Agege, had gone to sleep over in Yusuf’s place in the Ladeja area of Ikorodu, on July 28, when she was allegedly clubbed to death and her body reportedly cut into pieces for ritual purposes.

The family told our correspondent that the police had yet to recover the corpse.

The police at Elere division were able to arrest Yusuf in the third week of August 2020 upon fleeing to Ilorin, Kwara State, after allegedly carrying out the act.

The suspect reportedly confessed to the police that he allegedly connived with three other fleeing persons, including a herbalist named Owonikoko, to kill the 20-year-old student with a pestle during her visit.

The family told our correspondent that Kembi, who just completed National Diploma, should have proceeded for IT but for the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When she did not return home, we thought she went missing; we didn’t know she had been murdered and her body cut into pieces,” the father, Oluwatoyin Kembi, a government retiree, lamented during an interview.

Meanwhile, Toluwalase’s elder sister, Abimbola, urged the police to ensure that justice was served in the matter.

She noted that the family had yet to see Toluwalase’s corpse while the fleeing suspects including the herbalist named Owonikoko, had yet to be apprehended.

Abimbola said, “On July 28, I, she and my mummy were at home discussing. Minutes later, her phone rang and she picked the call outside. The next thing, she came back, took her bag and said she was going to see her friend in Ikorodu. In the evening, her fiancé named Segun called us and said Tolu called him that she was going to cook for someone in Ikorodu area, and that she said she was going to sleep over in Ikorodu.

“The following morning, he called us again that he called her and she didn’t pick. We also tried her mobile but nobody picked it up. Since then, we had been in this trouble. By the afternoon of that day, her phone was already switched off.

 

My saddest moment was when medical verdict says I won’t be able to bear children –Aity Denis, gospel singer [SUN]

The story of gospel musician, Aity Denis, and her hubby, Pastor Denis Inyang, presiding pastor, SureWord Assembly, is very inspiring. On Sunday, August 30, the couple held their 30th wedding anniversary dinner at the auditorium of the church in Lagos. The event attracted the crème de la crème of the gospel music industry, including anointed men and women of God, as well as fans of the singer who thronged the venue to celebrate with them.

After the ceremony, Aity in a chat with this reporter opened up on the travails and triumphs of her matrimony. Excerpts:

You recently celebrated your 30th wedding anniversary, how would you describe the last three decades?

The last 30 years have been a kaleidoscope of wonderful experiences. In fact, it has been a school of grace, mercy and lots of godly wisdom. When you get into marriage, you need to determine to make it work. Some people are ready to weather any storm to build their careers and businesses, but are not ready to put in the same focus and energy into building their marriages. No marriage that succeeds is an accident. There must be a deliberate and intentional effort from both parties before it can work. If there’s one thing a couple needs, it is the faith and grace of God to succeed in marriage. The last 30 years have been a journey of growth for me. We have seen the grace and mercy of God and it has been worthwhile.

For over 20 years you were childless. Did you lose faith at any point and felt that God had abandoned you?

It was quite some experience (laughter). I am so grateful to God that I can be referring to this in the past tense. To tell you the real truth, many times I had so much faith and I would tell myself ‘it will happen now, amen!’ At other times, I was so confused and broken, I was looking for the big faith I had, but could not find it. My faith had gone into splinters, crashed like a deck of cards and I would latch onto my husband’s faith. Then, I would fall back on God’s mercy. At a point, I couldn’t pray to God in English language anymore. I switched to praying in my mother’s tongue and pidgin. Several times I would be driving and telling God, ‘Ah Oga mi, how far na? You never still open my file? I don dey stand for this queue since-o’. If you were listening, you would think I was having a conversation with someone over the phone. It had reached that point. But God knows us and He understands when we are in dire straits. I am so grateful He came through.

What is your advice for childless couples seeking the fruit of the womb?

Find something to do for God. Keep yourself busy pursuing your passion. For me, it was and it is still my music and church work. If you don’t have something you are passionately pursuing, you could sink into depression. And before you know it, you are having health issues. You could even die before you are dead. Build a support system because you cannot go it alone. Have a friend you can open up to and tell it exactly the way it is. If your spouse is your friend, better. For couples having this challenge, the worst thing you can do is fight against each other, calling each other names and exposing the other party to ridicule and attacks from your family and friends; it will destroy your relationship. And that will make the devil happy because that is exactly what he has been working for. Don’t allow other relationships come in between you. For men, it is very rampant to find that they are tempted to go after other women, looking to have children from them, and the agents of distraction will bring themselves and present to the already distraught man, promising to give them the baby that his wife has not been able to bear. Remember, in Africa, the general belief is that if there is a challenge in childbirth, it is the wife’s fault, and this is unfortunate. So, you see many men who get distracted to have kids out of wedlock. I have seen many cases where the man later discovered that the child was not his own after all. But, by this time, he would have destroyed his marriage and the new promising ‘saviour cum baby donor’ has moved on to target another victim. I always advise waiting couples to adopt. I always had children in my home; adopted, adapted, borrowed, rented, on mortgages etc. Don’t laugh! Bottom line is that the love you pour into another person’s child who is not your birth child, God has a way of giving you a harvest even when all hope is gone.

After 30 years, is your husband still as romantic as he used to be?

My husband has always been a nice gentleman. And he has not changed. People say that if you see a man open a car door for his wife, it’s either the wife is new or the car is old, but believe me, this guy still opens the door of the car for me. He treats me like a lady. My husband used to write a lot of poems for me when we were dating, and newly married. He still does that from time though, not as often. During our 30th anniversary titled ‘Forever Yours’, he wrote a very lovely poem for me. And he read it publicly in church, and I was like ‘wow!’ I, too, have written many love songs for him. I released a CD for him titled, ‘Love Beats’ with several love songs. One of the songs says ‘you’ve made me better than you met me’. I sang it for him during the anniversary celebration. It is on YouTube, Boomplay, iTunes and other digital stores.

Could you share the joys of motherhood with us after waiting for over 20 years for your first baby?

It’s inexplicable! Only a woman who has waited for long to have children will understand what I am saying. Often, when I go out and come back home, and I see my three miracle children running out screaming, ‘Mummy Oyoyo’, I am dazed that they are mine. Sometimes, I sit in the car and cry before I alight; tears of joy this time around.

What’s the greatest gift your husband ever gave to you?

The greatest gift my husband has given to me is the love he has had for me. He does not only love by words of mouth, he shows it. He has given me peace of mind. He has given me the freedom to be myself and fulfill my music calling. Some people just marry a woman and clamp down on all her divine endowments. They end up reducing a shinning star to a dead wood. But my husband is different. He encourages me a lot and stands by me all the way. When people say we have been married for 30 years and we don’t look it, it is because of the joy, the friendship and peace of mind we have had. I have seen women who got married, and that was the end of Solomon Grundie, all potentials completely decimated by the same person who was supposed to love, lift and protect her.

When you look back these last 30 years, what has been your happiest moment?

I have had very many happy moments. I am generally a happy, go-go-person. And my husband has ensured that I remain happy by his comportment and relationship with me. You know, some spouses are joy killers. Thankfully, I was not saddled with anyone like that. But understandably, one of my happiest highpoints was the arrival of my children after many years of waiting.

What has been your saddest moment?

As a sanguine and happy-go-lucky girl that I’ve been, I have had my sad moments, severally. Some made me to weep for several nights. But such is life. Sometimes we cry, sometimes we laugh. Life never tells us what to expect, but you must brace up to take it as it comes. I could say one of my saddest moments was when I had a medical verdict that I would not be able to bear children; and to crown it all, my IVF trial failed! It was one of the emotional bomb blasts I have had to face in my life.

 

Edo guber results: Heavyweights in show of strength [SUN]

In what appears like a show of strength, most of the political heavyweights in Edo State yesterday won their polling units for their political parties at the governorship poll, except Capt. Well Idahosa Okunbo, who lost in his Oredo LGA ward 2, unit 3.

In the Ward 2 result, PDP polled 101 votes to defeat APC that got 57 votes.

This was as Governor Godwin Obaseki won his Oredo Ward 4, unit 19 with his party PDP polling 184 as against APC’s 62 votes.

In Ward 3, Esan North-East, where the centre of the Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Frank Okiye, is, APC scored 5 votes and PDP,197 while in his polling unit, APC got 8 votes, and PDP, 315.

At Etsako West, ward 10, former Edo State governor and former National Chairman of the APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole left the PDP with no vote as APC scored 1,201 votes.

In Ugboko ward 5, Iguododo unit 26 of the APC candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, the APC garnered 292 votes; PDP, 21.

Also Obaseki’s deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu won his Etsako West ward 11, unit 5 as PDP scored 401 votes to defeat APC with 148 votes just as former Chief of Staff, Taiwo Akerele, won his Akoko Edo ward 1, unit 11 with APC scoring 211, PDP, 88.

But APC Chairman, Col. David Imuse, was not lucky as he lost his Esan West unit to PDP, which polled 126 to APC’s   93 votes.

 

Edo Decides: Obaseki in commanding lead [SUN]

 

EGOR LGA

 

APC: 10, 202

PDP: 27, 621

 

ESAN WEST LGA

 

APC – 7,189

PDP – 17,433

 

ETSAKO WEST

 

APC 26,140

PDP 17,959

 

ESAN CENTRAL,

 

PDP 10,963

APC    6,719

 

IGUEBEN

 

PDP  7,870

APC  5,199

 

UHUNMWODE SOUTH-SOUTH,

 

PDP   10,022

APC      5,972

 

ESAN SOUTH-EAST,

 

PDP 10,565

APC   9,237

 

ESAN NORTH-EAST,

 

PDP  13,579

APC     6,559

 

INEC commences collation of results [SUN]

The Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC)  commenced the collation of results at about 6am at its headquarters at Aduwawa, Benin City.

Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, who is in charge of the process, had earlier apologized for starting behind schedule reason being that the Commission has only gotten result from one local government area and that she will wait until they are up to seven Local Government Areas to avoid any form of aspersions from any quarters.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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