Who is the next victim after Elerewe?

…..Haa! see  the next   five victims to be killed

…..Elerewe fought for his family’s freedom

 ……. His statue to be erected

…..We all keep quiet yet not safe

….Full names of the suspects and their addresses 

I AM  writing this piece in tears. I am writing this piece blowing my nose and wiping tears from my face . I am writing this piece with heavy heart. I looked around and asked myself how I would tell my children in the future the story of   my home town  without mentioning how a first Class Oba , the Olufon of Ifon Oba Israel Adeusi was killed, and  what happened afterwards ? Nothing !. How will I omit the story of how a whole High Chief  Elerewe , Tunde Ilori the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom who was  the  third position to the Olowo of Owo Kingdom  was brutally murdered in cold blood. What happened next?, Nothing,  ko si jare! .How will I narrate the story of the  suspects,  arrests, denial and release and will they believe my story? L’aiye, ko joo , Na lie would be their response. So I will tell my children how it has  become  clownish and called Awada Kerikeri,  O  ma se o. Shior! So nobody could fight like  Timothy Adegoke’s brother ,Gbade who  fought gallantly and leaving no stone unturned to unravel the mystery behind his brother’s death? .

The world is a dangerous place to live  not because of people who are evil, but because of the people who don’t do anything about it says Albert Einsten. As brilliant  as Owo indigenes are and as popular the  ancient town  that   has produced  sons and daughters in all fields  is ,nobody , no group , I mean no formidable group or individual could come up to fight for his  cause.  Kai it could happen to you, this reader. You are only writing ” Rest in peace, the killers must not go unpunished” etc, is that what we want from you?. It is Elerewe   today we don’t know  whose turn it would be tomorrow. Kai! o ma se o, we all keep quiet trying not to be seen as a whistle blower or   or bad boy or with bad belle.

Listen carefully to the names and addresses of the suspects and the next victims marked down in this video

THEY LET THEM  LOOSE

So these killers did not hear what Abraham Lincoln said ”I would rather be a little nobody than to be an evil somebody”. Now   they have been let loose like angry and hungry  lion ready to devour anybody . If they could kill a first traditional ruler and a High Chief and nothing happened then  the town’s men are like Chicken coop  in their pen, the assailants would just wake up in the morning go to pen and pick one rooster and kill. Kai O ma se o. But let the suspects know that investigation could be five years , seven years even 10 years. Let them not be at ease now for Lie detectors , sophisticated investigative apparatus that would expose  their  deeds of over five years are on the way , its just a sophisticated investigative gadgets similar to the one the Yoruba Novelist  the late  D.O. Fagunwa wrote in  his book  Irinkerindo Ninu Igbo Elegbeje when they got to  the  bridge of  the River of  Blood  (Odo Eje) their tongues started confessing  all their evil deeds yet they cannot control their tongues .

 

WE ARE IN TROUBLE

We play dangerous politics with our lives . We play politics with the lives of our children . We play politics with everything . We politicized virtually everything  . Everybody is afraid , But why? the reason is that we are afraid to die and you  and  I  will die one day. What are the roles of our traditional rulers ? .What are the roles of the Inner Caucus?  Where are the powerful Babalawos in Owo? . What are the roles of Ogboni in the society?. Why are we afraid?. Three  years ago I visited a tourist centre , Dollar City in Branson, America . Among their tourist  attractions  are coffins of all sizes while many were taking pictures with it. It was fun. An old man  went in and took  photograph, when he came out I  was curious , I ran to him and said in Africa seeing a coffin is an abomination ,he replied  ”this   ”Box” is made of wood . It is the shape that gave it another name. Whoever is afraid of it should not sleep on his bed, should not sit on a chair and should not use any wooden material at all. We are afraid of the ‘Box’  because of our handiwork. Be good to everybody and have a clean heart my son then you will not be afraid of anything ”. As he said this I went to some of the life size coffins and Ronnie , my wife gave me shots.

You will die , I will die , we will all die

ELEREWE  AN HERO, SHOULD BE IMMORTALIZED

Is assassination  of Elerewe the first time ? .No , he would not be the first or the  last . The mistake assailants make is turning their victims to heroes. When the late Elerewe  ascended   his fore father’s  throne he made positive  changes, he was fighting for his family’s property that were  stolen with the  money in the Bank and farmland. What was his offence? Ki lo se? Ki lo de?. The big family house had no toilet facilities but he provided .He had planned to  build a  Museum in the compound , he wanted the stolen farmland retrieved and given back to the family. His heart was clean. Not a single person spoke ill about him. Yes, that is what surprised  the assassins , they thought people would speak ill about him and be justified , No. Capital ”No”.

At Memphis Museum where Martin Luther King’s  items were on display in Lorraine Motel now

History did not tell us that Murtala Mohammed died in his sleep. No, he was brutally murdered in  Lagos   in February 1976  .

The American Baptist Minister and activist Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray at 6.05pm on Thursday at the Lorraine hotel in Memphis in 1968. When I visited the Motel which had been tuned to museum  in Memphis I   broke down and  wept.  He was 40. But his memory lingers on.

Civil rights leader Malcolm X was shot dead at  the Audubon Ballroom, in Manhattan on February 21,1965. while delivering a speech.  He was 39.He was  immortalized.

President  John Kennedy was assassinated  on November 22,1963 while riding a motorcade in Dallas, he was shot in the neck and head. He was 46.

It was after their death they become more popular and appreciated. Today their names can never be erased from History same thing  with the latest assassination. High Chief Ilori Tunde  the Elerewe of Owo has become an hero , a legend and a god in the History of Owo , infact he has broken a record of the first  High Chief to be murdered in a gruesome manner.  Nobody came across the High Chief  and  regretted  it . He was gifted , he has wisdom, he  was among the best dressed  High Chiefs  , infact he was a super star in dressing no wonder he represented the Olowo of Owo Kingdom many occasions.

STATUE FOR ELEREWE

Let us  erect  a statue in memory of   the fallen Chief . It should be a monument where life would breath so that the evil men would suffer from automatonophobia while    seeing  it daily and be regretting their actions. His lovers would be seeing it daily and know their beloveth one is not dead. Yes, statue speaks volumes, it tells stories no wonder why we have in public places.

Did Thomas Fuller not say it all  that  Memory is the treasure  house of the mind wherein the monuments thereof are kept and preserved.

Today, all the  victims of assassination have their statues erected  and have their things  kept in museum . Let Chief Ilori Tunde the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom’s  statue be erected and placed where these assassinators would be seeing it everyday and have their heart bleed and be regretting .Let us build a statue of Elerewe  in his regalia and erect it at the frontage of the Elerewe’s  building.

.

OWO INDIGENES ABROAD CAN’T  COME HOME

Walaitalai I will not encourage  anybody to visit my town now .Call me a bastard, fine. Label  me an anti Owo that is okay . But  who will rescue or fight for  my visitors if  they are kidnapped or  brutally killed in the name of knowing  my  place of birth?. This is Elerewe of Owo Kingdom an Owo indigene killed  before our own  eyes and we are grunting like a pig!.

Yes, Eric Donaldson the  Jamaican reggae artiste in one of his popular albums  Land of My birth, he  sang ” This is the land of my birth , I say this is the land of my birth , I say this is Jamaica , my Jamaica , the land of my birth ….I will never leave her shore , I will never run away ….” To many of Owo  indigenes they will leave their  shore and run away .

ERIC DONALDSON’S MUSIC NOT APPLICABLE TO OWO 

Donaldson  continued ” Mr. Tourist , Mr. Tourist , leave your land  and come …. We will share a lot with you , our people they are true , they will want to be with you , they will love , they will help , they will give , if you wish my friend you can live …..You will  be  a happier  one in the land of the rising sun….Can you sing this type of song and be proud of your  Owo our native town? Our people are not true  , they don’t want to be with you , they will not love you, they will not help you , they will not give , and you will never be happier  in the land of  Owo where  human lives are cheap!

THOSE MARKED TO BE KILLED

If you are one of the marksmen  or sharp shooters  you have one more victim to shoot , that is me, this writer.  When you see me don’t waste your money or time to add charm or juju with   six inches nail  in the AK 47  but just give me ordinary shakabula or dane gun  shot , and that is all. I am not afraid to die. You all Baaaastarrrdd!. You are all coward.  The fact is that you have murdered sleep and will forever have insomnia till death. I know in the corner of your heart you will be regretting your wicked act. Yes, you thought they will lie against Fulani Herdsmen . You thought he would be buried in a week or two and  be forgotten, unfortunately it is not so!.

The late High Chief

It is Tunde Ilori today and do you know the next victim? It could be me , it could be you , It could be your father, mother, uncle, Niece or Nephew!

DADDY DID YOU DO IT?

Now in the future the Owo Community will make references to suspects. It is a pity their children would ask their fathers ” Did you have hands  in the killing of this Chief?”.  In the middle of the night their wives would wake up their husbands and say ” tell me the truth , did you participate in the killing and  did you hear people are talking about you and running away from you in this small community? ”

Friends  and families will be wary of those suspected to have had hands in it .They will say Et tu Brutus? .And their minds would be   Chei  they  got me . I have collected money . But will they behave as Judas Iscariot behaved?. Judas Iscariot  returned the 30 shekels of silver [ owo eje] to the Chief Priests. The chief priests decided that they could not put it into the temple treasury as it was considered blood money, and so with it they bought the Potter’s Field ,where Judas was buried.

NAMES OF THOSE MARKED FOR ASSASSINATION 

The Marksmen and their Strikers  will soon strike again. About five names were  mentioned here , the first target is this writer, Taiwo Abiodun and others are   Bobo T, T Bobo, BoN, Babalawo Of the Nation

Reason for being marked down , it is because  they wrote about the killing of the High Chief  and if killed nothing will happen  after all  they killed  a First Class Monarch nothing dey sele. They killed a whole High Chief nothing sele! It is ”All correct , shon sir , we don finish that stupid man called  Bobo T, T Bobo, BoN, Babalawo Of the Nation, who be the next target ? just buy me igbo or tramadol and pay my balance”.

 

The late Elerewe during Igogo Festival

FULL NAMES  & ADDRESSES OF THE SUSPECTS

Do you know the full names of these suspects? If you want to know watch this video in full and you will be shocked . Please don’t edit it or remove anything from it .

The question on everybody’s lips are : Where are the local  or traditional crime trackers?. Where is Oro Or Ogho ? When something like this happen all traditionalists would come out and perform rituals and sacrifices  to expose the killers but we have not heard anything or is  Oro or Ogho  not potent or effective again?.

 

 

We need ase, epe, oogun abenugongo and curse  those who planned and killed Elerewe. Lagbara Oloun they will one day confess

As I am listening to Jimmy Cliff ‘s track , I said he could be right after all when he sang

Hypocrite, you dirty hypocrite
You’re gonna pay the price some day
Hypocrites, all of you hypocrites
You’re gonna pay the price some day
Words you speak from your mouth
But your heart is telling lies….

We walked, we talked together, yes we did
We ate, we drank together, yes we did
But when I find
You’re a snake in the grass
My heart grieved to be taken for an ass
(Ooh hoo) but…

 

 

 

 

How High Chief Elerewe was killed

….Killers of Elerewe of Owo Kingdom   arrested

….5m paid to the assailants

….He was shot with  charmed nail inserted in AK 47

……Prime suspect on the run

 

A last the people of Owo are now relieved  when the police arrested some  suspects  who killed the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom   .The suspects were arrested last Wednesday in Owo. The suspected assassins who participated in the plan and those who pulled the trigger  are now confessing like a tormented witch to their crime at the Police Station, Akure . The ring leader bolted away while his  wife went into hiding.

KILLERS OF ELEREWE  ARRESTED

Six  men    including a father and his son (names withheld) suspected  to  have masterminded the killing of the late Chief  Ilori Tunde the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom   were arrested from their various places on Wednesday evening after a tip off.  Some  were picked up from their hideouts while others were picked from their homes . However, the ring leader  (names withheld) was said to have being pursued by the police but escaped. It was gathered that the  prime  suspect  was said to have paid the sum of  five million naira to the assailants to kill  the  late Chief .One of the suspects who scaled the fence of his house was given the beaten of his life by the Police officer.

This  arrest came  three months after  the late Chief was brutally murdered  when he and  some people were returning from  a fact finding mission. The deceased was accompanied to the farmland by the Land Resolution Committee inaugurated by the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye III, to look into the matter when he was shot at close range in his vehicle while returning to the township. It  was a shock to the community that those who claimed to be innocent at first when they were arrested were the same set of people eventually arrested and now confessing.

According to a reliable source the suspects were firstly arrested immediately after the incident as they were  the prime suspects but were released later by the Police , their release did  not please the slain Chief’s family as they were convinced that  the suspects did it.

Investigation revealed that the prime suspect did all he could do to deceive people that he was innocent  and was  never part of the killing as he went to church to do a thanksgiving for being ‘cleared’  of the killing while he along with others boasted about .

Two weeks ago the suspects were asked to report themselves for another  interrogation but they declined saying they had once been interrogated while their lawyer   ran to the Ministry of Justice to fight for them .  Today the family  members of the late Chief and the public are vindicated as the truth has come out. The wind has blown and we have seen the romp of the fowl.

WHAT LED TO THEIR ARREST

Information gathered that one of the suspects  raped a secondary school   young girl   ( names withheld) and the case was reported to the police. When the police went to  arrest  the suspect about three AK 47 riffles were found in his house . The suspect ( names withheld)  confessed  that the riffles  were kept in his custody and that one of the riffles was used to kill the late Elerewe. He began to  confess like a tormented witch as he named  his accomplices and the man who sent them , our source revealed.

He confessed to the killing and said he planned with others  to execute  it  along with some others who are now at large. The suspect  revealed  that   that they inserted some charmed   six inches nails  into  the riffle  and aimed at the late Chief’s  eyes .He added that they had to do   juju  or charms on the nails  since the late Chief was assumed to be powerful and ordinary gun cannot penetrate into his body.AK-47 - Wikipedia

An AK 47 riffle 

 

  25 lbs. 10 Gauge Stainless Steel Smooth Shank Roofing Nails

six inches nail

PRIME SUSPECT ON THE RUN

According to a reliable source  the prime and principal suspect ( names withheld) escaped  arrest by the police while investigation reveals that his wife and children have absconded.

As at the time of filing this report investigation revealed that some of the suspects arrested are in the police custody, Akure confessing the roles they played in the killing. While   the natives are jubilating that the culprits were eventually caught .The Police is yet to make an official statement on the issue.

It is exactly three months when  a notable Owo High Chief Ilori Tunde the  Elerewe of Owo was killed .Now new facts are emerging .

Owo First Bank Manager should be invited  for interrogation – Barrister Idowu Femi Falana 

He was killed  over  Chieftaincy  title and Family  property   – Doris ,Wife of late Chief

The older sister of the  late Elerewe of Owo Kingdom has vowed that the remains of his dead brother would not be buried until the killers are identified and brought to book. She made this revelation last week during a telephone interview .

Owo Community in Ondo state was thrown into confusion  three months ago  when the news of  the assassination   of  High Chief Elerewe  was broken. He was said to have been shot at a close range over a dispute a farmland  along Owo- Ute by unknown  gunmen. The  late Chief High  Ilori Tunde who was the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom was said to be  returning from  a fact -finding mission on a land which was said to  belonged to him .Chief Ilori was reportedly ambushed by the masked gunmen while returning from his farmland along Ute road, Owo, which some other parties are laying claim to.

The deceased was accompanied to the farmland by the Land Resolution Committee inaugurated by the Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye III, to look into the matter when he was shot at close range in his vehicle while returning to the township.

According to information   the  late Chief  had approached the Olowo for a peaceful resolution of the disputed over the farmland.
Reports had it that the High Chief and members of the committee were attacked on the farm land which led to the death of Ilori. Palace sources said a distress call was received from the committee who reportedly requested for reinforcement to ward off the attack.
During the attack, the masked men targeted the Elerewe and was said to have been shot on the head while others ran for their lives.

OSENI ORONBATO’S ACCOUNT

………They shot the Chief in the eye 

 …….. 11 bullets were extracted  from my body

………. Owo people know the man behind the assassination

An eye witness account Oseni Oronbato  (53)said  he was in the same vehicle with the late Chief with other four  occupants when the tragic incident happened. He said ” My name is Oseni Oronbato , a drycleaner .On that fateful Wednesday , we went to the farmland over the dispute on the farmland on the instruction of  Olowo of Owo   Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III . On our  way  back home  I saw two men who were part of the opposition party  on a motorbike who overtook our vehicle . We were six  in our vehicle with   a  village head  Atelegi Alamuren   of   Ogain he is the Village head of the Community .    we wanted to drop at his Farm Camp  .Not less than 15 minutes on our way when   we heard a sound of a burst tire from our vehicle thinking and   we stopped  to have a look at the tire when one of the Masked men   came closer and  shot at a close range into Elerewe’s eyes and that went into his brain. They fired  shots from behind  and these shots entered my head thank God it didn’t enter my brain, but all the pellets are in my scalp while one went into my back and  my into  hand. It is God  that rescued me from that place. I didn’t see the faces of the assailants because they were all  masked”.

OLORI DORI’S SPEAKS

He continued ” one of us who was sitting with Chief Elerewe in the front quickly opened  the door and escaped , yet  these assailants  went after him .But one of us who escaped again ran back , opened the door and seeing that I had not died , dragged me out and we started running to escape  . But already the Elerewe had  died instantly . No rescue , nobody could even rescue him. While I was bleeding  the wo of us ran for three miles   to Amurin Agayin  Farm Camp. It was from here that one of us took his phone and called his ( Elerewe) wife to brief her what happened and they called Amotekun, the State Security Outfit. The Amotekun  arrived  to rescue us and they went to pick up Elerewe’s body .They removed 11 pellets from my body, then seven from my head, they removed two bullets from my back, one dug a hole in my chest as X-ray revealed . I was taken to Akure that night where the X-ray was done on my hands ,chest and other parts of my body. The hospital said  could not remove the bullets  but  I was  given drugs to relieve my pains .I spent four days at Federal Medical Centre, Owo from there I was taken to Iyere- Owo where the trado-medical  removed the bullets. But I am still having pains .It was cartridges that they  shot at me  but I suspected that Elerewe  was shot with AK 47 and they aimed at his eye, and his eye  gouged out as the bullet penetrated into his brain. I spent four days at the hospital. I spent up to 300,000 naira.

DORIS ELEREWE’S CRIES OUT

….Land is a smokescreen 

…All Owo people know the man behind the killing

….Who will take care of my children now?

Doris Elerewe  who was the wife of the late Chief was weeping profusely during the interview, she said the problem started from the chieftaincy title.  Before and since my husband was conferred the title of the chieftaincy  in 2018 his opponent ( names withheld ) has been attacking him. At a time he cooked up  stories that he was an armed robber and a killer .He took my husband to Abuja where he was unlawfully detained for weeks. The said suspect  sold the family’s property and farmland and emptied the family’s treasury but my late husband kept his cool. He threatened my late husband  several times that he should relinquish the tittle or else he would kill him. He had collected over 10years tenant rent from the land the First Bank  have their building on . When my late husband approached the Bank and gave them quit notice and the  suspect was informed  and he quickly ran to the Bank .The Owo First Bank Manager should be summoned to come and tell what he know about all these illegal transactions ”.She added” now who will take cater of my children?”

ADEOLA OLAYINKA

We will not bury Elerewe until the killers are found

……We all know who killed him

…..Let the Federal government come in

Mrs. Adeola Olayinka ( Nee Elerewe) who was the older sister to the late Chief said his younger  brother  had not known peace since his enthronement to the family’s chieftaincy title, Elerewe . According to her,  the genesis of the story was from the chieftaincy tittle  the late Elerewe  was holding , the property, and the Farmland that the late High Chief’s grandfather, Olakunori Elerewe left behind . Olayinka said First Bank   in Owo   that rented the family land was given a quit notice by the late Elerewe  as their rent was almost due .But the prime suspect who had cunningly gone behind to collect 10years rent from them was jittery and had to do all these in order to stop the late Chief from exposing him the more. She said ”the Bank Manager should be summoned  and should be called to give evidences of the transactions as a tenant on the Elerewe’s land, the police should   investigate this  thoroughly .I was called that evening that my brother had been shot and when I got to Owo I was hearing all manners of stories. I was told that the first shot was on the tires while the late chief thought it was his tire that burst , as he came out to look at the tire they fired him at a  close range. The sight of the corpse was too gory to look at . I learnt  they used AK 47 on him. We have gone spiritual , called  his spirit, we have gone traditionally and he told us who killed him but we want all those who had hands in it to be arrested and investigated. They must not go scot free. The late Chief gave   First Bank  located on the family’s ground a quit notice , and some secrets leaked out , that was part of the reasons why he was killed. He also tried to take back the family’s farm back , he won and was murdered in cold blood over all this .The culprits should be  brought to book”

KEHINDE DARAMOLE ( NEE OLATERU OLAGBEGI)

……..He was killed over chieftaincy and property

……….Inspector General of Police should come in

Mrs. Kehinde Daramola ( Nee Olagbegi) said her late Cousin Elerewe was unjustly killed by assassins for no just reason, she implored the state government and Federal Government to do the needful and make sure justice is served. ”All Owo people  know who killed Chief Elerewe. We want justice. If a man of such caliber could be killed and nothing happens then nobody is free. The assassins were paid to kill this man for no just cause, it is bad. The Inspector General  of Police should wade into the matter and treat it urgently because those indicted are trying to use their political power to sweep it under the carpet. This is one dead too many ”, she lamented .

 

BARRISTER OLUFEMI IDOWU FALANA

Barrister Olufemi Idowu Falana  who is the deputy Head of the campaign for Justice for Chief Ilori Elerewe said the principal suspect (names withheld)was interrogated and  the Police rode in his  (suspect) Hilux  truck to the station and was brought back home.  Falana said ”The Police freed  the two principal suspects(names withheld) on health ground while the duo were heard boasting that they have connections with the political gladiators in the state, they  are  now walking  freely  in the town. I want the government to wade into it , call the First Bank Manager in Owo, investigate the Farmland story and the chieftaincy tussle you will see the whole thing .I want the case to be transferred to Abuja . We want justice at all costs. We are pleading to the Federal Government and the IG to wade into the matter”.

A day after the incident the prime suspect house and store were about to be set ablaze by the angry Owo youths but were stopped by the town’s leaders who appeased to them to keep calm and not to take law into their hands.

The remains of the late Elerewe is still at  the mortuary as no one knows when he would be buried.

 

As at the moment of filing this story some suspects are in police custody confessing and telling the police the roles they played in the killing .

N ow the people of Owo are rejoicing over the arrested suspects saying the town would now be peaceful. A  man said” now we have known  the culprits, the Owo indigenes in diaspora can now come home. I have been hearing  bad reports about the suspects , but now the air has blown and we have seen the romp of the fowl”

The Owo indigenes home and abroad are now appealing  to the Inspector General of Police to bring the criminal to book. Mr. Ikakodara Asanlaiye said ” Let the Police parade all the suspects and charge them to court. We don’t want to hear any story, let justice prevail. Now we are at peace ”, he said.

 

 

Who killed Chief Tunde Ilori the Elerewe of Owo Kingdom?

BY TAIWO ABIODUN

The dead cannot cry for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them Lois McMaster Bujold 

THE  news jolted everybody.  The news hit the young and the old. The news touched men and women. The news broke  many people’s hearts. The news hit all and sundry. The news spread like  wildfire . In Owo  community  in Ondo State everybody  is   now indoor  as fear had gripped them all   for nobody is  sure of what could happen  and who the next victim could be . In Owo community no one talks about the ugly incidence again for fear of being mauled to death. And if ever discussed it is in hushed tone. But  if such a high profile Chief could  be killed like a chicken  then who is safe?. It is absurd. It is unthinkable. It is unbelievable. It is crude. It is sad. It is the height of wickedness for   Ilori Tunde, the  Elerewe  of Owo to be brutally murdered  like that!.

Weeping and gnashing of teeth took over the ancient town of Owo as   their cries went up to high heavens on the 15th of December 2021 . The young cried aloud  rolling on the ground while   the old  drooped their heads , shaking their heads intermittently  and biting their lips .Women pulled their hair asking one another whether it was true. Some  became dumb temporarily as no words could come out from their  mouth after all obe kii mi nikun agba . Phones were ringing  as many  were calling to confirm whether it was true or not. Paga! Ogun ja, uya je mi   were the painful words coming out from the natives.

From Owo to Lagos, United States of America, London, Russia, Canada, South Africa, all over the world  phones were ringing  as people were calling. Face book  was on ‘fire’ as the news became   talk of the town. It was a high profile crime as all Nigerian newspapers carried the bad news. Yes, bad news travel fast. And  in the Beer Parlours the  news was ”Have you heard the news?”  courtesy to jimmy Cliff.

Suspects? Yes, who could have done this ?. Who could have done this to a High Chief?. He was a six footer.  What could he have done? .What could have been his offence or sin?. For him to have been brutally murdered in cold blood  is  terrible. They aimed at his eyes and shot him . He must have struggled to live. He  must have struggled to survive .The marksmen thought they had succeeded  but no. Any man who would challenge him for a duel when alive  would think twice.

Apart from this he was very popular and loved for he was respectful as he would bow  to anybody while greeting  irrespective of  their  age. He chose his words and would not talk carelessly .Apart from this he was a wiseacre and a cerebral. He was rich in Owo History  no wonder the whole town wept .

Shot dead in his car

With time those who masked to kill him would soon be unmasked . His remains were still in the mortuary . Well , he has been forced to sleep but he is not sleeping . His ghost will haunt and torment his killers. The assassins had murdered sleep .To them they were good strikers .To them they were good marksmen. The killers  would not sleep for they would be running helter – skelter .They have become jittery.  They are running around without being pursued. They have become restless like the sea waves and like a leaf floated on water. They have become the proverbial  bird  that perched on a rope. They  are now suffering from insomnia. Yes, they will soon be singing like canary bird and confessing . They will by God’s grace be  confessing  like a tormented witch  .They have murdered sleep and will sleep no more.

It is Chief Tunde Ilori today but who is next?. Now everybody should be scared  and  if these criminals  cannot be arrested and made to face justice  then nobody, I  repeat nobody is safe . If a High Chief is brutally murdered like a fowl then who is safe?

Accusations and counter accusations are ongoing . On everybody’s lips the question is Who killed Chief Elerewe?. To me, we should stop pointing accusing fingers. The culprits should be fished out or else the worst is still coming . This is not justice only for Elerewe but justice for all. It can happen to anybody.

Let the criminals run .Let the criminals hide. Let the criminals keep mute. Let the criminals  mix with people and be talking .Let the criminals use all means to  pretend but   their hearts would be pounding in their chest cavity  wherever they are. I can bet you ,they have no peace.

If a man of such  high status could be killed in that small community and the criminals  are not fished out then nobody is safe.

The question is ” WHO KILLED  CHIEF ELEREWE?”.

We shall wait , and according to Leo Tolstoy a Russian Writer,” the most powerful warriors are patience and time”. We shall exercise patience , we shall take our time ,one day the culprits would be arrested and  justice will prevail.

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

 

`

Who knows where Sin City is in America?

……..Welcome to the City of Sin

………..Walaitalai Pastors , Deacons and the Saints will commit

………The City that never sleeps

…….The good, the bad and the ugly of…

THE  environment was bubbling  as music was blaring from high -powered  speakers mounted at the entrances of some of the buildings. Armed with fliers  were  Marketers from various companies  advertising their  different products and services calling prospective customers to patronize them  with the  promise of  attractive gifts and rewards .Visitors, Tourists , fun -seekers and the Natives- the Las Vegans were milling around . Lovers irrespective of their ages were seen holding their hands. Gamblers were walking into Casinos. Exotic cars , sports cars and racing motorcycles  and  Double-decker Buses were driving past while the traffic lights were controlling the drivers.

The only thing that stood still are the  skyscraper buildings  that are    competing with one another   in designs  and height as they   are all  struggling for space in the sky! .These buildings are what Yoruba would call awoyanu ,awodatolenu and awosifila buildings on Strip Street in Las Vegas Boulevard , a major road in the Las Vegas Valley of Nevada, best known for the Las Vegas Strip portion of the road and its casinos.

Eiffel Tower in Las Vegas

PHOTOS: TAIWO ABIODUN

Some of these visitors made their way through the corridors , behind pillars, climbing winding staircases, and escalators . While some were in a hurry others were walking majestically enjoying the cool atmospheric condition .Various activities were going on. Marijuana was being smoked freely , they call this recreational Marijuana which is legal in Las Vegas. It was all fun. Some Stripers  were entertaining with their erotic dance. They  know Son of Man’s weakness so they exposed the ”areas” and  ”angles” that would  make Son of Man to become restless and commit sin .

Although it was rowdy but boisterous with a lot of fun. A minstrel  was singing and playing a piano expecting money from passers by .  A homeless man   clutched his dirty clothes by his side and  with his face was contorting with pain and  waving his long withered hand  begging for alms .Another was looking askance  with two hands stretched .Poor me, I never believed there are beggars or homeless people in America!

 

We danced and danced and danced………. 
Some ladies were half- nude calling passers-by, calling for shots. When  I sighted the damsels with feathery hats I remembered the four wise monkeys and also a carving of the three wise monkeys proudly placed above the door of the shrine since the 17th century made by a sculptor, Hidari Jingoro, the carving is a pictorial maxim of the phrase, “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil”. No wonder the saying ”Do not see evil, Do not hear Evil, do not touch Evil and do not do Evil ”. No wonder one would see young and old couples holding themselves in order to avoid disobeying or falling foul of these four rules in Las Vegas!,

Who is the best dancer here?

I asked my wife, Ronnie whether I should obey the three rules of the monkey , she said ”Yes , but also obey the fourth one ‘do no evil”’. I asked whether I could take picture with them, she responded ” of course if you want”, she brought out my iPad and took some  shots.

Four Monkeys See Hear Speak No Evil Ornament Sculpture Bust image 0

The four wise monkeys

When I sighted many of these damsels of different shapes,  races and colors  I screamed ”Ha! mo gbe, no wonder King Solomon had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines”. I screamed ‘Lord where is thy face ?. Solomon must have seen these and their beauty, dressing and brains of these ladies’. I now realized why Solomon should not be blamed. I now saw the reason why the powerful Samson fell on on a woman’s lap. I now saw the reason why great men who could not control themselves fell yakata and had their lives cut short or miserable .

Walai talai to the lily- livered or a Gigolo infact if you are a Man of God, or Pastor  you will beg not to be tempted for if their beauty did not attract you their dressing would .And if their dressing did not do the job then their magic wand – their smile and the way they beckon on you showing their glittering white teeth and with their sexy eyes  . Call them ‘Mother , sorry, Father Christmas as they all dressed in Santa Claus suit. But their own Santa Claus did not give out gifts instead they demanded for gift -money .

 

     

Taiwo Abiodun dancing with the ladies

 

Taiwo Abiodun with the ladies

”Come and take picture with us ”, one of them called this reporter  .

Seeing them one could see their  artificial wings attached to their clothes , they wore their sexy chain bra jewelries, some were made of silver , some of gold and some crystal body chain. Some wore their father Xmas Caps but no beard  .Their shoes were expensive and enticing . Their faces were bright , their good set of teeth were glittering . They giggled  and wriggled their waists .We took pictures, danced and danced .

When they demanded for money , Ronnie gave them twenty dollars, and said ” Abbey , they don’t do all this for free, you have to pay them, that is their business”.

I went into my hotel room and many thoughts flooded my mind, so it is true that Las Vegas is called the Entertainment Capital of the World, the Gambling Capital of the Worldthe Marriage Capital of the World, the City that Never Sleeps among others. It is fun 24/7.It is fun throughout the whole year . 

No wonder they called the city ,Sin City  where gambling, ladies of the night and liquor are all easily accessible.

I shall visit the Sin City again ,but having the four monkeys’ wise sayings in mind.

       

 

Meet the most popular and powerful man in Oshogbo

 

Taiwo Abiodun with Esuleke 

…….Politicians should swear with god of iron

…….As a Councilor  I didn’t steal money 

…….. I finished reading Bible and Koran in 1955

………Why they call me The Boy

HIS RESIDENCE

In Oshogbo , Osun State, he is one of the most popular Community leaders .He is loved, feared and respected because of his faithfulness, truthfulness, humility and sincerity .To liars and dishonest people the  Community leader is not loved after all the Yoruba proverb says Olooto eniyan ko n’leni. He is fearless, blunt and speaks the truth , according to him, Esu Deity  does not love a liar and unfaithful person. He care less  about  worldly materials .He assists the needy and in his own way a Philanthropist .That is the life of a six footer  Pa Omokayode Idowu Esuleke  .Esuleke who worships Esu in Oshogbo. He is the Baale of Esu . He professes Esu as his religion. He worships Esu as a god  .His mien and his manners continually expresses    him as an important personage.

Esuleke lives in a  bungalow with his family. On his table are various  books he has published . In some corners of  his house are oil lamps burning , and these lamps  must not quench!.

Going round the the compound is a botanical garden where he planted  shrubs, herbs and roots meant for his profession . There are some    clay pots  on fire where he  produces some of his traditional medicine because he heals as a Traditional doctor .

As he was strolling around on that day  with this reporter the  shouts of The Boy! The Boy!! rent the air, as both the young and the old greeted him. In response, the  highly respected septuagenarian  responded by waving  back. In Oshogbo Community he is loved, respected and honored.  He is   versatile in his field and     the academic  community  had  honoured  him  with the titles of Professor and Doctor. He is and loved by his community. He is  popular and humble .He is kind and a man with large heart. He does not  believe  in lying  or deceit no wonder he is feared by unscrupulous  and people with shady character and loved by honest and sincere people. That is the man, the Baale of Esu in Oshogbo, Pa Omokayode Idowu Esuleke who is the Baale Esu Agbojeniyi of Oshogbo land. He  is the head of all Esu and Egungun worshippers , and   Chairman Board of Traditional Council in Oshogbo. He is well respected and revered .   While everybody was swearing an oath with Holy Bible and Koran Esuleke who was to be sworn in as a Councillor sworn with Ogun , the Yoruba god of Iron .

Esuleke showing his Clay pots and shrubs ,  discussing with Taiwo Abiodun  

 MY  FATHER HAD 23 WIVES

Pa Esuleke said his father  had 23 wives while his mother was the last wife , however Esuleke whose mother was the last wife (23rd) emerged to be the first and only surviving child of the large family.
Esuleke said  his parents were traditional  worshipers , he said ” my father was  powerful  physically and spiritually .He too was the Baale Esuleke , he worshiped Esu . He  married 23 wives and my mother was the last wife. While I am the first and only  surviving child .My late father was so powerful that if  he sent  any of his wives  on errands to fetch water and the woman  felt reluctant  she would have a miscarriage .Or when my father was   angry and only say  ‘Ha! me?’ to any of his wives the woman would suffer miscarriage. But when my mother conceived , a powerful Juju man was consulted and he revealed to them who and the manner of human being I would be. The man asked  my  parents to  give me the name , Esuleke .I inherited the worshiping Esu from my father , he was the (Spiritual head)  Baale Esu , and  Esu worshiper”.

Taiwo Abiodun with Esuleke

DRAMA AT THE SWEARING -IN CEREMONY

Some years back , the old man , Esuleke caused a stir ; when he was to be sworn- in as a Counsellor  in Oshogbo, while other political officers – to – be demanded for the Holy Bible and Holy Koran to swear an oath with but Mr. Omokayode Idowu Esuleke’s case  was different as he shocked everybody when he demanded for cutlass which symbolizes Ogun , the Yoruba god of iron , this was at the swearing -in ceremony of  public officers  when he was among the Councilors  to be sworn -in , in Oshogbo , Osun State few years back .Esuleke rejected the  Holy Bible and  Holy Koran when he was asked to pick , he then opted for  a cutlass .He told this reporter  ” I believe in the Yoruba gods that are effective unlike Holy Books that are slow to react , punish or easily forgive  so  when we were asked to swear an oath I demanded for Ogun the Yoruba  god of Iron , and I was given a cutlass to swear with to the amazement of others .Throughout my tenure in the Council in Oshogbo I  did not steal a kobo while my action forced others to be  loyal, and money was not missed or  reportedly got lost .The record is there  , you can ask”, these were the words of a Septuagenarian who also bears a fearful name , Esuleke ( from Esu) as he said he worships Esu and he is the Baale Esu in Oshogbo.

WHY I AM CALLED ‘THE BOY’
For Esuleke ,his hair had covered his facial marks which could not let him be easily recognized .Esuleke is popular   among his colleagues and among the youths In Oshogbo , he is known and called ‘ The Boy’, but in real sense of it he is a grandfather but  because he plays with everybody thus  his humility earns him the nickname ‘ The Boy‘, he is a man of the people and  like a drama  as he goes about one could see young men and women greeting him and calling him ‘ The Boy’ which did not annoy him but instead thrills him as he would wave his hands  in response .Asked why he called himself ‘The Boy’, Esuleke  said he does not believe he is old , ” whoever claims to be an old man will not enjoy the support of the people, and whoever is looking for his mate should go to the cemetery”, he stated with a laughter .

    WORSHIPING  ESU
In his bungalow which is made of mud-bricks are burning oil lamps that will never quench as the flames go up in all the corners and rooms , he said , pointing ” This is one of the Shrines of Esu , we also have that of Masquerade .While we have other pots where we prepare our herbs too. My compound is full”, he said as he was showing this reporter his  Botanical garden .

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.



What happened to me in Owo, Lagos and Branson!

 

No bottled palm wine or gourd hung on the tree or displayed  on the table to advertise  her product ,  palm wine  .There was no signboard or any sign post to show the way to Mama Elemu’s place. By 10 am  on that Saturday her shop at Idashen  , Owo  had been jam packed  by   customers who wanted to eat  cornmeal (egidi) or pounded yam, bush meat  and to drink palm wine.

How did they know they sell locally brewed palm wine here for there is no  bottled palm wine  hung on the tree and no gourds (akemgbe ) of palm wine hung on the tree as some used to .Yes ,that is the practice – from distance one could see bottled palm wine or an empty gourd of palm wine hanging loosely advertising  that ‘palm wine is being sold here’!. No wonder , the Yoruba proverb that a good palm wine does not need an advertisement.

 

Chief Adewale, Mama Elemu and BoN during the interview

For the Owo natives who love palm wine  this place is their choice. For visitors this place is where they would enjoy their evening with full satisfaction. For Owo  natives in diaspora especially those  who   live in Chicago, Illinois, Texas, California,Las Vegas,Missouri , Carolina or Washington DC   the moment they landed in Owo ,they would all go straight to Mama Elemu’s place in Idashen. If you live in  the European countries   and come to Owo your  enjoyment is not complete if you have not been  here to  taste the undiluted palm wine called aroso.

BoN eating egidi with local soup

Emu abiwarapa  abito fun fun lenu ‘ emu lawa nmu , Ero ya wa me mu oo.

Elemu nget on Ka ma rise …

Se kan ko mi ko tun sekan kora re ka jo maa mu loo

When this reporter got there he burst into  Kegites songs , singing while eating the  cornmeal (egidi) wrapped in a leaf  with local soup (obe oogun) and egunsi soup .The  fresh bush meat ( grass cutter and antelope ) were cut into pieces and tied with strings to avoid falling off. Seeing how she displayed the bush meat in a special pot  could make a customer be salivating !

Chief  Niyi Adewale a popular radio presenter described the place thus”Mama’s palm wine is as sweet as honey.She does not  advertise her product but her product advertise  itself!.Her palm wine is original. It  is not diluted and if she does not have to sell she would not sell.!

She is  very neat and at her age, in her 80s   she  still possessed good retentive memory. She is jovial ,she  loves visitors and sell what you can hardly find in other places.Yes, she sells bush meat, fresh and undiluted palm wine.

MAMA BAKO RACHAEL

As she alighted from the cab, the driver assisted her to offload two rubber kegs of palm wine , all  ‘foaming’ from the mouth. The aroma wafted in the air and immediately the customers stopped to drink the water they held in their hands  and rushed towards the octogenarian woman asking to be served .This is Mama Elemu.

She is a woman of few words , she said “My name is Bako Rachael, I am over 80years .I have been selling palm wine for the past 50 years.I am well known in OWO.I sell original palm wine .From the proceeds of the my business  I have trained my children in school and have a roof over my head” .She continued ” I sell bush meat and with local soup and use leaves to wrap my pounded yam or cornmeal and their  taste is different from the ones wrapped with a nylon and kept in a cooler.Big men come here to buy my Palm wine and food”, she said as she was cleaning the leaves to be used to wrap the cornmeal.

As she brought out the drums of palm wine  and one could see the palm wine ‘foaming’ from the mouth and the body  of the container ‘sweating ‘ too.

Ask her for a cup of palm wine, she will tell you ”My palm wine is a special one.I don’t dilute it .I also sell bush meat with native soup [obe oogun] that goes along with egidi (cornmeal). Yes, you are at home for she will not put the egidi in nylon but wrapped in a  green leaf  , as everything is local.

WHAT HAPPENED IN LAGOS

When I  got to Lagos in the evening and   brought out the five litres of  palm wine I  bought  along  with the bush meat  and I entertained my friends with it and we    started    dancing and singing . The evening gathering was turned to Tales by Moonlight as friends told  stories and the most interesting one was why  an empty palm wine  gourd should not be  placed sitting like  the full one . I  told them  the story behind it “One day Ogun was coming from the farm , and the sun was hot , very hot. Ogun was thirsty , very thirsty. Ogun  passed a palm wine joint ,passed a palm wine joint( repeat)   but was neither greeted nor invited for a drink by  these drinkards , and this was according to the instruction and rule that there should not be greetings at that Ajo Oriki Spot, and this was according to Ogun’s instruction too!.  While   Ogun moved on but suddenly  he heard them laughing hysterically. Ogun thought he was been mocked . In annoyance Ogun went back to these drinkards and beheaded all the nine .As he finished the  massacre he sat  down to drink from the ‘sitting’ palm wine gourds.But lo and behold , all were empty , but the deed has been done. Ogun lamented.He regretted his action. and since then he  instructed all palm wine drinkers to always place the empty gourd lying down”.

As I finished the story shouts of Babalawo  of the Nation (BoN), Bobo T, T Bobo, Babalawo of the World (BoW) , Babalawo of the Universe (BoU) rent the air .

 

WHAT HAPPENED TO ME  IN BRANSON

My head in bandage

A I opened my eyes at the hospital bed  I discovered my head had been bandaged as well as my nose  and my  left eye. The surgeon said my skull had cracked .My left eye was to be replaced with artificial eye.My left hand was as heavy as lead  and  in   plaster of Paris ( POP) .Will I be able to move the hand again? Will I regain my eyes again?.I looked at the doctor and broke into tears.I am finished ,I soliloquized. I looked up and saw Intravenous Fluid (IV)  hanging loosely  .Haa! , my  right leg had been ‘decorated’ with Plaster of Paris (POP), and according to the doctor ,the right leg  has fracture  and it may  be amputated. My head is ringing like a church bell .I did not know when I said ‘Kai   my  enemies had eventually captured me’.

What happen? When and how did I get here?.All I could remember  was when I was in my  velvet suits and  at a gathering entertaining     my friends  who came from Texas and Chicago  to visit us   .  I  told them the   story of my Owo trip and how we ate delicious food  ; pounded yam, bush meat and egidi ;and how we all gulped it down with fresh palm wine. Then I started showering   panegyrics  on palm wine ”emu abirawarapa abito funfun lenu, Ogun Onire Oko mi, Ogun olomi nile f’eje we..” We  were dancing to the music of  Orlando Owoh’s music of Money  for hand …Ero ki yeye mi oo,E get as  E  Be …..Suddenly  a fight broke out  between two ladies .One of the ladies who was pregnant  traced her husband to the gathering , they exchanged hot words and this led to fisticuffs . The husband of the first one threw a broken bottle while the other  man drew  out  his pistol from his waist band leather  holster  .The whole place was  in  chaos. Mr. Ade brought his sword from its scabbard  while Mr. Ahmed in annoyance brought out a keg of petrol and wet the living room. Insanity took over  as everywhere became the Devil’s home! .Their eyes turned red, some were screaming , others were shouting that it was Devil’s work. A woman was seen kneeling down in a corner praying and speaking in tongue to let God take control.  Suddenly one of  the ladies  fighting  fell into labour , she was screaming as she held her waist. Before you say Jack Robinson we heard the blaring of siren from Police Cars ,  Fire service  vehicles and Ambulance .The noise of the siren buried our  noise as  the Fire fighters were trying to put out the fire as the whole building was in flame.

I called my neighbors for help but nobody turned up!.I called friends on phone  the phone was dead!. infact I called the Pastor of my church. 20 of us  were  arrested . The house was razed as the gas exploded and sparks from electricity did not help matter cum the lightening  that came with thunder . It was bad as 20 cars were burnt .

Many were arrested .It turned out to Court case. The woman who started the fracas  and    fell into labour later delivered twin babies but was fined. The man with sword was sentenced to two years imprisonment with  hard labour  while the man with gun had fled into the thin air and was never seen again.The  other man was on Watch list.

My underwear was cold  and  ‘water’ was flowing from the mattress .Then I heard my name from a  female voice calling , ”Babalawo of the Nation  , get up its time to go and  catch our flight back home, its now 11 o’clock .I  realized  this was Ronnie’s voice. I remember we came to  the tourist town called  Branson  where we  visited  Silver Dollar City ,a big amusement Park where I rode  the roller coaster and  visited   the Cave of ‘No Return’ .  I had taken some oyinbo kain kain .I now remembered that  I ate bush meat, pounded yam, cornmeal , egunsi soup, in Owo about two years ago .Then I burst into tears and started another song

Oooh my home

Oooh my home 

When shall I see my home

When shall I see my native land 

I will never forget Mama Elemu , sorry , I will never forget Owo my home

I pretended to be dead-Ayoola Wale

 

…… E dabo e gbami la oooo, mi n’egho oo ( Come to my aid , I have no money )

……..They cut his fingers and all dangling

….. It happened to me ,God forbid  who next?

…….Ondo state is filled with strange faces

……...AKETI come and rescue us please

Her voice was  cracking  as she was crying on phone ,sobbing and  begging  for financial assistance.   ” E dabo e gbami la oooo, mi n’egho yii mi a san ghin dokita ooo”(please  come to my aid . I  have no money to pay for the medical bill ). Ramat Ajibola cried on phone , her voice cracked as she spoke  in Owo dialect.

Telephone Call

Mrs. Ramat Ajibola    an Akure -based  petty trader started her story in tears as her voice was shaking  ”I received a call from my  brother  Ayoola Wale about three  weeks ago crying on phone that  he was attacked and wounded by unknown assailants  .He was crying on phone .I took an okada and went to where he was  but lo and behold I saw his two hands bleeding and his fingers dangling , almost severed from his  palms. We took him to a private hospital but he was rejected because of  COVID 19 and they also said they  did not have equipment. From here he was  rushed  to  a Health Centre in Oke- Aro, Akure  but he was  rejected again  for they said his case was beyond their power as they did not have medical   facilities. I cried for   he has lost blood and  we were referred to General Hospital but when one of our sisters Mrs. Stella Akinnawonu  who lives at Road 1, Holy Trinity, no 11, Ondo  heard she advised me to bring him to Ondo where he was later taken to TRAUMA ( University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex, Ondo town.He was given some pints of blood and his fingers were stitched but  some of the veins are no longer functioning according to him.  Now  he is still in the hospital recuperating . We have spent up to 148,000 naira and we are asked to pay about 120,000 naira before he is discharged”

HOW I   WAS ATTACKED  BY  UNKNOWN MEN

According to  Wale,he was attacked by some strange men whose identities are not known as they did not speak Yoruba language . he  said ”I left home  for the farm on that fateful morning of 23rd of July The farm belonged to our late father and we inherited it after his death.Nobody struggled it with us for we are the only two children our parents had so  it is not a matter of fighting over our father’s farm. Our mother is still alive .  Wale said while he was in the farm    (Ajegunle /Owo Road) he  ran into  these  two young men whose faces were strange  and he challenged them since the community had asked us to be challenging those who are strange and with new faces but the duo    could not speak Yoruba . Instead of the duo to tell me   who they were and their mission they brought out their  already sharpened cutlasses and  and began to inflict injuries on me ,as they  macheted  me .I  struggled with them to avoid being killed but my  fingers were severely cut , I sustained serious injuries on his fingers,then I pretended that I was dead and they left”.

Mrs. Ramat Ajibola who is a sister to Wale   was in tears as she narrated the incident , she said ” we are only two from our parents, we have no father again and our mother is getting old so we fend for ourselves and sustain ourselves with this farming .  I live  at Oba -Ile Second Gate in Akure  while my brother ,Wale lives at 101,Ijoka Lane , Oja, Ondo where he is an apprentice in tiles fixing”.

Ajibola continued ”. Instead of the attackers  to explain themselves and their mission they brought out their cutlasses and started fighting him. According to my brother , the two men were ready to kill him , they did not speak Yoruba or Ibo at all. Wale said he ran for his dear life while they pursued him to the main road where he saw a vehicle that took him to Akure township”.

PLEASE HELP WALE

Balogun Ramat Tawa 0434949921
Gt bank.

”I am pleading to concerned citizens to assist us. We are from Owo, Ondo state and I live with my husband in  Akure .Wale  lives in Ondo .I am a petty trader and I have exhausted all my savings to save his life .I need help.The hospital can be contacted to know the truth”.

Mrs Ajibola said ” I believe we are no longer safe in Ondo state. My brother said the moment the case was reported  some boys went to the farm  searching for the suspects but up till now none of these hoodlums was caught.

”The hospital is asking for  their balance and for him to continue treatment.We don’t know the position of his fingers now.Please help us , I am pleading to you all .I am begging Owo indigenes home and abroad ,Aketi and all good-spirited Nigerians to assist us for  we are poor ”