The boy says he’s 60 today. We cannot argue, even if he continuously looks 40ish.

We celebrate a fighter for a better Nigeria however who started as a campus combatant for independent student unionism and non commercialised education in the 1980s. Journalism reunited us at the defunct Republic Newspapers and living near each other in Surulere for some time meant a comradely friendship evolved. We quickly became active members of the local Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists also registering as foundation members of the New Trend movement in the NUJ that propagated the philosophy of journalism with social relevance. At The Republic, we belonged to the Church cabal that included Deola Fadairo, Sunny Areh, Tokunbo Oloruntola, the Baba Irohin himself. Story for another day!

If we celebrate him today as a hero of Nigeria’s democracy, it is because he has not abandoned the pursuit of social justice.

In 1989 Femi Aborisade as editor of the Labour Militant was detained by the Ibrahim Babangida regime over an editorial by the pro-working class and socialist journal’s editorial statement that condemned the junta’s dissolution of the executives of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Shina was almost always with me as I on behalf of the Labour Militant, convinced Dr. Beko Ransome Kuti to head a Free Femi Aborisade Committee. It was a three-man committee of Beko as chairman, me as secretary and Shina as publicity secretary.

READ ALSO: Saluting Bonje @ 60…, By Lanre Arogundade

By virtue of the activities of the committee and developing bond with Beko, who by the way I had earlier been acquainted with as NANS President in the course of solidarity with the then striking doctors, our working days would usually terminate at Beko’s famous 8, Imaria street in Anthony, Lagos. The ‘we’ had by then included few other ‘Republicans’. That time, Shina would write his name as Loremikan Shina and introduce himself as such to the amusement of Beko who felt he was the only Nigerian that had such distinction. Beko’s dramatic humour is perhaps the least known about his dynamic personality. Shina and I watched Beko abruptly turn off the engine as we set to depart for the University of Benin in his Volvo car for the 10th anniversary of NANS then led by Opeyemi Bamidele in 1990. He was going to receive a NANS post humous award for his mother Olufunmilayo Ransome Kuti as part of the commemoration. He turned to the two of us at the back seat and asked: “E jowo se ko si oloriburuku laarin eyin mejeeji”. He wasn’t just knowing us. We looked at him in disbelief. Then he said: “won ni oloriburuku kan lowa laarin awon ero towa ninu molue to ja si osa laipe yi”. A molue had truly plunged into the Lagoon about that time and the rumour mill had gone to work claiming a cursed head among the passengers caused the crash. Fake news no be today. Beko wanted assurance that such fate would not befall the Lagos-Benin journey. In bursts of laughter we told him neither of us had abominable head. “Okay ti e ba so bee”, he retorted, shaking his head twice before turning the ignition again. We laughed the more.

Congratulations dear Shina. Happy 60th anniversary.

Babangida moved from Aborisade to clamp more activists and critics into detention leading Femi Falana to suggest at a meeting of the Free Femi Aborisade Committee that the name should be changed to accommodate campaign for freedom for the new detainees. Entered Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) with us naturally as foundation members. For Shina, a marathon journey in the world of human and political rights activism had begun. If we celebrate him today as a hero of Nigeria’s democracy, it is because he has not abandoned the pursuit of social justice.

Congratulations dear Shina. Happy 60th anniversary.

The post To Loremikan Shina @ 60, By Lanre Arogundade appeared first on Frontpageng.

The downpour caused minor damage to some weak structures of houses fenced with corrugated sheets and wood.

During the downpour, some residents illegally disposed their waste in the waterways, thereby blocking the gutters and waterways and hindering the free flow of water.

Also, some roads were littered with dirt as the rain overflowed to the roads due to clogged drainages.

Some commuters took to the roads as the rain reduced its force at about 7.00 p.m. causing gridlock on the major roads.

Mrs Alice Aborishade said it was imperative for residents to stop the habit of clogging waterways, so as to avert flooding.

“Let everyone take a cue from the past and stop the act of pouring dirt into waterways when it rains,”  Aborishade said.

A community leader, Mr Akin Amao, said the rain would help reduce heat being experienced and will bring comfort to all and sundry.

“I am sure farmers will be delighted as it has rained and it will help their preparation for farming this year.

“We need rain to be normal so that food prices will crash,” Amao said.

Mr Mayowa Oluyinka said as most gutters are now blocked, it will require some shop owners to do extra work of clearing the dirt in the morning.

“We must ensure a clean environment to be free of health hazards and outbreak of diseases, especially now that the outbreak of Lassa Fever has been reported in the state. We must ensure that we are safe from whatever that could be harmful,” Oluyinka said.

Source: NAN

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