News

Economic Hardship: CSO Gives FG Ultimatum, Threatens Nationwide Protest

Published

2 years ago

February 10, 2024

Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO), has given the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to urgently end the suffering in Nigeria with two weeks, threatening that failure to do so will lead to mass protest.

The civil society organisations gave the ultimatum in Benin City, the Edo State capital, during its General Assembly on Saturday.

Reading a statement jointly signed by Comrade Austine Enabulele,
Interim Technical Committee Chairman, and Comrade Grace Okike, Interim Technical Committee Secretary, EDOCSO, the organisations lamented that the economic hardship in the land is becoming unbearable.

“We want to state clearly that failure for the federal government to swing into emergency action to end this HUNGER and economic suffering in Nigeria within the next two week the President and his Vice should resign so we can elect a better leader, or we at Edo Civil Society Organisations (EDOCSO) will have no option than to mobilize other citizens all over the country on a Tinubu/Shetima must go protest, and we shall ensure a change in the leadership of Nigeria government to prove that indeed section 14 subsection 2a can be activated by any person elected into place of leadership.

“We shall ensure a better tomorrow for Nigerians and not this present better yesterday than we are currently experiencing. Let’s not be discouraged by the show of ineptitude of our leaders but focus on taking back our country from the hands of greedy politicians,” they added.

According to the civil society organisations, since the first day President Tinubu took over the leadership of Nigeria, “the country has known no peace in terms of our daily living.”

The EDOCSO added: “Beginning from the increase in fuel price till date, continuous rising of dollar that has affected everything in Nigeria including farm produce that comes from the local farms to our markets today, this has made the saying that whatever goes up must surely come down an irony, considering Dollar-naira exchange rate and suffering in Nigeria.”

They continued: “With dismay, pain and agony we have watched Nigerians groan in pains even when we try to assist as individuals from our own personal struggles is still never enough, and this has led to the continuous rising of suicide being committed by Nigerians everyday because they can no longer bear the hunger and sufferings, women are turning to widows and men widowers, children becoming fatherless or motherless all because, parents can no longer bear the pains of watching their children suffering, as a result of not being able to provide a meal for their children.”

According to EDOCSO, “Is it the crime that has increased all over the 36 states including the FCT, everyday we hear and experience kidnapping, armed robbery all over the country, that even the common local farmer, petty trader and mechanics are now being kidnapped in Nigeria in exchange for whatever the kidnappers can scoop for themselves from innocent citizens as ransom.

“The Federal Government has suddenly become somewhat deaf and dumb that they have refused to act or do anything about it, the almighty giant of Africa has suddenly become handicapped.

“Today in our markets, we can not even buy products manufactured locally, even the foods we bring from our local farms, all because the prices of food and all other things are going up every blessed day and the government supposedly has agencies that control market prices, while these agencies watch in their slumber with their hands folded doing nothing to correct these anomalies in the system and yet we say we have a government in Nigeria?

“Citizens get sick in Nigeria today and can’t afford money to buy common paracetamol, there are no health centers or government hospitals to go to by citizens to be attended to with little or no money.

“In some cases, you go to the very limited hospitals and you are not well attended to by professionals because of its shortage, you can’t get drugs from these few hospitals that are available and yet the wife of the president could donate 100,000 dollars to Sierra Leone to build a hospital when we have needs for it here in Nigeria.”

EDOCSO stated that, “We also wants to state here that we are most disappointed in the National House Of Assemblies who have become a puppet in the hand of the executive not knowing the power the constitution gave them to serve the people, unfortunately we have slumbering representatives who originally don’t know why they were sent to the National House of Assemblies.

“They feel it’s their time to enrich themselves at the expense of Nigerians and we think to the extent of their uselessness, they should all go home, so Nigerians can now conveniently know they have a country without legislators.

“Flowing from the above, it is clear of the general sufferings that Nigerians have been plunged into by the federal government since the day of taking over, due to the removal of fuel subsidy without proper plans on ground to ensure the welfare of Nigerians, and of course the further devalue of our Naira till date.

“We say to the Federal Government and president Bola Ahmed Tinubu that he has failed in his responsibilities and agreement reached with Nigerians, in Section 14 subsection 2b and Section 16 subsection 1b of the 1999 Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeriand as such have made the following demands.”

The civil society organisations therefore urged the Federal Government to urgently “put in place all machineries to ensure proper market price regulations to end the current economic hardship in the country,” and also put “all economic processes to give value to our currency be put in place.”

The organisations also demanded that “a proper fair and citizens friendly policies be put in place to ensure economic stability in the country,” and “all security measures to end insecurity be activated immediately.”

News

Court Dissolves Petitioner’s Marriage Over Lack Of Love, Care

Published

10 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

An Area Court sitting at Centre-Igboro, Ilorin in Kwara State, on Thursday, dissolved the four-year-old marriage between Aminat Mustapha and Wahab Adeshina, following the petitioner’s insistence.

The petitioner told the court that she was no longer interested in her marriage to her husband following claims of lack of love and care.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), while delivering ruling, the presiding judge, Mr Toyin Aluko, held that the respondent had written to the court, accepting the divorce application made by his wife.

Aluko, consequently, dissolved the marriage between the parties, and ordered the woman to observe one month iddah (waiting period) before she could remarry.

Meanwhile, the court granted custody of the two children in the marriage, ages one and three, to their mother.

He ordered the father to pay a monthly sum of N20,000 for the children’s feeding and maintenance.

The court also held that the respondent will be responsible for their education and healthcare.

Again, the court held that the father has unrestricted access to his children, but at reasonable time adding that he should be notified before any decision is taken on his children.

The judge ordered the petitioner to get a copy of the judgment and send same to the respondent.

News

Tinubu Embarks On Three-state Visit

Published

10 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Saturday on a working visit to Borno, Bauchi and Lagos.

This is contained in a statement issued by Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Bayo Onanuga, on Friday in Abuja.

While in Borno, the President will commission projects executed by the Borno State Government under Gov. Babagana Zulum, in collaboration with the Federal Government.

He will also attend the wedding ceremony of Sadeeq Sheriff, son of former Borno Governor, Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff, and his bride, Hadiza Kam Salem.

From Maiduguri, Tinubu will proceed to Bauchi State to condole with the state government and the family of Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, the renowned Islamic cleric and leader of the Tijjaniyya Muslim Brotherhood.

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi died on Nov. 27.

After the condolence visit, the President will travel to Lagos, where he will spend the end-of-year holidays.

During his stay in Lagos, Tinubu is expected to attend several engagements, including the Eyo Festival scheduled for Dec. 27.

The festival, to be held at Tafawa Balewa Square, will honour notable personalities, including the President’s late mother, Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, former Lagos State governors Alhaji Lateef Jakande and Chief Michael Otedola.

News

My Wife Dented My Image, Took Our Marital Crises To Radio Stations — Husband

Published

11 hours ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

…He ran away from home after I was delivered of twins —Wife

Grade A Customary Court sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, has ruled that a couple, Folaji and Ifedayo should go their different ways after it pronounced their marriage dissolved.

The court president, Mrs S.M Akintayo, who gave the judgment, stated that this was imperative to dissolve the marriage for peace to reign.

The plaintiff, Folaji, who dragged his wife to court, accused her of not loving him, always fighting him, and sometimes displaying violence.

Folaji explained that the root of their differences was Ifedayo’s bias for his mode of worship.

According to the plaintiff, he attends a white garment church, which mode of worship the defendant abhors and therefore refused to attend services with him.

Folaji also said that Ifedayo concealed from him the fact that she was suffering from a particular ailment, which he became aware of after she was advised at the hospital to carry out series of tests.

Folaji stated that the differences between him and his wife degenerated to the level that he became a regular face at the police station and also at radio stations, where his wife took their matters to.

The plaintiff told the court that the defendant had done a lot of damage to his image, and thus prayed the court to put an end to their relationship so that he could pick up the pieces of his life.

The plaintiff sought easy access to their children and promised to give them feeding allowance weekly.

He further requested an order restraining his wife from threatening him and from interfering with his private life.

Ifedayo, in her response, agreed that their union be dissolved.

She stated that her husband was inhumane and that he packed out of their house before she was discharged from the hospital after she put to bed a set of twins.

The defendant further said that the plaintiff had never visited her and their children since he walked out of their marriage.

According to her, her husband sent her N20,000 through his counsel after he dragged her to court, but that she declined it because it was a ridiculous amount to feed a set of twins.

Folaji, in his testimony, said: “My lord, my wife, and I had a proper wedding, and I paid her bride price.

“I expected my wife to be submissive to me and do my binding, but the reverse is the case.

“My wife is stubborn and troublesome.

“She swore never to attend my church because it’s a white garment church and that she loathes our way of worship.

“The more I encouraged her to attend, the more she kept her distance.

“She later reluctantly agreed to attend service once a month.

“My wife is secretive. She hid from me for years the fact that she was nursing an ailment. I only became aware of this when the doctor confirmed it after she went through a series of tests when she took ill.

“My wife, rather than being remorseful, decided to make life tough for me.

“She became troublesome and never ceased to fight me.

“She is violent and always hit and harmed me with any dangerous objects within her reach.

“We always dragged ourselves to the police station where we became a regular face.

“My wife, determined to dent my image, took our issues to radio stations where I was invited and our differences were aired.

“I walked out of our marriage when I could no longer tolerate my wife’s misbehaviour.

“She reported me again at the welfare office and, after mediating in our differences, I was asked to provide her with foodstuff and not money, which I did on a regular basis.

“But she has insisted that I would not have rest of mind.

“I pray this court to dissolve our marriage and grant me free access to our children. I promise to make provision for their upkeep on a weekly basis.

“I further request an order restraining my wife from threatening and interfering with my private life.”

Ifedayo, in her response, said: “I agree that our marriage be dissolved. My husband is inhumane and has no conscience, which were the causes of the crisis we experienced in our marriage.

“I was admitted in the hospital to be delivered of our set of twins, but I returned to meet an empty house. My husband deserted me and our newborn children.

“He never checked on them nor gave anything for their upkeep. He only gave them N20,000 of recent through his counsel after he came to court.

“I rejected the money because such an amount can not feed sufficiently two children of their age, not to mention other needs.

“I plead that the court grant me custody of our children and make my husband responsible for their upkeep.

“I want him to give attention to their feeding and pay their school fees as and when due.

“He should likewise be available any time they need medical attention.”

Giving her judgment, Mrs Akintayo said although both had a valid customary marriage and bride price was paid, the court had no choice than to grant their prayers of divorce since they now express their disinterest in it.

Akintayo ruled that they were no longer husband and wife.

She granted custody of their children to the defendant, stating that they were still minors in need of motherly care.

The defendant was granted access to their children on a weekly basis while he was ordered to be responsible for their welfare.