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Agony of a widow

Madam Ajarat, the evicted widow

A harsh experience of a widow of over five decades of marriage that culminated in undue disgrace and dishonor by her husband’s older children suspected of attempting to sell their father’s house that their father’s widow lives in.

Excerpts of interview of Madam Ajarat from Okenne, Kogi State, married to Late Pa Ogunbajo of Ijebu-Igbo in Ogun State.

She spoke with OWOLOLA ADEBOLA

What is your maiden name?

My maiden name is Ajarat Subair from Okenne in Kogi State.

How did you meet your late husband, Pa B.L. Ogunbajo?

He was a produce trader that used to buy and sell cocoa and other cash crops. He came to our family farm at Abeku by J4 in Ogun State. I accompanied my late aunt who was a farmer to visit him. That is how we met. He showed interest to marry me. He was an interesting man. I was 25 years old then. He was a fatherly figure.

Do you remember the year that you married him?

It was sometime in the 1960s. I had the first child for him but died of measles. My second surviving child for him was crawling when he died in 1973.

After his death, how has life been with you?

Upon my husband’s death, I was bequeathed to his junior sister, my late sister-in-law according to the prevalent Yoruba custom. She in turn bequeathed me to her son called “Olowo.”

I had two daughters for Olowo. The first was a handicapped daughter without lower limbs. The second, a girl too but now a woman. Both are married with children.

The first daughter for Olowo is called Lubuda. That’s physically challenged. God blesses her with two children. I look after her and her children. The rest are on their own.

The President of Customary court, Ijebu Igbo

What is your position amongst late Pa Ogunbajo’s wives?

I’m the fifth and last wife. There were only two aged wives ahead of me. The rest two had died before I met him. I was well-accepted into the family. My immediate and extended family members love me. His mother ensured I was the closest person to her. All the children of the extended family would always come around to play in our big house then. There was enough space for them to run around. I would cook for them all before they returned home.

Did you marry outside Pa Ogunbajo’s family after Olowo’s death?

Yes I did. I had health challenges then. Fibroid threats. I was advised to marry again to reduce and possibly eliminate the threats. I had two children with my last husband. I returned to my first husband’s house to look after all my children. I stayed in the two-rooms apartment given to my first daughter as her inheritance in her father’s house.

I stayed in the same two-rooms apartment in my husband’s house while my marriage to Olowo lasted until he died.

What led to the dispute between you and your first husband’s older children, lately?

No specific reason for the dispute. I’m not a stranger to them. I’ve known them for over five decades. My suspicion is that they want to sell the house. The surviving children of Pa Ogunbajo are advanced in age. None of them is less than 80 years old. They alleged unspeakable nonsense against me and my children. They call us all sorts of names to intimidate me and my children. In the end, they summoned me to Customary Court. They alleged so many untrue allegations. I defended myself in truth as I could. In the end, they pronounced me guilty.

The widow’s belonging thrown outside

How did they find you guilty?

The Court president and others did not take into account to I

nvestigate all the allegations or call for witnesses or evidence to affirm the truth of the allegations. I debunked all the allegations but they didn’t believe me.

The Court pronounced me guilty. The Court granted me only 14 days to vacate the house and relocate elsewhere. The Court says I could appeal the judgment within 30 days.

Did you comply with the Court’s ruling?

I was advised to comply and I wanted to. Some extended family members heard of the Court’s ruling and were astounded. They asked me to stay in the house while they would resolve the differences in the family.

I listened to them. The family members assured me they had contacted the Court president to stay the judgment execution. They assured me to continue living in the house.

Given the assurance by the family members. What transpired next.?

It was a rude shock to me that I was evicted on the 23rd day after the Court’s ruling. The Court president neither honoured his words to the family members to stay the judgment execution nor wait till the due 30 days granted me to appeal the judgment. The Court bailiff and plainclothes policemen came to the house.

They hired men of the Hausa tribe brandishing cutlasses and cudgel. They ordered the Hausa men to force the door open. They threw my belongings outside. They disgraced me and my children.

When exactly did the trial take place and what day were you evicted?

The trial took place on 23rd of January 2023 at Customary Court Holden at Ijebu-Igbo, Ijebu-North Local Government Area, Ogun State.

I was evicted on the 15th of February 2023. The third week after the ruling.

Did you attempt to protest the eviction to the Court president?

I don’t think it is necessary. There were rumours that the Court president had been contracted to sell the house if he could succeed in evicting me and my children. The Court president is a popular estate agent around Ijebu-Igbo.

What efforts are you making to seek redress in a law court?

The legal fee to challenge the ruling and the oppression is exorbitant. It is unaffordable to me and my children in this difficult time around the country. I look up to God to redress the situation for me.

I may seek legal aid from the Ogun State government to help restore my right to live in my daughter’s inherited two-rooms apartment in her father’s house. If they would sell the house, they should seek my daughter’s consent as one of my husband’s children.

Where do you stay at the moment?

A good neighbour offered me and my children a room to stay for a while. I will move on to seek redress when I overcome the resultant trauma and the depression that becloud me daily. It is not a good way for me to end my life after five decades of marriage.

Headlines

NRC grants Lagos Government permanent approval to operate Red Line rail services

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has granted final approval to the Lagos State Government to operate two of its rail tracks under the Track Sharing Agreement, paving the way for the full operation of the Lagos Rail Mass Transit (LRMT) Red Line project.

The LRMT Red Line commenced passenger operations on October 15, 2024, with morning and evening peak-hour services following its inauguration by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

The permanent approval follows the temporary operating approval granted by the NRC in 2025 under the Track Sharing Agreement with the Lagos State Government.

Presenting the Permanent Operating Licence to the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) on Tuesday, June 30th, 2026, the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation, Dr. Kayode Opeifa, said the approval confers on the Lagos State Government all the rights and obligations contained in the Track Sharing Agreement.

According to him, the licence also empowers the state to operate rail services in line with international best practices.

Opeifa described the milestone as a testament to the mutual trust, cooperation and shared vision that have continued to define the partnership between the NRC and the Lagos State Government.

“Beyond providing access to the tracks, our collaboration has also included the training and capacity development of the Red Line’s operational personnel, demonstrating the immense value of strong institutional partnerships,” he said.

He commended the Lagos State Government for its confidence in the NRC and its sustained commitment to the partnership.

“I also commend the Government for its remarkable investment in public transportation, particularly in the rail subsector, including the acquisition of adequate rolling stock to meet the growing mobility needs of Lagosians,” he added.

The NRC Managing Director noted that the development of modern rail infrastructure requires foresight, substantial capital investment and sustained political will, qualities he said the Lagos State Government has consistently demonstrated.

Opeifa also urged other state governments across the federation to invest in rail infrastructure and services to complement the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s railway network.

According to him, expanding rail transportation nationwide would ease congestion on highways, reduce logistics costs, improve passenger mobility, stimulate industrial and commercial activities, and accelerate national economic growth.

He stressed that rail transportation remains the backbone of efficient mass transit systems in major cities around the world.

“Continued investment in rail infrastructure is essential to providing safe, reliable, environmentally sustainable and high-capacity mobility for our growing population, while significantly reducing pressure on our road network,” he said.

Opeifa reaffirmed the NRC’s commitment to fostering productive partnerships that will transform Nigeria’s transport landscape.

“Together, we will continue to build an integrated, efficient, safe and sustainable railway system that serves the aspirations of all Nigerians,” he concluded.

Headlines

NPA unveils multi-agency task force to tackle resurgent port access gridlock

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) has launched a multi-agency task force to combat the resurgence of traffic gridlock choking the Lagos port access roads, in a fresh push to restore seamless cargo evacuation and sustain recent gains in port efficiency.

The intervention followed a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Managing Director of the NPA, Dr. Abubakar Dantsoho, on June 23rd, 2026, where security agencies, freight forwarders, truck operators and representatives of the Lagos State Government agreed on coordinated measures to eliminate the bottlenecks disrupting cargo movement.

At the meeting, stakeholders identified illegal extortion points, overlapping responsibilities among security agencies and other operational distortions as major factors responsible for the renewed congestion along the port corridor.

Speaking on the outcome of the meeting, the NPA’s General Manager, Corporate and Strategic Communications, Mr. Ikechukwu Onyemakara, said the Authority’s overriding priority is to guarantee the unhindered movement of cargo to and from the nation’s seaports.

According to him, the task force comprises the NPA, the Police, the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO).

“The responsibility of the task force is to monitor truck movement on the port access roads on a regular basis, identify any disruption capable of causing gridlock and immediately resolve such challenges,” Onyemakara said.

He stressed that members of the task force would not establish checkpoints along the corridor but would maintain strategic presence at designated locations to ensure compliance without obstructing traffic.

To enhance rapid response, Onyemakara disclosed that the task force has created a dedicated WhatsApp platform through which members can instantly report infractions or emerging traffic issues for immediate intervention.

On the long-delayed renewal of the Electronic Truck Call-Up (ETO) system contract, the NPA spokesman said the Authority is reviewing the terms to ensure a more robust contractual framework before awarding a fresh agreement.

He explained that although the previous contract had expired, the ETO platform remains operational under the management of the Truck Transit Parks (TTP) pending completion of the procurement process.

He expressed confidence that the renewal would be concluded soon.

Reaffirming the Authority’s commitment to maintaining free-flowing port access roads, Onyemakara said efficient logistics remain central to the NPA’s drive to improve Nigeria’s port competitiveness and preserve its growing international reputation.

“We are more interested in the free flow of logistics into our ports than anyone else because it is in our own interest,” he said.

“If you look at the international recognition we are receiving, including the World Bank report, we are determined to sustain and even surpass the improvements already recorded in our port system.
“You can be assured that we remain fully committed to achieving the best possible performance from our ports.”

Headlines

Customs Steps Up Nationwide Green Tax Awareness Ahead of July 1 Rollout

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has intensified its nationwide sensitisation campaign ahead of the July 1, 2026 implementation of the Green Tax Surcharge and related fiscal adjustments, aimed at promoting environmental sustainability and encouraging the importation of cleaner vehicles.

The awareness campaign, held on Friday July 26th, 2026 at the Apapa Area Command, brought together Customs officers, licensed customs agents, freight forwarders, importers and other key stakeholders under the theme: “Implementation of the Green Tax Surcharge and Related Fiscal Adjustments.”

Representing the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, the Zonal Coordinator, Zone A, Mohammed Babadende, said the exercise was designed to ensure stakeholders fully understand the policy before its implementation.

“This sensitisation is designed to ensure that every stakeholder clearly understands the policy before implementation. Our objective is to eliminate uncertainty, promote voluntary compliance and guarantee uniform application of the Green Tax Surcharge across all commands,” Babadende stated.

Delivering a technical presentation, the Comptroller in charge of Tariff, System Audit and Coordination, Murtala Muazu, explained that the Green Tax Surcharge is different from conventional fiscal measures and would therefore require a separate assessment process.

He disclosed that the Service has simplified implementation through the HS Code declaration platform to facilitate seamless compliance by importers and clearing agents.

Muazu also revealed that the Federal Government has reduced import levies on vehicles from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, while import duty on used vehicles has been slashed from 15 per cent to five per cent to cushion the impact of the new environmental surcharge.

Area Controllers who participated in the sensitisation urged importers, licensed customs agents and the trading public to embrace the initiative, stressing that the reduction in import levies would lower the cost of doing business, promote legitimate trade and ultimately reduce transportation costs.

Stakeholders welcomed the policy but called for sustained public enlightenment to deepen understanding and ensure seamless compliance ahead of the July 1 commencement date.