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I Will Never Forgive Buhari For Killing My Brother: Nkem Owoh

Nollywood actor, Nkem Owoh has spoken about a very painful subject regarding the death of his younger brother Bartholomew Owoh.

Bartholomew Owoh was one of the three young Nigerians executed by General Buhari for an offence that allegedly did not carry the death penalty. Bernard Ogedengbe (29), Bartholomew Owoh (26) and Lawal Ojuolape (30) were publicly executed by General Buhari.

According to a source close to the Nollywood actor who spoke with Breaking Times, Nkem Owoh and the rest of his family have not recovered from the trauma of the cold-blooded killing of the three young men, particularly their brother and son, Bartholomew Owoh.

The laws of Nigeria at the time the offence was committed did not prescribe the death penalty. When Buhari took over power, he insisted the young men should be executed and they were killed publicly by the firing squad.

According to the source, “Nkem Owoh and his family have not forgiven Buhari for killing their brother at the young age of 26.

Every time Nkem Owoh sees Buhari on TV, he weeps bitterly over his brother. He can’t even believe that Buhari has the nerve to seek re-election as President”.

CAC Oline Registration Launched In Nigeria

The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) on Monday in Abuja launched a 24-hour online company registration platform to fast track its business services to its customers. Dr Olusegun Aganga, the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, said that the new online registration portal was developed by CAC to make registration of business in Nigeria easy and accessible to its clients.

“Nigerians will no longer have to incur extra costs and will not travel to the CAC’s office to register their businesses,’’ Aganga said. He added that it was a joint initiative with the Federal Ministry of Communications Technology under Government Service Portal initiative.

He explained that the portal was robust enough to accommodate all platforms such as inter-switch, e- transaction and visa card. Others include Verve card, American express and other forms of electronic payments. Aganga explained that any person that wanted to register his business would now do so easily in any part of the world without physically coming to CAC.

Mr Bello Mahmud, the Registrar General of CAC, said that the new portal would save a lot time in doing business with the commission, adding that the public, other than accredited agents, would carry out transaction directly with CAC.

You can access the CAC Company Registration Portal (CRP) here.

Save Prince James Uche`s life

Prince James Uche, Another Nollywood Actor with Heart Disease and Kidney Failure: Served with eviction notice; wife on the run!

Should the unexpected happen and God forbid, Prince James Uche kicks the bucket, all his friends, colleagues and relatives who deserted him now will start singing his praises. Now, the young man is in distress and  seeks help, nobody has come to his aid.

Prince Jame Uche is obviously and sadly on his own as his land lord served him a quit notice to vacate his apartment. We all are still mourning the death of Muna Obiekwe whose sudden demise took the movie industry like a thunder-storm. I have called Ibinabo Fibrisima, the National President of the same Guild , James served as the Vice, to know what AGN is planing to do for James, IB, who is on Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign train is yet to return my calls.

Daily Times of Nigeria has the full story, Please read-

“Nollywood actor, Prince James Uche, who was once a vice president of AGN, has been issued with a quick notice to leave his Gbagada home despite the fact that he is currently battling with an undisclosed heart disease and kidney failure. His wife is said to have abandoned him few years ago with their 3 children.
James now spends most of his time in his church, Our Lady the Queen of Peace Catholic Church near his home. He revealed his sickness started since 2007;

“Something struck me on the left side of my face about eight years ago, when I was heading for the burial ceremony of Pete Edochie’s mother at Nteje in Anambra State. “I got to the venue of the ceremony and stayed in the town for two days. On the third day, I suddenly found that I could no longer move my body freely. Although I barely managed to get up on my feet, I could not climb up the staircase.

“I had to wait till the following Sunday before deciding to leave for Lagos. But my friend, Edoche, persuaded me to follow him to Enugu where he lived at the time. I slept in Enugu on that day. In the morning I went for treatment in a hospital.
“After the doctor had finished examining me, he stared at me with his mouth half open in shock for a long time. “When I asked what was wrong, he said I should have been dead. He took my pulse again and then, sweating, said my blood pressure was abnormally high. He said it had risen up to 300 and it was a miracle that I was still alive.”

According to reports, Uche’s health has continually deteriorated over the past years. Aside battling from the heart disease, he is also slowly losing his memory and sight. As if to worsen it, he is also suffering from kidney problem. His kidney is said to not function properly and there is fear it it might be completely destroyed. He was lucky to be helped by church members who paid for his diagnosis five times in 2013. But now it is in dare need of medical attention.

Uche is really looking emaciated and financial support is mainly coming from the church. This is very sad. Fans are already pleading with the AGN president, top notch movie stars, and good Nigerians to help him so that we don’t lose another star like we recently did”-Time of Nigeria.

Nollywood actors should please come to the aid of one of their own.  Musicians pulled resources together recently to help with their own who had a kidney problem. Nollywood actors should be able to do more. Are we going to wait again until another Muna Obikwe tragedy happens?
Time to save Prince Uche James is now!

Yeye Dey Smell : Disqualification Suit Against Buhari, fixed for Feb. 9.

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday fixed February 9 for mention and hearing of a suit seeking the disqualification of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Muhammadu Buhari, from contesting the February 14 election.

The court also ordered that Mr. Buhari be served the court documents ahead of the hearing.
Justice Adeniyi Ademola gave the order on Monday in a suit FHC/ABJ/CS/14/2015 filed by way of originating summon by an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Max Ozoaka, against Mr. Buhari and the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

Mr Ozoaka sought and secured an expart order for the defendants to be served by substituted means, including notices in three national dailies.Mr. Ademola also granted the applicant’s prayers for an abridge time within which the defendants would enter appearance in the matter. In the substantive suit, Ade Okeaya-Inneh, SAN, counsel to the Mr. Ozoaka, is seeking among other relief:

-“A declaration that by the combined provisions of Sections 31(1)(2) and (3) of the 2010 Electoral Act as amended and INEC Form CF 001, the 1st defendant is mandatorily obliged by the law to comply strictly with the provisions laid down under the Electoral Act as amended and INEC Form CF 001 as it relates to attaching evidence of the 1st defendants birth certificate and evidence of his educational qualifications as required under INEC Form CF 001;

-A declaration that by the combined reading of Sections 31(1)(2) (3) and 31 (8) of the Electoral Act, the 1st and 2nd defendants are mandatorily obliged by law to comply strictly with the provisions laid down under the Electoral Act vis-a-vis the filing and submission of INEC Form CF 001, by the 1st defendant attaching evidence of educational qualifications as required under the said INEC Form CF 001 and that non compliance with this condition inherent amounts to an offence under Section 31(8) of the Electoral Act;

-A declaration that the curriculum vitae and voters registration card attached by the 1st defendant in his INEC Form CF 001 and submitted to the 2nd defendant as a presidential candidate in 2015 general election is not in conformity with the form prescribed by the Electoral Act/INEC Form CF 001 and is manifestly in contravention of the said Act/INEC Form CF 001 and therefore null and void;
-An other declaring as invalid the INEC Form CF 001 as filled by the 1st defendant as being inchoate and manifestly in contravention of the provisions of the Electoral Act/INEC Form 001 as the 1st defendant did not comply with a condition inherent/precedent in the INEC Form CF 001 submitted to the 2nd defendant, by failing and/or refusing to attach evidence of his birth certificate and educational qualifications which are conditions inherent/precedent as prescribed in the form;

-A declaration that the 1st defendant is not eligible to participate in the 2015 Presidential election for failure to comply with the terms for submission of list of candidate and affidavit of personal particulars of persons seeking election to the office of the president;

-A declaration that the sworn affidavit by the 1st defendant stating that his original certificates are presently with the Secretary Military Board cannot replace and/or satisfy the provision under INEC Form CF 001 requiring him to attach evidence of his educational qualification as such requirement is a condition inherent and a condition precedent to his eligibility to contest/participate in the 2015 presidential election;

-An order disqualifying the 1st defendant from contesting and/or participating in the presidential election fixed for the14th February, 2015 or any other date that the 2nd defendant may fix; and
-An order restraining the 2nd defendant from permitting the 1st defendant from participating in the presidential election fixed for 14th February, 2015 or any other date that the 2nd defendant may fix.
Mr. Ozoaka also raised eight questions for the court’s determination. Among the questions are:
-Having regards to the clear, unequivocal and sacrosanct provisions of Section 31(1), (2), (3) and (5) of the Electoral Act, Cap 15 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2010 and INEC Form CF 001 which stipulates the conditions to be complied with in the submission of list of candidates and their affidavits to INEC, whether the 1st defendant herein has complied with the said law and INEC Form CF 001, when he failed to attach evidence of his educational qualifications to the INEC Form CF 001 submitted to the 2nd defendant for the purpose of the 2015 presidential election.

-Whether the curriculum vitae of the 1st defendant as attached by the 1st defendant alongside the affidavit sworn by the 1st defendant and attached in the INEC Form CF 001 to the 2nd defendant suffices and/or replaces evidence of the 1st defendant’s educational qualifications as required by INEC Form CF 001 and is in accordance with the prescribed form as stipulated by Sections 31 (1) of the Electoral Act, Cap 15 LFN, 2010.

3 students shot and in criticial condition after gunmen storm ESUT

Three students of the Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT), Agbani, are in critical condition at the the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) after being shot and wounded by suspected armed bandits who invaded their hostel,

The affected students are currently undergoing intensive surgery at the hospital where they were rushed to in the early hours of Saturday. One of the students was shot in the stomach and it was suspected that some pellets of the bullet were lodged in his abdomen for which doctors are battling to remove.

The two other victims were also undergoing surgery at the hospital while efforts were being made to contact their parents.

The Unique Hostel where the incident occurred and other hostels within the Agbani Permanent site of the university, according to sources, have been placed under security watch as it was suspected that the gunmen could be members of a secret cult.

To forestall a reprisal attack, the source said, the management had taken measures to beef up security at the hostels with plain-clothe policemen deployed to strategic locations.

Police spokesman, Mr. Ebere Amaraizu,  who confirmed the armed attack said that preliminary investigations revealed that the gunmen could be “student robbers”,  assuring that the police would do everything possible to get to the root of the matter.

He could not say if any arrest had been made but he said that the command was already on top of the situation and would give further details after the ongoing investigations.

“From what we gathered when the gunmen attacked some students at the ESUT Unique Lodge, which is mainly Boys Hostel, there was a stiff resistance by the students who succeeded in arresting one of the gunmen.  The arrested gunman alerted his armed colleagues who returned to the hostel and began shooting indiscriminately during which three of the students were shot and wounded,” the police spokesman said.

Source: The Nation

Kaduna records first case of Ebola

According to a report by Premium Times, a 19 year old student of Law at Ahmadu Bello University has been diagnosed with the deadly Ebola virus in Kaduna.

PT reports that the PRO of the Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, ABUTH, Bilyaminu Umar, confirmed the case yesterday Monday September 1st when contacted via phone; saying that the student was diagnosed at ABUTH, Shika, Zaria.

"Yes, there was a case of a suspected Ebola patient. He is with the Faculty of Law, ABU, Zaria and will be placed on isolation. I am out of town, but will confirm details on my return from a trip.” he said

What's the true situation in Bama? Did soldiers really conquer Boko Haram?

This is quite confusing. The Nigerian military and the presidency is claiming that Boko Haram didn't capture Bama yesterday, which is contrary to what many media sources including Sahara Reporters, AIT, Channels, BBC and Punch are reporting. According to Nigerian military, the Nigerian Armed Forces chased out Boko Haram from Bama town yesterday and even killed 59 insurgents but according to Punch today, I80 people were killed yesterday during the battle with the insurgents.

They said the spokesman of the youth vigilante in the town, Barr. Jubrin Gonda, made this revelation. And according Channels TV, residents said the insurgents have gained control of the town. Witnesses say after the initial military intervention in repelling the attack. The sect members re-grouped and launched a successful attack on the town which they say is presently under the control of the sect.


The reports from Channels TV

A military officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorised to speak on behalf of the military, says the soldiers on ground did their best in repelling the first attack but ran out of ammunition as there was no reinforcement for subsequent operation.

“I can confirm to you that the soldiers on ground did their best in repelling the first attack but we ran out of ammunitions and it will not be a surprise if they have eventually taken control of the town

“We needed immediate reinforcement but nothing came and I can categorically tell you that there is sabotage somewhere,” the army officer said.

He said the foot soldiers were willing to end the insurgency but lacked needed support.

Report says the insurgents also launched an attack on Mongonu town which also has a military barracks like that of Bama.

The Bama military barracks last year suffered attack by the dreaded sect members, as part of the barracks was vandalised during the attack.

At the moment, Madagali in Adamawa State, as well as Gwoza, Pulka and now Bama of Borno State are under the control of the dreaded sect members the Boko Haram.

President Goodluck Jonathan had in July requested for immediate approval of one billion dollars external borrowing by the National Assembly to tackle insurgency and terrorism in Nigeria’s north-east.

In a letter to the Senate, read by the President, David Mark, President Jonathan said the money would be used to upgrade the equipment of the Nigerian Armed Forces.

President Jonathan stressed that there was an urgent need to upgrade the equipment, training and logistic of the country’s Armed Forces and Security services to enable them confront the serious threat posed by Boko Haram sect more forcefully.

The loan has not been approved.

Big Brother Africa postponed due to fire incident at BBA house in SA

Big Brother Africa Hotshots which was supposed to begin this Sunday 7th September has been postponed indefinitely after a fire incident at the BBA House in Jo'burg, South Africa. Below is a press release from M-Net.

"M-Net and Endemol SA advise that due to a devastating fire at the Big Brother house on 2 September 2014, Big Brother Hotshots will not launch this Sunday (7 September) as scheduled. The cause of the fire at this stage is unknown and investigations will commence as soon as it is safe to do so." Continue...

At this stage M-Net and Endemol are urgently looking for an alternative Big Brother house in which to film the production, however as this production has highly technical infrastructure, camera and edit requirements an alternative is not immediately available.  Every effort will be made to find a solution as quickly as possible to ensure that Africa’s biggest reality show will continue.

Where is the BBA house?

It is based at the Sesani Studios in Johannesburg

Was anyone injured in the fire?

No one was injured during the fire. 

As more information unfolds, we will communicate.

Yes, I am Boko Haram – Immigration officer confesses, names other security personnel in Islamic sect

JTF spokesman, Sagir Musa

Nigerians have consistently maintained that the dreaded sect Boko Haram must surely have sympathisers in government and security agencies, considering how effective their attacks have been. Finally, there is proof.

A high profile Boko Haram member, who is an officer of Nigeria’s Immigration Services, Ahmed Grema Mohammed, has named some security personnel among those carrying out terrorist attacks in the country. His confession came after he was arrested by the men of the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

Mohammed, who is an officer of the Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS) attached to the Nangere office of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Yobe State, was apprehended at a checkpoint on the Maiduguri-Damaturu road while on his way to kill a former special adviser to the immediate past governor of the state.

Most of the personnel named by Mohammed have been arrested, while security agencies are on the trail of others.

The news of Mohammed’s arrest was contained in a JTF statement signed by the task force spokesman, Lt. Col Sagir Musa.

According to the statement, Mohammed had been on the wanted lists in the country and was arrested on August 17, this year for impersonating a lieutenant in the Nigerian Army.

“Mohammed confessed to be actively involved in the killings of some senior civil servants, security agents, and politicians in Damaturu who spoke against the activities of Boko Haram, particularly the former chairman of Damboa Council, Alhaji Lawal Kawu.

“He also took part in the attack on the old Police Headquarters in Damaturu, where some policemen were killed and large quantity of arms and ammunition carted away.

“In addition, he was among the terrorists that attacked Damaturu Prison, burnt some primary schools, the State CID office and the Police Safety Vehicle, among others.

“The suspect revealed to JTF that he and 15 other members of the organization were intensively trained for three months on G3 and AK 47 rifles, as well as in assassinations and special operations in Niger Republic.

“He also revealed names of some security personnel that participated in terrorists’ attacks in Borno and Yobe states.”

Recently, the Joint Task Force has recorded a string of successes against Boko Haram, including thekilling of the sect’s spokesman, Abu Qaqa. SOURCE

U.S Involvement May Worsen Boko Haram Insurgencies - Abubakar

Former commissioner of Police Alhaji Abubakar Tsav has shared his strong opinions on the issue of insecurity in the country and the involvement of the United States in Nigeria's fight against insurgencies.

Alhaji Abubakar who is well respected for his role in the force during the regime of Gen. Sani Abacha spoke in a recent interview about the emergency rule in Borno, the abducted girls of government secondary school Chibok and the threat posed by terrorist group Boko haram in the state.

According to Alhaji Abubakar, there was no sense in calling for an extension of emergency rule in the troubled states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, since it has not helped in anyway to curb the terrorist attacks in the state.

"There was emergency rule in Borno State but the Boko Harram sect came and abducted these innocent girls, passed through the road where there were supposed to be road blocks without any hindrance. Our borders are suppose to be guarded by customs, police, including soldiers. nobody saw anything and these people went free.

"So what is the essence of the state of emergency or is the government aiding the scourge of insurgency? Don't be surprised that many officials and politicians are making serious money out of the insurgency and would not like the situation to come to an end.

Alhaji Abubakar also noted that there was need for the Federal Government to negotiate with Boko Haram on the exchange of terrorist prisoners for the abducted girls, saying that the schoolgirls were innocent and should not be caught in between fights.

"The law says that it is better to release an accused person than to punish an innocent person. These girls were held because these people want to have their men in police custody released. Under normal circumstances it is not right because they committed so many crimes against humanity. They killed and maimed people, burnt houses. So it is not proper to release them. But in a situation like this, the aim of the government is to save these innocent girls. They should negotiate with the sect. They are just innocent people who were just taken from their parents. If the government says they want to use the military force to rescue these girls forcefully they may get them killed by the sect.

"For the sake of the girls, I absolutely agree with that school of thought that the Federal Government should negotiate with the sect.

"If the Federal Government refuses to negotiate with this sect, then how do they plan to release these girls? If there is any other option the federal government has to rescue these girls without hurting them let them apply it. If they use force, it may cost these girls their lives.

"If these girl were not abducted, I would have suggested that the best way was to sacrifice everything by going into their base and wipe them out but since these innocent girls are involved force may not work." He said.

Responding to whether it was a good move to get the United states involved in the fight against insurgencies, the former commissioner had this to say:

"We have observed that countries where Americans interfered in like Afghanistan , Iraq and even Libya, they still suffer crises till today because they are oil rich States. If we allow America to interfere in our matters, something similar may happen to us. If you recall vividly, they predicted come 2015 that Nigeria will disintegrate. Their coming into this matter may cause more confusion because they are most times interested in crude oil. SOURCE
READ MORE: http://news.naij.com/66520.html

“Why I Denied Being Married” –Kcee

Last week, in an interview with media personality, Toolz, Limpopo crooner, Kcee denied ever being married. However, The singer through his manager, Soso, said he neither denied nor accepted that he was married in the interview. He said that his client was joking with his interviewer when the question was asked because he likes keeping his marital life private.

He clearly said his alleged wife was his sister and claimed that the photos from their wedding were from a movie set. This however did not go down well with fans as many felt that his disclosure was in total disregard to his wife.

He debunked rumours that the singer was gay as alleged following a picture where Phyno and KCee appeared in a seemingly compromising posture. The picture which went viral earlier in the week showed the male duo as gay.

“Phyno was talking very close to his ear because they were in the club and the music was very loud. It was a motion picture and the camera angle made the picture appear as if they were kissing. Even if they were gay, is it in a club or a public place they would be kissing?” he asked.

Soso however refused to comment on KCee’s actual marital status.

Boko Haram Kills 29 In Bama, Abducts 10 Chinese Construction Workers In Gwoza

Boko Haram gunmen Saturday launched a fresh onslaught on a market in Ngurosoye village in Bama Local Government Area of Borno State, killing no fewer than 29 persons.

Ngurosoye village is about 56 kilometres from Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, and is also a gateway into the dreaded Sambisa forest. This is the third time the village would be attacked since the Boko Haram insurgency started five years ago.

The insurgents, who came in their usual large numbers, were said to have stormed the village in motorcycles and six Hilux van , shooting sporadically and throwing rocket launchers at the market during which some of the traders met their untimely death.

Local sources in the area told THEWILL that the attack left no fewer than 29 persons dead as 29 lifeless bodies were counted immediately the confusion was over.

“The attacks of the insurgents on the state rather than decreasing is seriously increasing and the killings these days are in greater number. I think it is time government allowed us to cordon off this Sambisa and destroy all these evil people,” a local security operative craving anonymity said.

According to a source in the village, the terrorists had been planning to attack the village for the past two weeks before they finally came on Saturday.

The attack came on a day 10 Chinese construction workers were also abducted by Boko Haram gunmen around Kusuri village in Gwoza Local Government Area of the state . The gunmen were also said to have destroyed a bridge linking the various villages in the area where the Chinese construction workers were working.

A few days ago, about 17 persons were killed while property worth millions of Naira were destroyed by the gunmen who attacked some villages around Gwoza town.

The state Commissioner for Tourism, Dr. Vilita Bashir, who paid a condolence visit to the area, disclosed that Governor Kashim Shettima was very worried by the recent attacks. The commissioner who gave the residents some relief materials however urged them to continue to pray for the return of peace to the troubled region.

The Commissioner, Borno State Police Command, Lawal Tanko, and the spokesman of the 7 Division, Nigerian Army, Col. Muhammad Dole, could however not be reached for official confirmation of the attacks when filing this report. SOURCE

PHOTONEWS: Jonathan In France

President Goodluck Jonathan attended a security summit in France today

France president: Osama’s Al-Qaeda backing Boko Haram

French President Francois Hollande said Saturday that Nigeria’s Boko Haram had “established links” to Al-Qaeda and urged countries in the region to devise a common strategy to combat its threat.
Speaking at a summit meeting in Paris with Nigeria and neighbouring countries, Hollande said: “Boko Haram has become a major threat for all of west Africa and now for central Africa. Its links to AQMI (Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb) and other terrorist organisations have been established.”  SOURCE

How I turn waste to wealth — Graduate scavenger

Thirty-one year old Ade Ogunbowale, a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from one of the universities in the country shared his success story as a scavenger with Ebun Sessou in a 30-minute interactive session in Oko-Afa area of Isolo, Lagos State recently.

Ogunbowale could not secure a job after his B.Sc degree and joined the legion of unemployed graduates three years ago. According to him, he carved a niche for himself and became a scavenger at a dump site in Oko-Afa.

Ade Ogun bowale

Narrating the success story of how he makes a living for himself and sponsors his siblings, he said, “I pick up plastic bottles that litter the streets along my way as well as metals to make a living. Although, most people see the job as dirty, I am feeding my family from it”.

According to him, “There are several people the trade helps.

“Waste recycling is a business that if you decide to go into it today, you are sure of making money. The fun of it is that you might even decide to start now with nothing and still make more money from the business,” Ogunbowale said.

He explained that, “most of the scavengers pick used materials at various dump sites and elsewhere. They look out for objects that include glass, paper, metal, plastic, textiles and electronics.

“The materials are then taken to a collection centre where they are sorted, cleaned and reprocessed into materials bound for manufacturing”, he added.

His words: “Recycling of such materials would produce fresh supply of the same material. For example, used office paper can be converted into making a new office paper just as used polystyrene can be converted into making new polystyrene.

“But recycling of waste is just picking up in the country as a new business model and it surely offers lots of opportunity. For instance, one benefit of recycling is that it saves resources. Also, to recycle waste is to simply reduce pollution. By recycling plastic material we can reduce air pollution as well as water pollution”, he said.

An Environmentalist, Michael Simire explained that turning waste to wealth is a very viable area common in other countries. According to him, “waste needs to be managed effectively and it can also be a source of wealth if well handled. A lot of projects have been embarked upon by these countries and they are using waste to wealth programme as their programmes under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, UNFCC’s theme development mechanism programmes.

“The UNFCCC is an international environmental treaty negotiated at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, known as the Earth Summit. I also understand that Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has something similar that it is working on”.

He was hopeful that the country will soon join other developed countries in the area of turning waste to wealth. “I think, we will start from somewhere but I don’t think we have done so much in Nigeria. There is a project in Ikorodu whereby waste is turned to fertilizer by a particular company. The company seems to be doing something when it comes to recycling of waste,” Simire said.

He continued: “Our challenges could be how committed we are in handling such things. The question of sincerity should be put forward as regard such project. The technical know-how is another pressing issue to be addressed. We should also be determined to make this project work. Discarded materials can contribute to local revenue, job creation, business expansion and the local economic growth.

“Recycling business generates employment and adds value to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a country that wants to create wealth for its citizens.

“Benefits of recycling include the following: prevents waste of potentially useful materials,reduces energy usage, reduces air pollution (from incineration) and water pollution (from land fill sites). Conserves natural resources, such as timber, water and minerals and prevents habitat destruction, loss of biodiversity, and soil erosion associated with logging and mining.

“The collection of waste starts from the general waste stream through curbside collections by purpose-built waste collection vehicles which moves the waste to the LAWMA Waste Bank. The waste is then sorted appropriately, for instance, plastic bank to contain a wide range of plastic waste.

“Once the sorting is complete, the waste is moved into the recycling plant to be crushed and screened for substances that are unsuitable for processing. Once cleared of unsuitable substances, the waste is then transferred by conveyor to the initial treatment vessel.

“As the business of recycling soars in Nigeria with more research going into the available materials for recycling in the country, some individuals and organisations are trying as much as possible to encourage Nigerians to ensure that recyclable wastes do not end up on the floor, fields, drainages and canals through indiscriminate disposal but contribute in generating incomes and adding value to people’s lives. For example, organisations like Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC) and Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) are collaborating to create awareness on waste recycling and its economic benefits”, he added.

I scavenge to feed my wife, six children

According to another scavenger, Abubakar Abdul, “ The reason why I delved into the business is because I don’t have a job. As a poor man, there was no help from anywhere. I started scavenging since I was a bachelor and from the little money I’m making, I feed my family. It is not good if I sit at home doing nothing and allow hunger to destroy my family. I’m appealing to government to help us improve our living condition. Hunger is striking so hard despite all my efforts. I’ve a wife and six children and it is only from this picking of waste products that we feed. Sometimes, we will not have food to eat just because there is no money.” he said.

Inspite of their resolve to make ends meet through this garbage business, the operators yet face societal stigmatisation amidst other unfriendly attitudes. Narrating his ordeal, Abdul said people sometimes look at them as insane.

Wale Olofin, 30 said: “I started this business when I was 15 years old and since then, I’ve not recorded any tangible gain from it other than to feed. I desperately need a wife but no woman has ever agreed to marry me because of the nature of my job. I impregnated a girl with the aim of marrying her but she ran away with the notion that she can’t marry a scavenger. She even said we are not different from pigs,”Olofin lamented.

Narrating some of the hazards of the job, Olofin said: “ On many occasions, I have been bitten by snakes, scorpions including ants; I have also sustained injuries on my legs at dumpsites caused by sharp objects but I do not relent because I have to feed to live.”

Festac dump-sites

A visit to a dump site in Festac town reveals another hidden market where people earn a living from garbage business. When Saturday Vanguard visited the site, cars parked for sale could be mistaken as the only business going on in that vicinity, but walking straight behind these cars reveals another rendevous where scavengers meet with merchants that patronises them on a regular basis.

The stench oozing out from the refuse dumpsite opposite 202 Road at FESTAC town clearly explains that they deal in garbage. Scavengers were seen pushing their carts one after the other happily with noiseless haggle as money exchanged hands.

The initiative for buying iron scraps from scavengers all over dump sites and selling them to those who need them for recycling purposes spurred Ahmed Ojo into the business. The 45 year old auto mechanic said the need to make a living and fend for his family led him into the business since there is no job available.

He maintained that he earns more money than people think from the business. “I don’t see myself doing any other business than this. I am a trained auto-mechanic with over six years experience but I ventured into buying iron scraps at dump-sites by coincidence. My take home pay weekly is far better than that of many civil servants that look down on us.It’s a business I have been doing for over five years and I find it very lucrative raising my family and sending my children to good schools as well.”

According to another merchant, Madam Kehinde fondly called Iya Fatiah by the scavengers, she has been dealing with scavengers at dump-sites for over 20 years conveniently. She added, “It’s a profitable business that I earn a living from. I live comfortably in my own house, training my daughter up to the level of higher institution.

Although people perceive this business as dirty but I smile to the bank every time than most people that work in corporate organizations. I don’t see myself engaging in any other business than this,” she stated.

Igando

Scavengers in this area search refuse dump sites to pick waste materials and exchange them for money. They are kitted in boots and hold long hooks or sticks, searching for waste materials. Every day scavengers in Lagos wait for garbage trucks that go into the waste dumps to discard wastes. As soon as the trucks discard the waste, they search all, pick wastes and take them to sell. Bimbo Aderele (not real name), a student of Lagos State Polytechnic, is one of them.

She spends her holidays and mid-semester breaks at the Oko filling waste dump in Igando (Lagos), picking used bottles of soft drinks, water and canned containers. Bimbo doesn’t even care that she is being ridiculed by her mates who see what she does as dirty and menial for an undergraduate. She said that others scavenging with her were undergraduates from different institutions.

The dump site at Igando in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos cannot be easily ignored. The odour that oozes from the site would make anybody gasp for fresh breath, but certainly not the scavengers.

As early as 6:00am, the scavengers swarm around the trucks. They cannot wait for the trucks to off-load as they are all set to pounce on the contents to look for saleable items. A few others look out for electronics, used home utensils and clothes. Some of them go as far as wearing the used clothes to check if they would fit.

Bimbo said, “Many of us are not happy being here but we have no choice. I come here to help my mum because she pays my school fees and those of my younger ones from the proceeds of this business. I cannot imagine how we would have survived if not for this place. That is why anytime we are on break, I come here to work. The only thing is that we pay N100 daily before we start picking.”

She seems not to be alone in this situation, Martins is also a scavenger. He confessed, “I started picking used bottles here two years ago when there was no other place to go. I finished secondary school in 2011 but there was no money to further my education. Feeding became a problem too until someone introduced me to this business.

“I survive with the money I make from here which is about N30,000 in a month depending on the quantity of bottles I’m able to gather. What most of us do here is to pick used bottles of soft drinks, bottled water and the like, pack them in a sack and deliver them to those who buy them, crush and export. We pay the loaders, mostly the abokis.”

63-yr-old woman recounts ordeal

Indeed, the scavenging ‘business’ has no age barrier. An old woman in her 60s, Mrs. Lasisi, said it was hunger that led herinto the business when she couldn’t find any othermeans of livelihood.

“I am 63 but I don’t want to die of hunger, so I come here to work from morning till 11am before the boys take over. I am a widow and I have a young boy who lives with me; it is the money that I make from here that sustains us, and I pay his school fees. I pick the used bottles and sell them to those who buy them here for N20 per kilogramme. I don’t have another place to go and I must survive. SOURCE.vanguardngr

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