My Grandma was one special lady and the loss of her is felt deeply by many, even though she lived a full life. For the past couple of years we watched her fight her illness to be with us she deeply loved her children and grandchildren and great grandchildren as we also loved her dearly. She was our rock and our go to for everything.
The love of a grandma is unique. God must have given grandmothers to us to liven up our lives, to make our lives more complete, to make us well rounded and better human beings. She played a big part in my childhood-adulthood. She taught me a lot about love and the meaning of family. She has never been just my grandmother, but my guardian, my friend and my inspiration.
Still, we can’t believe our lovely Grandma was taken away from us. We will miss our Grandmother, but her spirit and strength, lives on in each of us and in the lives that she touched. She lives on in me and in all those who have been touched by the love, strength, conviction, wisdom, and beauty of her soul.
Love you grandma – You truly were a special, special woman! You may have passed on, but your memories would always live on within us. Thank you for your sacrifices, your care and concern, your love and everything that you have done for me. I know you are in a much better place. I will be forever grateful and thankful that you are my ‘grandmother.
Rest in Peace Grandma we love and miss you so much. Until we see each other again.
Who will be there for me again? I deeply mourn your exit. You were gentle to a fault. I asked around if you offended anyone but I found none; you forgave all.
Mum, you taught me to be hardworking, to always persevere in life, to love everyone I come a cross, to always forgive those that wrong me; above all, you taught me the ways of God.
You were a counselor, a source of inspiration, an embodiment of hard work and generosity. Nobody sat under your training without being imparted with wisdom, understanding and experience. I am left without a counselor, a Teacher and an adviser, nobody to check my inadequacies. Death has cheated me. My consolation lies in God Almighty who giveth and taketh life. All praises go to him alone.
My joy is full today because you died a child of God hence your destination in heaven is known as you a wait our arrival someday in Glory.
Mummy, you were a bundle of inspiration to all around you. Your kind soul, wise counsel and outstretched hands can’t be quantified. Your home was open to everyone, your hospitality made them feel special.
You are the most humble, compassionate, understanding family oriented woman I have ever seen. You are so dear and so true. You had an indescribable inner strength.
I am saddened by your death, dear mother. You went home at the time we were beginning to reward you for your labour over us. But I feel profoundly honoured, blessed and proud that you are my mother.
Missing you is a heartache that will never go away but your life will remain a constant reminder that there is no greater way to honour you than to be a better me and uphold the love and peace you lived and died for.
Even unto your last moment, you were still pleasant, dying in my hands is one of the memories I will live to cherish forever.
Rest on in the bossom of our Lord Jesus Christ, till we meet to part no more at the resurrection morning.
Legislative activities at the National Assembly was today crippled due to a massive protest by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over plans by the National Assembly to amend the National Minimum Wage Act.
The protest which started at the Unity Fountain with protesters who are members of organized labor were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions such as ” On National Minimum Wage We Stand”, “No To Minimum Wage On Concurrent List”, “Yes To Minimum Wage On Exclusive List”.
Speaking at the protest, the President Nigeria Labour Congress Comrade Ayuba Wabba who led the protest, said minimum wage issues is not something to be toyed with. He insisted that workers who create the wealth of the nation deserves a fair minimum wage.
He recalled that Preesident Buhari submitted the agreement for the payment of the thirty thousand naira to workers after long deliberation with the government and expressed disappointment on the way that minimum wage is being tolled with.
The protesters carried placards with inscription such as ‘removing national minimum wage from the Exclusive to the Concurrent list is a declaration of war on Nigerian workers”.
Others are, ‘national minimum wage is our right, don’t decentralise workers wages”, ‘President Buhari, no room for fifth columnists, stand with Nigeria workers, keep minimum wage on exclusive list”, among others.
Wabba said: ”The bill that seeks to remove the National Minimum Wage from the Exclusive list to the Concurrent list is not acceptable.
”The issue of National Minimum wage is a standard signed by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the ILO is the first agency of the United Nations formed in 1919 after the First World War, so it has the powers of the United Nations.
”The National Minimum Wage is not a Nigerian Standard but International standard. In the countries of the world, over 33 Federating Nations including United States of America have their Minimum Wage in the Exclusive list.
“Currently, the Minimum Wage of USA is $10per hour and President Biden has already announced plans to initiate an upward review of the minimum wage to $15per hour.
”How can we degenerate to remove the issue that workers have earned through hard labour for forty years overnight? The problem of Nigeria, we have said in essence, is the issue of good governance.
“That is why we are here. There are all well documented in the documents that we will present to the leadership of the National Assembly, ” he said.
Wabba, however, said that workers had given the leardership of organised labour the mandate to declare nationwide strike if the right thing was not done.
The NLC president said: ”we know that the State Governors collect the same salary across the country. States and National Assemblies collect the same salaries across the country, so as the Counselors.
”So, why is the case of workers different, if it is the issue of ability to pay?
”Governors also collect humongous amount as security votes that has not been used to address security challenges in Nigeria.
”If we address this, we will have enough to pay the minimum wage. It’s a national benchmark.
”If the private sectors can pay, the government has more responsibility to the citizens than the highest private sector,”he said.
On his part, the TUC President, Mr Quadri Olaleye called on the National Assembly to leave by example. According to Olaleye, leadership by example is the best.
‘If the National Assembly must take that decision, all the executives should go back to their Local Government to collect their salary according to their local government revenue generation,”he said.
He however, presented a protest letter to the House of Representatives through the Majority Leader, Hon. Hassan Doguwu.
Speaking, the Majority Leader, Hon. Hassan Doguwa, while receiving the protest letter on behalf of the Speaker House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila commended the organised labour leadership for expressing their grievances in the right quarter.
”I want to say that we have accepted the letter presented to us by the organised labour and i want to assure you that we will give it the right treatment.
“We will also provide the window for the people to come and present their grievances through the public hearing.
”That presentation of that bill is only a prosposal and with what i am seeing now, it appears to me that the leadership of organised labour are against that bill.
“If you are against that bill, you are right and you have every reason to be against that bill.
”I want to assure that the House of Representative will see and give listening ears to your grievances. We will still invite you to come and engage with relevant commitees to make your position.
Mummy is passionate her concerns for our well being is overwhelming. She knows when you are not happy and always ready get a smile from you her concerns is infectious, so involve and so obeservant. She was strong to the very end. Love you mummy Bimbo ALUkO.
TRIBUTE TO A DEARLY BELOVED MOTHER
My mummy, my dearly beloved mother in-law who calls me ITIEOBORO was a unique, amiable, elegant, industrious, selfless and above all God fearing woman to the core. She was an embodiment of love and she was lavishly loved and cared for. She appreciates the beauty in people and adds value to them. Her hospitality being second to none was an understatement. Her memory will be ever green in our hearts and she will be greatly missed. Rest on in the bosom of your LORD iyioboro.
1st Corinthians 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
Certainly, death is inevitable! Every living soul has its death coupon already issued depending on when, where and how. But it is most certain that we will all embark on that eternal journey someday. In spite of this, we still grieve when we lose our beloved ones, particularly, our parents.
Indeed, the sorrow of losing parents, especially a mother, is to the extreme and an emotionally severe one.
Your demise has made my siblings and I full-blown orphans with the loss of our beloved daddy about 10 years ago. Despite the age, your death is going to be very difficult to accept. 😭😰😭😭😤😢
I am just wondering where else we can get the heartfelt love and care you lavished on us? Anyway, we take solace in the fact that you lived a good life, a life that we are all proud of and a life worthy of emulation.
I grew up knowing my mother as a strong, proud, beautiful, elegant, industrious, hardworking and a consistently optimistic woman the unseen backbone of our family.
You touched my heart in so many ways, your strength and smile even on dark days made me realise i have an angel beside me.
You saw beauty in everything in life, you were a very simple-minded human being. You were the best person morally that I’ve ever known. You taught us how to live life to the fullest. You made everything so much fun as a kid growing up, and taught us how to face the world we were going to live in.
You were a precious gift from God to humanity, you were so industrious and versatile , a Jack of all trades and master of all.
Watching you be kind to others all my life has made me a better person.
Mummy, you did not leave millions behind in your bank account but you left behind enduring legacies worth much more than millions.
I love 😍 you Mummy, words could never be enough to describe how much I miss you. I keep myself occupied as much as I could in order to skip moments of reminding myself that you have gone to rest with the Lord .
Adieu Chief Mrs Felicia Aderomi Adurodija continue to rest in the bossom of our Lord Jesus Christ till we meet to part no more.
Chief Mrs Felicia Aderomi Adurodija was born on Tuesday 5th March 1940 to a humble Christain family of Late PA Gabriel Asubiojo Alike, Ajegelaibogudu grand son of Eminefo Ologori of Ogori and Mama Juliana Alike, the beloved daughter of Oba Fadipe Aisoni 11 the Ologori of Ogori. This shows that Chief :Mrs) Felicia Aderomilorun Adurodija was the beloved daughter of two ruling houses in the Ogori Kingdom.
Her father Gabriel was one of those early Christians that suffered for propagating Christianity in Ogoriland. According to history, I he was among the classes contemporaries of Eleko, Amode, Alabi and Okoro that built the first church in Ogori. Due to family issues, I have a left Ogori to Onumo in the present day Edo state with his wife. In Onumov he started evangelising and extended to Osomorika. It was he that brought Christianity to that part of Edo State.
Her father loved her so much, I he used to call her “ORE” (My friend). This family’s love for her did not allow her to start the schooling on time, not until Professor Ojo Ajayi from Ekiti State, who is a friend to her cousin Mr. C. O Aduloju visited Ogori and forced the family to send Aderomilorun to school.
She started schooling in March 1951 and obtained her First School Leaving at Certificate in December 1957. In school, she was the head girl of the school. She will was the runner in 220 yards and 440 yards race in the school. She was loved by all her classmates, till now they still call her head girl.
She taught as a provisional teacher before she gained admission into Kaduna train Teachers College, where she obtained her Grade 11 Teacher’s Certificate in the year 1963. In college, she was the best handicrafts student. Her knitting works were always presented to the college’s visitors.
She got married on 1st of September, 1963 to Chief Keef Philip Aiyedogbon Adurodija. She went back to Kabba Women Teacher’s college, where she obtained her Grade 11 Teacher’s Certificate where she maintained the position of the best student on handicrafts. During her teaching career, her weaving and knitting items sustained her family when salaries were not paid as when due for months.
In 1980.Late Bishop H. Y Haruna, the then Bishop of Kwara Diocese discovered her as the best craft woman in the Diocese and sent her to Mindolo Ecumenical Foundation, Kitwe Zambia in the year 1981. There she was trained in leadership skills and crafts. In Kitwe Zambia, she was pronounced the best student in crafts. She was made the woman leader during her stay in the the college.
She also attended Ahmadu Bello University Zaria 1985-1986, Where she obtained Diploma in Primary Schools Supervision and Administration. In the joined university , she also obtained excellent in practical work and credit in theory.
When she was teaching as a classroom teacher, her pupils called her mummy. Some still call her mummy even though they are now graduates and professors. Her school administrative career singled her out as a good administrator and a disciplinarian. Which earned her promotions in quick succession to Special Head Mistress before she voluntary retired on September 30th, 1990.
She was a hard working lady and very creative. Because of her activities in the church, the church council deemed it right to honour her with the chieftaincy title of Amujodun of At. Peter’s church Ogori. She also bagged the title of Oyinragun of Ebira land, a titled bestowed on her by the way Ohinoyi of Ebira land, His Royal Majesty Alj. (Dr) Ado Ibrahim in recognition of her industry and creativity.
Before and after retirement, her crafts feature prominently in all Local, National and International trade fairs in Nigeria and overseas. In 1988, at the First Better Life Trade Fair in Lagos, her beaded crafts won the first position and her Local Government (then Ilene Local Government) was given a shield and N500 cash for producing the best woman in craft. Because of this, Late Mariam Babangida asked the wife of the then Military Governor of Kwara State, Aliwali Kazzi to come and personally inspect Chief Mrs Felicia Aderomi Adurodija shop that year.
In many trade fairs, Kwara and Kogi states Government have benefited from her wide experiences in crafts. She established Decade Ventures Weaving Industry in 1980 and since then, she as trained over seventy girls and women in Kogi State and the nearby Edo State to be self employed.
Chief Mrs Felicia Aderomi Adurodija has one principle which is “No Failure in life” when your hands and legs are still strong and healthy. Rest in peace Omo Ajegelaibogudu, wife to Omo Asioku Ovie Gaga.
The Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika has reiterated the desire of the ministry to reopen the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, for international flight operations.
Sirika, in a statement on Tuesday and signed by the Director Of Public Affairs, Ministry Of Aviation, James Odaudu, insisted that the continued suspension of international flights to and from the airport was denying the Ministry and its agencies a lot of revenue.
The Minister said this when he received a high powered delegation from Kano State, led by Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in his office in Abuja
He further said that it does not make economic sense for government to spend so much money, as it has done in the airport, and just decide to leave it inoperative with the attendant degeneration on infrastructure, redundancy amongst operational staff, revenue losses, hardship to travellers, amongst others.
He told the delegation that included some members of the Kano State House of Assembly, representatives of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and members of the Kano Chamber of Commerce, that the decision to suspend international flights to and from the airport, like the ones in Enugu and Port Harcourt, were for health and security reasons.
The Minister acknowledged the hardship to the users of the airport, passengers and service providers alike, and promised that all that was necessary for the resumption of international flight operations at the airport would be fast-tracked to ensure that it resumes sooner than later.
He however challenged Kano indigenes to create activities that will make the airport more viable through increased passenger traffic.
Earlier, Kano State Governor Dr Abdullahi Ganduje had told the Minister that he was in the Ministry for two reasons, first to show appreciation to the Federal Government led by President Muhammadu Buhari for the completion of the International wing of the Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport, and secondly to appeal for the resumption of international flight operations at the airport.
The governor expressed great concern over the effect of the continued suspension of international flights to and from the airport by passengers and service providers.
According to him, the Kano State government has put in place all that was necessary to make the state healthy for flights, including mobilization of the populace for the COVID-19 vaccinations.
In a bid to fulfill its campaign promises to link all parts of the country through railway, the Federal Government has flagged off a $3.2billion rehabilitation Eastern Narrow Gauge Rehabilitation project.
The Project whose contract duration is 36 months has a total route length of 2044.1km, with a number of 61 stations and passing loops. Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony, President Muhammadu Buhari says that the project is with the objective of resuscitating the once vibrant railway transportation in the Eastern railway corridor of the country, Port Harcourt – Maiduguri.
Buhari further said that it will be expanded to achieve contemporary demand for transport in the North East and Southern geopolitical zones of the country. It is also designed to link other standard gauge rail lines under construction through the provision of transshipment centers.
He said , “First is the Port Harcourt to Maiduguri narrow gauge railway reconstruction project with new branch lines to Owerri, Imo State and Damaturu, Yobe State. The second and the third projects are the Bonny deep sea port and a Railway Industrial Park, Port Harcourt that are to be constructed through direct investments by our Chinese partners and international financing agencies”.
He further said “These projects will serve transportation and supply chain network for domestic needs and export as well as support imports into the hinterland of the country through the new deep sea port in Bonny Island, Rivers State”.
“In planning this project, prudent use of resources has been given priority, as by this endeavor, Nigeria will retrieve the old narrow gauge that has been lying in neglect for years and bring it to full functional state commensurate to a National railway service at a rational price” Buhari said.
Speaking earlier, the Minister Of Transportation Hon. Rotimi Amaechi said that the project is a part of the comprehensive plan for the revitalization, rehabilitation and expansion of the Nigerian Railway network to meet up with the transport infrastructure needs of the country.
Amaechi said that Upon completion, trains on the Port Harcourt – Maiduguri Eastern Narrow Gauge Railway will run at 60 – 80 kilometers per hour Kph and 80 – 100 kilometers per hour Kph for freight and passengers.
He said “The Eastern narrow gauge railway is one of the transport infrastructure established in the pre-independence period and played significant role in the development of agriculture and industrial sectors in the colonial era and immediate post-independence year up till 1985, when it became unfit for purpose as a result of the general neglect and divestment suffered by the Nigerian railways”.
He further said “The effort of Government at rehabilitation of this rail line in year 2009 – 2012, did not achieve the desired outcome, partly due to inadequate funding and incompetence of some of the Contractors employed. The rail line therefore, remain unserviceable”.
“The need for a functional rail line on this Eastern corridor persists and remain compelling as the supply chain for products and services on this corridor vanishes and articles and items such as petroleum products, iron and steel, minerals, livestock and poultry products availability were reduced giving rise to high cost and affecting the manufacturing and agro-allied industries” Amaechi said.
A new analysis released by UNICEF today to mark the 2021 International Women’s Day has revealed that the gains of 25 million child marriages averted in the last decade is under serious threat as ten million additional child marriages may occur before the end of the decade.
According the analysis, “COVID-19: A threat to progress against child marriage – released on International Women’s Day – warns that school closures, economic stress, service disruptions, pregnancy, and parental deaths due to the pandemic are putting the most vulnerable girls at increased risk of child marriage.
“Even before the COVID-19 outbreak, 100 million girls were at risk of child marriage in the next decade, despite significant reductions in several countries in recent years. In the last ten years, the proportion of young women globally who were married as children had decreased by 15 per cent, from nearly 1 in 4 to 1 in 5, the equivalent of some 25 million marriages averted, a gain that is now under threat.”
However, the UNICEF Executive Director Henrietta Fore said, “COVID-19 has made an already difficult situation for millions of girls even worse. Shuttered schools, isolation from friends and support networks, and rising poverty have added fuel to a fire the world was already struggling to put out. But we can and we must extinguish child marriage”
“International Women’s Day is a key moment to remind ourselves of what these girls have to lose if we do not act urgently – their education, their health, and their futures.”
Girls who marry in childhood face immediate and lifelong consequences. They are more likely to experience domestic violence and less likely to remain in school. Child marriage increases the risk of early and unplanned pregnancy, in turn increasing the risk of maternal complications and mortality. The practice can also isolate girls from family and friends and exclude them from participating in their communities, taking a heavy toll on their mental health and well-being.
COVID-19 is profoundly affecting the lives of girls. Pandemic-related travel restrictions and physical distancing make it difficult for girls to access the health care, social services and community support that protect them from child marriage, unwanted pregnancy and gender-based violence. As schools remain closed, girls are more likely to drop out of education and not return. Job losses and increased economic insecurity may also force families to marry their daughters to ease financial burdens.
Worldwide, an estimated 650 million girls and women alive today were married in childhood, with about half of those occurring in Bangladesh, Brazil, Ethiopia, India and Nigeria. To off-set the impacts of COVID-19 and end the practice by 2030 – the target set out in the Sustainable Development Goals – progress must be significantly accelerated.
“One year into the pandemic, immediate action is needed to mitigate the toll on girls and their families,” added Fore. “By reopening schools, implementing effective laws and policies, ensuring access to health and social services – including sexual and reproductive health services – and providing comprehensive social protection measures for families, we can significantly reduce a girl’s risk of having her childhood stolen through child marriage.”
