Metro

OAU Graduate Dies Despite N9.4m Cancer Treatment

Published

5 months ago

February 16, 2025

A 31-year-old graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Oluwafemi Ayo-Owolawi, has died months after Nigerians raised N9.4m to help him through a protracted battle with renal cancer.

Oluwafemi’s death was disclosed by a Lagos-based public analyst, Yinka Ogunnubi, on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the unfortunate passing of Oluwafemi Ayomide Ayo-Owolawi. Femi has gone to be with the Lord and will be buried today.

“His family wishes to express their profound thanks and gratitude to all those who contributed towards his cancer treatment. You all gave Femi a fighting chance,” Ogunnubi wrote.

He added, “Femi fought, he did. Even in death, he was smiling. We thank God for his life and the impact he made while he was still with us. May God console his family, may God strengthen his mum, and may Femi’s soul find eternal rest. RIP Champion!”

Ogunnubi revealed that in 2024, he launched a social media campaign with a GoFundMe organised by one Ayomide Adebanjo to raise funds for Femi’s cancer treatment.

“Six months ago, I launched an appeal for Femi who is battling colon cancer. It has been a very long ride but we thank God for where we are now. Femi is doing so much better and we are confident he will beat this cancer,” he wrote.

In the post, Adebanjo revealed that N12m was needed to fund Femi’s cancer treatment, but only N9.5m could be raised from the GoFundMe campaign, out of which N9.4m was spent on Femi’s surgery and Chemo’s treatments.

He explained, “After the initial surgery in May, we waited for the oncologist’s report to determine the next steps. We consulted with two different oncologists and the conclusions were more or less the same; that he must undergo 12 cycles of chemo at the first instance.

“We had an initial target of N12m but all in all, we raised in total N9,511,824 and have spent a total of N9,405,829.72,” he explained.

According to The PUNCH, Oluwafemi was a Lagos-based business analyst who hailed from Ile-Ife in Osun State.

In 2015, he graduated from OAU, where he studied Economics Education.

He was the last child of his parents but lost his father 24 years ago, with his mother being the sole sponsor of his education.

In an interview he granted to The PUNCH in June last year while on the sickbed, the late Oluwafemi said his painful health nightmare began in March 2022, when he first noticed symptoms of blood, bleeding, and passing out.

He said he spent a few months at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where it was confirmed that he had renal cancer.

As of the time of the interview, Femi said the cancer had reached stage two, with serious health complications that had caused him heavy financial strain.

Metro

Four Dead As 3-storey Building Collapses In Kano

Published

15 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

Four persons have been confirmed dead following the collapse of a three-storey building on Abedi Street, Sabon Gari area of Kano State.

The incident occurred on Sunday evening after a downpour that lasted several hours, leading to the building’s collapse and trapping its occupants under the rubble.

Spokesperson for the Kano State Fire Service, Saminu Yusif, who confirmed the development, said two other persons sustained injuries while nine others sustained minor injuries.

He said: “As of now, we have rescued 15 people. Four were confirmed dead, two sustained injuries and are currently receiving treatment at Murtala Specialist Hospital, while nine others had minor injuries.

“The rescue operation is still ongoing. We are carefully searching every part of the collapsed structure and evacuating the rubble, as it’s believed that more people may still be trapped inside.”

The rescue operation is carried out by men of the fire fighters, SEMA, NEMA and police among others.

Metro

Gunmen kill community leader in Bayelsa

Published

15 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

Suspected gunmen have reportedly killed the Community Development Committee, CDC, chairman of Igbomotoru 1 Community in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State.

It was gathered that the CDC Chairman, identified as Mr Goodnews Manash, was ambushed at the back of the community’s school compound about 10:30p.m., Sunday, while on his way to a relative’s house.

Confirming the incident, the paramount ruler of the community, HRH Ayibaikie Ofongo, said: “Between 12 midnight and 2a.m., Sunday, somebody from the community called to inform me that gunmen have abducted the CDC chairman of our community.

“It was not until this morning that I got concrete information that the CDC chairman was actually assassinated in the community. I can confirm that he is dead, but we intend to have meetings at the community level before we issue an official statement to the public”

Also reacting , the Press Secretary to the Chairman of Southern Ijaw LGA, Mr Ayibaetare Easterday, condemned the incident, describing it as unfortunate.

He said: “The story is true but he was not killed in his house. He was killed close to another person’s compound, whom he was going to visit. It is an unfortunate incident and we pray that this kind of thing does not happen again.”

“We are all brothers and sisters, so if we offend one another in the community, we should exercise tolerance and make peace. The incident is not befitting of who we are and its condemnable.”

Metro

Panic As Armed Robbers Kill 2 In Ebonyi

Published

15 hours ago

July 15, 2025

Editor

There was fear and anxiety in Agba community in Ishielu Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, as a suspected armed robber shot and killed two persons in the community.

The town union president of the community, Mr Sunday Nwadibia, who confirmed the incident said the community has been under siege for some time due to the activities of armed robbers.

He gave the names of the deceased as Sunday Oyibe, a school proprietor, and Chukwu Ebuka.

Nwadibia said the community has been witnessing attacks and robberies since last year, which has led to loss of lives, cash running into millions, and property worth millions of naira.

He revealed that before the killing of Sunday Oyibe and Chukwu Ebuka, the hoodlums attacked a POS operator in the community and dispossessed him of N2.7million.

The town union president, who said the hoodlums usually wear military camouflage with bulletproof vests, also snatched a Toyota Corolla car and five motorcycles from some members of the community when they started operating in the area.

He expressed dismay that their activities have crippled economic activities in the community and urged security agencies to come to the aid of the community.

He said: “I was in my place when people started running because armed robbers were robbing at our junction.

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“So, everybody started looking for safety not knowing that the hoodlums are coming very close to our side in the community.

“Before we could notice it, we heard gunshots me and my workers also started running for safety. The hoodlums advanced to another junction near my house and that junction is called Orie Agba and started operating there and people started running.

“I climbed one upstairs and started watching the hoodlums. They started shooting heavily and approached my office which I had locked already when I noticed their presence in the community.

“They shot one Sunday Oyibe, the founder of Unique International School, who is also the chairman of the timber association in Ishielu. We rushed him to the hospital but he couldn’t make it.

“They shot another person, Chukwu Ebuka who people said was dragging his iPhone with them,” Vanguard quoted him.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Joshua Ukandu, confirmed the killing of the two persons in the community.

He promised to get the details of the incident from the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ishielu Local Government.

“Yes, I know there was an incident somewhere in Ishielu but I will call the DPO of the area to get more information about it,” he said.