A couple, Barr. Gbenga Owodolu and his wife, Mrs Oluwabukola Owodolu, has demanded N1bn compensation as damages from the management of the Elizade University, Ilara Mokin, Ondo State, over the death of their daughter, Temitope Owodulu, at the institution’s medical facility.
The parents, in a letter written through their lawyer, Femi Emmanuel Emodamori, said their daughter, a 300-level nursing student, died as a result of the negligence of health workers at the facility.
They stated that their late daughter suffered an asthmatic attack in the early hours of November 16th, 2021 and was admitted to the University Medical Centre facility for treatment.
Their daughter, according to the letter, was pronounced dead around 8 am.
The letter alleged that there was no electricity at the Medical Centre at the time Temitope was admitted in for treatment.
According to the letter: “Medical personnel at the Medical Centre reportedly attended to the deceased during the blackout and reportedly lamented that they would be unable to treat the patient using the necessary electrically powered equipment, including the Nebuliser, which is essential for the treatment of acute exacerbation of severe asthma.
“Consequently, according to our brief, the medical personnel asked the deceased to continue using the same Ventolin inhaler she had been applying before her presentation in the Medical Centre.
“Although the deceased was reportedly placed on a drip upon her admission, the nurse attendant thereafter abandoned her for one and half hours during which there was a backflow of blood into the drip from her body. Within the same period, she was coughing consistently, indicating that her respiratory tract was infected. She also vomited and it was her sister who cleaned up the vomit and alerted the doctor in the absence of the nurse attendant.
“Strangely, the doctor was said to be sleeping. Eventually, the same patient that was still healthy enough to engage her sister in humorous and intelligent conversation after the commencement of treatment at the Medical Centre, died in the hand of your medical personnel. If the University medical personnel could not effectively treat or manage the deceased patient, why was she not referred to another facility?
“The University medical personnel never referred the deceased for proper treatment, apparently because they were not even on the ground to observe her properly, to know the point at which ongoing treatment was no longer producing the desired clinical improvements.
“It is a notorious fact that asthma is a preventable, treatable and reversible medical condition. You would therefore agree with us that it is quite unusual in medical practice for an asthmatic patient who walked into the hospital herself to die in the hands of a medical doctor.”
Besides the demand for N1bn compensation, the parents are asking for a formal acceptance and apology for the medical negligence that caused the death of their daughter.
They are demanding for immortalisation of their daughter by properly equipping the University Medical Centre and naming it after the deceased as well as an undertaking to not harass, intimidate or persecute Miss Opeyemi Owodolu, a sister of the deceased in the University.
They threatened to institute legal actions against the institution if their demands are not complied with within seven days from the receipt of the letter.
The spokesman for the institution, Seyi Ogugbenro, said he was not aware of the letter.
Two peasants were killed and no fewer than 50 abducted when terrorists attacked the Unguwan Gimbiya community on the outskirts of Kaduna, in Kaduna State.
A cleric, who craved for anonymity, said: “The bandits struck in the early hours of today (Friday).
“They invaded Ungwan Gimbiya Community of Sabo in Chikun Local Government; they abducted over 50 people and killed two.
“A total number of 13 families were visited by the bandits. The attack lasted for about two hours with heavy gunshots.”
A resident of the area has confirmed that this kidnapping was the worst in that community.
Meanwhile, there is mass exodus of residents of the area to safer places, even as the security agents were seen patrolling forests.
Details coming.
The former Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Ghali Na’Abba, has said that the Federal government must do more in the direction of expanding the country’s economy.
He noted that Nigeria as a country never had a perfect constitution, adding that it was a work in progress.
Na’Abba stated this at the Maitama Sule Leadership Lecture Series, with the theme: “Constitution, Constitutionalism and the future of Nigeria”, organized by the Student wing of Coalition of Northern Group (CNG), at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, on Thursday.
According to him, “Nigeria politics must be deregulated because you cannot expand an economy without deregulating politics and this deregulation comes in the form of the control that political parties have been subjected to by the Governor in the States.
“The economy has not grown and social mobility has become impossible. Therefore, we must expand the usage of our forces. We must deregulate politics because that will now release economic potentials for the benefit of Nigerians.
“I believe in what the National Assembly or what the legislature proposed in the Electoral Act Amendment Bill that there must be direct primaries. The proposal must be upheld by the President. No matter the cost. I believe we need good leadership. The imperative of good leadership is much higher than the cost involved.”
He urged the president to assent to the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, saying “Nigerians have a pulse, and I don’t think it will augur well for the country; if Nigeria’s democracy continues to be held ransom by our governments.”
The guest lecturer, Barrister Muzammil Yahaya, in his presentation, said the removal of oil subsidy has to be looked at from various dimensions.
On the state of the nation’s democracy, he explained that Nigerians ought to be involved in every decision to be considered.
“Inasmuch as I see subsidy removal as a necessity, but it’s the wrong time for such a policy. So, I urged the federal government to consider more opinions and to hear from Nigeria’s Federal issue here louder,” he said
On his part, CNG Spokesperson, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, said It’s time for the younger generation to rise, struggle and walk to the place this leader who thinks power is their birthright. Mobilize young people during elections and leave us divided.
He said: “You cannot change a system unless you have to be in the system. Gone is the day when our students would be dictated to their actions and they would be decided by people who have dominated or prefer to use the word manipulate them.”
A branch of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, the City of David Parish, has launched a website to connect single Christians in the country.
The parish’s pastor, Idowu IIluyomade, had promised to create the website after charging single members of his church to interact and connect for the purpose of making decisions for life partners.
Iluyomade, who spoke recently at a forum, reportedly encouraged a young man to mingle with single ladies.
The man was said to have shown willingness to marry.
Inspired by the man’s willingness, Iluyomade had promised to create an online platform to connect single Christian men and women within and beyond his church.
A Christian website, churchtimesnigeria.net, reported on Thursday that the website, connectnow.com.ng, was described as a Christian singles platform where men and women meet to prepare for courtship and marriage.
The report said the church posted, “This website, its content (including any information provided by registrants), and activities of connectnow is for the purpose of connecting for courtship and marriage only and is not intended to replace or serve as a substitute for any due diligence/background checks to be conducted by the registrants prior to connecting.
“Every registrant must conduct his or her own independent background check before connecting with another registrant on this platform.
“The Redeemed Christian Church of God, City of David Parish, makes no representation or warranty and expressly disclaims any and all liability concerning damages sustained by any registrant as a result of connecting with anyone on this platform.”
Eleven years after legal battle, former Oyo Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala was on Thursday discharged and acquitted of corruption cases by a Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.
The case, which bothers on N11.5billion, was levelled against the Ex-governor by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The appellate court also discharged and acquitted former Deputy Senate Chief Whip Hosea Agboola, who is the Chairman of Governor’s Advisory Council to Governor Seyi Makinde and a business mogul, Mr. Femi Babalola, popularly known as Jogor.
The second defendant/appellant, Agboola, served as Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters when Alao-Akala was Governor between 2007 and 2011 while Babalola, owns an engineering firm, Pentagon Engineering Services, that executed some contracts during the former Governor’s tenure.
The case, which started 11 years ago, was presided over by a three-man panel led by Justice Jimi Olukayode Bada.
Justices Abba Muhammed and Abdulazeez Waziri were other members of the panel.
The three defendants/appellants were present in court during Thursday’s proceeding.
Alao-Akala, Ayoola and Babalola, had been arraigned by EFCC before an Oyo State High Court, over an alleged N11.5 billion fraud.
The 11 count-charge preferred against the trio include conspiracy, awarding contract without budgetary provision, obtaining by false pretence, acquiring property with money derived from illegal act and concealing the ownership of such property, among others.
Counsel to EFCC, Dr. Benedict Ubi, had told the lower court that when Alao-Akala was Governor, he awarded a road contract worth N8.5 billion between 2007 and 2009 to Pentagon Engineering Services, alleging that the firm handled the contract on behalf of the 33 local government areas without budgetary provision.
Alao-Akala, according to Ubi, ordered the supply of drilling machines on behalf of the 33 local government areas worth N3.5 billion, saying the former Governor purportedly conspired with Ayoola to withdraw N2.9 billion from Oyo State Local Government Joint Account.
Ubi also told the court that Alao-Akala illegally acquired a property at Old Bodija, Off Rotimi Williams Avenue, in Ibadan, when he was governor, saying the alleged offences contravened Section 22 (4) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act and Section 1 (18) of the Advanced Fee Fraud Act.
But Alao-Akala, Agboola and Babalola, filed a no-case submission after the EFCC closed its case before the high court.
However, the trial court, presided over by Justice Muniru Owolabi, struck out eight out of the 11 count-charge againsst the trio. He then ordered them to enter defence for the remaining three counts- counts 1, 2 and 5 (conspiracy, obtaining money by false pretence and award of contract without budgetary provision).
Owolabi discharged the former governor on charges of acquiring property with money allegedly derived from an illegal act and concealing ownership of such property. The judge said the witnesses called by the prosecutor failed to link evidence to the acquired property, adding that EFCC also failed to prove genuine ownership of the property.
But the defendants, through their lead counsel, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), appealed the ruling of the lower court that said they had a case to answer.
Delivering judgement on the appeal on Thursday, the judges in a unanimous decision set aside the ruling of the lower court, on grounds that the trial court erred by ordering the defendants to enter defence for the three counts because the prosecution led by the EFCC failed to establish a prima facie case against them.
Justice Bada read the judgement for Alao-Akala while Justices Abba Muhammed and Abdulazeez Waziri read the judgments for Babalola and Agboola respectively.
Speaking with journalists after the judgement, the lead counsel to Alao-Akala and Babalola, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), represented by Abiodun Ogunjinmi, said: “We really appreciate and thank God Almighty for giving us a beautiful judgement today. The justices did a marvellous job. This case started in 2012, which was about 11 years ago. It came to an end today.
“It first started at the high court of justice in Ibadan. But thanks be to God that it ended well. The appellant, Alao-Akala and Babalola were all discharged and acquitted finally.”
Alao-Akala said: “We can always rely on the judiciary. They are the hope for the common man like me. So, we thank God for everything. God has settled everything, and so, let us forget about the number of years the case took.”
Babalola said: “The judiciary is the last hope of a common man like me. I thank God for today’s judgement and I give all the glory to God, irrespective of the number of years spent on the case.”
Ahead of the 2023 general election, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Thursday, appealed to the Senate Chief Whip, Sen. Orji Kalu to return to the party.
The National Secretary of the Party, Sen. Samuel Anyanwu, made the appeal when he led a delegation of members of the PDP to visit Kalu in his Abuja residence.
Reports have it that the appeal is coming barely two weeks that the National Leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Bola Tinubu visited the former governor of Abia in Abuja. Anyanwu, shortly after a one-hour closed-door meeting with Kalu, said that their meeting centred on what would be profitable to the country.
According to him, we came to visit a friend, a leader in the South-East and one of our own and to acquaint him with the developments in our party.
“And to let him know the reason why he should move over to our party. We had a good discussion and this is just the beginning,’’ he said.
Anyanwu noted that the visit was part of efforts by the PDP to bring their members back and reposition the party.
“We are talking about bringing people back to the party because the more the merrier.
“This is a place he started, so you have to leave where you are and go back to where you started,’’ Anyanwu stressed. Kalu, an ardent supporter of President Muhammadu Buhari and a reliable member of the APC left the PDP in November 2016.
Though he has not openly declared interest in the 2023 presidential election, his presidential posters flooded major cities in the country recently.
