No, I'm not a ghost

Armed with cudgels , they surrounded him while shouts of  " Kill the bastard,hang him, cut his third leg ", rent the air . While on his  knees, he used his left hand  to cover his ''treasure'' and waving his right hand  begging  for mercy as heavy blows  rained on him .His voice cracked. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks .When he   could not bear the pain  any longer he  pleaded to  the angry mob to kill him at once by shooting him.

Fuming with rage , a young man shaved the  suspect's  head with a razor blade. Another man with blood-shot eyes brought out a six- inches nail , fixed it on a long stick, raised it, aimed at his temple and wanted to land it on the clean shaved head of Adio. One man adjusted the rubber tires  they  put on his neck while two men emptied  two gallons of petroleum on his naked body. Adio was shocked when he saw the young woman he used to  give money among the angry mob ready to strike a stick of matches  on him . ''My end has come! My end has come!!'', he muttered. He closed his eyes, clenched his teeth and screamed " No!, no!!''.  He woke up , sweating profusely and shivering .It was a dream.

Thank God it was a dream, he said, still shaking like a weather -beaten chicken. He looked at the lady, Morountola sleeping by his side ,  in a pool of her own blood. "Are you still bleeding ?, does it mean the doctor did not do the D & C very well? I am in trouble " , he shouted . Morountola did not talk or even move at all .He shook her , yet she neither blinked an eyelid nor moved her body.

Adio called his friend on that early Monday morning  , and they drove Morountola  to a nearby hospital  where she struggled to  describe for them.

While on a stretcher she looked at Adio and said ''this is the fifth abortion I am doing for you, and this is four months pregnancy .This is bad yet you said you are still studying me to know my character , it is unfair ".

Adio and Morountola had been dating for the past four years while the two lovebirds agreed to finish their University education before they get married.  Adio studied Sociology while Morountola studied Business Administration and  both finished from two different prestigious Universities in Nigeria. Now they are serving their father's land as Youth Corpers and the duo are the envy of many .

Adio  during his service year in another town met Adunke who was a Banker  who  was desperately looking for husband and she enticed Adio with money and goodies since she was a Banker . She gave Adio money to abort for Morountola in order not to be disturbed. They orchestrated the plan to  dump Morountola for  them to get married.

Adio flashed back to  the dream he had , he became uncomfortable and nervous . He asked the doctor whether Morountola will survive the abortion as the blood was too much for him to bear . But the doctor assured him of her survival and demanded 10,000 Naira to  place her on admission to do a proper evacuation and  cleaning  of  the remnants . Aduke  gave Adio the  money and that was all.

" Did I not tell you that your boyfriend is wicked ? He never had intention to  marry you and you are just fooling yourself ", the doctor told Morountola .

Three days later the doctor phoned  and dropped a bombshell on Adio that Morountola had died and he should come and pick up her corpse .

Adio cut the land phone , packed his things and fled to Kano not minding the  religious riot Maitasine that was going on there.  Adunke later started visiting Adio in Kano ,they wedded , had four beautiful children and were living well.

Adio became a  successful businessman and his wife,a banker assisted him with loan facilities from her bank. Life was good .

It was in the night , during the holiday when a public transport ran into a  truck. A medical doctor who had just completed his National Youth Service with  three other students of same mother died instantly. While other passengers sustained injuries.

Bad news spread like wildfire. These children were from Kano going to Lagos to see their grandmother as their father had lived in Kano for years without bothering to come back home. The  driver of the public transport  slept off  along Abuja / Lokoja road and rammed into a stationary trailer. While some believe it was caused by witches and wizards, some said vampires waited  there for their blood and others traced the history of the driver, medical doctor  and of Adio's families' background.

" Mr. Adio's three  children died  in a ghastly auto crash and his wife is in her late  50s  already in her menopausal stage .There is no hope she would have a child again except miracle ", a sympathizer told  Morountola over the phone.  Morountola who heard the news left Ikoyi with her husband for Oshodi  and  located Adio's family house .

Face- to- face  with Adio who had been forced to come down from Kano for the burial of his children.When Adio sighted Morountola , he screamed ''ghost! ,ghost!!'', believing  he was seeing Morountola's ghost .

However, Mrs. Morountola Ojuri  calmed him down and  made a spirited effort to explain everything .''You see Adio, I am not a ghost", Mrs. Ojuri continued , "I have come to sympathize with you. I don't wish you bad and I am not here to  do you any harm. We were together in June 1982  at the hospital where you abandoned me .I aborted for you four times but  that fifth time I was not pregnant at all. I just  tested your sincerity and to see whether it was true that you loved me. The doctor you took me to was my Cousin who asked me to put you to test .The blood dripping from me  that night was not my blood but pigeon's . I killed three pigeons and put  the blood  in a cellophane rubber and put it in my undies then punctured it with a needle and blood spilled out .

"When you heard that I was dead you ran away from Lagos and never to be seen again. You lied that you had been transferred to Kano, and didn't come home saying witches and wizards in your family were after your life. If truly I had died then that  is what you would have done. I later got married to my husband Ojuri, but  he  was not the man of my choice. For age was no longer on my side. I had no choice than to develop the love. I had only two  children because of my age. I couldn't have more according to doctor's advise, and the two  are doing very well. The woman you left me for was the devil .You allowed her to brainwash ,control and alter your divine love for me. She cast a spell on you  and you became so weak and  wicked towards me that you forgot how much in love we were and how we started.  Five years later I met my husband and made sure I told him everything. It was he that suggested we should come here to sympathize with  ........." she  did not  finish her statement when Adio's  cell phone rang and was informed that his last child, Ayo who was on life support machine had given up the ghost. Morountola broke down and wept, Adio was surprised  for her sympathy. She consoled him and said God has a reason why they were not married. She left with her husband.

Later, Adio left Adunke for a younger woman to have a child for him, yet no child. Adunke's business crumbled. She was in debt, later  she left Kano and went back to her family house in the village in Ondo State.

Adio called this reporter and said:''Now I am  66 years old,I can not be employed again. I am down with hypertension and diabetes, my world has  crashed. I have erectile dysfunction along with oligospermia ( low sperm count) and I am daily  haunted by my sins ,what do I do?''.

This is a true life story . It was told by a- 66- year old man but names and places have been changed.Please what should Adio do?

Send your comments and advise here.

What should I do?

Vero, and you did this to me!
Immediately I sighted her  at Oshodi  my heart kept pounding , and before you say Jack Robinson the  "royal staff of office" which  is   in- between my legs started  dangling like pendulum .I could not hold my breath. Ha , Omo lo dara to bayi ?    I spoke Yoruba. She wore a very beautiful spaghetti clothes that revealed her curves.She wore expensive gold , not palasa  .Her brown leather shoe matched her bag .The complete set of her white teeth can make a Bishop deny Jesus just for a second.
Immediately I saw her .I followed her .
When  she sighted me she too   seemed to be interested and we began from  body language to voice ....
"What is your name? ", I asked her , She looked at me disdainfully, " What do you want and why are you after me since?", she queried .I stammered "I ....I ...like you and want to ...", I was nervous because  I  saw a bunch of keys  with   car keys she was holding, she spoke through her nose ( like the  'Been - tos'). After chatting we exchanged phone numbers, I brought out my latest Apple phone  8, and typed her number  but  she brought out six  expensive phones and typed mine. She spoke phonetics , again I became fidgety .This is a big girl, for she speaks Queen's English .
When she told me she was going home I gave her 5,000 Naira leaving me with 200 Naira .I just wanted to show her that me too dey there  as I dangled my house keys  and told her my car was bad.
  We started meeting at an eatery at Herbert Macaulay, Yaba , where I used to pay  the bill. One day I told her I must know her house but she said  she always come home late as she works  late in the Bank where she is .
I was proud to go out with a Banker , I showed my friends my latest catch, big fish for that matter and latest lady in  town.
One day she demanded for 10k , and since I was not proficient in computer and send her money through on- line, she did it herself by transferring the money with my phone  into her account.
At another time she needed only 2k and I transferred 20k.   the money into her account .
The third day my boss, Mr.Stephen Sootan  transferred 500k into my account and asked me to help him keep it and would withdraw it  when needed .The following  day Stella came and we had a nice time as I went to drink paraga, Star, Moon,  to enhance my sexual performance, unfortunately could not do  anything  because she was on her period yet she did not allow me to fondle  her God's given 'apples' because according to her , that is not how matured people do and it is a sin before God .
 At night I suffered hell for I was seeing the  beautiful erotic smooth dark- cushioned area but could not go in.I was just  peeping .I could not touch the dark colored and attractivespot.No, I was not allowed to touch the 'twins' or two  'oranges'  displayed on her chest with the dark teat pointing .Oh my God , she did not allow me to even touch the shining and smooth  laps that could  tempt  a Man of God and fall yakata.I begged , pleaded to touch any of these    zones but she refused and said since we had not wedded , and it is against her church's  principles.
Three days later ,  my Oga asked me to wire his money into his account in Owerri for he has seen his boss who owned it .And it became like Fela " Òrò Pesi je". Stella  had emptied my account, one million five hundred Naira has gone.Yes , I forgot to tell you that my cousin sent one million Naira into my account  to pay advance for the land he wanted to purchase  at Igbusi .
A friend who knew her very well  pitied me and  gave me her  address o at Ayilara, I argued, swore with everything  and said " No way, that place is  for prostitutes but Stella  lives in Surulere", I argued .














When I eventually made up my mind and got to Ayilara (number not dislcosed ), I was told she has  just left  for her village in Benin as she has made enough money to start business.
Now she has switched off her phone for the past two months. , I have no money in my account to sustain myself , my boss is asking for his money while my cousin is back demanding to know the site he paid for .My landlord is threatening fire and brimstone for I am owing six  months house rent , a room.  My mother died last week and I am the first born.My okada motorcycle has knocked while the  fiancée  I abandoned for Stella  has gotten a job in one of the Embassies but had married another guy.Please advise me where do I  start from.
Should I commit suicide?

i am sad woman

Agony  of  a  mother
Madam Comfort Olore is plagued with litany of woes. First, her first set of twins died at infancy ,another set of her twins left one behind and the last set of twins also left one behind. Not only this, among the two set of twins left behind one is now totally blind and was operated on its stomach while the other is crippled , all from same mother .Taiwo Abiodun reports
As the blind handsome Kehinde used his hand to search way for himself to come into the living room simultaneously his younger sister , Taiwo too crawled from the inner room with her withered legs .It was like a movie , not funny but pathetic!
Their mother arrived later from the market with two tiny tubers of yam to prepare their food for the day, and one could read poverty written on her face .
The mother who said she had been called names narrated her ordeal:
Mother
” My name is Comfort Olore I am over 60 years old . I am married to different husbands. I have three set of twins , the first set died at seven months ( premature). Another set came and when they were three months old it was only Kehinde ( now blind) that survived while the last set of twins came only Taiwo ( now lame) survived again.
”I have three other children living in Iyere, Ondo and Lagos but they are not financially okay. I have relations but none assisted me”.
She declared that she needs help , “I sell pap and that is the only source of our livelihood , but no money to buy corns now . I want assistance from good- spirited Nigerians”, she begged .
Will your daughter Taiwo not marry?, ” Some men do come to Taiwo but they couldn’t spend, they are stingy

[Left-right]  Taiwo, Kehinde and their mother, Comfort
PHOTO :  taiwoabiodun.com

while those who come after sometime would run away , I believe it could be because of her condition( lame)”, she said with emotion .
Asked whether there is spiritual undertone with what she is experiencing as many thought she might be a member of a secret society , but she declared ” I don’t belong to any society , I go to church”.

Kehinde Asojo 
“My name is Kehinde Asojo. I am 30 years old . I finished my secondary school at Adeyeri Grammar School, Owo, and I have distinctions in my subjects .I tried to further my studies when I gained admission to Rufus Giwa Polytechnic but due to financial condition I couldn’t go and I went to learn welding in Benin .My father died in 2010. We sold my father’s land and used the proceeds for my medical expenses in the year 2016 when I had a gastro intestinal operation , I couldn’t go to toilet and thanks to some doctors and good- spirited- Nigerians at the hospital ( FMC, Owo) who contributed money for the operation .
Strange wire
Kehinde has been crying over the pains he is having from the stomach where he was operated on , he said ” last November I started seeing the wire used for the suturing of the operation coming out and showed it to my mother.I didn’t go back to the hospital to report. This operation was done in the year 2016 .I am in agony , I am in pains .I have lost my two eyes as a result of glaucoma.
“I had a girlfriend before but I lost interest when this problem came .I have been like this since 2014. I wish to further my studies and go to Special school but who will assist me


Taiwo’s tommy:The operation was performed in 2016, and the suture or wire  coming our  November 2017, he is in pain.

Taiwo Olore
She  grabbed the edge of her skirt , crawled to where her wheelchair was and mounted it in the corner of their living room without a furniture.
“I am Taiwo and I am 24 years old, my Kehinde has died long time ago.I am not of the same father with the blind Taiwo. My condition was not like this when I was born ( her mother argued that she was like that). This wheelchair was donated to me by one sister called Titi. Things are not easy with my mother as she struggle to meet up our needs.I was learning knitting before but my boss was very hostile to me that was why l left.”
Taiwo wishes to learn a trade if assisted.
The family lives at Express- Ikare junction, Owo, Ondo State.

How fake tenants stole my kids

'' 

For Madam Bimbo Olalekan, 23,  it is   exactly one year she has been living in pains and sorrow since her two children  were stolen away from her house.



     .......No photos of the kids
……Tenants’ names  and address unknown

    HOW IT HAPPENED

For  Mrs.Bimbo  Olalekan   cursed be  the day she met an enemy who pretended to be a friend.For the past one year she has been looking at every chikld  allowed a stranger   a strange couple  pretended to have come to rent a room apartment  after paying for one year ,stayed for six days and  later disappeared with her   two kids under the pretext  that she wanted to buy biscuit for them. Up till the moment  the kids have not been found.
Bimbo  who is the mother of the kids- Blessing and Ayomide   was living  with her children at 27, Okedogbon  Street , Owo, narrated her story  ''a man who claimed   to have come  from Delta state came to rent a room  in our  building at 27 , Okedogbon Street, Owo  have destroyed my life''.
She continued   ''When the man first came  my  mother refused to give the  man the room as she complained of not wanting to have a Bachelor in the house as she preferred married and responsible man to a Bachelor.   . However, the man went to bring   a woman he claimed to be his wife .
''We asked them to pay 2,000 naira per month for the one room  but they begged for 1,500 naira and after much pleadings my mother  conceded  and  they paid for one year and   which  is 18,000 naira. The  money was  delivered to my uncle who had no time to give them a receipt for he was preparing for his baby’s naming ceremony.’’, she said
Bimbo  continued ''On that fateful morning of  January 30, 2018  I was washing  my children's  clothes at the backyard while my daughter, the  older one was  sleeping in the room and the second one baby was crying.Since the woman said she is an hairdresser I asked her to help me do my daughter’s hair .She carried the  baby that  was crying  and put her on her back . Later the one that slept woke up and she held her saying she was going to buy things for them .That was all'', as she said this she burst into tears again.
asked when she realised  the disappearance of the woman, she said ''It was when I finished washing and asked after  the woman  that we knew what happened,  we ran inside to search for them but only saw the bag filled with used  carpets’’.
The woman  said ‘’ we were shocked that such a thing could happen .We did not know their names and we didn’t ask. All what we know is that they told us they were from  Delta  State.''
According to her mother , after reporting at the Police station, they  also visited    spiritualists  to seek for divine intervention.''I never thought they could be devilish and evil. It was when we didn’t see these children  that we raised alarm .I went to the police station to report the case at the Police headquarter , Ijebu -Owo  but I was detained , saying I was the first suspect since I did not come to report early and I spent one night at the station,Bimbo said .

NO PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE VICTIMS AND THE SUSPECTS

What baffled many is that the Bimbo  did not  not have the   photographs of  her  kids  and of the tenants too. When asked  she said ‘ ''I have only the picture of the older one , and that is an old picture  , I don’t have their pictures.
Bimbo’s mother has been guiding her daughter to avoid her from committing suicide , she said  ''I go out with her even when going to the toilet, the way she has been acting since the incidence did not let us let us leave her alone .We heard over the news that a couple was arrested with two kids but when we read the paper it is not our own case.

For Bimbo she has no other person to console her as she receives  heap of blames  from all nooks and crannies for being careless about her two lovely kids who were stolen under her care .
The clothes she claimed she was  washing  have become useless as the kids to wear them are gone, and it could be forever except God intervenes
She no longer live at Okedogbon again as she has  relocated to her granny's house and she  hardly eat these days , the mother said, adding ''she could run mad if she is not properly taken care of that is why I  am staying with her  .Since the incidence Bimbo  has been taken away from where the incident happened and now living with her mother and grandmother who are monitoring her movement as she has changed from the that joyful mother of two kids to a childless mother  now seeking the face of God''.
When our reporter  met her she was sandwiched  in-between her mother, grandmother and  her aunt sobbing, suddenly,  she glanced at  the ceiling fan   and  cried  ‘’Sorrow  should be my second name .Where will I see these kids again?’’ as she said this she went outside to look at those passing bye  and came back  to sit on the sofa again .Many times she would look askance and laugh  wildly then walked  round the compound calling the names of her stolen children. Last Saturday she ran to the  Post office to see the vendor and asked whether the  retrieved kids from a Catholic Priest were her own. This has been the way Mrs .Bimbo Lekan whose two children [Blessing and Ayomide Lekan] whose  ages are  two years and 8months and the younger one 8months  were stolen before her nose on that fateful day of January 30,this year.

'we pound him with pestle to wake- up'

 

      

            .........They pound  him with  pestle to wake him up

             ............He used juju  and bare hands to fight in war

               ..........He did not die but went into the ground

         The   statue is  gigantic, intimidating, historical and the hero is    incredible . What the statue is built upon  is as strong as the Warrior  himself. Standing by his side one looks like a dwarf. A curious look at the statue one could see amulets  leather strings (ifunpa) and gourds (ado) tied  on his wrists and legs  . 

  The  Warrior  is holding  animal  horns stuffed with some mysterious concoction or substances laced  with powerful spiritual words of mysticism called  African power (Ase)   . His  pouch is  strapped  across  his shoulder as he  proudly displayed  his   instruments of war  with two hands, they were his weapons :voodo or  juju of which the Yoruba  would call  oogun abenugongo (protruding powerful charm). His figure is frightening, his  words were powerful and wielding the scepter and spiritual authority while his actions were unchallenged able! . His appearance was terrifying as Yoruba would call him the fearsome one   (erujeje) with indisputable supernatural power.

 He was one of the powerful Yoruba Warriors in the days of old.

              

Ankles decorated with charms

He was the most giant man in the land  of Ijero- Ekiti.No man born of a woman can  look at his face. A  lily- livered cannot look at him twice .The  Warrior   was  enfant terrible.         

            A POWERFUL WARRIOR

     According to HRM the Aero of Ijero, Oba   Joseph Adebayo Adewole ,the man called Osirigbongbo was a mysterious and powerful man, he said     '' the man called Osirigbongbo was always  woken up by beating him  with pestle ( omo odo ). His body was full of juju. In  war , he depended on his juju and  he used bare hands to fight  when his enemies   were  using gun, knives and cutlass as war tools''. He was a combination of mysticism and voodooism. The monarch  added ''he was surely the undisputed mighty man tearing his enemies apart  with his bare hands in  war and then used  their tights as weapon (cudgel )  in war'' .What a terrifying statement!

 

 ''And  what if  Osirigbongbo suddenly appear and challenge those defacing him? .God forbid!''

 

  No man has ever been feared or respected or loved more than him in the land. That is the life and times of the man called Osiri Gbo N Gbo

              

           Body  decorated with  juju

Ajero said ''His contribution to Ijero community can never be forgotten ''. No wonder his giant statue  is placed at the centre of the town showing him the recognition, appreciation and love  bestowed on him after he had departed centuries ago.

    And the name,Osiri Gbo N Gbo with the description of him with the statue's size surely showed he was what they called .

         OSIRI-GBO-N-GBO THE WARRIOR

 At the center of the town is a giant statue of one of  those who rescued the town( Ijero) from being conquered by enemies.
      An educationist and one of the community  leaders Joshua Oyewande  Olukolade described  how Osirigbongbo looked like  “the man , Osirigbongbo , according to our forefathers was very, very   giant  with intimidating figure , and his stature  was useful to the town as he used to to help  the town from being plundered. Being a warrior , Osirigbongbo was always ready to rescue the town from being  taken into captivity”.
 Olukolade who is one of the most respectable man in the community and who also serves as the mouthpiece is proud of his community of having such History , he said '' we should appreciate our legends.I love this great town for erecting the statue here to let the unborn children see .''
The monarch described the warrior's  conquests thus  “On his war exploits ,Osirigbongbo would go to war without war tools .When he gets  to the hottest war zone he would go for   his enemies' leaders,  used his bare hands to tear them  apart and would use his victims' torn legs  as a baton fighting the  war”.

                HIS  STRANGE FEEDING HABIT 

     Oba Adewole  said '' we were told by our forefathers that Osirigbongbo used to eat  a morsel with the head of a cow .He was said to have  giant muzzle  .He ate a morsel of pounded yam with the head of a cow''.  Another mind-boggling story from the man -mountain warrior!.

               HE ENTERED THE GROUND ALIVE!

        Many strange stories  were told  about him, some said  he  entered the ground at Oke -Agba where he was born AND   did not die , but instructed  his townsmen to call upon him when in crisis . He also instructed them  to use pestle  and  beat the spot where he entered the ground three times  for him to  come out. Unfortunately   some mischievous natives cried wolf three times  when there was no wolf.They raised false alarm  three times and he came out the three times and killed many of them , when he later realised it  was a false alarm, it was too late. Seeing the massacre  he did, he never came up to rescue them again, Yewande said.

         Although the statue is conspicuously  located  in  the center of the town . The location   is used  as a rallying meeting point and of course where town criers make necessary announcement. One thing is still certain, the statue is revered and when there  are problems the man is offered sacrifice to to appease him.
Though the place looked  unkempt as some people offer sacrifices under it , place advertisement papers on it and defaced it  , yet it is still honoured and revered and offered sacrifices when the need arises.
There should be a POST NO BILL warning on the fence and the statue should not be defaced. 
And   what if  Osirigbongbo  suddenly appear and challenge those  defacing him? God forbid.

We want Orlando Owoh's museum

             LET’S REBURY ORLANDO OWOH

                    BoN during an interview with the late Musician

           Last week at the St. Louis  Lewis and Clark Library Missouri, America  I sighted   two CDs of  two Nigeria’s great Musicians on the shelf: Fela Anikulapo Kuti and King  Sunny Ade. I felt great. I showed the two CDs to many there . I want to  donate some of Orlando’s CDs to them.

       Its a pity   that a  prophet does  not have  honor in his own town.When Orlando’s music is being played it throws many into frenzy. Last year a  young  man suddenly stopped and started dancing to the track, Ojo  (Ojo onitemi o Ojo o, Ojo a b’adiye s’aba l’ori eyin Ojo , Ojo o si ni’le Omo adiye d’agba …..Ojo ooooooo,ooooo… ) the young man who coincidentally bears Ojo danced his heart out .He said ” that is my favorite music that is my name Orlando is singing its  praises , then the others followed him dancing when they were convinced of his sanity.

It  happened last year at Agege Pen Cinema area , infact I joined in the dance.The young man  told everybody that he bears Ojo, the  name Orlando sang its  praise. That is Orlando’s music for you.

His music suits any occasion , highly philosophical, full of wisdom, poetry, folklores, traditional stories .

  When he released the  Ganja album , he sold millions and was hailed to high heavens  despite being banned , yet it sold like hot cake. But how can we pay honor to this great man?

 During an interview with the mother of Orlando Owoh, she  was not happy that her son was not buried in his country home , Ifon. Now , it is exactly 10 years Orlando has been dead,while his remains were buried in Lagos.Yes, mistake has been made but let all his friends, fans and family members gather and put their heads together and have his bones  exhumed and be buried in Ifon while his statue be placed at the center of the town while a museum be built and all his materials be kept in his memory. Up till this moment no street not even a local government Park or Center is named after this legend.

        That Orlando’s  mother is still alive is not an excuse. Bob Marley’s mother , Cedella Booker was still alive when her son died at 36.She died  27 years  later  ( 2008).

         LET’S EXHUME ORLANDO’S BODY

  The Holy Bible tells us how  Joseph’s bones  were exhumed from the land of Egypt and  brought to Shechem  and  buried according to the instructions he [Joseph] gave to the Israelites before he died.

Moses Orimolade  Tunolase the leader and founder of Cherubim and Seraphim died on October 19, 1933 ,and was buried at Ojokoro Church , along Lagos /Abeokuta express way , but 42 years later  his bones  were exhumed and taken to his hometown , Ikare, Ondo State for burial on October 19, 1975.

Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia had his bones exhumed    25 years after his death and was given a befitting burial.

Others who had their remains exhumed and reburied are  Eva Peron, Abraham Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth, Zachary Taylor, Christopher Columbus, Oliver Cromwell, Lee Harvey Oswald, Simon Bolivar,

     Orlando’s sculptor carved on his mother’s door

Daniel Boone, Santa Claus (Saint Nicholas) and many more.

                                    APPEAL FUND NEEDED

     We need an appeal fund, if need be, and the money realized from his royalties coupled with all his  friends , fans and family members of the late Orlando Owoh should endeavor  give him last respect and honor and bring his bones down to Ifon, his hometown and be reburied. It is then we will be proud of having a son from Ifon who took us beyond the native town.

     Here was a man who has over 70 albums to his credit.Let us appeal to his childhood friends , Die The Matter, HRH Apata, and some of his friends to come together and if need be launch an appeal fund and exhume Orlando’s remains and take it back home.

          BoN with Orlando’s mother

      If the late African Kennery were here today he would have recorded many albums. He  would have sang on religion, politics, killings by Boko Haram and Corruption. The great musician  would have sang about elections, against Cultism, inflation, increment of school fees and workers’ hardship.

Yes! if Orlando were here today he would have used his songs to fight social injustice  and social ills in the society.He was a multi -talented musician, poet, composer ,guitarist and  folklorist.

 But the High-life musician  is not here. The African Kennery  joined his ancestors 10 years ago .The Ganja preacher has gone to the land of no return. His remains were buried at his Lagos residence. May his soul rest in peace.

For him truth was his watchword, he would boldly tell you he smoked Indian hemp and so what? .He was a friend of the masses. He was  humble to a fault.

          Apart from the late Orlando and Fela Anikulapo  Kuti who publicly smoked ganja no musician in Nigeria ever confessed smoking it. Infact, he is ranked among  likes of  Bob Marley , Peter Tosh and  Fela. He preached the gospel of ganja .In one of his elpees he sings  that the Police and other law makers smoke the weed.If he were here he would have waxed another record for its legalization. He was gifted. He was the voice of the masses, voice for  the Voiceless and he truly identified himself with them.

                       NEED ORLANDO’S MUSEUM

         Bob Marley died at the age of 36 in 1981, today  there is  a museum where all his personal effects and his history are being kept for viewing . It is now a tourist center.While many Parks and other things are named after him.

There is James Brown’s museum, there is Michael Jackson’s museum.We need Orlando Owoh’s museum. Infact there is no book yet written about Orlando , although I met a man five years ago in Ogbomoso  who is a die-hard fan of Orlando compiling information on the late Musician.Up till now no book known to me that had been published about him.

   And the question  is  “when can we have this type of Musician  again? .”

                          ORLANDO’S ALBUMS

       A man whose wife nags him always  last week  played   IYAWO OLELE  for her but when his wife knew he was indirectly referring to him, she changed the CD and played  KO SEE MA NI  (Woman is indispensable). They  looked at each other and stopped their quarrel.

The reason why people are migrating is because of  ITAN OWO (THE STORY OF MONEY ).  Oh my God how do we call it when Bob Marley, Peter Tosh, Jacob Miller Killer, Michael Jackson , James Brown, Haruna Ishola, Ogunde Hubert,Baba Sala,  Orlando Owoh are gone? BELERE BA LO NILE YI, no music again  for  ASOTITO AYE have all gone . ADAJO ERE but the Musicians are nowhere to be found to play for us.

A young boy whose boss accused him of stealing his money  played  MA WO MI RORO, to stop suspecting him. For the past one week till the end of this year it is THANKSGIVING for God has spared our lives .

If you smoke  GANJA [I] and  arrested by the law enforcement agent just tell them that the Police, Judges smoke it while in  some states in America GANJA [II] has been legalized.

For those who are away from home they should console themselves and play the  track ERO KI YEYE MI for their mother. Above all don’t underrate your siblings because OMIYE LALA.

Are you oppressed by one stupid rich man?, then sing the song    LOGBA LOGBA    for him,  and he would calm his frayed nerves but don’t forget to , remind him that AYE NYI, while we would continue to pray until when OLORUN OBA DA WA LOHUN then we will sing  MODUPE  , infact ORO MI JU OPE LO.

Whenever I remember  THE LATE  DELE GIWA I used to tell others that OMO BERU AIYE -AIYE LE .I also advise  that MA SIKA, because of the EXPERIENCE I have in life.

We shall soon sing ORIN TUNTUN  and  give IBA EDUMARE  in the new year  because OKAN MI YIN OBA ORUN  and I SAY NO to any YELLOW SISI  for  E GET AS E BE even though SISI SALEWA will not understand .

If your husband is angry just play ORIKI  OJO for him since he is aba diye saba lori eyin and say IRE LONI for you have  to say  AGBA MO JUBA,  to show respect for him..

 The monster called  APARTHEID  still reigns in South Africa, but  WHO NO KNOW GO KNOW as they treat us like   CAIN AND ABEL.

Economy is biting hard  no wonder our ladies have become  MONEY FOR HAND BACK FOR GROUND that is why we need to ask the State Governments who claim they cannot pay 30k minimum wage that  WHICH IS WHICH?

    The only way to reach your friends here and outside is to send a text MESSAGE.

 Last week I saw a   KANGAROO  in the Zoo at  St. Louis

   When you look up you see how be OSUPA RORO, Everyday we say , O BABY,to our ladies wanting to make her happy . I SAY   NO  to satan .When you remember your mum  sing this song  with message ERO KI YEYE MI. Are you in America, UK or other foreign country , remember that  AJO KO LE DUN, so East , West, South or North home is the best.

With the current political topsy turvy and hullabaloo we still have hope and we should believe that NIGERIA A DARA.It is good you have made it and no enemy can attack you so sing  AJANAKU DARABA. During the Muslim festival they kill Eran Ileya and  in  four months time is EASTER SPECIAL   for the Christians when we will be celebrating the crucifixion of  Jesus Christ .

 In two weeks time they will soon be selling KNOCK OUT  to herald Christmas and not now for AJUWA YEYE. Please remember that LAIKU EGIRI you don’t you don’t use its skin to make drum and we need to say MO DUPE always especially we  OMO YORUBA for giving us good leaders like Osinbajo.

Born as Stephen Oladipupo Owomoyela in Oshogbo, his father was from Ifon and mother from Owo

Thank God Orlando left behind his children who did not want his name to die as Kunle Orlando Owoh is making waves .

Unfortunately this great musician left his aged mother behind.

Orlando’s fans should be kind enough to see that  his mother is doing fine.

Born on  February 14 1932 , died on  November  4, 2008.

how i ran into coup plotters

How I ran into stranded coup plotters at Obalende

.
…
…….. I gave coup plotters ride
……..How Obasanjo tore my notebook
………Dele Giwa
………My meeting with Zik, Awo
………The three cocaine pushers
………..My exclusives


Amobonye working while at NNN
Mr. Gboyega Amobonye is a story teller. His name is story. His life is story.Colleagues said his bag was always full of stories. His journey into Journalism is an interesting story .He recounts how he ran into coup plotters while hunting for story at Obalende
Taiwo Abiodun spoke with him
Displayed in his living room in Lagos, are photographs of himself with the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the late Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, Senator( Col rtd) Garba Wushihi of the Second Republic, Alhaji Lateef Jakande as the UPN gubernatorial candidate of Lagos State in 1978, and some others among who is who in the Nigeria political space.
I DEVELOPED INTEREST FROM PRIMARY SCHOOL
Amobonye said he has been an inquisitive person from youth, he said ”I don’t know whether by intuition or so ,but it started right from my primary school days .When people of high profile would come to the palace of Olowo of Owo the late Sir Oba Olateru Olagbegi II, I used to see these people (Journalists) following big dignitaries and would admire them. At Owo High School,Owo, Ondo state, a friend who is an engineer today asked me to go for Journalism, considering the quality of my essay and other media- related activities. I went to the Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ) then at Apongbon, Lagos by divine intervention because all I wanted was an admission into an institution of higher learning, But to the glory of God, I found the career very fulfilling.
MEANING OF AMOBONYE
The name, Amobonye , is strange and not common in Yoruba land . Asked to tell the meaning of his name , the veteran reporter , gave a heavy sigh, shook his head and said it is a long story. He said ”I will keep on saying it that Yoruba names are rich and with deeper meanings”, he started ”Amobonye means a survivor from Obon (poison) , Obon is a poison made from cooking the back of obon tree into agbo ( herbs ) and given to a witchcraft suspect to drink to prove his or her innocence. If he or she is guilty of what she was accused of he / she would be confessing his /her sins like a tormented witch and will eventually die .
”In the olden days in my town, Owo if the suspect given obon survived it, he would be named Amobonye or Obonyemi if a female. My great- great grandmother and wife Orishadipe , son of Akilelu , son of Oshere was given obon to drink when she was six months pregnant on the suspicion that she was preventing other wives from having male children. She survived it .So when the child (my grandfather) was born he was named Amobonye. As an educated man in employment in various parts of the country,that was the name we grew up to know our father with apart from his Christian names: Joseph and David, he was always addressed as JD Amobonye or simply JD by his peers. Not until long after did we know his other name as Oloye Oyeleye. My half siblings changed to Oyeleye while I felt I have gone too far with Amobonye to change it. More over if any of my roots may go home at later years and introduced himself as son of Oyeleye, he would obviously be told ‘Not here’. ”
I KNEW DELE GIWA

The mere mention of the name ‘Dele Giwa ‘ made Amobonye got cold. He gave a graphic picture of one of Nigeria’s finest Modern Journalists who was killed by a parcel bomb on October 19, 1986 Dele Giwa .Amobonye looked around, shook his head and in low tone said ”he was the face of a new generation journalists , fresh from the United States of America. He was an Aristocrat, charismatic and full of candour. His best friend was the reporter who could cope with his pace”, he paused and in tears continued ”though I did not work under him directly while he was the Sunday Concord Editor, he once came to look for me in National Concord to acknowledge my exclusive stories. He was light skinned, a man of average built with his trademark- a well-trimmed and nourished mustache, he was a power dresser, always in long sleeves shirt and tie, sometimes in a suits too. I think his column was Parallax Snaps which made the Sunday Concord a must read. He was an adept professional and fisher of good journalists”, as he was talking he was wiping his face with handkerchief.


MEMORABLE EDITORS
Amobonye cannot forget his mentors and loved Editors like Haruna Mohammed and Yakubu Mohammed both were Associate Editors respectively in the New Nigeria . He said ”Yakubu Mohammed succeeded Haruna who had left for Kaduna as Editor of the New Nigeria .Yakubu was later to leave for the National Concord as Editor .If there is any goal I reached in my career ,I gave the two of them credit because in New Nigeria they gave me a lot of motivation and confidence. I joined the New Nigeria Newspaper fresh from NIJ in 1978. I had spent three months in Radio Lagos under Biodun Adeniyi, the Controller of news.The New Nigerian Newspaper had the best condition of service under the late Mallam Turi Mohammed as the MD. Within two years,I got a car and a three bedroom furnished flat.I resigned from NNN in Agust 1982 following a transfer to Ondo state as State Editor which I turned down.I joined Concord that August.Here I was lucky too as I met Yakubu Mohammed as the Editor,Other editors that influenced include Duro Onabule, Nsikak Liad Tella and a particular News Editor, Dayo Onibile. Dele Giwa , Ray Ekpu and later Sina Adedipe were in the Sunday concord”.






HOW OBASANJO TORE MY NOTE




Gen Obasanjo
For Amobonye , he will never forget his contact with the former President Olusegun Obasanjo in 1979 on the day of the presidential election , he said ” Obasanjo was going round, he wore Ankara, that was during the era of low profile. From opposite of the Lagos City Hall where some of us Journalists were relaxing we sighted his convoy driving into the City Hall. We virtually flew to the place and joined him as he was alighting from the driver’s seat because he drove himself. I was right in in the front as he was going round and answering questions from dejected voters who were complaining “Baba Ako ri oruko wa o”( Baba we didn’t see our names)to which he replied ”O tan ni yen o” ( then that is all ). He just pulled the collar of my shirt and spoke in Yoruba , “je nwo nkan to nko”, (let me see what you are writing). As he saw his name and my little scribble, he tore my note book and said again in Yoruba” Owo kii f’owo l’orun, ma d’imi l’owo, mi o ni die lowo (One business does not disturb another ) but I said, ”Your Excellency, you are already disturbing me” .He did not reply me. He later returned to his faded blue coloured car and drove off. But Alex Nwokedi (now a traditional ruler) visited the news room the following day, a Sunday and told my news editor the late Fola Ashiru over a chat that ‘your, boy wanted to interview the Head of State yesterday’ ”.





STORIES THAT MADE ME POPULAR
Asked to mention some of his memorable stories, the man looked at the ceiling as if looking for an answer, scratched his head and laughed , ”Many, so many but let me give you this one that might have given my Editor in the NNN, Mallam Haruna and President Shehu Shagari’s government a night mare . I remember a particular story that made me to admire Haruna. You see sometimes in 1982, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) had imported party emblems which were then contrabands, the goods were impounded by the Customs Service.A source hinted me that the contrabands had been released to NPN , being the the party of the government in power. I approached Sylvanus Apeleshi then Custom’s PRO, at Tinubu for confirmation He declined.I went to Ikoyi to approach the Comptroller General of Customs, he too said the matter was above him. He referred me to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance , the late Alhaji Shehu Musa who confirmed the story. The next morning it screamed on the front page: NPN SMUGGLED GOODS RELEASED. Before I got to the newsroom , I guessed the authorities might have vented their spleen on Haruna. Haruna asked why I should write the story because Shehu Musa said he spoke to me in confidence. I brought out my notebook that I was writing as he was speaking and he never said ”off the record”.That was the end of the matter”, the veteran said.
Amobonye continued with his stories that made him popular, he said ”the current Tulip Hotel was the original quarters of the Members of the National Assembly in 1979. Following complaint that the place was not ideal for them, they were relocated to the 1004 quarters on Victoria Island. While the former quarters were abandoned for over a year. One day my long nose just took me to the place to see what had become of it.Fortunately, I met the MD of the then Durbar Hotel who had arrived from Kaduna that morning. He told me the quarter has become Durbar Hotel. The following day it was the front page lead of the New Nigerian: ”NATIONAL ASSEMBLY QUARTERS NOW DURBAR HOTEL”.

Not yet done , as the man added another story ”Another story was when I was covering the Lagos State House of Assembly, Ikeja in 1980; there was a resolution that the state Governor Alhaji Lateef Jakande should urgently prevent a looming catastrophe in the state due to a leaking gas ship at the Lagos territorial waters.While other colleagues left for their newsrooms, I went to Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Marina where the MD told me that the ship had been sunk the other night. The exclusive lead of The New Nigerian the next day was DANGER GAS SHIP SUNK, My colleagues just State House of Assembly must have been reported what happened at the state might have been reprimanded as they were angry with me that I scooped them. Well that is the name of the game”.
LEFT NNN FOR CONCORD
Asked why he left NNN when he was doing well there , but the fairly skinned Amobonye defended himself ” I was given a letter of transfer to Ondo State in 1982, by another Associate Editor , Clem Baye, so I had no choice than to resign when I turned down the transfer , that’s how I found myself in National Concord where fortunately I met Yakubu Mohammed again together with Duro Onabule who were too glad to employ me. One of my most cherished collections was the letter of commendation within three months of my employment that was given to me with a cash prize of 100 naira [equivalent to 10,000 naira today”. (He showed the letter)A letter dated 2nd December, 1982 Letter of Commendation.
”With all humility my input within the four of months as recognized by the management together with efforts of others must have made Concord a must read newspaper as against a comment by Alhaji Lateef Jakande , then governor of Lagos state that ”Concord is not a breakfast newspaper”.


   MY ENCOUNTER WITH COUP PLOTTERS
Asked to tell another bizarre story of his sojourn in journalism , but the man who at first declined, kept his suspense for some minutes but could only mutter ” Ah! ah!! I thank God . It was on the day of the IBB Coup of 1985 that overthrew the government of General Muhammadu Buhari. ,whenever I remember I give glory to God for saving me because my wife had warned me that I was leaving home too early that day . Just as I heard the Martial music by 5am, I got ready and by 6.30 am I was on my way to Seme border to monitor how the coup might be affecting the economic activities there. By the time I got to Lagos Trade Fair I made a “U”turn to Lagos having been convinced that nothing much could be happening at Seme apart from close of border.The next thing was to go to Obalende neighbours of Doddan Barracks to interview them and tell their experience that night.The road was free as I was virtually the only one on the road .By 8.30 am, I was at Obalende and just as I was leaving the round about at the at the bus stop, I saw some combart ready soldiers , five of them with guns, they barked an order from the other side of the road that I should stop. I obeyed but before I knew what was happening, they rushed into my car and ordered me to take them to Ikeja cantonment. I had no option. They might have seen the press sticker on my wind screen. Obalende people were just peeping, wondering perhaps of what would happen to me. Along the way I summed up courage to ask them about what happened in the night. One of them wanted to shout me down but another one said they should help since I’m also helping them provided I would not write down anything down. I could not have done so anyway since I was driving. I was told how a General,(name withheld) visited them at 12 midnight and said to them “Boys, you must not fail”. I was told how Buhari was arrested at 1.am while praying and how his ADC, Major Jokolo (now the Emir of Muri ) was stripped naked”.




HOW COUP PLOTTERS SCALED THE FENCE
Amobonye continued with the coup story ”the road was free with a few cars on the road and drivers were staring at me as I was driving on top speed and excitedly recording in my head what I was being told. We entered the cantonment via the GRA straight to the back of the cantonment. I watched them as they scaled the high wall and jumped down before I drove off triumphantly. By 10.30am I was in the news room. I met the news editor who jumped up on hearing my story and alerted the Editor in Chief who looked at me with awe as she was reading the copy. The next day the National Concord stood out clearly as the only paper that reported all that happened in the night of the long knives”.



MY JOURNEY INTO THE LION’S JAW
What if the coup had failed?, this reporter asked and he responded ”Perhaps, I could have been charged for accessory if caught with those soldiers. Who would have known the whole story?” ,he responded. ”Did you see any of those soldiers again?”,this reporter asked , while Amobonye declared while shivering “I could not have seen them beyond that day since I met them by chance and we never exchanged names or addresses but I was glad that the News watch made reference to that story later”, he said looking with surprise and shaking his head!
HOW I BECAME A ”GOVERNOR”
Many of his associates call Amobonye ”Governor ”,when asked whether he was once a Governor of a state, he gave a loud laugh and said he was never a Governor of any state. He narrated why he is being called the Governor , he said ”It is an appellation given to me by a colleague at the National Assembly in Lagos, in 1982 close to the gubernatorial election in Ondo State. A photo Journalist had taken my corporate picture and pasted it on the notice board and with a caption: ”GOVERNOR OF ONDO STATE ‘83 OR GOVERNOR OF THE PRESS?”. Colleagues on seeing it, in unison shouted ‘Go…ver…nor’ and the name stuck on me till this day. If you call me ”governor” I will answer but I would not call myself that .I know it is from my media colleagues. Ever since, my colleagues have been calling me Governor”.
Asked further whether it is true that he always have stories in his pocket whenever the newsroom is in shortage of stories, the man laughed , he said ” I am like an hunter who is always ready in the forest. A good journalist must develop a story bank and therefore never be in shortage of stories”.
MY MEETING WITH AWO and ZIK
Amobonye can boast of meeting some Nigerian political juggernauts like Awo, Zik, Jalo Waziri, First Republic Speaker of the House of Representatives among others during his sojourn in journalism. On Awo , he said ” I met the late Awo in his lifetime, first on the day of his 70^th birthday in Ikenne, Ogun State. As Awo appeared before Ebenezer Obey who was on the band stand, Obey broke in a song ”Awo de bi o ti nde imole de o okuku parada..,as if Awo would dance, he simply smiled and walked away. I also met him again with the late Emir of Kano at the meeting of National Leaders of Thought called by General Ibrahim Babangida at thre Institute of International Affairs, Victoria Island, Lagos shortly after he had overthrown the then Military Head of State General Muhammadu Buhari in 1984. I interviewed him and the Emir of Kano.


with the late Senator [ rtd col) Garba Dada

”Some times in 1983, a contact in the NPP hinted me that Zik and Jim Nwobodo, Anambra State Governor would be meeting at the Anambra Guest House Victoria Island the next day at 10am. The meeting had started before I got there. I laid ambush for them and as I saw the two emerging from the meeting, I went straight to them. Perplexed Jim Nwobodo exclaimed repeatedly, “Who told we are here…” As Zik stopped to listen to me , Jim walked away.At a point Jim could no longer endure waiting and shouted at Zik ”Chief let’s go” But Zik replied “Wait a moment,” I’m talking to my Colleague”. That has remained my highest point in journalism. – for Zik to have addressed me as his colleague.”

I INTERVIEWED THE THREE COCAINE PUSHER


The three executed cocaine pushers
Amobonye said he does not feel shy of his height. ”Yes, I may not be a man of huge stature but remember that the hood does not make the monk.There is this TVC lady Wendy Agbo that I always admire, though short but ,very pushful and passionate . You see, when it comes to looking for stories . I remembered when Bernard Ogedegbe, Ojulope and Bartholomew Owoh were tied to the stake at the Kirikiri Prison ground and about to be shot by marksmen .I was the first Journalist to move to them to interview them, a female colleague even fainted at boom of the first shot. . Many journalists were afraid to go to them but I dared the soldiers. That is where passion comes in. so my stature does not count.

The late Adeniran Ogunsanya answering questions from journalists,
on his left is the late Chuba Okadigbo
MY OPINION ON MEDIA
Asked to give his opinion on the state of the Nigeria media , Amobonye said first let me say ”it is a very good profession, and cannot be pushed aside.That is why it is the only profession called the Fourth Estate of the Realm. The past and the present time of journalism can not be compared because the atmospheres are different-one was analogue the other is digital but during our time (analogue) we were more committed,resourceful and persevering despite the disadvantage of being analogue professionals. Even our colleagues are not taking full advantage of the digital age. While we go for exclusives and investigative journalism many of us today go for predictable news .You see, sales was high then and in actual fact in those days newspapers were not many and the competition was keen”.

I HAVE NO REGRET
While some journalists complain or regretted going into journalism , Amobonye says he has none, ”I have no regret as I enjoyed every bit of the career God has planned for me except that I’m missing not being active. I would love to run a magazine of mine even if monthly. That required relocating to Abuja and having someone who can confidently be trusted on that with a good hand all can still be well with print journalism and therefore invest in it. My first son is a journalist until recently in NTA while my second is doing well as an intern in a digital radio though she read theater arts from the University of Ibadan
Today I am now a media consultant .As he said this he brought out a photo album and said ”I will write about all these one day”.

the valley of death in Ijero

 Ijero  in Ekiti State has been besieged by illegal miners  while both  foreigners and natives  in search of  gold have turned the ancient town to dead zone   , taiwoabiodun.com investigates
see video here
The man seemed nperturbed as he exhibited unusual confidence while strolling about the huge excavation site for the proverbial goldmine. The young man, a Kano indigene sImply identified as Ahmed  was ably accompanied by his able lieutenant and  labourer, Abubakar from Bauchi, who obviously was wearing a frown face. He took his spade and headed towards the dug tunnel.
The duo hinted this reporter that they came on a voyage in search of precious stones which are readily available in commercial quantity  in Ijero.
After waiting  for over one  hour for Abubakar to appear at the other end the long wait at the lonely and unsightly enclave appears to this reporter an endless one.
A trip to Ijero Ekiti in search of gold made these two friends left their homes to search for greener pastures
One of the residents revealed that the town city Centre is besieged  daily by  indigenes of different nationalities, name it: Togolese , Lebanese , Sudanese, Liberian, Cotonou , Senegalese, as well as Europeans who stormed the ancient town for similar reason.
However, the ecological threat caused by illegal mining activities in IJERO and its environs cannot be over emphasized even as the spiral effect on the water sourced majorly from the wells is believed to be injurious to the health of thousands of hapless IJERO residents.

ABUBAKAR -AN ILLEGAL MINER GOING UNDERGROUND IN SEARCH OF PRECIOUS STONES                                                             PHOTO:TAIWO ABIODUN

Unless urgent steps are taken by concerned authorities, the entire IJERO community, despite the huge deposits of rich mineral resources, may soon face the imminence of socio-  economic degradation resulting in health hazards, no thanks to mining operations giving outsiders false impression that all is well with them.
There is no doubt that the ancient town is blessed  with  mineral deposits.
According  to Mr. M. Yewande “Ijero is blessed with solid mineral resources that is next to Jos. What we have here can sustain this town if well tapped .We have chiefly among them  : limestone, gold, bauxite, copper, turmaline, cushy, feldspar ,cataract, foundry  sand, costa mica, tantalite, ruby, rubilite, sodonite, prodonite, tin, columbite, diamond , bauxite, iron and kaolin.We equally have gold which is yet untapped”.
How illegal  miners work
There are a lot of illegal miners in the land , according to a source who begged for anonymity. One of the illegal miners explained  how they get the precious stones  , “when  we sight a certain stone we would dig  that place of over 200 feet deep and this leads us again to  sight another stone ( which acts as a pointer  to where we are going) then we continue digging until we  again come across  some specific   stones which leads you ahead  that you are getting there for  they are like a compass  locating where these  precious stones are”.
Aside this , the illegal miner continued “there is a chemical  used to blast these stones , we  would fix it with wire and move away from the place , at least some feet away and connect it with the battery  then blast it  and within 20 minutes to  one hour its all over, then some stones would be exposed while water would be oozing  from the area and the next thing to do is to use pumping machine to drain the water and continue blasting the rock sighted”.
How we get the land
Another illegal miner said “We buy some portion  of land for 400 naira per day and will be checking whether we would get these precious stones  , if we get them it’s our luck and if we don’t get them we have lost our 400 Naira. However we have a group and the group is divided into seven while  each group would divide themselves and part ways and  whoever gets luck to get a place where mineral  deposits are  would call  others and then the digging starts “, the  man explained
Death on the prowl
These mining sites had recorded a lot of deaths .”In a year over 10 official deaths were reported not to talk of  those  secretly buried. Many  died when   the excavated sand  caves  – in. Many at times  illegal miners  would fall into the deep trenches dug  or    heaped sand would  fall  on many and buried them alive “, said an illegal miner.
A young man said ” when they die we would use long rope to bring the corpses out from the dug holes. A source said ” at least an average of 20 people die in this process. Last year,  I know about six people who died in the process.They tied a rope and went into the hole and tied  it on the body of the boy and brought it out.However , while they announced the few natives that died there  but we record high number of deaths  from the Hausas and foreigners  whose history are not known”. A man said his cousin  died in one of the  dug holes last year, he said ” we were at home when his friends  came to inform us that my cousin had died  while scooping  the earth.We cried and  cried and cried for he was yet to get married.
“Another incidence happened when a boy after he had finished (in the dug well ) a rope  used to bring him out cut in the process and he fell back  into the pit , he broke his neck and his back that was all.He was eventually tied again and brought out dead!.
“But when a foreigner dies they would say it is the wish of Allah and no cries while some would be buried in the ground”.

Native connivance
No one can be trusted as some unscrupulous natives connive with outsiders  to loot the town.The financial gains realized from these resources  is either pocketed or go into private pocket or taken away by these foreigners .
Most of the high class people one looks up to as rich men  are thieves who assist these foreigners and put them through on how  and where to get these products. In the end these so called big men would collect money and get away.
Yewande is concerned  about them , he said ” there is no development here.There is no impact that these precious stones are found here because they are carted away with the connivance of big men in our community. Many have  become sick because of the blasts of these stones. The illegal blasting has created a lot of problems here.Many developed  hearing problems , mental disturbance, fear of lead  poisoning has led to deaths of many. Madam Mary Adefebi said she had no peace and her sleep was always disrupted when she was admitted at the Specialist Hospital where blasting was done behind the hospital .” In the night I would be hearing blasts and my eardrum was always affected.A woman collapsed and died one day as a result of the blast because she was hypertensive”.
Another complainant whose house is close to the fields said ”many houses are shaking for they had dredged most of these places.One day houses would be sinking .I pray the State government should assist us in this.
Yewande said what happened in Zamfara ( as people were drinking poisoned water) will soon happen here.
The royal father who is not impressed about the environment and with frowned look said ” what we have here is pure looting , people come from Sudan, Moronvia, Togo, Cotonou  , Senegal, Europe .
Solution
Group Captain Ropo Aiyegbusi ( retired) one of the notable indigenes of the state decried the situation and said the fault comes from leaders of the community who did not cooperate with the vigilante group ,he asked ” How many have they arrested? .It is connivance , some of our people do plan with these unscrupulous elements to steal our resources. We have many foreigners  who are staying here illegally and because of our precious stones stay behind here stealing and looting ..
“How many of these people have the license to use? Do they pay to the local government what they are supposed to pay ? What of the state and the federal government ? Don’t we have law that covers mining? . I know it is not yet time for God to intervene ,People are dying silently”, he added.
An Honourable  who begs for anonymity also lamented on how some notable and influential people connive with the natives and loot their precious

HOW OBA ADEKOLA OGUNOYE SAVED ME

' What happened to me 30years ago'

She is hilarious. No  dull moment  with her .Not many people know her real name  as she is only  known as E ku Feee. She  was rescued by the  late Olowo of Owo, Oba Adekola Ogunoye II when she was in trouble

Madam Oluwafunke Samuel  ( aka E ku Feee)


Looking at her she is simple, but when she opens her mouth to talk one would think  she is a comedian  and if care is not taken one  could  break his  ribs as she speaks.
MY STORY
''My name is Oluwafunke Samuel. I live in Emure Uli, Owo, Ondo State . I always come to the King's Market (Oja Oba) to sell my E ku Feee . I am in my late 60s. My story is an interesting one .I once had  conflict with some market women about 30years ago when the late Oba Adekola Ogunoye  II was on the throne''.
She continued '' sincerely speaking there was a rule in the market that nobody should sell powdered corn ( elekute) but due to the  poverty  I found myself I went ahead  selling it . It was my grandmother's business. Some years after her death I  was financially down and I had nothing with me . I then decided one day to start the business , and I   took   her  materials , set up the business and started  producing and selling it.Though  I lived in Emure  but always go to Oja Oba     ( King's Market ) where there is  market for the product '', she said , nodding her head. 




MY ARREST
However she was arrested , she said  ''When the market women caught me selling the banned product they arrested me and said I flouted their rule , all my pleadings that I was trying to sustain myself felt into their deaf ears. They asked me to walk -over a local knife and that I must pay a live cock and  pay some fine. I walked over the local knife but refused to pay  all the fine telling them that I am a Christian and that I know Jesus and did not  believe in their  Tradition. My product was seized and it became a serious matter ''


OBA ADEKOLA OGUNOYE RESCUED ME 
Madam E ku Fee was talking with all seriousness yet laughing. She said  ''I was taken to the palace of Olowo of Owo , Oba Adekola Ogunoye II, who was a no -nonsense man . The Market leaders  were all sure and certain that  they would  win me and  get justice . I remember some high caliber of High chiefs and community  royal fathers    who were  present  including High Chief Adelanke Ajana the late Chief Priest of the town with  some market leaders. 


INTERROGATION
''When I was interrogated by  the late Ajana and  Oba Ogunoye and asked what I was selling , I said   ''I am not selling powdered corn but selling E ku feee, (Aroma)''. They asked again what I was selling I kept on saying that I was not selling powdered corn but selling E ku feee, they all looked at  one another . With confidence  and pity I  insisted that I was selling E ku feee but not powdered corn. They all burst into laughter. The Monarch then asked them to leave me alone that I was looking for what to eat .Since then they have been calling me E ku feee.That was how the late Monarch, Oba Adekola Ogunoye rescued me, and this I can never forget till my dying day.''

HAWKING
While hawking her product she said ''I would scream on top of my voice advertising my product  that they should come and buy E ku feee, and they would call me to buy. I have used the proceeds from E ku feee to train my children in school in the university ,from the proceeds I   have built  house and still feeding from it today.
CALL ME E KU FEEE
Though E ku fee love journalism  but said '' they are not well paid . I have an uncle who did it for many years but came home with nothing to show for it .Asked about her E ku feee again, she said '' when I am frying the corn its  aroma wafts everywhere, when I ground the corn the aroma wafts  everywhere and when I mixed it with palm oil and groundnuts its aroma wafts  in the air and everybody will know its E ku fee.Asked what is her response when greeted or hailed as E ku fee, she said  ''I will pray for them that A dara fun e, Aye a ye o''( It will be well with you, You will live well).
E ku feeee, E ku feeee.