Headlines

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

NIWA partners ICPC to strengthen internal transparency in its operations

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter

The National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA) has announced new strategies aimed at improving its operational system and enhancing collaboration with key stakeholders as part of efforts to boost efficiency and accountability.

Speaking at a post event Press Conference at NIWA Headquarters Lokoja, the Acting Managing Director, Umar Yusuf Girei, while answering questions from journalists stated that, the organization convened a two -day Executive and Anti-Corruption training with the theme “Strengthening Integrity and Revenue System in Inland Waterways Management” organized for Board Members, Management and Area Managers and also 2026 NIWA Management Retreat in Abuja.

The Acting MD noted as part of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu,with the support Adegboyega Oyetola, Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, the Authority is focused on aligning institutional goals in ensuring better service delivery to Nigerians.

He further said, as part of its anti-corruption drive, the Management held discussions with the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to explore measures for strengthening transparency within its operations.

Girei therefore, assured staff that the ongoing reforms under his watch would translate into improved service and better working conditions.

“NIWA remains committed to continuous improvement and stakeholder engagement and the reforms are expected to enhance both internal performance and public confidence”. he stated.

Headlines

Navy appoints new Maritime Guard Commander for NIMASA

Gloria Odion, Maritime Reporter

The Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Idi Abbas, has approved the appointment of Commodore Reginald Odeodi Adoki as the Commander of the Maritime Guard Command at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA).

Commodore Adoki takes over from Commodore H.C Oriekeze who has been redeployed.

Commodore Adoki, a principal Warfare Officer specializing in communication and intelligence, brings onboard 25 years experience in the Nigerian Navy covering training, staff and operations.

As a seaman, he has commanded NNS Andoni, NNS Kyanwa and NNS Kada.

It was under his command that NNS Kada under took her maiden voyage, sailing from the country of build (the United Arab Emirates) into Nigeria.

He was commissioned into the Nigerian Navy in 2000 with a BSc in Mathematics.

He has since earned a Masters in International Law and Diplomacy from the University of Lagos and an M.Sc in Terrorism, Security and Policing at University of Leicester, England.

He is currently pursuing a Ph.D in Defence and Security Studies at the National Defence Academy (NDA).

He is a highly decorated officer with several medals for distinguished service.

Welcoming the new MGC Commander to the Agency, the Director General, Dr Dayo Mobereola, expressed confidence in Adoki’s addition to the team, emphasising that it will further strengthen the nation’s maritime security architecture given his vast experience in the industry.

The Maritime Guard Command domiciled in NIMASA was established as part of the resolutions of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Navy to assist NIMASA strengthen operational efficiency in Nigeria’s territorial waters, especially through enforcement of security, safety and other maritime regulations.

Customs

Customs collects N1.585 trillion from 51 compliant traders under AEO programme

Funso OLOJO, Editor

The Authorized Economic Operator (AEO), one of the trade facilitation tools introduced by the Nigeria Customs Service in 2025, has begun to yield bountiful harvests with the revenue growth of ₦362.79 billion recorded in 2025.

According to the AEO scorecard released by the Service, the facilitation tool grossed the sum of N1.585 trillion after certification, an increase revenue from N1.222 trillion before certification.

This represents the growth of N362.79 billion(29.68 per cent) for 51 AEO – certified entities as at October, 2025.

The Programme, according to the NCS, also contributed 21.77% to its total revenue collection of ₦7.281 trillion in 2025, while customs duties paid rose by 85.66% due to enhanced compliance and increased volumes of legitimate trade.

According to AEO Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Report, the Programme achieved an average compliance rate of 85.45 per cent with the highest at 100 per cent and the lowest at 60 per cent.

“The evaluation applied rigorous methodologies to ensure objectivity, transparency, and alignment with the World Customs Organisation (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards and the provisions of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

“In the area of trade facilitation, AEO participation reduced average cargo clearance time from 168 hours to 41 hours, representing a 75.60% time saving.

“Company operating costs declined by 57.2 per cent while demurrage payments dropped by 90 per cent, limiting capital flight to foreign-owned port service providers and strengthening foreign exchange retention.

” Overall trade efficiency improved by 77.11 per through digitalisation, simplified procedures, and targeted risk management” the Customs declared in the AEO scorecard.

However, the Service singled out with Eight companies for commendation due to their integrity and compliance under the programme.

The companies include Coleman Technical Industries Limited, WACOT Rice Limited, ROMSON Oil Field Services Ltd, WACOT Limited, Chi Farms Ltd, CORMART Nigeria Ltd, PZ Cussons Nigeria Plc, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited and MTN Nigeria Communications Plc.

The Service lauded them for a cumulative voluntary remittance of over a billion naira into the Federation Account following their self-initiated transaction review and disclosure.

“These actions reflect the strengthening of post-clearance audit mechanisms and a growing culture of voluntary compliance within the trading community.

Nevertheless, the Service suspended a firm under the programme for its non- compliance and display of lack of integrity.

The suspended firm engaged in false declaration of consignments contrary to programme obligations.

“Consequently, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, directed the immediate suspension of the company’s AEO status in accordance with the AEO Guidelines, the WCO SAFE Framework of Standards, and Section 112 of the Nigeria Customs Service Act, 2023.

The NCS reiterated that the AEO Programme is founded on trust, transparency, and continuous compliance.

“While compliant operators will continue to benefit from expedited clearance and reduced inspection, appropriate sanctions will be applied where violations are established.

“The Service remains resolute in safeguarding national revenue, facilitating legitimate trade, and preserving the integrity and global credibility of Nigeria’s AEO framework” the NCS concluded in the report.