Olajumoke Orisaguna: The Nigerian Cinderella by Reuben Abati

Olajumoke Orisaguna

About three weeks ago, 27-year old Olajumoke Orisaguna was a complete unknown on the streets of Lagos, hawking bread.  A loaf of bread is about N100, and even with a full tray such as she carried in her first public embrace of fame, her whole ware for a day may not be more than N3,000, with daily profit between N300-N700.  She had trained as a hair stylist, got married but had to leave her husband and a daughter back home in Ire, Osun state, to "hustle" as it were in Lagos. The life of a bread seller in Lagos is easily imaginable: exposure to the elements, to sundry abuse, including the possibility of being raped by unruly artisans and bachelors, who will offer to buy bread and something else along with it, if the hawker is willing. This was Olajumoke Orisaguna's reality until she ran into TY Bello and Tinie Tempah and her life changed. Today, she has been enrolled as a model. Her story has appeared in all newspapers, on CNN, Huffington Post, and virtually everywhere online.

Bisi Olateru-Olagbegi (1953-2015) by Reuben Abati

Our sister died. And we are all devastated. We called her Sista Bisi, Mama Kiitan, Olori, Chief (Mrs). To some other people, she was lawyer Bisi, or simply Bisi; at a time she was Bisi Cole, and later Mrs Bisi Olateru-Olagbegi, wife of the Olowo of Owo, HRM Fola Olateru-Olagbegi. She was a diligent, hardworking, generous, vivacious, public-spirited, passionate, committed, creative, astutely brilliant, optimistic, fashionable, and an absolutely lovely woman, who in addition to all that was gifted with an untainted love for all causes humanistic, decent and progressive. In our neighbourhood in Abeokuta, she was the first big sister to become a star, and who as she moved from one stage in her life to the other, took all of us: siblings, cousins, and family friends as her own, mentoring us as much as she could. 

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENSURE SAFE RESCUE OF CHIBOK GIRLS – PRESIDENT JONATHAN ASSURES MALALA

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO ENSURE SAFE RESCUE OF CHIBOK GIRLS – PRESIDENT JONATHAN ASSURES MALALA
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said Monday in Abuja that the notion that the Federal Government has not been doing enough to find and rescue the abducted Chibok girls, is very wrong and misplaced.
Speaking at an audience with Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani Girl-Child Education Campaigner, President Jonathan said that the Federal Government was definitely doing everything possible to ensure that the girls were rescued alive and safely returned to their parents.
He however explained to Malala, who was accompanied by her father and other members of her Foundation, that the Federal Government's efforts were constrained by the overriding imperative of ensuring that the girls' lives are not endangered in any rescue attempt.

Malala in Abuja, five escaped Chibok girls join protest

L–R: Director, Defence Information, Maj.-Gen. Chris Olukolade
girls education campaigner, Malala Yousafzai; spokesperson
of theState Security Service, Marilyn Ogar; and Coordinator,
National Information Centre, Mr. Mike Omeri, during Malala’s
visit to the National Information Centre, in Abuja... on Sunday

Five of the schoolgirls who escaped from Boko Haram captivity joined the members of the BringBackOurGirls Coalition rally in Abuja on Sunday to drum up support for their colleagues who are still being held captive by the Boko Haram Islamic sect.

Over 200 girls were abducted in their hostel at the Government Secondary School. Chibok, Borno State on April 15.

The girls were brought to the BBOG sit-out meeting at Unity Fountain, Maitama, Abuja on Sunday.

The young girls who sat quietly throughout the duration of the sit-out, looked subdued and withdrawn.

Photos: Inauguration of Presidential Committee on Save School Initiative

2 President Goodluck Jonathan left  Adamawa State Governor Murtala Nyako, Yobe State Governor Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam  and Alh Aliko Dangote at the Inauguration of Presidential  Committee on  Save School Initiative by the President at the State House Abuja  on Wednesday 9th July 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan 5th right, left Director General NEMA Alh Mohammadu Sani Sidi,Education Minister of State Onyeso Wike, Women Affairs Minister  Hajia Zainab Maina Vice President  Namadi Sambo  flank by Yobe Governor Ibrahim Gaidam,Adamawa Governor  Murtala Nyako and Representative of National Coucil of Women Society at the Inauguration of Presidential  Committee on  Save School Initiative by the President at the State House Abuja  on Wednesday 9th July 2014

Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Yobe Governor Ibrahim Gaidam,Adamawa Governor  Murtala Nyako Vice President Namadi Sambo and President Goodluck Jonathan  at the Inauguration of Presidential  Committee on  Save School Initiative by the President at the State House Abuja  on Wednesday 9th July 2014

Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Yobe Governor Ibrahim Gaidam,Adamawa Governor  Murtala Nyako Vice President Namadi Sambo and President Goodluck Jonathan  at the Inauguration of Presidential  Committee on  Save School Initiative by the President at the State House Abuja  on Wednesday 9th July 2014

Indian woman says Police gang-rape her inside Station

New Delhi Rape Protest

AN Indian woman said Thursday she was gang-raped by four officers at a police station, the latest in a string of shocking sex attacks in the troubled state of Uttar Pradesh.

The woman said she had gone to the station overnight on Monday in the state's Hamirpur district to seek her husband's release when she was attacked.

"At 11:30pm when there was no one in the room the sub-inspector took me to his room and raped me inside the police station," the woman told CNN-IBN.

Chibok girls: Bisi Akande reaction irresponsible – Reuben Abati

First, we consider it most unfortunate that the chairman of the APC will use the opportunity of ​the ​situation ​in the country ​namely the abduction of the ​​girls ​of GSSC, Chibok ​to engage in partisan blackmail.
The issue of national security should go beyond partisan politics. This is a very serious moment requiring seriousness. But to reduce all of that to partisan politics is in bad taste, ​irresponsible​ one-upmanship.​ ​
One, Nigeria is not on auto pilot. There is a government in place, there is a President who is also the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. He is doing his very best to provide quality leadership and to reassure Nigerians that government stands ready always to defend their best interest.