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OPINION: Death Of A Queen

Published

7 months ago

June 16, 2025

By Lasisi Olagunju

“There is a kind of price for life,” says Charles A. Curran, and that price, he says, “moves in the direction of death.” Death blows no trumpet but we all know it is coming. It is the unalterable final part of the process of life. Some of us spend our entire life worrying about death; some simply ignore it; some mortally fear it; some calmly look forward to it. Whichever you and I choose, the final portion is that we all have to die one way or the other. It is destiny at work.

In the afternoon of Thursday last week, I was with the Orangun of Oke Ila, Oba Adedokun Abolarin, who lost his wife, Olori Solape Christianah Abolarin, exactly one week today. She was 51 years old.

I knew her; she was my wife’s friend and colleague in the civil service of Osun State. Her death has made us poorer here. If anyone had asked the dead what she thought was next in her life, she would probably have said she looked forward to becoming a permanent secretary. Her diligence at work was preparing her for the top job. For her, death was too far-fetched to consider. She had so much ahead, and a lot in her plate to attend to. But she died. We all mourn her untimely passage.

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“We care, God cures” is a bold inscription on the wall of a popular hospital in Ibadan. A very sensible thing for every person and physician to say is in that message. No matter the degree of care, people die, some young, some old. Probe certain ailments; for women, for instance, probe fibroids: “The exact cause is unknown” is what comes up. Modern medicine and its prophets get confounded now and then despite humanity’s progress across centuries. That is why since the beginning of creation, women anatomy and freak deaths appear together, constantly holding hands. German physician, Eucharius Roesslin (1470-1526) told his readers in 1513 that “very many (are) the perils, dangers, and throngs which chance to women…” Read about him and why he wrote his ‘Der Rosengarten’ (The Rose Garden), later translated to ‘The Birth of Mankind’.

The death of our king’s wife reminds the mindful of a hugely cerebral editor, columnist and Queen of Letters, MEE (May Ellen Ezekiel). Married to Richard Mofe Damijo, MEE died after a fibroid surgery on 23 March, 1996 in the best hospital of her day in Lagos. She was aged 40. The uterine course (and cause) of her transition was identical with this exit in Osun State. The stabbing pains of the whys, till eternity, rack the brain.

Amidst a torrent of personal grief and familial lamentations, Oba Abolarin reeled out the pearls of his companionship with the departed Olori: “Many of the things people praise in me, she was the architect. Everyone who was my person was accepted by her as her person. She was mother to all the boys and girls in our college. She made our home cosy for orphans. She was from Igbeti in Oyo State, she married me and became completely Oke Ila and Osun State …” The king’s men and women in attendance nodded in agreement.

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The grieving oba went on and on punctuating prayers from visitors and friends with tales of the great bond he shared with the departed. Hearing him and looking at the histrionics that accompanied what he was saying reminded me of a passage on intimacy, death, and grief: “…with a person’s death and our experiences of grief comes…the clearest view of what that person and relationship have meant to us in life” (Brian tie Vries in ‘Grief: Intimacy’s Reflection’).

When a loved one dies, everyone periodically pauses and queries their efforts. We’ve all lost persons whose death left us to wonder if we did enough to keep them around. I ask myself till tomorrow if I put in everything I should to keep my parents alive despite their very old age. With the deceased’s immediate younger sister beside him retelling, amid sobs, the last-moment stories, I heard Oba Abolarin asking himself repeatedly what he ought to do which he did not do. “I am a finicky person, so what happened?” He asked no one in particular.

Those who experienced it would swear that a spouse’s death is a life-altering experience. They say it is a tough one. I read in Phyllis R. Silverman’s ‘Widowhood and Preventive Intervention’ that during courtship, people commonly rehearse for marriage, but “no similar rituals prepare the individual for the inevitable termination of the marriage when one of the partners will die.”

Between this husband and his late wife is a 12-year-old prince, Tadeniawo. And I heard Kabiyesi asking how he was going to cope going forward: “I am close to 70. How is a 70-year-old man going to take care of a 12-year-old, all alone? The boy was very close to his mum.” The oba said; then he went on and on even as he struggled to put on the visage of courage.

He has to be strong; he is an oba, husband of the whole town. One of the covenants he had with those who had been on the throne before him is that his hard wood must never shed tears. Ako igi kò gbodò s’oje. He has handled it so well so far. We keep praying for him.

“Death, thou shalt die” comes as a verdict from seventeenth-century English poet, John Donne. In that Holy Sonnet, Donne asks ‘Death’ not to be proud because “One short sleep past, we wake eternally,/ And death shall be no more…”

May Olori Abolarin’s soul rest in perfect peace. May God look after her husband and child and all her other loved ones.

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Eating Takeout Food Often May Increase Heart Disease Risk — Study

Published

2 days ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

Research suggests that higher takeout food consumption may increase a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, like heart disease.

In a new study, published in Food Science & Nutrition, researchers said eating takeout food too often can influence systemic inflammation that underlies much cardiovascular disease.

The study of over eight thousand people in the 2009 to 2018 U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that those who eat greater amounts of takeout food are likely to have various elevated risk factors for heart disease.

They were interviewed in their homes and also visited a mobile examination centre, where they recalled their food intake, received cardiometabolic health assessments, and had blood collected.

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The researchers found a correlation between the amount of takeout food a person consumes and their likelihood of developing chronic low-level inflammation, a key driver of cardiovascular pathology.

Deaths from cardiovascular disease and the consumption of takeout foods are both on the rise, and while that does not prove a causal relationship, the study explores whether there is a connection between the two.

The study tracked degrees of systemic inflammation according to the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII), a scale that quantifies the risk of inflammation related to the intake of specific dietary substances.

The three major takeaways from the analysis included that a higher level of takeout food consumption corresponded to an unfavourable cardiometabolic profile consisting of lower HDL, as well as higher triglycerides, fasting glucose, serum insulin, and insulin resistance.

Jayne Morgan, MD, cardiologist and Vice President of Medical Affairs in a reaction, who was not involved in the study, explained that “Takeout food raises the cardiovascular risk not because of one ingredient, but because of a predictable combination of nutrients, additives, and preparation methods that adversely affect blood pressure, lipids, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, and endothelial function.”

“This includes excess sodium that increases blood volume and blood vessel stiffness, and unhealthy fats, usually saturated fats or trans fats, that increase cholesterol level and atherosclerosis, a condition that can lead to heart attack and stroke.”

Michelle Routhenstein, Preventive Cardiology Dietitian at Entirely Nourished, also not involved in this study, declared, “It is also important to recognise that frequent takeout use often reflects broader lifestyle pressures such as demanding schedules, limited access to cooking resources, irregular meals, and disrupted sleep, all of which can quietly compound cardiovascular risk.”

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How To Identify Fake Kiss Condoms In Circulation

Published

3 days ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has recently warned Nigerians about the circulation of counterfeit Kiss brand condoms in major markets across the country.

Contents
Original DKT Kiss condoms
Fake Kiss condoms

In a public alert published on its website recently and referenced as Public Alert No. 042/2025, the agency said the warning followed information received from DKT International Nigeria, a non-governmental organisation involved in contraceptive social marketing and HIV/AIDS prevention.

NAFDAC stated, “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control is notifying the public about the sale and distribution of fake Kiss condoms in various Nigerian markets.

“The information was received from the MAH-DKT International Nigeria, a leading non-governmental organisation focused on contraceptive social marketing. Its mission is to provide Nigerians with affordable and safe options for family planning and HIV/AIDS prevention.

“The fake Kiss condoms have been reported to be found in Onitsha Market, Idumota Market, Trade Fair Market, and various markets in Kano, Abuja, Uyo, Gombe, Enugu, and others.”

Kiss condom is a brand of male latex condoms designed to offer sexual protection, including the prevention of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections such as HIV, gonorrhoea and syphilis.

To help consumers avoid counterfeit products, NAFDAC outlined key differences between original and fake Kiss condoms.

Original DKT Kiss condoms
The original product comes in a light red box pack with clear instructions printed on the lower part of the pack, including single-use warnings and storage and caution information. The box contains detailed medical device information, including MDSS GmbH, Germany, and a complete Nigerian address at Isolo Industrial Layout, Oshodi-Apapa Expressway.

The condom pack is light red, with the word “Kiss” closely written on six lines. The wallet outer pack is lighter red, carries the Oshodi-Apapa address, manufacturer details, and a clear product description beside the condom image. The hidden flap includes revision dates, medical device details, and caution information, while the wallet inner contains detailed instructions and eight bullet points under important notes.

The original condom is large, oval-shaped, well-lubricated, and has a large teat end for semen collection.

Fake Kiss condoms
In contrast, fake Kiss condoms come in darker-coloured box packs with little or no additional information. Some boxes are plain white inside and lack condom images. The address is wrongly listed as 42, Montgomery Road, Yaba, Lagos, while the manufacturer’s address is incomplete or missing. Storage and caution information is absent.

The condom pack is darker, with “Kiss” loosely written on five lines and wide spacing. The condom strip is longer than the original. The wallet outer pack is also darker red, carries incorrect or missing addresses, lacks colour wave designs, and shows inconsistencies in barcode lines. Medical device and caution information are missing, and the hidden flap contains no details.

Inside the wallet, information is summarised with only six bullet points. The fake condom is thinner, round-shaped, less lubricated, and has a smaller teat end.
(TRIBUNE)

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Lagos: Police Arrest 14 Suspected Traffic Robbers On Lekki-Epe Expressway

Published

3 days ago

December 30, 2025

Editor

Fourteen persons suspected to be involved in traffic-related robbery have been arrested at various points along the Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos over the past two weeks.

The arrests were confirmed on Tuesday by the Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, SP Abimbola Adebisi, via a post on her official X handle, @AbimbolaShotayo.

According to her, operatives of the Command’s Tactical Squad based in Elemoro carried out the operations that led to the suspects’ apprehension.

She explained that the arrests followed sustained patrols and intelligence-driven operations aimed at curbing criminal activities associated with traffic congestion and improving the safety of motorists and other road users along the busy corridor.

Adebisi noted that the development reflects the Command’s determination to strengthen security and uphold law and order on the Lekki-Epe axis, adding that the Tactical Squad has continued to proactively identify crime-prone areas and respond swiftly to threats posed by criminal elements.

She called on residents and commuters to support police efforts by providing timely and credible information that could assist in preventing and detecting crime.

“Security is a shared responsibility. Members of the public are encouraged to stay alert and promptly report any suspicious movements or activities to the nearest police station,” she said.

The police spokesperson further reassured residents and road users of the Command’s commitment to maintaining aggressive patrols and security operations to protect lives and property in the area.

She reiterated the Command’s community policing message, “See Something, Say Something,” stressing the importance of cooperation between the police and the public in sustaining peace and security.