Category: Features

Don’t disclose that I have joined the Army

LETTER TO MY CHILDREN ON FATHERS’ DAY

Bobo T  in uniform

…………..Why I joined the Army

…………on the battlefield

………..I was wounded , thrown into the bush

…………I have  one artificial  arm now! 

Family members and friends did not know my whereabouts  for  the past  two years .In fact they did not know that  I  was conscripted into the  Army to fight in the war as a Combatant Soldier .On the battlefield I saw  broken limbs and human flesh that  littered everywhere . I saw human heads  rolling on the ground while I heard the shrill cries of wounded soldiers. Now I am with one arm.Taiwo Abiodun narrates  his experience .

 

My dearest Children,

                    Please don’t tell your friends and family members  that  I  have joined the Army . Don’t tell  that I am presently on the battlefield fighting  for their hearts would be in their mouths. Don’t tell that with my naked eyes  I am  seeing  hot bullets  flying past my ears as I escaped being hurt  by the whiskers or by  a hair’s breadth. Few days ago   grenades  were thrown to where I was standing , though  I was not hurt but some of my combatants  were mortally wounded.   Imagine  I have no basic training but only trained how to use the gun. I only had  One Station Unit Training (OSUT) for two weeks before we were despatched  to the War front.

T Bobo ready to fight

I cried when I remember that you could become fatherless if I die in this war. Who will take care of you?. I know you will all call me useless and good- for -nothing father who brought you into to this world to suffer. But don’t blame me , blame my destiny .Now I forced myself to be reciting   Psalm 23  by fire- by -force  for I don’t know when last I went to church. I am forced to be singing  ” Nearer my God to thee….” when seeing death face-to-face.

I am with  some armed-to-the – teeth nicotine-stained -teeth  angry   soldiers  with blood-shot eyes  who throw grenades and enjoy sending sorrow into people’s lives. 

           Last month I  was   in charge of one of the   armouries  where they stored  ammunition like : Submachine guns, Heckler & Koch, Light Machine guns, M60 Machine guns, Vickers Machine guns,General Purpose Machine Guns, MG42  among others before  I was drafted into the middle of War.  My  loaded Beretta M9A3 gun  replaced my old SIG P226 and now is in its  holster on my waist.     

Could you believe that everyday, bombs and  ballistic  missiles are thrown to where I am ? . It is like  I am  the enemies’   target during the counter offensive  to  take over the territory .      I was almost captured as   enemy combatants surrounded some of  us and opened fire on us  but I shook off  my body as  if nothing  happened . Some believe  I have African Bullet Proof. They were all surprised as one of them with a bayonet  rushed at me   ready to butcher me like a cow  but the bayonet  broke into two.

Babalawo Of the Nation (BoN)

From  the air, enemies  are  dropping F-16 Fighting Falcon,P-51D Mustang  dropping bombs. Combatants wait  behind minefields .Our enemies attacked us with drones , fighter bombers patrol. We retaliated and   attacked  them too with  the newly acquired sophisticated BoN 7174, war planes.The  sound of bombs , rockets and other weapons were thunderous and deafening .

          One  evening  I visited a nearby town  that had been ruined by soldiers  with their weapons . I did not know when I broke down and wept like a baby seeing how devastated the town has been reduced to  .I developed goosebumps  when I saw domestic  animals who  were confused as they run around, trembling  on hearing the booming of guns and other sound. Dogs were barking  restlessly . Goats were bleating  and running for safety while cats were meowing  and running around. Two big cats  sat on a sofa chair  with their owner who was already dead, he was said to have been hit by bullets . The cats dreadfully sat  with  their scary eyes  glowing   but the  chicks and chickens  were running around pecking grains  from the waste bins suddenly I saw  massive   buildings  came down crumbling as a result of  bomb. It was like an earthquake   while some bungalows obeyed to the law of gravity. Infact  many  lost their lives as a result of being hit while some were electrocuted .  Many were buried  alive while some were  under rubbles. War is not good. Some parents left  their children behind  and ran for their dear lives while some took shelter in  underground or   basement .Government and private institutions were attacked .Streets were  littered with decomposing corpses. A two- year- old blood- soaked  toddler was playing with her mother’s hair  not knowing  she was dead as a result of the shrapnel that tore her stomach and another  lodged in her heart.

 One could see the mushroom cloud forms  all from  the detonated bombs .Their water was polluted. The air was polluted as a result of stench coming out from the dead corpses and the blue sky  turned  dark  as a result of these pollutants .In the night one could see fire that ‘lighted’ the city as a result of  the burning houses -no thanks to the enemies’ rocket launchers . Churches and Mosques all went up in conflagration .Human beings  were roasted alive in their homes and offices. I wept when I saw what war has caused   in this town. 

Bobo T inspecting a grenade 

I knew all these would happen to me  because it was  war. The fiercest battle I ever faced was the the night our Army’s 67th Mechanized Assault Brigade   was bombarded by stupid , good  for nothing and blood thirsty  ragtag soldiers  who had used all kinds of hard  drugs from Indian hemp to Cocaine . Up till this moment I refused to wear my helmet because  it is too heavy. Although I forgot my Compass at home .Our  32 Mechanized Brigade Army  was supplied Ordnance.

  Our soldiers  fought using submarine  weapons from water .We fought by air and by land  , we didn’t care about their  landmines.  Yes, the enemies shelled us with their  artillery bombs and rockets  where over 500 soldiers were torn into pieces like rags . The sight of the dead and wounded soldiers is horrific .It is gory . It is  gruesome .  Stomachs were ripped open , eyes gouged out , shattered bones all over the place while human brains mixed with blood as bullets  were lodged in some of their skulls.

This is not the war one would be equipped with AK 47. This is not a war  one would go with ordinary amulets  or talismanic rings. Yes, of course I went with my charmed  rings , amulets , gbetugbetu but non worked .Some of our soldiers were taken as Prisoners Of War (POW).

 

T Bobo 

Presently  all the  rivers  are dirty and had been polluted while the rain that fell few days ago was black in colour no thanks to the smoke  or emissions released from the guns and bombs.There is far -reaching environmental damage. The plants , food and crops are contaminated .  

Could you believe that we have little time to relax  and have fun with women? . Me who love women more than anything . Me who love anything in skirt. Me who love sikisiki. Ah,  my manhood shrinks whenever I heard the sound of the booming of the guns and sighting war planes hovering round where we are. Where is fun on the battlefield? .I have heard and seen great men who fell by the wayside because of women . It  happened two weeks ago  , bombs were rained on men and women copulating!. I did not pity the men  who  exited this planet earth   through same ‘ way ‘  or passageway they came into the world.

                  Could you believe that two of our soldiers were summarily executed for betraying us? .The two soldiers  were Judas as they connived with our enemy combatants  and showed them some of  our armouries. They revealed our  War strategies to the enemies. The cat was let out the bag when  one of them who was found with wads of currency notes spilled the beans when he was drunk. Our Infantryman (Leader) called the two and they confessed , that was how they were asked to dig a trench and were shot dead right in our presence  to teach others a lesson. We were betrayed no wonder why some of us were captured or killed like flies.

Taiwo Abiodun at it again

Last month  I was wounded .As  I  bend down to pick a  Mark II 20 lbs   bomb  and another  German SC250 aerial bomb,  it exploded and cut off my right arm completely. I just found myself among those presumed to have died  and  was evacuated into  the bush. Among the dead, I saw some wounded soldiers  still struggling to stand up  but fell again while  wild animals like wolves   were  eating up human beings who were not dead yet but struggling and twitching – half dead! .

I saw vultures feasting on dead bodies. I was weak and had lost pints of blood . It was  one of the soldiers who came to dump dead bodies that saw me jerking and shouting that took me back to  the Camp  where the surgeon clinically cut off my hand that was dangling for only a tiny flesh that held it. It was already gangrenous and  decomposing !.

We don’t know when the war will be over as they had just supplied us  new ammunition like planes,tanks, tank destroyers,trucks,aircraft among others.

In the war I heard the clanking of guns, and soldiers brazenly using their swords and Bayonets on their enemies. I saw human skeletons  still in military uniform with their helmets on their heads. I saw headless bodies and some  dried human  skulls  these soldiers used  to drink water , in fact some of the soldiers who believe that drinking human blood would add to their physical and spiritual power  drank the blood . I saw some who are Cannibals, eating human flesh . I saw a  man who used one hand  to fight  when the other had been severed but still fighting with the other hand .I saw one legged-soldier   like Long John Silver in the Book, Treasure Island, fighting for his life.   

Happy Father’s Day, I will soon be back home 

BURY ME WITH MY BLING BLING

When my bullet-riddled body is brought home  please dress me very well in my Jeans Jeans. Don’t forget to put my rings on my fingers and my necklace to let them know I am that Bobo T, T Bobo, Babalawo Of the Nation, BoN. Give me the Military salute.  Remember to sing  that emotional and thought -provoking song written by Jeremiah Rankin in 1880

God be with you till we meet again,

By his Counsels guide ,uphold you,

With his sheep securely fold  you,

God be with you till we meet again…..

 

     Crazy guy called Bobo T, T Bobo, Babalawo Of the Nation, BoN 

  

My battle with Prostate Cancer!


My world almost crashed when I  heard the bombshell  “Peter, you have Cancer, please come to the hospital”. This exclusive story of my  experience  is my  Birthday gift that will benefit  you .

THE TELEPHONE CALL

As  we were on bed discussing, joking , laughing and sipping wine Ronnie’s cell phone rang and the caller said she would like to talk to Peter ( Peter is my Baptismal name). Ronnie asked the caller to speak on but the caller insisted ” Please let me talk to Peter your husband”.   “Who is that?” I   asked Ronnie , “it is the  Family Doctor , she wants to talk to you , ” she responded. My heart  beat increased and was pounding heavily. I stopped the joke I was cracking. I squeezed my face like a man who  contracted gonorrhea.  I was sweating in the cold. My legs  suddenly got swollen and were  heavy as  lead while  warm ‘water‘ streamed down my legs. My head became big  as if I had just seen a Genii (Iwin) for   I remembered I had just done my  blood work in laboratory , and  waiting for the result. I gave a heavy sigh,” hnmmmm  it is finished !”

Ronnie gave me the phone. And as I attempted to go out and receive the call  she held me and said ”please receive your call here”. I now  knew I was dawned for , asiri tu!, HIV ? , gonorrhea ?, Syphilis?, Hepatitis? Yellow  Fever? . Different  thoughts flowed in my mind. When last have I been to the hospital to do medical check up? I remembered the kainkáín, ògógóró, sépè skin I used to drink in an empty  stomach. Chei! kidney or liver problem?.

THE BOMBSHELL 

I became nervous and was shaking like a leaf floated on water. Yes ooo ,I was shaking like the  patient  suffering from  Essential tremor (ET) which is a neurological disorder that causes one’s  hands, head, trunk, voice or legs to shake rhythmically. I asked the  female doctor to speak on, and she started  ” This is the result of the tests you did few days ago ( she paused) , HIV 1 … …”,  (she paused) .When I heard HIV 1 I  started sweating like Christmas goat. Several thoughts crossed my mind. I am in trouble ,I soliloquized . Ha! at last I have this dreaded disease?, I soliloquized .

Hundreds of thoughts flowed my mind. I thought of those I would have infected. I thought of how I contracted it and who could have  given  me.  I remembered those I .. … old and young, fat and slim, dark and fair complexioned ones. I  thought of how I  would have access to the anteroviral drugs secretly without telling anybody .Will they… …..me?. So this is what will end me?. Kai , who even infected me? But how will I know? . Well, if that is it then my life don pafuka be that”.

As I was thinking of all these the doctor said ” Negative” and continued

“HIV 2… “,(she paused again) then said ” Negative. Anyway you don’t have any venereal disease”, she said.  Now my mind was  settled.   Let her say anything  , if anything killed me I don’t care , I thought in my mind.

The doctor continued ” But please you need to come to the hospital for your PSA  (Prostate-specific antigen) is too high , it is 129″. ”What is PSA? I don’t know”, I responded. . All these happened in March 2019.

MY JOURNEY TO  THE CANCER WARD

I have Nosocomephobia, or  call it the fear of hospitals  not to talk of  the fear of doctors  which is  latrophobia. The mere sighting  that white  coat called Laboratory coat  instills fear in me not to talk of the stethoscope the doctors and nurses  hang loosely on their neck which makes me humble.

Two days earlier we had gone to the hospital where they took my blood for blood work. All my prayers not to go to the hospital were not answered by God- this still surprised  me till this day. I remember when the appointment was booked three months earlier , I prayed to let the world crash and ended before the D Day. I prayed to let earthquake occur and consume me and people would say it was a natural disaster that snuffed  life out of me  but none of these happened . I prayed to be involved in an accident and just quench there. I prayed to die an honorable death .But nothing happened .At last three months came .We were at the hospital .They took my blood in the laboratory for blood work .

I thought of     the sexual escapades I had  without protection .Haa! Oloun mu uu, Goduu catch am, would be their words especially those who thought the ‘foolish boy’ did not marry them!

We went back to the  hospital and the  family doctor said it’s likely  I have Prostate cancer , ” but I am not saying you have it o”,  the primary family doctor quickly added. We knew she was saying the truth but trying to allay my fear  for it was my countenance she saw that made her changed her words .

MY MEETING WITH  UROLOGIST 

I was referred to an Urologist, then wahala bere. I looked up and felt sad that I put  my  newly wedded wife into a big trouble . Renata her sister  came with me to the hospital to assist me talk to the doctor as I could not pick their words very well because of their accent . Well, I reminded them that they speak through their nose, and I am a Nigerian and with Nigerian accent. The Indian  doctor examined me and said he could not believe the 129 PSA level I had    and  requested for  another blood work .Another was done and it had gone up to  132!, the Indian Urologist said he was surprised and had never seen such in his years of medical practice seeing such high PSA and still walking  on this planet earth. Later he said ”one of my friends in Nigeria said it is common in Sub Sahara region. I  pray  the PSA  comes down after the surgery”, he said.

As for Ronnie , she would leave her job and go with me to the hospital .Each time I pleaded to her that I am sorry for putting her through all these hurdles she would console me to keep calm.

CANCER DETECTED

The third day Ronnie’s phone rang and the Urologist  dropped another bombshell and said my  PSA was now 132, higher than before .Ha!, what a trouble?. I looked up and shouted ”ha, this is  a big problem’.’.  The doctor said , “you possibly have  cancer but we have to do a  Biopsy to confirm ” Biopsy? Oh my God , my mouth was now dried.

Date was fixed for the biopsy . The biopsy was done  and we were expecting the result . I was  in the public library when Ronnie came to me and said ” the doctor wants to talk to you, he  said you have Prostate enlargement and  Cancer”. The Doctor  called again  and said  ” all the 11 tests done were  cancerous. You have prostate enlargement and Cancer!”. After hearing this I submitted to fate . I was asking secretly whether it is good  and cheap to cremate or not. I was going about calling and asking questions NOT about prostate again but death! , all in case of  incasity. Will I die or not?. What pained me most was that I had just married this innocent woman, Ronnie  and was thinking of  how I put her in a big trouble.

Playing music after the surgery , Maaa joooo maa korrin tuntun

OTHER  TESTS BEFORE THE SURGERY

I was told that I  needed to do  some tests  to know whether it had spread to other parts of my body. I  went for different tests , I did MRI, brain, stomach, liver , bone, kidney  and what have you. I went into some  machines like tubes etc to confirm whether it had spread to my organs. Upon all these I was on Facebook   writing my stories in my  taiwoabiodun.com  website  and  also cracking my usual jokes while the world didn’t know what I was going through. Yes, I believe I had to do my best before leaving this world. A wild, weird  and unpredictable world.

Anytime Ronnie’s  phone rang and I got to know it was from the hospital I  become afraid because you don’t know what they are going to say. We received bunch of letters  from the hospital telling me this , telling me that .I did several tests. Apart from calling on phone and sending emails to me they also   sent letters to me  reminding  me  my  appointments with  doctor !.

I now know the value of  family ties. Ha! when last did I speak or see my  brother and cousin? .I remember it was my wife , Ronnie who posted our wedding invitation on social media that made  my distant Cousin Dr. Tayo Ojomo to connect with us . I have not seen them over 33 years! . In fact I didn’t know their whereabout as everyone faced his own life .It was like nobody cares about anybody.  It was recently that I know they are in America for I didn’t know their whereabout not to talk of knowing where they were. But thank God for Ojomo  was able to connect  with us, he gave us  my brother’s phone number , Prof Rowland Abiodun .The two are were shocked that I am in America. Then Ronnie  informed them about my situation; both calmed  me down and said ” ko s’iku l’oju e, you are not going  to  die. You  will live to write the success story”. Kehinde my twin brother  called every hour asking when I was going for the surgery. He explained to me how everything would   go. He like the proverbial  Hausa man selling his product and would ask whether you have had such disease before selling it. Kehinde has become an  expert without being a Medical doctor !.He had his own prostate cancer  surgery   11years  years ago.

I called friends and family members and said goodbye to them all. They  all  consoled and prayed for me.” My days are numbered but don’t worry we shall all pass this road only at  different time “, I told them . I knew how they felt .I could feel it from their voices and sudden silence .But I gave them a parting gift ” please go and check your PSA level “.

Now I began to    read the Holy Bible the more .I thought of my children I would leave  behind. I thought of my friends I would leave behind . I called some of them and advised them to go for their PSA.  I thought of nasty people that misbehaved to me. I thought of how haters would  joyfully receive the ‘good’ news of my death. I thought of what they would write about me. Yes, I know some would say it’s good riddance to bad rubbish, some would say ” alakori ti lo, oloriburuku bastard ti lo, an ingrate is gone .I know he will die soon because he talked  too much” .

Others would  say he was a juju man , don’t mind him, his  bling bling ,rings killed him etc . But the girls would say ”Yes, he disappointed me , he deserved to die a shameful death ….” I thought of  how my native land would receive the news.  Some would sympathize with my family while  some would say negative and positive ….Kai, eniyan ko sunwon  laaye, ojo  a ba ku la ndere.”

One day  my eyes were misty. I went into the room  and shed tears .I then remembered the song of ….this  world is beautiful, so nice , beautiful   this world is beautiful , so nice ,Aiye yi  ma dara pupo, O dara , o, lewa….aiye yi ma dara pupo....then I played Jimmy Cliff’s music of Beautiful World, Beautiful People .. Wonderful World…….Later I started playing Bob Marley’s song of Running Away, and I said I cannot run away from myself. And the battle  to live continued.

GOOD NEWS

”Good news for you Peter, your cancer is located and has not spread. Please prepare and fix a date for the surgery”, the  doctor said after all my MRI results had been sent to him, but remember I had accepted my fate. I had waited for the worst.  Date fixed. Yes, a date was  fixed for the surgery. With all these going on, my stories in my blogs and my Facebook’s contribution were ongoing, nobody knew what I was going through .Later we changed the date again saying we had engagements to do. Big risk, the doctor said, ” please don’t delay it , it is cancer and it could spread”, he counselled. Yet, we didn’t worry or care and I was doing my normal duties at home , having  my normal  ‘night duty’ or faka fiki, eating normally , drinking my beer etc . There was nothing to show that I was undergoing this life-threatening   cancer!. Two months away. Will a miracle happen that will tell me it has disappeared?.  But it was a  dream never come true. I prayed  for the day not to come.

In America they don’t joke with their vacation and anniversary. When  we returned from  Tunica in Mississippi   where we  spent four days  for our one year  wedding anniversary  on the following day we landed in  Washington University Hospital, for my surgery.

On the hospital bed

ON  MY WAY TO THE THEATRE ROOM

You can imagine how I felt when   I sighted the medical instruments they were going to use on me .Yes! I developed    tomophobia ( fear of surgical procedures or medical intervention  instruments) but  suddenly my phone rang  and a prayer message came in  ” God will be with you   as you are going …..”I quickly  claimed it ,it was sent  by my niece , Mrs. Remi Ogundowole.  Now I was on a stretcher waiting to go into the theatre. I saw  some  nurses that  surrounded me. They had  fixed drip on me , and I asked  whether it was the theatre they were now taking me to , they said ‘no’,  they only went to prepare the place for me. I then remembered I had signed a form …..Ronnie was asked to go and sit  in the waiting room.

AFTER THE SURGERY

As I raised up my eyes and  saw Ronnie by my side , I asked ” what are you still doing here?. But you  were asked to go to the waiting room  AND  wait”, she looked at me and   smiled in response  . As I tried to lift up my hand I discovered  that my hands were heavy and  I looked up and sighted the  intravenous poles with   infusion bag  dangling like pendulum . I saw some medical machines that looked like small television monitoring my blood pressure or heart beat . I looked at myself and  saw all the medical  gadgets attached on  me. I saw  plasters on my belly  and now saw the  hospital clothe ,my new uniform   johnny coat I wore. I  saw a tube attached to my John Thomas, heeee so they had operated on me. I looked at the time and it was 20 minutes to eight . I remember we were talking at quarter  to three. So they had spent about four hours on me  in the theatre room! , Oloun o!  Kabiyesi Olodumare ooooooooooo. It was a robotic  computer machine they used  on me.

MY ‘POLE ‘  NOW ‘HUMBLE’

I was discharged the next day and  I went home with the catheter dangling in-between my two balls. I looked at  my ‘third leg’ , kai, it has shrunk like a  two-  year- old baby boy. It  has succumbed to humility . Wàláítàlaì I looked at it and pitied myself. How are the mighty fallen!. A one time powerful straight and long pole did not only bend but collapsed. Chei!  it  cannot raise it’s head like Agama agama lizard again. It  has become calm and was looking down . It refused to look up and frighten the opposite sex again. Poor me!.  Few days later the catheter was removed .I asked the doctor when my John Thomas would stand erect like  pole or  ruler again, he replied smiling  ” Wait, exercise patience, your health first”.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

`

I’ve been sleeping for one hour a day since 2015-Solomon Akinyemi

 

He was in tears and  groaning in pain as he spoke on phone ” I am in pain. I am living in hell. When I visited LASUTH on my appointment date two weeks ago the doctors sent me back home and gave me two months appointment to come back. They accused me of going to the press .Now I need help!”.

I go out  covering this with my cloth  everyday

..….LASUTH DOCTORS HAVE MERCY ON ME

……..LAGOS STATE GOVERNMENT COME TO MY AID

……… I AM DYING , NIGERIAN LAWYERS, NGOS AND DOCTORS COME TO MY AID

 

For  Solomon Akinyemi  life has become difficult for him as he  has been in pain for the past five years after going through     prostatectomy ( prostate surgery). According to the 63 year- old- man and father of two ,he is asked to pay another 1.2million naira for the fourth surgery. He cried ”where will I get this money? These  doctors made mistake in the first surgery and had  corrected  it two times without success .Now I am going for the fourth    surgery in order  to correct it ”.

 

I am dying

MY FIRST SURGERY

My names are Akinyemi Solomon , I live at 4, Julius Oladele Close, Arigbagbowo  Phase 2, ,Mowe -Ibafo, Ogun State. I had prostatectomy surgery   in Gbagada General Hospital ,Lagos on 26 April, 2016. After the surgery faeces and urine were coming out from where I was cut  , and the doctor asked me to be on admission  for good three months  while I  was  paying the medical bills .  I was  later referred to Lagos State University  Teaching Hospital (LASUTH ), Ikeja  , where colostomy was done for  me , they asked me to pay 180k and I struggled to look for money .

 

 I overheard these doctors  accusing one another   for not doing the correction as early as possible . They pushed me around and were dodging me , shifting responsibility  to one another .

SECOND SURGERY

”In June 2017  colostomy surgery was performed on me .I stool through my side ,and catheter was  put on me. I  cannot eat when going out until I come back no matter the time for faeces  would be coming out along with urine. When going out I would wear pampers because urine and faeces could come out at the same time. I wore pampers for two years and when it got to a stage I could not afford to buy it again so if am going out I would not eat but anytime I  get home I would take little tea, and at two o’clock I would eat little till the following day, that is all  .They told me they wanted to correct the surgery”’.

THIRD SURGERY

”In February, 2020  this year again and I was taken to the theatre  and was operated on  but urine was coming out from my anus , it didn’t pass where it should pass. I spent another three weeks in the hospital  and was instructed not to come down from the bed. So I was in the bed for three weeks .I was discharged again but before I got there the  hospital had closed due to COVID 19.  They said they would send a text to me, and promised   they would correct the surgery again ”.

WAITING FOR THE FOURTH SURGERY

Akinyemi said “I had an  appointment  for another surgery on the 26th of October  and I was  asked  bring over one million naira  to do it. .When I got to the hospital  two weeks ago the doctors were avoiding me like plague. They accused me of going to the press to expose them, and in annoyance without mercy gave me another three months of appointment!”

”There was a time   I overheard these doctors  blaming one another   for not doing the correction as early as possible , they pushed me around and were dodging me , shifting responsibilities on  one another .

”The catheter has been in my body   since 2015 when it was passed into my body .The doctor who operated on me in Gbagada was said to have traveled out

PAINS, INSOMNIA AND …

Solomon said he hardly sleep, and had not been comfortable for the past five years. His words “I  can’t sleep ,I only sleep for  one or two hours , the rest hours would be pains , and pains .I would sleep for one or two hours then wake up listening to the radio by force because of the pain. I have vowed not to commit suicide for God will blame me. The sight of my openings are gory for me to see not to talk of others seeing it. My wife is a school teacher ,and her salary  is nothing to write home about as she teaches in a private school”.

 

He displayed the hospital cards .” I have all the hospital cards. I am bringing the cards for they could deny seeing me. When I get there in the morning I would leave by 6:30 pm , it’s not that they are going to give me drug. I have been taught how to treat the wound and  I  am treating it at home ..”.

WIFE

” My name is Adenike Akinyemi  I am the wife of Solomon .We were first advised not to go to government hospital because of some instances like this which were either not reported or underreported  but believing we have experts and experienced doctors we opted for the government hospital aside that we  cannot afford the bills of  private hospital for the surgery as and  for fear of quacks and believing that Government hospital has the equipment and medical experts in the area made us go to Gbagada General Hospital for the prostate surgery. Imagine the fatal error , after the operation he spent three weeks in the hospital where the doctor tried to correct the surgery, and we still paid!. This man does not sleep at night, he cannot do any work not to talk of the excruciating pains he goes through everyday since 2015. I am begging the Lagos State government and the LASUTH  management to come to our aid .We have no money again .We have exhausted our savings. We have sold our landed property in Lagos cheaply n order to use it for his surgery But see what happened now. .Our children are not working .

DAUGHTER  CRIES OUT TOO

Miss  Olayinka Solomon  who is the daughter of the  man said ” it is disheartening to see my father crying everyday like a baby at night . He cannot eat or drink water like any other human being. It is almost five years  he has been on this, his prostate is not cancerous according to the doctor’s report but see what they have done to my father, from surgery to complication .I  am pleading to the LASUTH to call experts in surgery ,good surgeons and correct this error .Yes , I know doctors bury their mistake but this one is not yet buried , so therefore they should correct the mistake .We have no money to pay, the LASUTH should find solution to it .We are not suing  anybody but please we don’t have over one million naira to correct the surgery again” She pleaded to the Lagos State government and Commissioner for Health to wade into this matter. She said ” I am not accusing anybody ,We are not saying they did this or did that but here is a human being groaning in pains everyday. Have a look at the gory pictures when he is not dead .I am jobless and my sister is a Youth Corps Member. Please help us . We are poor and we cannot afford the bill LASUTH asked us to pay again .

Mrs. Duni Akinwale who is a sister to the patient said ” we have borrowed and borrowed money . Does it mean the poor has to suffer  and pay for  the negligence of the doctors?. Is this how he would be abandoned by these doctors who caused damage on him?”. 

Lagos State Government  Hospital Registration  card number 246739              ( Urology Unit)

Lagos State Teaching Hospital , Ikeja Registration  card number: 382463

Please help

 

Solomon Akinyemi Bejamin

GTB 0463114798

Phone number is 07038489154

I spent 64 years in Owo-Obè Àkùko

                 Obè Àkùko

 ……. Why I set my bed and mattress ablaze
 ……….Why they call me an eunuch 
 ……..I have spent over 64years in Owo
…..Story behind Obè Àkùko 

Obè Àkùko’

 Not many people  know his name except his appellation ‘Obè Àkùko’. The Octogenarian speaks  how he came to Owo, his nickname and many others. Taiwo Abiodun reports

EXPERT IN WATCH REPAIRING 
 His name was   household name in  Owo , Ondo State in the ’60s till early 2000 , for he was among the best few  watch repairers in the ancient town.  In his shop located at the  Late Pa Oladoyinbo Ojomo’s house opposite St Patrick’s Anglican Church, Ijebu-Owo, where one could see different types and sizes of ancient  wall clocks, table clocks and wrist watches for repair where the high and the low come to repair their watches.
He is a man of average height, rich in Òwò proverbs and poetry . Not only this ,the  octogenarian could speak Òwò dialect fluently despite the fact that he is  not  a native. Popular and loved by the old and the young because he is jovial and had never been angry. 
  He was so popular that if he contested for the  post of a Counselor he could win. When hailed ”Obè Àkùko’!, Obè Akuko!! Obè Akuko !!!” his response would be”You will partake from it”. “You will be great” .You will not faint”, “Your wife will not run away”, ”you will not fall down like coconut”  etc .

But then  if you try to abuse his simplicity , degrade him and  shout ”Obe opolo”[toad’s soup], then he would reply you thus  ” You will keep it for your father. That is your father’s delicacy ”.
He always  wear six or seven wrist watches and that was the way he advertised his business.Mind you all these watches had different time , some were not  even working . Ask him to give you one  of the wrist watches  he would promise to give but  you will never be given. That is the ever jovial and smiling man who harbors no-ill feelings against anybody,  Obè Àkùko   

 

 
 MY NAME
The 80 -year -old man said “My names are : Alfred Wadai popularly known as Obè Àkùko. I am from Ohodua in Ishan ,  South – East Local government . I was born in 1939 but I don’t know the day for my parents were illiterate and did not know the date either .

I CAME TO OWO IN 1955

” I learnt the watch repairing skill from an Ibo man when I was young and  after my freedom in 1955 I came to Òwò. I did the work for over 50 years before I pensioned myself .Today things have changed as nobody repairs watches again. I am married to one wife. I have one head and as God created Adam for one wife so I am “, he said as everybody in the vicinity burst into laughter.

             

 ” I came to Òwò in 1955 after my training as a watch repairer under an Ibo man in the then Mid -Western state, and started my job as a watch repairer”.

     STORY BEHIND  Obè ÀkùKo
On how he earned his nickname , the 80 -year -old man gave a roar laughter and started his story: “One day, I think it was in 1965 I went to the late Òwò billionaire , Chief Jide Fagboyegun’s poultry farm to buy a live chicken and people who saw me on my way back home were shouting on top of their voices” Obè Àkùko!, Obè Àkùko!! Obè Àkùko !!!” , in a mockery way. They  were curious and   asked  what I wanted to use it for, because I was not rich and buying live chicken then was exclusively for the rich .
I replied them ” Wa  jobe, Aye a ye, Waa dagba etc” .Since then I have been called Obè Àkùko and only  few people know

my real name”.

 
  IN LOVE WITH DATES

Obè Àkùko was fond of writing the dates he rented an apartment on the back of the door of his room , he said ” Any house I packed into I always write the date at the back of the door. I was once living in Baba Bayode’s house ( Baba Sola) at No 12, Èhìn-Ogbė before I relocated to Ìjèbú- Òwò because business activities in Èhìn -Ogbè was dull for they soon go to bed between 6:30- 7pm ”, he continued ”but for people living in Ìjèbú it was jolly , jolly and I said I must come to Ìjêbú that was how I went to live in the late Pa Oladoyinbo’s house ( the father of the present Kabiyesi Ojomo Oluda ) at Ìjèbú where commercial activities were at the best and they sleep late as workers would come for their watches. I was not driven away or ejected from their house or any house in Òwò throughout my period of my tenancy”, he said with confidence .
WHY THEY CALL ME EUNUCH
For Obè Àkùko who was serious and dedicated to his job , because he ignored women , he was blackmailed and called eunuch , he said ” in those days ladies called me eunuch because I did not chase them or go after them or press their    ‘organ’ “.
     HIS RESPONSES WHEN PRAISED

   Whenever he is praised or hailed as ‘ Obè Àkùko , ‘ he will respond by saying ” wa a jobe”,( you will eat sumptuous soup), ”we nii jabo”( you will not fall), ”Òrò re ti dayò ”( your case has turned to joy ) , ”Waaaaye”( You will survive) etc.But when you shout Obe opolo (toad’s soup) be ready to hear his  response like ”Your father will partake in it”.

 WHY I BURNT MY MATTRESS AND BED

     According to Obè Àkùko, he is no longer a tenant in Owo where he spent all his life . He with all gratitude to God and full of humility said ” one of my children built a house for me in GRA, and when I was packing in I burnt my mattress and bed , and moved in with a new set”.
            As he said this he gave thanks to God. He stood up , looked at everyone as he was hailed by this reporter , and he responded in Òwò dialect” Wàá dàgbà, Wàá jobè, wéé níí wè sú Òràn, Wàá gbóóó” etc.( You will grow old, You will eat sumptuous soup, you will not be in trouble,  You will grow old). 
           As the old man was  walking back to his residence, those who met him along the way and those who were in their houses and heard his voice continued hailing him saying , ”Ooobe Akuko! Oooobe Akuko!!”, the old man too was responding  ” Waa jeun pe, aya re ni salo, waaa dagba, weee ni we sun oran”, [ meaning You will live long, you will grow old,your wife will not run away, you will not be in trouble ). 
But when a rascal boy  cried ” Oobe opolo,Oobe Opolo‘ (toad soup!, toad soup!!) he too responded ” waa gbede B’are, waa jeee”[ When he was greeted toad soup, he replied ” You will keep it  for your father, you will eat it ). What a wonderful and a witty  man loved by everybody.



My fiancée ran away because of my condition- Ojo Ganiyu

Y

 Husaina ‘s sister  crying out

J

……Had accident in 2013

……In coma for three days 

…… My Fiancée  deserted me

……Now 40 years ,no wife,no child

……Needs medical help

…..Don’t let me be useless in life, he pleads

For  this 40 -year-old man , Ojo Ganiyu Ade life has been miserable for him. According to him, he has been in agony for the past seven years .He  has been eating from hand to mouth since the year 2013. Reason : While in Lagos he was involved in an auto crash in 2013  on his way to work , he was still receiving treatment  but could not complete it  and unable to  also  fend for himself due to the auto crash that had incapacitated him.

Ojo  narrated his harrowing experience to this reporter  ” On that fateful day I was in a public transport in Lagos going to work when I suddenly heard a loud bang and that was all I could remember .  I later found myself on the hospital bed at Igbobi Orthopedic Hospital . I  saw my shattered bones, my two legs had broken and twisted. I was told that I was in coma for three days before I came back to live”.    According Ojo , he is  from Owo, ”I live at no 13, Ododasa st, Owo, Opposite Mobile Station’

”At  Igbobi Hospital I  spent one year and four months after I had undergone  two major  operations  on my leg. When I could not continue to  pay the hospital bill  the doctor advised  that I should  turn to an outpatient  and be coming from home as the feeding and admission  bill   issue would be deducted from my hospital bills .

FIANCEE RAN AWAY AS LANDLORD EJECTED ME

He continued his pathetic story ”I began to go to the hospital from home , but I had barely spent one  month at home when my landlord ejected me from my one room apartment . Not only this my fiancee ( names withheld) deserted me .She came to the hospital to see me twice and that was the last time I saw her for   I did not see her again .I therefore  accepted my fate . Today I have no wife and no child at the age of 40”. When my landlord evicted me I went to church where I stayed for some months before I came back to my home town, Owo”

AT THE FMC, Owo

”When I got to Owo , I went to the Federal Medical Centre , Owo to continue my treatment. Last year the  doctors  in charge of my case said they  would  do skin graft  for me   and was told that the medical expenses  would cost    220k  but when there was  no money  so I started   going to Pharmacy  store  to purchase what I needed for the dressing and was doing it on my own .that was how an stopped  going  to the hospital .Recently when I was having excruciating pains  and went to the FMC  again last week , on the 8th of May the hospital bill  has gone up to 505k according to the doctor. The doctor said  I would need  skin graft  and another operation on the legs”.

NAME:  OJO GANIYU ADE  

PHONE NO :09028365641

BANK : ACCESS BANK

ACCOUNT NO: 0030983342

 

HOUSE ADDRESS: 13, Ododasa , opposite  Total Filling Station

 

Help , I am dying  – Isah Husainah 

Help , my sister is dying

…..She is  dying

…….Her Fiancé ran away

…….We are  orphans

 

For this woman , no other words comes out from her mouth than ” Help !, I am having pains, pains and pains”. For   Hussainah in the morning it is pains , in the afternoon it is pains and at night the pains would not let her sleep according to her Cousin. “She  groans in pain everyday , she cannot eat properly or drink water with ease as a result of the pain” . .Accoding to information gathered from her sister, Husainah has been like this for the past three years.

The Community head of Unaun , Owo , Prince Olanrewaju Abegunde said he is sympathetic with the woman condition  but does not have enough money to assist her, he  said ” Hussainah’s sister has been crying begging for financial help in order to take her sister to the hospital” . Prince Abegunde continued ,” though the woman has no energy to talk  as she groans in pains , she said her  illness started three years ago when she discovered a lump on her breast and  went to a private hospital ( names withheld ) to operate it in Lagos but immediately after the operation she started feeling pains again from same breast.No one knows whether it is Cancer or not. She showed all various of laboratory  tests she has done and she is still having pains”.

 

” We have no  money to take her to the hospital , and we have appealed to  many people but no help””, said her sister .

Prince Abegunde said ” I am begging the good-spirited Nigerians to come to her aid before she dies.She lives in OWO , Ondo state .She is undergoing pains, she needs help”.

According to her Sister, Hussainah  is 30 years , she has no husband , ” You see, since over three years she has been suffering like this no man even looked at her, she is just 30 years of age .Please help her before it is too late, she has no parents and we are  poor”

To reach the woman

Mrs  Isah Hussainah

Gtb 0162417802

If you want to take her to the hospital contact Olunaun of Unaun Prince Olanrewaju Abegunde  +2348035827770

How God saved me from Coronavirus-Muibat Oshodi Ogunsakin

 

( In Owo dialect) Eghen Oma Ogho e ba mi sope ghon’Oloron ooo o

……How Coronavirus dealt with me

……..How God  brought me back to life

……. I celebrated my birthday

…My plan to establish jewel factory in Nigeria

 

Yesterday was Mrs. Muibat Oshodi Ogunsakin’s birthday as she added another year to her age.  While her children woke up and sang  a  birthday  song for her  but she did not cut cake and did not receive visitors instead   she  was on phone  thanking everybody and God   for their  support and  prayers for witnessing another birthday in her lifetime. Mrs.  Ogunsakin narrates her near- death experience to Taiwo Abiodun

HOW CORONAVIRUS ALMOST DASHED MY HOPE

The  Nigerian businesswoman who  has spent 30years in America   said   she will live to remember how her hope of going back to her country, Nigeria  was aborted when  her preparation had reached 90 per cent  to go back home . She said  ”after spending 30years in America , I planned to go back home and established a jewelry factory. I  had already shipped most of my  things  to Nigeria when tragedy struck. I became sick  as I contracted Coronavirus  and could not go again.”

WHERE I CAUGHT THE INFECTION

The business woman who has shops at Maryland, America continued her story ”I have two shops where I sell wigs and jewelries .I am a mother of three  and was planning to relocate back home to Nigeria  when I contracted this deadly virus. Infact I was already  shipping my things to Nigeria before I fell ill. It was like a joke  until the reality dawned on me .

”Well, I have a two day business store in market place  which are Saturday and Sunday and  always very busy in there so I didn’t know exactly when  I contracted the disease  but I started having running nose  in one of the Saturdays in there, so  I thought it was just  the normal headache and fever.Normally  I don’t like taking medicine . But when it started getting worse then I started taking it from talinum   then followed by headache . shortly  after that my children wanted to take me to the hospital.

”I  had the dreaded disease  and I believe that I got infected from my shop where I sell wigs and jewelries . I believe I  caught the virus actually at the early stage  because I was falling sick and of course nothing like coronavirus was on my mind .I was having fever  and in the middle of the night I would be sweating even  if I  take off my dress. I would be sweating even if you squeeze it you  will see a lot of water.  Little by little and slowly I was losing my strength  and with so much high fever  all the time and loss of appetite, but  I  was thinking that may be  it was just a little  cold  or something that  I would just sleep it  over, may be if I sleep or if I  do something differently it will be over but it kept growing. Then I couldn’t walk , if I had to walk I would  hold on to something , then if I  was going upstairs it would  take a long time ,so it was getting worse . I did not want to scare my children but being who I am I thought that   everything  was okay , I just slept over it, thinking everything would  be alright ,that was all  about it .Then it started to get into me deeper and deeper  that  occasionally  I would  have this high fever , very , very high; then  all of a sudden   it will become cold , very cold ; very ,very cold. I don’t know what kind of cold  for I have not experienced  such  in life.Day  by day  it was getting worse and worse,then the loss of appetite  and  I couldn’t smell anything . I couldn’t eat and in the middle of the night, it became nightmare . My children offered  to take me  to  see the doctor but I said it was nothing and that  I would  get over it anyway.  One night  when  I slept I was very weak, I didn’t complain , all of a sudden the heat came upon  me, it was like a big blow into my head ,  my body ..like my blood was very hot it was  too was as if I had gone , gone  out of this world.I  was totally gone. I was watching myself on the ground , I couldn’t get up from the floor,luckily I saw one pastor  I will not mention his name , he was  standing beside me while   I was looking at my body  on the ground and the pastor at the same time looking at me trying to get into my body , he touched me , got inside my body and I came back to life !.It was in the middle of the night”.

I WAS IN ISOLATION  AT HOME FOR THREE WEEKS

AT THE HOSPITAL

”When I woke up my children came to see me in the morning and  were giving me all medicines in this world .I was thinking i  would be okay .My body temperature would be so hot then my kids offered to take me to the  hospital ,the doctor  said there was nothing they could do since the emergency was full. They  said it was coronavirus,  they gave me same regular talinum …no medicine , no vaccination for it so the doctor sent me back home, its like sending a sick man back home to go and die .So  my children gave me green tea and ginger a lot ,I  take lemon in the morning before I eat, I eat  ginger  from morning till night. I couldn’t eat , there was loss of appetite,that was all , then I started to eat little by little , the coronavirus doesn’t go away but it is not like before.It will attack you and will not go away, I don’t know how to explain it . Since then  I take ginger and tea, I  take lemon , so that is it .I  thank God almighty so ginger perform so many wonders.

THE STAGES AND CHANCE OF SURVIVAL

”There are stages to it , I am not a medical doctor, some can have it mild, some in a way  that will take away  their  lives. Some have good immune system ,some have weak immune system, some with high sugar, high blood pressure , some suffer for a while  because  I  know some damages it has done on me.I bounced back ,after that I still  managed to do some exercise  with machine .

”Now I  am trying to stay away from the  crowd. I  quarantined  myself for about three weeks . I kept away from  my children so as not to infect  them.I pray for you not to be infected , it was a nasty experience.

 

IF NOT GOD….

THOSE WITH  LOW IMMUNITY AT RISK 

”Yes, the sick ones could be easily  infected because of their low immunity I believe  so , because I  have problems its  like borderline.  I have diabetes, high blood pressure ,I  am trying not to take medicine, because once you  start , you  will not stop taking it . I believe I am going back to my country and don’t want to go through their medical system.

”Well, when there is no medicine  I know of now , I don’t know if people say chloroquine is to be taken  .We need to take herbs  which saved my life,  we should take lime, garlic and ginger , that is it” .

I EXERCISE AT HOME

According to  Mrs.  Ogunsakin  she is at home doing exercise, walking  and going to physiotherapist for exercise , ”I am  still taking  herbs  and I am doing exercise which  is the best and also part  of medicine. I go to the treadmill . I am getting much better everyday”

She sent her words to many  at home  ”obey the rules of hygiene, take your herbs, take hot and good food , take or eat a lot of ginger, lemon and garlic which are very medicinal and cover your nose with masks above all observe the six feet social distance.”

MY BIRTHDAY

VOTE OF THANKS

Ogunsakin who said she is going to establish a Charity Home in Nigeria said ”I thank  Owo indigenes , my friends, my well wishers and the Almighty God for saving my life. Yesterday was my birthday.I am getting better everyday and when the airports start working I will go back to Nigeria to start my jewelry business”.

 

Ara pípé ni mo fi kúrò l’America,mo padà pèlú àbò ara

 

       

  Háà ! e wo èjè lára Obájolú

   ….…Dérébà  okò  nā pápá b’ora

  ……. Olówò of Òwò,Olíyèré of Ìyèré, Atúlúse Rótìmí Ìbídàpò s’ājò

    …….. Wón rān mi n’íbi méédógún (15stiches)

   ……..Ìyàwó mi bú s’ékún gbaragada

……..Nwón rán etí, ìpempé ojú ati èrèké mi

Obájolú fi èdè abínibí rè (Òwò)  bá akòròhìn wa Táíwò Abíódún sòrò

 NÍTORÍ ÌKÚNLÈ ABIYAMO Õ

Èjè ńya l’órí , l’ójú, l’étí àti l’érèkē!. Nítorí ìkúnlè abiyamo ò ò! . E wo bí aso funfun báláú ti di pupa l’ówó èjè. Ó dàbí ìgbà tí àwon alápatà bá ńgé  eran mààlúù  ní àtéńdà. Okò ayókélé ti di okò Owódé Onírin  níbi tí wón ti  ńta okò tí wón ti ńgé wélé wélé bíi télò (tailor) se ńgé aso .E wo bí  iwájú ati èhìn okò ti di búrédì  tí a fi owó  tè.

”Yépàrìpà kí ló n’selè? . Kí l’ódé? .Tani mo sè ?.  Sé  èèwò ni kí a tún wá be ilé wò? . Kí ló burú  l’áti wá bá won se ayeye ní ìlú tí a ti bí mi? . Sé isé  owó  àwon òtá ni tàbí àwon  ayé?. Lõtó ayé kò f’éni f’órò  à fi orí eni”, ni igbe tí arákùnrin  Sámúélì Olúwáfémi Obájolú ńké tan tan ti ānú rè sì ńse ènìyàn.

                                              Ó mà se ò! E wo isé owó Dérébà

      OJÓ BURÚKÚ ÈSÙ GBOMI MU

Ojó burúkú èsù gb’omi mu ni ojó tí arákùnrin   Sámúélì Olúwáfémi Obájolú ti ó ti lo ogbòn odún ni Maryland , America  ti o sì tún jé igbá kejì Asojú Omo ìlú Òwò ni gbogbo ilè Amerika,World Council of  Òwò Association (WOCOA) fi ara pa nínú ìjàmbá okò ayókélé rè níbi ti ó páàkì rè  si tí ó sì ńdúró de òré rè.

Ìsèlè burúkú yìì selè ní  ìlú  Òwò, ni ìpínlè  Oñdó  ti a  fi orí okùnrin yii   s’olè sí . Okùnrin arewà yii ńbò láti ibi tí o ti lo bá won se ayeye  ojó àìsùn èye  ìkéhìn fun ìyàwó bàbá rè tí ó papò dà  l’ójó bi mélo kan séhìn.

 Níbi ti arákùnrin Obájolú yìí páàkì  okò  rè si ti o  jókòó sínú  rè  tí o  ńdúró de òré rè ki wón jo padà sí ilé ni okò ayókélé kan ti ńsáré  ikú  bò ti  k’olu okò arákùnrin yìí lójijì láti èhìn. Nse ni Obájolú fi orí so díńgí iwájú  tí díńgí èhìn okò náà tún fo lùú, báyìí ni èjè se we arákùnrin Obájolú yìí  bí eni tí o sèsè fi omi wè ni balùwè ni. Èrèké, ori, etí àti ìpémpé ojú re fà ya, èjè sì  bòõ títí tí aso àlà funfun ti o wò di pupa nitori àgbàrá èjè ti o ñsàn l’órí rè yìí.

 Yéè  gbèsè ńlá rě

ÌKÀ  AWAKÒ   SÁ LO

Omo aráíyé mà ní ìkà  oo, ìkà sì ni omo aráíyé. Kàkà kí arákùnrin awakò   òdaràn  yíí  dúró wo àláfíà okùnrin tí ó k’olù  yìí  ñse ni o fi okò  ayókélé rè sílè  ti o júbà ehoro .Ó  fi esè fée.  Ìgbé ã fé ewé. Ìsèlè yìí selè ni agogo méwàá k’ojá ìséjú méédógún alé  ojó Boxing Day., Osù Òpe, Odún Kérésìmesì ti àwon elésìn Krìsténì l’ódún tó k’ojá.

Sùgbón Obájolú hùwà akoni , pèlú  ìróra àti èmí ti o kù  nínú  rè ni o fi fóònù àgbélówó  pe àwon dókítà Federal Medical Center (FMC) ,ó gbìyànjú nínú àgbàrá èjè tí ñsàn l’órí  rè  l’áti pe àwon Dókítà tí ó ti mò ni ilé ìwòsàn yíí ki wón jòwó gba òun  bi bàbá ti ńgba omo rè.

      E wo ilà òsángangan  l’érèké Obájolú  ,èjè ñtú yā l’étí

Nígbàtí Akòròhìn wa fi òrò jomitoro òrò l’énu Okùnrin ti ìjàmbá mótò se  yìí  nā ni Ilè Améríkà, e gbó  àlàyé tí ó se. 

ENU ONÍKÀN LA TI ŃGBÓ PÒÓÚN

Tóò,  ńwón ni enu oníkàn lati ńgbó pòóún, e jé ká  gbó  òrò lati enu Obájolú :   ”Lati Ìlú  Òyìnbó ,Améríkà ni mo ti dé, èmi ni igbá Kejì  (Vice President ) World Council of Òwò Association (WOCOA) Atúlúse asojú gbogbo omo  Òwò ti o wa ni ilè aláwò  funfun, America ni gbogbo àgbáláiyé  . Mo  wá si ìlú mi, Òwò fun ìdí pàtàkì méta , èkíní  láti wáá  bá  Oba Aláíyélúwà Gbádégesin Ajíbádé Ogúnoyè Ìkéta wa se ayeye òpá àse ti Gómìnà ìpínlè Ondó Arákùnrin  Rótìmí Akérédolú fĕ fúnn pe o ti di Oba Aláse  ni Ojó Kerìnlá  Ojó Àbáméta ti a ńpè ni Sátidé ni Osu Òpe. Ìdí èkéjì ni ti ìyãlé  ìyá mi ti a ńse ayeye  òkú re ni Ojó kerìndínlógbòn ati ojó ketàdínlógbòn Ojó Etì ati Àbáméta , ìkéta ni ti òré  mi Oloye Fúnsó Ògúnlànà  ti o  ńse ayeye márùndílógbòn odún ti a npe ni Silver Jubilee  ti òun ati ìyàwó rè ti se ìgbéyàwó ati ojó ìbí ìyàwó rè ti o pe àádóta odún .Ó  se ni l’áánú wípé  emi kò lè lo si ibi ayeye méji yi mó àfi ti ayeye ibi ti a ti fún Oba wa Olówò  ti ìlú Òwò  ni òpá àse nìkan ni mo lo. Se rírò ni tènìyàn, síse ni t’Olórun Oba!. 

     

Ààre Atúlúse Rótìmí Ìbídàpò ati Obájólú ki ìsèlè ìjàmbá okò nā  tó selè

”Nípa ti ìpalára ti mo ní, l’ójijì ni mo gbó gbã ti okò ayókéle  kan k’olu okò ayókélé ti emi wà ninu rè láti èhìn nígbatí mo ñbo lati ibi aìsùn ayeye ìkéhìn ìyàwó bàbá mi ti èmi ati òré mi  Akin Oládiméjì ti o ñwà mi kiri.

Obájolú ati Aláíyélúwà Olówò ti ìlú Òwò  ki  ìsèlè ìjàmbá okò tó s’elè

  ALÁÁNÚ ARÁ SAMÁRÍÀ SEMÍ LÕRE

     Pèlú bí wón ti ni ènìyàn búburú pò tó, ñjé é mò pe ènìyàn rere háà tún wà bí?. Níbi tí Obájolú ti npe òré  rè dókítà ni arákùnrin kan ti ñje Ògúnmóláwa télè (now Olúwámóláwá) sáré tete  wā ba Obájolú lati gbee lo si ilé ìwòsàn,  béèni  ñwón  ñpèé l’ótún àti  l’ósì ti won  nse aájò rè, o wa dàbí Àre ñwè l’ódò t’omodé t’àgbà  ñyowó ose nwípé t’èmi ni o gbà,t’èmi ni o mú. Láì fa órò gùn lo wón gbé mi d’élé ìwòsàn , níbè ni mo rí  awon ògbóñtarìgì Dókítà méta ti won ńdu èmi mi. Hã Obájolú ko gbódò ku ni igbe ti won ñké lénu.

Yěpàrìpà okò ti di  ti Owódé Onírin

    RERE LÓ PÉ

        “Njé e mò pé òkúta ti a ba jù síwájú a ó ò  tún bãa, rere ló pé ìkà kò  pé. Ni òpòlópò ìgbà ni èmi àti àwon èèyàn mi ni ilè America ńkó oògùn, ohun èlò lórísirísi wá si ile ìwòsàn yî nítorí awon ènìyàn wa tí won kò ni ànfàní lati wa gba iwòsàn ni ìlú  America. Ni osù Kérin,( Osu Igbe )  odún tó  k’ojá ni gbogbo àwa ti a wà ni ìlú America parapò ti a kó àwon aláwòfunfun dókítà onísé abe, Nôsi ati  ohun èlòo ati òpòlópò egbòogi wá si ile ìwòsàn yi. Mo rántí Dókítà Oláyíwolá Olágbègí ati  Ogbéni Pharmacist Ògúnmóláwá ni ilu St. Louis ,Missourri , ati àwon béèbéè ti wón  wá pèlú. Gbogbo àwon dókítà wonyi : Liasu Ahmed, Fasiroti, Oyemolade Ibrahim Taoheed ni wón t’éwó gbàá nígbà  nāa, wón dá mi mò dáradára .Nwón gbé mi lo si tíátà ,iyàrá ti wón ti ńse isé abe  (theatre) wón si rán etí , ìpémpé ojú  ati èrèké mi, èyí so mi di òkolà l’érèké l’ósángagan. ”

  Pèlú ìbànújé okàn  ni  okùnrin náà tèsíwájú ninu òrò rè, o  ni “Nwon kò gba owó l’ówó mi rárá, òfé ni won t’ójú mi ní ilé ìwòsàn FMC .Mo si lo ojó mérin gbáko ni ilé ìwosàn  yii. Sùgbón sá o l’ójó kejì  ìselè yi ,nse ni  nwon  tún fi okò pàjáwìrì (Ambulance)  asáré tete  bi àsá ti won fi ñgbe alaìsàn gbé mi lo si Àkúré lati se MRI , awòrán  orùn mi ati gbogbo èyà ara mi fún àyèwò fínnífínní bóyá a kìí mò ohun ti o ti s’elè s’inú àgó ara mi. Mo san  egbèrún l’ónà ogóta náírà(60,000 naira).

      .

Ewà rèé, sùgbón ìyàwó mbe n’ílé o èyin abéléja yán

Mo kúrò n’ílé iwòsàn l’ójó  kerin , sùgbón nígbà tí mo wà níbè  Oba wa Aláyélúwà Oba Gbádégesin Ajíbádé Ògúnoyè III, Oba Omótúndé Adáko (Olíyèré of Ìyèré), Olóyè Atúlúse ti ilu Òwò, Rótìmí Ìbídàpò ati awon òré  ati ará ilé oun ojúlùmò wa bè  mí  wò. Awon ti kò le wa  fi ipè ráñsé.

   ÈRÒ MI L’ÁTI TÚ ILÉ ÌWÒSÀN SE SÍI

”Nígbàtí mo wà  n’ílé  ìwòsàn mo rii pe o ku díè kã to n’ípa ohun èlò irinsé ilé ìwòsàn yìí mo si pinú pé  ńgô gbìyànjú lati ra orísirísi ohun èlò si ibè . Emi ni o se l’oni tani a mò ti o  máa kàn lóla?.Ňjé mo tilè là  àlá pé èmi nã yio je àñfàní gbogbo ohun èlò ti a kó s’ílé ìwòsàn  yìí  ní kíákíá?. E è wo isé Olórun Oba bí? .Oba àwámáridi .

   Háà,  ìkà ní  Dereba yii

EMI RÈÉ L’ÓWÓ OKO ÀÁRÒ

”Èmi rèé o l’ówó oko àárò. Mo fi ara pípé wá sí  ilé mo  sì  gun kèké aláàbò  ara  padà  si ìlú Òyìnbó , èé ti jé? . Nígbàtí mo dé pápá  ìdíkò òfurufú ti Múrítàlá  Mohamed ni ìlú Èkó ni wón fún mi ni Kèké aláàbò ara (wheelchair) lati fi se àtègùn sínū bààlúù . Nígbàtí mo tún dé ìlú America kèké kanã ni mo tun lò ni pápá ìdíkò   òfurufú won. Gbogbo won lo ñkí mi kãbò, mo kú orí ire.

“Nígbàtí  ìyàwó mi gbó, igbe ńlá lo bú si, ó si bú s’ékún gbaragada bī bèbí béèni o si ńgbàdúrà fún mi kíkan kíkan pèlú òpòlópò  ãwè. Àwon omo mi kò tètè mo ohun tó s’elè sí mi.

IYÁN OGÚN ODÚN

”O jé ohun ìbànúje àti ìyàlénu fún mi l’ati ríi pé omokùnrin dérébà ti o w’akò ijàmbá yii  fi pápá bora. Emi kò gbúró rè  títí mo fi padà si ìlú  America .Háà! o ti gbàgbé wípé iyán ogún odún a  máa  ńjó ni l’ówó join join. Omodé bú igi ìrókò o nbu ojú w’èhìn, sé  òòjó  ló  ń’wó pani ni?. Bi mo se ń’sòrò yii okò ayókélé mi náà wà ni àgó olópá. Mo gbó pé àwon ará ilé okùnrin ti o fi okò k’olù mi yii ńwá bèbè l’ódò àwon  ènìyàn mi pe omo àwon kò ńmu otí àti pé Ààfáà Mùsùlùmí gidi ni .

”Sùgbón kíni ká ti pe irú èyí?. Efun ni  tàbí  èdì?. Kí awakò máa sáré máìlì ogórin si ogórún ni ìgboro ìlú? .Ìkà ènìyàn rèé o, t’àbí kíni kí nso?” .

 

 

 

Behold the mysterious twins

The 90 –year -old twins with one of their children, Alhaja

….Married same day& became widows same time

….. Remarried same time, became widows again

…..Sleep same time on same bed

…..Robbed same time

……Go to the toilet  same time

When this reporter called them on phone they were at first apprehensive especially during this time of gbomogbomo ( kidnappers) as they  felt  reluctant to answer until the children were convinced that a relation of them gave  him (reporter) the hint about the mysterious twins living with their children in Owode, Ogun State  near border.

Welcome to the world of mysterious twins whose lifestyles still baffle everybody .

THE OWODE TWINS 

They are identical in everything except their height .They go to toilet same time, get sick same time , eat from same plate , wear same dress from under wears to  head gears.

Welcome to the world of strange twins : Mariano ( Taiwo) and Hassanatu ( Kehinde). They are identical twins,their children  confessed that they hardly know who  is Taiye and who is Kehinde,  even their friends of  several  years cannot differentiate them.

When this reporter approached them for the interview it was really amusing as they  wore same clothes and  behaved alike !

 

OUR BACKGROUND

Asked about their background , the  twins ,  Taiwo and Kehinde chorused ” we didn’t go to school and have not formal education  but were into trading since our youth.We  have been doing things together since our youth. We  wear same clothes from our undies to our head gears , we have same friends and had been  doing everything together .”

MARRIAGE

”What about marriage?”,  this reporter  asked again. Surprisingly the two have everything similar , they both said ”We married same day, and our parents did Nikai for us same day and we went to our husbands’ houses same day!”

According to the twins when their husbands died they remarried , “we didn’t want to remarry but our mother objected to it. When we remarried again our husbands  died same time. And after their deaths we didn’t want to remarry but our mother didn’t like such idea and we had to obey her .We remarried again but they died , and here we are again” .

SAME BODY CHEMISTRY

Asked whether they had same body chemistry , and doing their monthly period when young, the  twins laughed and with total confidence said ” when we were young we were doing  our mensuration same day , or either one would start a day earlier before the other and mark you up till now we wear same colour of undies”, the two chorused again.

THEY ARE STRANGE (CHILDREN TESTIFIED)

Their children testified to their strange lives , according to Alhaja Musiliat Kilani who is one of the children of the twins, ”whenever you want to give them gift , the gift must be same too, but if they are not  don’t bother to give them for they will not receive or collect them from you. When one is sick in the morning the second will fall ill in the evening”,  She gave  examples ” when Taiwo was sick in the morning and was taken to Oluwalogbon Health Centre, Ishaga -Iju, her twin sister, Kehinde  fell ill  same evening and was taken there too.The two were discharged on the following day . It is true they eat from same plate, drink from same cup, eat from same meat , that is they will cut the meat with their teeth and the second will eat the remaining half no matter the number of meat in the plate , they will cut it with their teeth” the Alhaja said .

”What would happen if they don’t do anything together?”, this reporter curiously asked but  Senior Evangelist Saliu Sanni who also refused to tell who between the two  is his biological mother said ”You don’t need to bring non identical things for them for  they will not receive them. They did everything together” . Asked to tell which one is his mother but he replied   ” the two are my mothers, I can’t describe them , they are over 100 years of age .They sleep together. They share same bed, and they don’t want anybody to separate them even their children .There is no politics in the family”.

MECCA  EPISODE in 1982

Evangelist Sanni  went down memory lane to analyze an episode that happened 37 years ago during the twins’ pilgrimage to Mecca , he said ”when they were going for Hajj in Mecca, they caused a stir at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Ikeja  when their names were alphabetically called and Kehinde was called to go into the aircraft first and with the alphabet order there was no way they could sit together but they  refused  and objected to the arrangement method.  Kehinde said she  must sit by her twin sister, Taiwo; after much hassles the Hajj planner/airline   bowed to their wishes. Again at the Addis Ababa Airport in Ethiopia they refused to sleep in different rooms they gave them in hotel where they were lodged as   they insisted in sleeping in the same room and on same bed. That is how they live”.

LEGACY

The twins , when asked what should be their prayer to be , they again chorused ”We pray our children should follow our footsteps , we have no secret and we love ourselves .We have seen our four generational children and we thank Allah”.

HOW WE WERE ROBBED

What baffled many is the way some miscreants pounced on them in the middle of the night and robbed them of their money. The twins are not happy as they claimed some robbers came to their rooms at night to rob them, Taiwo said ”it was around 3 am as we both went out to ease ourselves when we sighted two young  men who entered  our room and asked us to keep quiet .The robbers  demanded for the money in our possession, we begged them to spare our lives as we were old.They carted away  the mosque’s collection   in our possession , they also went away with huge amount of  money kept with us  .The painful one was  the daily contribution (Owo ajo) they kept with us ”.

NO , WE WERE NOT RAPED

”But we hope the rough necks did not attempt anything funny like trying to rape you mama?” this reporter asked but the  twins  burst into laughter   and said ” no,  but we were chanting  ”Laila ilalau, Laila ilalau, Laila ilalau, lai la ilalau while they instructed us to keep quiet”.

 

I don’t smoke ganja-Folashade Lagundoye-Owomoyela

 

I was asked to leave Orlando but  I said  ”No”

 

E jise mi fun Folashade mi ,

A o maaa r’ira peee l’ayo ooo….

Bo ba b’iyin pe  bo ni mo wa o ,

E ma so fun  pe mo wa l’ewon o …..

E ma so pe mo wa  l’Alagbon…..

A mo b’ori bayo mi lowo narcotics..

A o maa rira p’elayo o

Amo sa bi mo ba s’ewon ko t’oju ile fun mi….

Bo ba ri pe mo pe  ko f’elomiran ,

A o maa rira p’elayo oooo

Shaaaaaaade mi oo, Omo Lagundoye

B’ori ba yo mi l’owo narcotics

A o ma rira pe l’ayo oooo…

From MESSAGE album 

 

                To many, Folashade  is synonymous with Orlando Owoh.  Folashade is  the youngest  wife  of  the late Musician, Dr. Orlando Owoh. Known and popular in the Orlando Owoh’s Band and household  yet she does not sing .The mere  mention of Folashade reminds  one the track  in the album, Message  where the late musician sang her praise when he came back from prison .

Die The Matter, Oba Apata and Mulikat Ibidapo are great

 

……..Orlando gave money  to patient on his deathbed

……..I will never  remarry  again

……..Why he was not buried in Ifon

…….We shall be grateful if..…

Lovebirds

INTRODUCTION

    ”My name is Mrs. Folashade Lagundoye – Owomoyela. I am from Owo, Ondo State and  one of  the children  of a popular Imam, Lagundoye who died many years ago. My mother died late last year , My late father was a very disciplined Muslim Cleric   in Owo. I thank God for the good family I came from”.

Ekuro la l’abaku ewa

HOW WE CELEBRATE ORLANDO

Folashade said ”We used to celebrate  him every year .We would   invite friends and family members  for his remembrance while we  would  slaughter cow and prepare food. One of  his children , Kemi who lives in America will make sure  she bought  cow  for the occasion. Last year  Tokunbo and Orimipe threw  a party in December , and  while the  party was three days away  my mother died and I had to go to Owo.This year we only marked it  .Folarin , my daughter and some other children of Orlando joined hands together  to  celebrate it. You can see   as  we are frying bean cake (akara) here . We can never  forget  Orlando who  was not only a Musician but a philanthropist. He was a Doctor whose songs heal wounds, cure sickness and bring happiness to all”.

WHY ORLANDO WAS NOT BURIED IN IFON

      On the controversy over  why Orlando  was not buried in his home town, Ifon, she responded  ”Why Orlando was not buried in Ifon? What a question!. It  is a long story. I have decided not to talk about this   but let me   brief you ; We are not the ones who said he should not be buried in Ifon , it is what he has not only  written down but also laid  curse on it that  he should not be taken to Ifon for burial for reasons best known to him”. She continued  ”Whether he was buried in Ifon or Owo or Lagos he has gone, why should we not take him to Ifon to be buried if he instructed us to?. But mark you he had his own reason for that . He knew why he said he should not be buried in Ifon. Now he has been buried and  for the people who  are talking  and criticizing us how many of these people looked back and asked  after our  welfare? .Who remembers us again?. 

”Now  there is no  helper, nothing whatsoever, who asks after the  welfare  of the  children  he left behind?. Don’t you know how old the children were when their father died? ,who asked after them?. Let’s not talk about that. I thank God all the children are doing well in their respective  places”.

I DON’T  SING

Surprisingly Folashade like other wives  don’t sing , she confessed  ”I only followed him anytime he has an event or outing  .There is no hotel he was going to play or any outing he was going that I would not go with him.”

WHY HE SANG MY PRAISE

Orlando   in the Message album where he sang her praise , she said ” Oh, yes , she sang  about me in that album ,he sang E j’ise mi fun Folashade mi , a o ma rira p’elayo o‘ ,Shaaade mi o, Omo Lagundoye....( Deliver my message to Folashade ,we shall meet in peace , if I stayed too long in prison she  should remarry. Shade , daughter of Lagundoye if …). That was when the problem of Alagbon ( when he was charged for drugs)  happened .My senior wives were arrested and taken away  along with him  by the Nigeria Policemen and  I was left alone at home then , and when  he came out he waxed  the record. He composed the song while  in Alagbon  and later recorded it.”

I WAS ADVISED TO LEAVE ORLANDO
According to the Musician’s  beautiful  wife, Folashade ”It was during Orlando’s  trying period that he  composed the song  ” Message” at  Alagbon Police Headquarter in Lagos . When the Police came to arrest him and my senior wives I was the only one that was not taken away , the police advised me  to leave him saying ‘you this beautiful girl what are you doing among these people , you should run away from this man after  taking  him away’ , the policemen advised.   They said after taking him away I should run away from his house and they  queried me why I  married such a man”( she laughed!).

 

WHY I DIDN’T RUN AWAY

Contrary to the advise many people and the Police gave her, she refused to leave Orlando , she said ”I did not run away , I was the only one left at home and I started going to Alagbon Police station , and Kirikiri Maximum Prisons to  the Male’s section (where my husband was ) and Female’s section to meet my senior wives.I was the only one doing that .I would  go with food  and was  doing everything humanly possible . Oh yes!, I was young then but why should I run away from the man I vowed  to love till death do us part?. Why should I run away from my husband who was very nice , humble ,caring and loving?. I am from a very responsible and reliable  home and we don’t do that in our family. We are well brought up and well cultured. Never will I leave Orlando, I am like a pigeon who will die with its benefactor . I  was ready to  die with him, ekuro la labaku ewa ”.

Folashade with  the late Baba Ojomo (former Manager of  Orlando)

I REMEMBER ORLANDO EVERYDAY

Asked how she feels remembering him, she screamed ”How do I feel ? I can never forget him for ever. I have to be remembering him ,it is compulsory , that is my destiny. I have been destined like that and everything is in the hands of God”. I have read many stories that they will build his  statue  at Ifon for him and I am imploring good -spirited Nigerians  and his fans to do this for him”, she said , smiling.

WE  WIVES ARE UNITED

On the secret behind the mutual understanding among the three  surviving wives of the late Musician , Folashade  laughed and  said ”ahhh, what else?. Why should we fight one another?. What do we want to  be fighting over again?. Where is the man we would fight over again?. We should be good and nice  to one another . He is gone , so everybody is facing  where she is going , we should be good to ourselves. We are still living in his house , the three of us live there. If I go out in the morning I will return home , what else again?. Ile la bo simi oko.

I CANNOT REMARRY, NEVER!

When Orlando died , Folashade was still in her 40s  and like her other senior wives, marriage seems to be  a no-go- area for her , as she  said she cannot remarry again. ”Remarry? ( she burst into uncontrollable laughter ) ,what type of husband am I going to marry again?. There is no husband I am going to marry that will be like Orlando. If I come back to this world again I will still marry Orlando. Ko seiye bi okin (sobs). At my age  will I  now say  I wanted to  remarry?. May God send Helper to us , that is what we need now not husband  .We need assistance”.

Orlando ‘spraying’ money on Folashade during her father’s burial ceremony

MY BEST ORLANDO’S MUSIC 

Ask Folashade the song she likes most among all the songs Orlando recorded and hear her reply ”I love the album called  CENSUS [sings], Orlando Ifon ni mo ti wa……”

ORLANDO WAS A BUNDLE OF TALENT

She describes Orlando’s style like this ” He  would  not practice, he  liked sitting down and playing his  guitar . If he planned to wax one record  he would end up doing three records at  a time  in the studio .  He  was a multi-instrumentalist  and  highly talented. He used to  sing in the bathroom .He would  not practice before going to the studio but would just instruct   his band members to go to the studio with him and  would just tell them what to sing. His type is  rare”.

ORLANDO’S CHILDREN SING

Although none of Folashade’s children sings but she is proud of those that sing , she said ”three of  Orlando’s children are singing , Orimipe sings in America, Kunle and Daisi too sing here in Nigeria .  Orimipe is the first born . My daughter does not sing . She had twins  and she is very successful in her career”.

       I WASN’T THREATENED BY  LADIES

For Folashade seeing her husband ,  Orlando in the midst of ladies  at parties  was not a threat , she said ”I was always at ease. I am a socialite  , when he is playing music I would be enjoying myself and dancing to his music . Ladies  who come  to parties have come to spend  their money and I  knew it is their money we were taking home to spend. They cannot take him away from me. I looked  other way and  pretended as if nothing was happening  because  it is the money the ladies were spending for him at the party that we were going to spend at home. If he did not sing and praise them very well how will they spend money for him?. That is the bitter truth”.

Folashade ,paragon of beauty

 ORLANDO WAS A PHILANTHROPIST

Many blamed him that he was reckless in spending but his wife disagreed on that and said ” He was a cheerful giver and he gave without looking back! .Orlando was kind to a fault. Anytime he comes back from play or outing he would wait outside and when everybody had gone to sleep he would wait outside  and be giving people money , until he finished the money he brought home before he goes to bed. If we fight him over the issue he would ask whether it is our money” .

She continued ”If he sees anybody going on the road he would  send for him , go inside and give them clothes and shoes. One  day he  gave a man  an expensive wristwatch  he brought from America, we all lost our temper but he asked us whether it was our own wrist watch . Many would come to him with their personal problems saying their children were sick, some would beg him for  their children’s school fees  and he would go inside and give them money. Whenever he comes back from  America he would share his dollars with people   and warned them not to tell anybody that he gave them money. If any Owo indigenes  comes  to Lagos and had nowhere to stay they will  locate  Orlando’s  house to stay, he  would harbor them and assist them.That is Orlando for you”.

HOW WE  ARE  NOW SURVIVING

   For the wives of Orlando times are hard since their benefactor and husband had died .However, Folashade blamed the Music  promoters who refused to pay them , she said ”the promoters with master tapes have not given us a dime for the past five years . If you ask the promoters  of Orlando’s records they will say it  is piracy that caused it and one needs money  to go to Court. How do we maintain ourselves?. Imagine we have to hustle before paying  electricity bill, we have to renovate the house,  take care of many things. Sincerely speaking we need help, that is the fact”.

Love wantintin

DIE THE MATTER, OBA APATA & MULIKAT IBIDAPO

”What of Orlando’s friends?”. She replied ”I don’t know most of his friends , however they are  annoyed that he was not buried in Ifon. God is my living witness when I did my mother’s burial ceremony Die The Matter gave me money, Oba Francis  Apata  of Ipe gave me money, so with many people .Some of my friends like Chief  Mulikat Ibidapo asked what she would give me  and  I told her to give me money and  attend the burial ceremony  , she gave me money and also came from America  to attend and also  her husband  Chief  Rotimi Ibidapo ( Bassey) gave me money too”.

GANJA

Asked whether she smokes  ganja  like her late husband, she like her senior wives denied ,”we don’t smoke”  , she said , bursting into laughter.

 ON HIS SICK BED ORLANDO INSTRUCTED ME TO …

The late Musician was kind to a fault , even on his hospital bed  he  still assisted the needy , Folashade  described the scene : ”I was with him at his bedside and there was  a patient  in his room who had no money to buy his prescription drugs  ,  Orlando instructed me to give him money  to buy the drugs. They bought the drugs for him unfortunately the man still  died”.

HOW I MET ORLANDO

On how the two lovebirds met, Folashade   said ”It all started in 1982 . One good day me and my friends  were coming from an outing  and  we  decided to  stop   at Travelers Inn by the Mobil Station in Owo to catch fun   there we saw    Orlando  entertaining with    music. The following day I saw Mrs. Abegunde (aka  Madam Red) of blessed memory  who brought Orlando to my house .I was wondering that we only went   there [Travelers Inn)  to enjoy ourselves but not to meet anybody  but that is how God wanted it . And the rest became history”.

WE STARTED DATING

But did  Folashade  go to Lagos with him? , she said ”No, I didn’t go with him to Lagos immediately, I went to Lagos later to meet him. You  know how men are, we started dating and that is it .But mark you , I have been going to Lagos before  meeting Orlando , he was not the one that made me know Lagos o”( laughs).

Folashade , the beautiful woman

MY FAMILY’S REACTION

On her family’s reaction on Orlando’s proposal to her, she said”My family? , they would not like their daughter to  marry a musician . I am a daughter of  a very popular  Imam Olagundoye in Owo but  my father was that  type that would not dictate, impose or force anything on his children, he would instead  support you on whatever you wanted to do. In the end I thank God that I have no regret marrying him”

MY PRAYER

Folashade has a prayer ”I am appealing to all lovers of Orlando to build a statue like Bob Marley in Jamaica, Elvis Presley in Memphis and Michael Jackson in his birthplace. It will be a great honour for him.We need your assistance too”.

 

I make 30k per day-Beggar

 

Danjuma and Musa

How much do you earn per month? Are you on Federal or State  Level 14 or 15 ? . Does your pay check up to this beggar’s pay check? .Okay , this beggar claims he makes 30,000naira per day after a  hectic day’s job from his begging .

Now let us  multiply 30,000 naira by 30 days , and this would make 900,000 naira in a month. But again let us subtract Saturdays and Sundays (the biggest two days when Muslims and Christians give more to beggars)  as their resting days , thus making 20days , then 30,000 naira multiplied by 20 is equal to 600,000 naira  per month.

NOW THE STORY

Beggar

 

It was a sunny afternoon in Abule -Iroko, Ogun State  when these two young boys were sighted.  The older one was pushing the younger one on a wheel chair.As they were on their business trip  they were also laughing and cracking jokes along in their Hausa language.

When approached for interview they did not hesitate to answer.

Asked their names the older one said ” My name is Danjuma Shuaib, we both came from Kano. This is my brother , he is Musa.”

Asked where they came from and the two chorused ”Kano”.

On how much they make on a daily basis  , they both calculated and said ”we  make 30,000 naira in a day” .

On their marital status , Danjuma said he has two kids while Musa too claims he also  has  two  kids all in Kano, as he used his fingers to describe the number of his kids.

”What of yayamata? ”(wife), they both said they left them in Kano.

The two co-beggars claimed they have houses in Kano  and had been living in Alagbado area of Lagos/Ogun State for sometime.

However, watch this video and  listen to  the conversation between this reporter and and the beggars.

HOW TO START THE BUSINESS

On what it takes to be a beggar, just buy a wheel chair, then look for someone to push you around for a fee, that is all. Before you say Jack Robinson you have have made a fortune .After all it pays to be a Beggar