Olowo of Owo is called many names;Socrates ,Solon or Solomon

Olowo of Owo reading the Holy Bible

Olowo of Owo

Interview with the Olowo of Owo

   ‘ my Father had many wives,  grandfather 300 and  left five virgins behind  ‘

The Olowo of Owo Oba  David Victor Folagbade Olateru  Olagbegi[CFR]    in this interview speaks about his life as    a staunch Christian .He speaks with Taiwo Abiodun 

How  do  you combine  your   traditional roles with your  Christian faith

They are   of  two different  things : your religion is your religion and your  Custom is  your Custom. And when it comes   to Traditional Religion or traditional oaths  the out  way out there  is that  you have in the town a Chief Priest , it is not the Traditional ruler that is in charge. The Traditional ruler has his own functions and the chief priest has his own functions   too. Now,   one must be mindful of  the fact  now that Nigeria is a secular  state and everyone is entitled to  practise his own religion. And   in a town or city you have all sorts of people  ;  you  have   the Christians ,  you  have  the Moslems, you have the Animists, you have the traditional Religious people , so on and so forth. And what the law says is that   everyone can practise his own faith ,  and  I should too.  I think the whole town knows that I am a Christian  and a practising Christian , and as such I practise my own religion, and I cannot stop people who are practising  it , and as long  as  I practise my own religion., and I cannot stop people who are not Christians to be practising Christianity by force , No!. Even our own Lord Jesus Christ did not force  anybody  to become Christian  by force but we pray to  the Lord  to touch  their hearts,  to draw  them closer  to Himself so that they can have a change of heart .I know that it is only God  that is worth worshipping  and I think  that  is an important thing for everyone.

Well, if some people   still believe that they still need to do   some worship  , alright I cannot stop them but they know what I believe. I believe in God .  The Lord is enough   for us to wash   off our sins , and I think that is superior Lord now. I wish the Christians   can put their faith in Him so that   at all times they can know that they must have faith and see that they  practise it and have tremendous faith .

 Though you  are a staunch Christian but don’t you think that you  do partake in rituals by way of giving them money to do it

Well, em... ideally ,  I don’t   think . ...  If one can avoid it  I  don’t even think  one should even give money  for people  to go  and worship  anything , you are the one  who is  also  directing   that they should worship  . So in organizations that we have today , we have Local Council, State Council,  and Federal government.  In most of the organised  local government areas  I think they know what festival s are  and they ought  to reasonably     to support  their festivals   and if they support it and  bring out money  then the chief Priest can get money directly from them in pursuit of his calling , that can be avoided.  Its only if  there is no money coming from such areas at all and you are the father  of all, then you have no choice but to give money for it  and if  that is a sin  then we pray that God should forgive us our sins .

There is this rumour making the rounds that you don’t want the  popular town’s festival the  Igogo festival again and you are trying to abolish it since you have become a staunch Christian

No, I   cannot stop it because it is the way of life for many years and each one has his own belief.And  I am sure my own people know my own belief  but as I said, I cannot force   them . I can only show them  the way  by  example  , they know what I do ,for example I don’t miss my Holy Ghost service and my church here, all things being equal I have to practise it.

You plaited your hair during the Igogo festival  and left  your head  open , and when you go to church you also leave it open while some believe  that  should not be as a royal father

Yes, but  during  the  Igogo festival  you don’t wear cap. Did you see anyone wearing cap during the   Igogo   festival?, That is our tradition and belief. You are not supposed to wear cap. For church too  , No ,you are not supposed to wear  your cap in the church .I don’t wear cap in the church

But other obas   do wear cap to the church and don’t remove them during service

Well,  that is the  other Obas .I know  my own God  does not  allow it , so I don’t do it.

How do you manage your kingdom as   so many people with different opinion and ideas   

Yes, that is why you pray to God all the time to give us wisdom to be able to interact and do what is right in the sight of God all the time. It is a  good prayer everyday , morning to start because you meet sorts of things  everyday , its only God that can direct you

How do you react to rumour  as  people  talk about you when you were not in the town

I don’t react. May be I travelled by then, may be I went abroad  and it could be for a purpose. I   also have my calendar and know when  the date of Igogo festival.

 I remember it was when I was ill and was hospitalised .Yes,  I  thank God .When I came out my people also came to see me when I was outside the town and  when I  came back too they also came   to see me .I was then well and was able .

Why did they give you names like Solon, Socrates or Solomon

[Prolonged laughter]I thank you for that, it is God and the Lord’s doing .It is true that I am a lawyer , a royal father and a devout Christian . I think one should get closer to the almighty , if you are close to God He will lead you and give you all what you want in life. My names are David Victor Folagbade Olateru Olagbegi , I cherished the name and I thank God for that .Calling me Solon, Socrates and Solomon , may be it is the way I administer  the town ,But believe it that God is the wisest , the Omnipresent , Omnipotent and Omniscience. He is all in all.

What does the sword  attached on your skirt mean and the feathers on your head

[Prolonged laughter]That was how I met it ,  we call it Uda Omalore.  Olowo uses it when   he comes  out .It is a symbol  of authority .

The feather on my head ? that is  Urere Okin.  Olowo is the only person who has the authority to use it .These days many wear it and   it is exclusively   meant for Olowo. But things have changed now  from the olden days  and this is different from the olden days ,and people can do all sorts of things .If you have your money  now you can do what you like , you can buy  all sorts of things.

As a Christian you  have been   to Jerusalem

Oh yes,  I have been there . I also sent my wife there too .It’s   important   to see things for yourself . I saw these things[ Biblical story  evidences] and I was convinced that they are real .Its not rumour. God  is real .The Holy Bible is not  a story book, it is real .I wish we all visit the place and be more convinced .   Jesus Christ is real .It is great to be there and believe in God   and Jesus Christ is the Lord.

 You also sent  many  to Mecca

Yes, I have done that too, I  have also sent people to Jerusalem too because at times  I sometimes   have some slots  from the state for the local government  and I make people go there  to go and see things for themselves. I think the most important thing   is that we are   all children of God   but we have our own different  beliefs, the Christian belief is different from  Moslem belief  but they still have their  belief and faith

Are all your  chiefs  have the right to observe the  Igogo  festival

Yes, they can .All Olowo’s chiefs can perform Igogo festival   but   they cannot force them  to do it. If one is faithful to his  oath  you will try to do what the Oba is doing  in the town, If you are a chief you will try to do what Oba is doing in the town .If you are a chief you are supposed to be doing what Oba is doing in the town., the say when you are in Rome  you behave like the Romans , if you are here and performing  the  festival  you have to obey all the rules , if the  oba is doing festival you have to join too .

Last year people were worried that the festival was held in October instead of  September , why

The Olowo has the right to change it when the people who are in charge  fixed   the date , then the  Olowo has the right to say  ok, the  date is not convenient for him ,  and you can deduct  17 days from it or you  add 17days   to the date that they fixed  and you have to do it on time ,  the Olowo has the right .

What are the  festivals we have here

 We have several festivals , we have the ulabi, yam festival .Igogo is linked to yam festival for example people have been eating yam but I did not ,  and I can only eat yam after the Igogo festival. Igogo is celebration of love. In Igogo , we pray and pray and pray. We pray for the Olowo, Owo  town , state government  ,federal government  and for everyone who comes and lives here in Owo. Igogo is celebration of love .

Last year you celebrated your 70^TH birthday, how is it to be 70?

We thank God for that. When you are 70, you are 70,[laughs]. When you look back and it is like yesterday, and  when one is at that age you must continue to pray  to God. You should   continue to do good to people because nobody knows when the time comes. As a  Christian  you can claim what age you want  in the Bible .In the Book of Genesis  look at Chapter six  beginning from verses 1 to 3, especially verse three, it says I am supposed to live  for 120years  but in the Book of Psalms which many read most of the time that is Psalm   90 verse 10  which many people read all the time , it says man will have three scores and ten, after that one might find it difficult .Yet there is another passage  in the Bible that says   it  is a curse not to  live  up to 100, so it depends  on which one you want .

Did you take after your late father in playing table tennis and having many wives?

I play table tennis and lawn tennis but I  have not played    for about  one year now. But I am quite optimistic that  I would soon start playing it now , I am just resting now . All my children play table tennis, it flows in the family.

You know  Obas in the past had so many wives .Well, my father had so many, in fact my grand father  had up to 300 wives, I was told that by the time he passed on to   join  his ancestors  five of his wives were virgins , that showed probably that  he had enough .

My grandfather didn’t come to the throne  at my age even  my father  also   came when he was 30 years .I came to the throne when I was 58, I am now over 70 you can’t expect me to have  many wives at this age, I will have to chose which way I will like to go. My father has been very   good in other aspects. He knew how to manage his   wives , he had the wisdom of being able to interact with  plenty of them . I don’t think I can try it .I tried it   at a younger age , it didn’t work[laughs]

Has your legal background assisted you in governing the town

Yes, I think it has really helped   me  a lot , because once you are a lawyer  you think like a lawyer .

And there are things other people do that you can not afford to do it because you know  it is wrong and others will think as an Oba you can do it , but you know it is wrong .You put yourself under checks and balances , I  think it is good  . The work of a lawyer is different from that of a Traditional ruler.

They know you are humble and generous  but some could take it to be weak

It is alright .They can think what they like . I don’t think  there is anything  wrong for anyone to be humble. I don’t think it is wrong for anyone  to be patient . I don’t think  it  is  also wrong for anyone to look   before he leaps , so these are cautions and all the things we have learnt in our own religion that you should go that way and I tried to follow  the commandments  of  what  I am supposed to do at all times  I don’t think there is any wrong in that.

You are a silent philanthropist

I do it and I don’t have to make noise ,If God blesses you , you too should extend  the blessings to the needy .I believe one should be kind enough to help his fellowmen. God  loves a cheerful giver, and as the father , traditional ruler and a practising Christian , I think it is part of my duty to assist  the needy  and must not go on pages of newspapers announcing it , God does not like that .I am a quiet man and I don’t like announcing something like  this. I  am praying to  God to give me strength to be able to do more .

How do you react to your detractors as you don’t take a pound of flesh

No, one is not supposed to. One should just continue to do good. My favourite passage in the Bible is the Book of Job Chapter 28 verse 28 that says you try to  depart from evil and fear God, and depart from evil ,anything that is evil depart from it.

How is your best day looks like

I think the best day is to try and be grateful to God everyday .Take life as it come and   is for you to thread slowly and wisely and you will not regret. I pray to God  always , He is God, kind and loving , that is how my best day looks like everyday

 What is the secret behind your looking young

Well if one is living well and you are not abusing your body ., do exercise  then always pray to the Almighty always , you will look young of course .

Sheila Solarin and Taiwo Abiodun

Madam Sheila and Taiwo Abiodun in one of her interviews

Sheila  Solarin

   I failed to fullfil my promise to Mama

Taiwo  Abiodun a reporter at The Nation recounts his numerous encounters with  Madam Sheila Solarin who  passed on last Sunday

I shall pass   through this world but once;

Any good  therefore that I can do  , or any kindness that I can show  my fellow creature ,

Let me do it now , let me not defer it  or neglect it

For I shall not pass this way again

___________Etienne De Grellet(1773-1855 )

‘’ Babalawo , do  you have Tai Solarin’s children’s cell number? I heard that Mama Sheila is dead , please help us to confirm’’,  Kofo  Osagie a colleague from  the office called my cell phone  last Sunday. Immediately   I heard the name Babalawo  I knew it was from the office, for that is what they call me. Grief, shock and   confusion enveloped me . I   was   shivering like Christmas goat and unstable like a floated leaf on waters. My   cell phone   almost dropped from my hand as if I am suffering from Parkinson syndrome. I   called Corin’s   line   the first child of the Solarins. ’’Confirmed ‘’, she replied in a text message .I wept like a baby. This was  the second time I  would weep in my life .The first  time  was when my mother died at 79  and that was  five years ago and this is the second .When my father died in 1985 at the age of 96, I did not weep.

I broke down and tears cascaded down my cheeks. Mama  is  dead? Few hours later   I started receiving   calls from  home and abroad asking me the full details and her last hours  as if I was there when she breathed her last. When I got to the office the next day   some of my colleagues including Joe Agbro ,  Udezie  Edozie  , Yemi  Ajayi , Ronke Rafiu. Pa Yemi Abiodun, my elder brother called from Akure among others started   consoling me . In fact I received over 30calls. I now believed that I am one of her adopted children .

Yes!,  I had interviewed her several times . I had spent a whole day with her   times without number ,in fact we had become family members as I too shared  my problems with her aside from the official job. 

I used to ask her many questions from sense to non sense , civilized to  uncouth,  foolish or wise yet she would  not turn me down. I have asked about   her  romantic life when she was young,  the medical problem she ever faced and she told me it was cervical cancer. I told her that I am a friend to her parrot as I sighted the parrot in her house,  she too told me that we were the same thing. I have demanded from her why she did not use walking stick , she replied ‘’ I don’t  need it’’. I have asked  her  why she kept  Ghanaians ,Togolese in her house , and she replied   ‘’ what is wrong in that  Taiwo? . They are okay’’.

 Where is your  pet dog   Rosa? I once asked her , as I used to tell her that she was like the Nursery Rhythm of Mary’s lamb that goes with her anywhere Mary goes , but Mama would jocularly  tell me that she was Sheila  and not Mary and Rosa  her dog  is not a lamb  too .The  giant dog, Rosa later died due to old age .

I have asked her why she did not have gate in her house[there is now] and she replied ‘’ I have nothing  thieves would steal here’’. I once asked her who owns   the herd of cows in the school and she replied ‘’ they belong to  my son ,Tunde and that is his business , I keep to my house here he too keeps to his business nobody disturbs another’’. I remember I asked her why she uses eye glasses and hearing aids she replied ‘’ I cannot hear very well again and I cannot see very well again .What of you Taiwo?’’

I remember she asked me to bring my twin brother if truly I am a twin , and  I told him that my twin brother, Kehinde  is still alive but    far away in Canada but  she said ‘’ that is what Yoruba will say when they have no twin brother or sister again, anyway let us meet one day or do you want me to come to Owo? , she jocularly   asked , and i promised to bring my twin brother ,Kehinde to know her .Unfortunately the woman never lived up to see him!.

Call her a stubborn agitator   , tag her a non- realist. Label her an atheist , in fact she is a proud  woman and a gift to Nigeria  and  should be called  the Biblical Deborah  who fought for the Israelites.

Anytime I mentioned   the former Head of state General Babangida  she would say ‘’ I cannot forgive him, he contributed to my husband’s death. Babangida   incarcerated my husband for months  just because  he was fighting for a just cause. Where are the leaders of yesteryears? But has he come here to tender apology?’’, she would ask.

 I asked her why she did not go to Church on one Sunday morning   when I went to interview her, she responded ’’  And why did you come  here on Sunday morning when you know I should be in church. Church? I don’t go to Church. I am an atheist .I am always busy ’’. And when I told her it has been long since I went to church she was excited and   gave me a parting gift  , a book titled  Humanism By Barbara Smoker. Apart from this I have   eight  books she always gave me anytime I go there for an interview in my library.

She was simple, approachable, loyal, humble  and down to earth  .Unlike the so called some  affluent and arrogant  Nigerians who you  have to fill  form, wait endlessly , and walk carefully  in their ill- gotten wealth living rooms ,and chose your words before you can interview  them. In   fact with their sheer arrogance would even cancel the interview as if they are gods.

Till she died Mama was still teaching  old people on how to read and write .She later abandoned the class and converted   her motor garage into a classroom as she could no longer trek to the school again. Till her death she used to mark errors found in newspapers, as she once   confided in me   that Nigerian papers are riddled with errors but they are trying .

Now that  I  , sorry, we, have lost a mother , it is good for us all to give her the last respect and celebrate her. This was a woman who chose poverty lifestyle for our sake. She left the comfort of life in Britain  for Nigeria where the roads are  bad, no electricity, no  security of life  and  where there is no respect for human dignity.

Goodnight Mama , Good night Tai’s wife.

killer masts rescue

Killer

Masts of death

For those living with Telecom Masts , there are grave dangers. Taiwo Abiodun reports

’’ The first time the communication  mast was tested , I ran away with  my   family and could not sleep at home for days for we could not withstand  it.. The fume coming out from the big generator was killing, the sound was deafening while the thick odour, heat   and vibration was too much a burden to bear ”. That  was the beginning of the   trouble for  Pa Afolabi  Oyekanmi, who is now pleading with MTN  to come and take away their equipment as the

 Pa Oyekanmi’s  building is about three metres from  where the mast is located .

He describes the Mast as a   killing squad. Narrating how it all started , he said ’’ I have been living here since 2006, but suddenly I saw my neighbour who brought some people here who came to inspect  it in 2008, I inquired what  they were trying to do but the owner only smiled and told me it is just a  construction  of a building . In a nutshell, a mast was erected. Unknown to me they started keeping  some of the materials in my house. I received all with joy as a Christian and thought it was all from a genuine  and honest mind

 Oyekanmi   while talking to this reporter  would once in a while   look at the mast    and at his fragile body  . He fumed ’’ I regretted entertaining these people  and their materials .Cursed was   the day  the mast was erected here .I am informed that they are planning to come back and start the engine   again, but I can assure you that it will  not last . If I die the MTN is responsible. I will fight   with the last pint of my blood if they ever come back here  to  start the engine ‘’, the 72year -old man vowed . He then  stormed into his room to bring out a  file  consisting a heap of letters  and petitions written to various institutions, organisations    and the medical report  he kept. This is my medical report from the hospital , now I  am very , very sick and I know how much  I spend to buy drugs .

 The septuagenarian lives in Ado Ekiti.  His  medical report from the Ado Ekiti Teaching Hospital  indicates that he is suffering from some diseases caused by   radiation  from  the telecommunication  mast    erected  by  the MTN T3756 .

Narrating his ordeal, he said the man who bought the small piece of land and let it out to  MTN  no longer come to the place  again. ’’I faced horror. I saw hell.  I became sick and was rushed to the hospital several times . When I recovered  I decided to  write  petitions  to the House of Assembly, Ministry of Environment and  Public Complaints Commission . I went  to the governor and I also went to Ibadan ,  their Zonal office . Thank God that  the  state governor Fayemi  stepped in and the House of Assembly members  .After much cries the place was eventually sealed up but the MTN men are now boasting of coming back to continue their business again. They said they [MTN ]built hospitals and buy drugs  for Nigerians as part of their own contribution. .

 ‘’ One of the officials said  they would come back in one of these days  to start it again and that would be impossible  for we    would  then face a tug  of war’’,  he swore  .His wife , a retired school principal  added ‘’ it  is a pity that we don’t have a law in this country , and even if we do  nobody obeys the law or may be  some are bigger than the law’’

Pa  Afolabi Oyekanmi’s health is deteriorating. He  has been diagnosed to be suffering from a disease suspected to be cancer from the effect of the radiation he is exposed to.

From the hospital he was  given a Medical report dated 18^th January ,2011 with hospital card number161830. It reads:

This elderly man who  is a subsistent farmer  was brought into the accident and Emergency Unit of our hospital on 16/1/11 at 10;50pm with complaints of loss of  consciousness associated with convulsions .He is not a known  Epileptic, Diabetic, Hypertensive  or Asthmatic .Findings on examinations  showed lowish BP 90/50 mmHg and subsequent  follow up showed low blood sugar  RBS 4.7mmol/L,He is  presently being managed as a case of  seizure  disorder.…….Precipant  of the disorder  may include machinery vibrations, twinkling light  flashes height and depth, hypoglycaemia and hypotension .It is apparent that locating the MTN mast too close  to their house is detrimental and hazardous  to his medical  condition if not the cause.

Kindly give necessary assistance to address the problem. The letter was signed by the Chief Medical Director , Dr.Adeleye  T.E

The old man has vowed to fight to finish with the MTN if they resurface again and start the engine.

 In Ibadan, the MTN mast with  number T3938,  has caused a lot of  havoc in Unique Estate ,off Olounda Road. While some have deserted their houses  others could  not as they have no where to go. In fact going  round the environment speaks volume as doors and windows were shut .

For Dr.Ogundipe , his family members are all in trouble as they are all suffering from different ailments. His wife , Mrs  Adebusola   Ogundipe was diagnosed of  blood cancer, leukaemia  while  some of her children are having loss of memory coupled with nose bleeding  and have made them to  become  visitors  to  hospital.

Speaking with The Nation, the woman who is a Biology Teacher at N.O Idowu  Comprehensive High School, Ibadan said ‘’  we  are the first set of people to  build a house here, but suddenly we saw the owner of  this small land who came to erect MTN ’s mast here. We fought tooth and nail to make sure it was not erected in 2008 because we know the implication .My husband is a Veterinary  Doctor and he too  tried to resist the owner and  the mast’s engineers from erecting it, but they said the MTN has paid the ransom  of the lives of every Nigerian to the presidency so therefore can erect their masts anywhere that suits them  in the country.

 According to Mrs Ogundipe , it  all started from the heavy smoke  coming from the generating set .’’Despite the fact that we close all our windows and doors to stop the air from the generator from coming in  yet  we began to inhale the  air  from the generating set. Whenever the Telecom  mast is working  our  beddings  would be vibrating  forcing us to   be sleeping on the floor. The walls have cracked  and we have  nowhere to go , so we  were forcing ourselves  to  stay ‘’.

Mrs Ogundipe later started having health problem , she said ‘’I started feeling dizzy and bleeding from the nose  and at the intial stage I did not tell my husband until it persisted  .I ended up  at  the University Teaching Hospital, Ibadan where  I underwent series of tests,  including T Scan. It was here  that  I was  told that I  have leukaemia in 2010.The medical doctor advised us to pack out of the house we live since the result showed that we are exposed to radio activity. I have spent  a lot  on drugs  and I feel for my husband if I happen to die today , blame the MTN who brought their mast into our area’’.

From the medical report  dated 8^th July ,2011she had from the University Teaching Hospital[UCH] the medical director wrote among  other things ,Mrs Ogundipe has been residing at her current address since 2006 during which  she had enjoyed sound health. But in 2008 a Telecommunication base station was sited  next to her house and since them the family had experienced noise  and vibrations .The most recent alteration  in her health was  the nose bleeding and the sensation  of pain and tingling  in the legs. These were also noted in her children……However, the hematologic study conducted revealed neutropenia, lymphocytosis and platelet count of 147,000 per cmm.While PTT test was 41 and control 32,[prolonged].The features appear to be in  keeping with leukaemia.

She has been advised to relocate to avoid further exposure to radiation from telecommunication base station .She also  expected to report  regularly at the hospital to monitor  her blood profile. The letter was signed by Dr A. A. Adeosun[Consultant ENT Surgeon].

The woman in a sorrowful laden voice said; ‘’The result says that  there was a long ray radiation and is affecting me. We were asked to pack out of the house , that was the judgement of the medical doctor.’’

Dr.Ogundipe  said it is not only his wife that is suffering from such ailment as his children too are having same problem. ’’ all my children  are now  experiencing nose,

 loss of memory  and  also have  tingling pains in their legs. We are in trouble’’, she said .

A civil engineering company  came to test the building and discovered it has some defects , this was done     by HEA-BOND ENGINEERS [CONSULTANT AND PROJECT DEVELOPERS].The report was shocking as  the civil engineering reports showed which was   dated 13^th July 2011.In the letter the Engineer wrote….. Site measurement showed that Dr.Ogundipe ‘s house wall is 3.7m from the perimeter  base wall of the MTN station while it is 3.65m away from Mr Oluwadare’s house block wall. Dr.Ogundipe also has a well located in front of his  house which is 4.8m away  to the house block wall.

While on site  noise emanated from the generator which powers the station and there4 is vibration on the foundation soil around the area, Close examinations on both houses situated  to the left and right of the base station shows cracks in some areas  such as window edges etc. ………….Structurally, the daily continuous vibration  being transmitted through  the soil could cause cracks in the foundation and walls  of the buildings especially the walls of the well located in front of the houses .The letter was signed by Engineer A Dare

Dr. Ogundipe said the environment has suffered a lot of losses . ‘’Some of my domestic animals like  goats have died as a result of this radio activity. Some developed tumours,   some just bled to death while   some too suffered cancer, paralysis   and some died of sudden death. One of these goats was already heavy with pregnancy   but we just saw the goat somersaulted   under the mast and died .It was like a film. The reason why it had serious effect on them is that the animals used to sleep   under the  telecommunication  mast. My chickens   are dying , I hardly rear many again. Our well water has been polluted   or rather contaminated. The pawpaw  we have in our compound no longer ripe as they just fall off when they got to the stage of  been ripe.

Dr. Ogundipe argues that  the NCC  did not  follow the   radius metres  the WHO suggested . MTN contradicted the law as our house is only about 2 or 3 metres  to their  mast..

‘’Many people are affected here now, some have abandoned their houses and went back to their villages either to die or….I  know of  a man who had left here for his home town, he had all the symptoms my wife and my children have .I also heard  of one  Professor [Sadiku]  whom  I was informed once  lived  in GRA, he died  from  cancer  which they said was caused by radio activity .The professor  had a mast in his compound and was  diagnosed of cancer  as a result of the mast before he died.’’

Mr Oludare  who lives close to Ogundipe had abandoned his house and gone to  rent another place. He said’’ I have shut all the doors to my house and abandoned it when I started having symptoms of legs tingling   of which the wife of Dr Ogundipe has .Two of  my children are all bleeding from their noses  while  one is suffering from memory loss. The one suffering from memory loss is 14years old while the other two are 11 and 10years old. It is a sad thing to leave one’s house and become a tenant again  .

When The Nation visited  the National Environmental  Standard Regulations  Enforcement Agency [NESREA], Mrs  Eunice Oyibo Eze the Deputy Director , Lagos state Co-ordinator   blamed both the MTN  saying ‘’ while the NTM  and other telecommunication industries who sited their masts in wrong places are guilty  as they did not follow the guidelines laid down by the NCC. We all  know the effect of radio active and it causes cancer , that is why we asked the telecom industries to obey the rules and make sure they  install the mast 10metres to  the wall of a residential building  ’’

They [Telecom companies] meet the landlords  gave them money and erect the mast anywhere in the compound without following the modalities  and this is what is causing all these illnesses especially cancer. In fact  any of the telecom industries found guilty must be punished  ’’

Speaking on the dangers of the mast, she said ‘’ not only is the noise coming from the generating set causes hearing loss  but also the fumes is dangerous while the vibration coming  from the it causes walls of the building to be cracking. The oil spillage  contaminated underground water and the engine oil contains  high level of lead  and could contaminate water from the well. The lead too is dangerous to one’s health’’

She however  blamed the landlords too for being greedy and refusal to obey the regulations thus receiving blood money.’’The landowners and landlords pay off their lives and that of others because of money and this is bad. The Agency cannot control the land owners or landlords but could only educate , sensitise  them to give them awareness. Sometimes ago,  a mast fell from above in a compound in Akwa  Ibom and killed’’.

Eze said there is a regulation   gazetted by the Federal Government  on the telecom to regulate  the sitting of the masts and  they will adhere strictly to it , she promised  and said there would not be any compromise.

On  prosecution she said ‘’ the telecom industries should be prosecuted for flouting the laws. ’’They take laws into their hands  and behave as if there is no law guiding their industry and that was because nobody had been checking them before .Now, NESREA   is  the first to bring out regulations on telecom .And it is there to enforce the law.

‘’Today , many are dying in silence while others who are not aware of the side effects have  turned hospitals to their second homes as  they  are suffering from various diseases    from leukaemia to  nose bleeding. Many have died without visiting hospital thus there was no autopsy carried out to find out the cause of their deaths and with the  belief that  no man dies  on his own way in Africa, but   believing  it has enemies’ hands.

‘’Now   burials take place   almost every weekends in the villages  as some ignorantly  claim it is enemies’  handiwork yet many who go to the hospital  are returning home  with  medical reports that the masts  are the causative agents of the recorded deaths, said Mr Yemi  Adeseyi.

Some medical doctors interviewed described the matter as an urgent one that needs government attention .’’Since Directors from University Teaching Hospitals have conducted tests on the patients  and the result showed  that they have cancer then  they have spoken. The MTN  must be compelled to pay damages .’’ one of the doctors who begged for anonymity stated.

However when The Nation visited MTN’s  head office at the Golden Gate, Victoria Island  office twice, to hear from their own  side of the story   Andrew  Okeleke  the External Communication Manager  refused to see this reporter but asked him to send his questions and medical reports the complainants sent to him through his e mail   .

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