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20-Year-Old UNILAG Student Dies At Nigerian Defence Academy, Family Kicks (Photo)

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The family members of Damilare Taiwo, an Economics student at the University of Lagos, Akoka, have been thrown into mourning following his death a day after he resumed for training at the Nigerian Defence Academy in Kaduna State.

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The army authorities reportedly said the 20-year-old slumped and died during a training session last Tuesday.

But the family told Saturday PUNCH that the circumstances surrounding Damilare’s death aroused suspicion, claiming that he was beaten to death.

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A brilliant student with a CGPA said to be in the range of Second Class Upper Division, the native of Ile-Ife, Osun State had always wished to be an accomplished army officer.

He had applied for the Regular Combatant Course of the NDA in 2015 at 17, but did not make the list of the successful candidates. Undeterred by hard luck, promising Damilare reapplied for the programme a few months ago.

He was shortlisted on August 8, 2018 among the 10 selected candidates from Osun State for the 70 Regular Combatant Course, coincidentally at a time when he was rounding off his first degree project.

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On Saturday, August 25, his father saw him off to Ikorodu Garage – some distance from their residence – beaming with joy that the first child of the family was about to embark on a journey to attain enviable ranks in the profession he had been nursing for years.

“He left Lagos for Kaduna that Saturday, a day after he concluded his project in school, and reported at the training camp on Monday, August 27,” the deceased’s father, Mr. Taiwo Oyedele, told our correspondent.

Narrating Damilare’s journey through life, Oyedele said his death came to the family as a rude shock.

The father recalled, “He finished his secondary school education in 2014 and gained admission to UNILAG the same year to study Economics. He was just 20 years old. He just completed his project.

“When he wanted to leave for Kaduna that Saturday, I advised him to be a good ambassador of the family and prayed for him. He was an easy-going child. He had always wanted to be a soldier.

“In one of his pictures on Facebook, he edited the image of the late Gen. Murtala Muhammed in the N20 note and replaced it with his picture. That is to tell you the passion he had for the Force and how far he wanted to go.

“He had been showing interest in the army since 2011 when he was 13. It is so unfortunate that he could not accomplish his mission.

“The army sent some officers to us last Thursday to tell us about his death. They told us that he collapsed during a training session on Tuesday (August 28).”

Oyedele, a building material dealer, described his son’s death as devastating to the family, lamenting that they had invested so much hope in him. For years, the businessman would battle to get over the heartache of the irreparable loss.

A devout Christian, Damilare was fondly addressed as ‘Pastor Dammy,’ ‘one of the God’s Generals,’ ‘Woli agba,’ among other religious nomenclatures.

“There is no way I can forget him. He was my first child. He was very devoted in churches, both at the community and in his school. It is only God that can comfort me. He was a role model to his two siblings.

“He was a cool-headed person. If he was not reading, he was surfing the Internet, studying the Bible or helping his mother in her shop,” the father added in a hushed tone.

While Oyedele managed to control his emotion, his wife, was inconsolable, crying uncontrollably. She had passed out on hearing the sad news and did not regain consciousness until she was taken to a hospital.

The intensity of her wailing during an encounter with our correspondent six days after the incident showed that the family had, indeed, lost an illustrious son.

She said mournfully, “Won ti kan mi leyin okan (They have broken my canine). I learnt my son was beaten to death whereas the army told us he fell and died.

“I don’t want my son to die in vain. The military said he would be buried in Kaduna, but I don’t want my son to be buried there. They should bring his corpse to Lagos.”

Damilare’s younger brother, Moses, explained that his death was painful, noting that he died with many beautiful plans he had for the family.

“There were a lot of promises. He personally promised to be giving me N10,000 out of his salary every month,” he said.

Moses, who also claimed his brother died under questionable circumstances, urged the military authorities to conduct a postmortem on his corpse.

He added, “The military officers that came told us that he slumped and died. But some of his colleagues called and told us that he was beaten to death during ‘welcome home’ tradition at the camp. They said he was complaining that he was tired, but they did not leave him. The witnesses were afraid to speak out so that they would not run into trouble. We are going to take it up; we want to know the cause of his death.”

Meanwhile, friends of the deceased have paid glowing tributes to him on Facebook. One of his friends by the alias, Gallant Captain Whale, described Damilare as “his mentor.”

Whale wrote, “We love you but God loves you more. I won’t forget moments we spent together, my mentor right from school days. Even at death, you are brave. I love you brother from another mother. Rest in peace.”

To Okpewho Abednego Fikioghene, Damilare was “a leader” from whom he had learnt while they were in secondary school.

He said, “RIP, Damilare. You were the Asst. Head Boy, 2014 set; I was the Asst. Head Boy 2015 set. It was a privilege to learn from a leader like you. Live on; your legacy still remains.”

“It really touched me. Everyone said good (things) about you when you left. God loves you most brother. Rest in peace,” another friend, Its Ba Smith, wrote.

The Course Adviser of the deceased at UNILAG, Dr. Ayodele Shittu, said he was Damilare’s confidant, adding that he was in his office to bid him farewell to Kaduna for the training.

Shittu said, “He was very humble and respectful. Academically, he was very sound and he would be finishing with a very good 2:1 (Second Class Upper Division). He had completed his project.

“The news of his death was very shocking. He came to my office while he was leaving. He hardly hid anything from me. I will miss him.”

Efforts by Punchng correspondent to get the reaction of the NDA to the incident and the allegation raised by the family proved abortive.

When our correspondent contacted the the Director, Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Jogn Agim, he directed him to one Major Yahaya, who said he was no longer the NDA spokesperson.

Yahaya gave Saturday PUNCH the phone number of one Major Abdullahi said to be the current spokesperson for the academy. But when contacted, the receiver said it was a wrong number.

Punch

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SHALINA CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF TRUST, REITERATES COMMITMENT TO QUALITY HEALTHCARE DELIVERY IN AFRICA

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In celebration of its 40 years in Africa, a leading Afro-focused multinational company, Shalina Healthcare has reiterated its commitment to the delivery of quality healthcare in Africa. Declaring this in Lagos on Friday at the event to wrap up the company’s 2023/24 financial year and celebrate its 40 years of its existence, the Chief Commercial Officer, West Africa of the company, Arun Raj said the company “is determined to continually fulfill its corporate mission of making quality products available to every African at affordable prices.

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According to him;  ” It has been 40 years of trust in Africa and these 40 years,  the people of the continent have also reciprocated the trust in our quality products and healthcare delivery.”

Also, in his corporate presentation as well as new financial year projection, the Head, Corporate Marketing of the Company, Folorunso Alaran said; “the Company is building on the trust Africans have in its products and services over the year and is committed to healthy Africa.  It has been forty years of available, affordable and quality products for Africans.”

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In the words of Mr. Nirmal Jain CEO Shalina consumer Global,

“At Shalina, we believe that every African must have access to good products.  And for the last forty years, we have been trusted for our quality products. And more so, through our many initiatives and healthcare interventions, Shalina has continually raised the bar in healthcare delivery.”

Speaking further, Mr. Debajeet Mukherjee CEO Shalina Pharma Global, posited that; “despite the prevailing economic challenges, we do not waver in delivering our corporate purposes of available, affordable and quality health products. It is our belief that economic challenges should not hinder people’s access to quality healthcare.  Either the economy is good or bad, it shouldn’t affect the lives of the people in an adverse way. Despite the fact that some companies are leaving Nigeria, we are expanding our team in the country.  This is because we have trust and believe in Nigeria.”

In her own presentation at the event, the Company’s Managing Director, Nigeria ,  Opeyemi Akinyele said the company “is focused to become number one brand in Nigeria and continually promote the best of healthcare delivery in the country. ”

“Through our products, activities and interventions we have been doing greatly to ensure that quality healthcare is available and affordable for every citizen. And this is a promise that will remain unbroken ” She said.

Appreciating the members of staff of the company for their commitment and supporting roles in the company, Akinleye said “without you, your roles and efforts, we won’t be here and the successes recorded in the out gone year won’t be possible.  We also rely on your continuous support and commitment in the new year. ”

Meanwhile as part of the company’s end of year activities, many staff members were given awards of excellence in different categories for 2023/24 financial year.  Amongst them were  Lasisi Abiodun, Best Pharma Delegate,  Lawal Abubskar,  Best Medical Delegate,  Ruth Adesua Adewoye,  Best Regional Manager Pharma,  Ganiyu Lateef,  Best CVD Delegate, Mercy Omoji, Best Regional Manager, Consumer, Uzuma Pascal,  Best Zonal Manager, (Global) and  Juliet Ngozi Edward,  Best Consumer Delegate Global .  Winners in other categories included Sandeep Sahu, Folorunso Alaran, Emeka Adimoha, Chiuba Nwaosu among others.

Shalina Healthcare which began its business in Africa in DR Congo in 1984 made entry to Nigeria 25years ago.  It currently has about 2500 staffs globally out of whom 2000 are in Africa.

 

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THE PROPHETIC HALL OF FAME: How I ended “sit at home” in the East, Prophet Godwin Ikuru speaks

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By Collins Nkwocha

One of the major problems of the Eastern region was the “sit at home” menace which crippled business activities in the entire Eastern region; several lives have been lost in the process of enforcing this as the enforcers have always been very cruel and wicked, killing anyone who refuses to obey the order.

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Disturbed by the cruelty of the enforcers and how many lives that have been lost through this act, the prophetic Hall of Fame, prophet Godwin Ikuru of Jehovah Eye Salvation Ministry, Lagos,made a public declaration that “sit at home” was going to be over in the East.

People didn’t believe it when he said it, everyone believed that only the release of Nnamdi Kanu was going to end “sit at home” in the East.prophet Ikuru said that it would stop even while Kanu is still in detention.

Today,”sit at home” has ended in the East, people now go about their normal businesses on Monday.Today, the dreaded “sit at home” enforcers are nowhere to be found, you can do anything or carry out any business activity of your choice on monday because God has honoured the word of his prophet.

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Prophet Godwin Ikuru is one of the best prophets in Nigeria,he remains a major part of the ruling party in Nigeria.He is the major prophet that brought the president to power .

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Ondo Guber: APC Screening Committee Clears Female Aspirant, Funmi Ayinke

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The only female aspirant in the contest for the APC governorship ticket in Ondo state, Engr. (DR) Oluwafunmilayo Ayinke Waheed-Adekojo has been cleared by the screening committee of the All Progressive Congress (APC) at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja yesterday Friday, 12th of April, 2024.

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The screening process which normally involves validation of candidates’ credentials and eligibility to contest was without hassle for Funmi Ayinke as there were no discrepancies in her credentials especially for the fact that she has proven records in the public space confirming her credibility and eligibility for the contest.

When asked about her plans for the people of Ondo state by the committee, Funmi Ayinke expressed the need for Ondo state to evolve using technology and Artificial intelligence which she is very knowledgeable in, narrating how she generated electricity through briquette.

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She stated that Ondo state needs an engineer who is vast in the application of technology which would of course; secure a better position for the state internationally.

‘’I am vast in the knowledge of technology and Artificial intelligence, the world is changing and we can’t continue to remain as we are. We need an engineer who is vast and knowledgeable in all of these. I developed the generation of electricity through briquette so when we have this kind of grace in Ondo state, we should not waste it.’’

Continuing, Funmi Ayinke expressed confidence in securing the party’s ticket because all women in the state have thrown their weight behind her. She noted that many women decided to support her ambition because she has been a source of hope for them before she thought of a governorship ambition.

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Speaking further on the support she has received so far, Funmi Ayinke recounted the massive crowd that besieged her rally ground in Akure without paying a dime.

‘’Women come to me that they want to pay me back with their support because I have been a source of hope for them. Women vote more in Ondo state and I have that confidence that this is my time, I have sown the seed, it’s time for harvest.’’

‘’In the last rally we did, I didn’t pay any women to attend, It was just an open invitation and we shut down the whole of Akure, this means people know what they want and they appreciate the fact that we have the courage to come out. Without woman, there is no vote, no nation.’’

The screening process ended with cheers from the committee, congratulatory messages from officials at the party’s secretariat and prayers of victory from women in the secretariat premises.

 

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