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Colleagues, associates battle to save journalist from cancer
Colleagues and associates of an Abuja-based journalist, Ronald Mutum, are battling to save him from cancer.
Life seemed normal for Mutum until two years ago, when he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and his world came crashing down.
Despite his struggle with the ailment, he lost his job and started battling with medical bills.
This is in addition to his responsibilities to his wife, Angel, and three children: Caroline 5, Ronald Jnr 3 and Nathan 2.
Mutum has spent the last two years undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy at the National Hospital Abuja, Nigeria, but now requires treatment outside Nigeria to stay alive.
His former colleague at Daily Trust, who now lives in Boston, United States of America, Francis Okeke, initiated a fundraiser for Mutum recently.
Okeke explained that at the behest of oncology consultants in Nigeria, further treatment is recommended at better equipped hospitals in India and Ronald cannot afford the cost.
“Thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) is the proposed estimate to cater for the next stage of treatment in India,” Okeke said.
A breakdown of the overall cost shows that PET/CT scan and baseline investigations, including PDL 1/molecular/genomic testing, amount to $2,000.
He would undergo four bi-weekly immunotherapy courses at $3,500 per course, amounting to $14,000.
A re-evaluation with PET/CT scan will cost $650, with the cost of surgery standing at an estimated $13,900.
“The above does not include travel costs for Ronald and Angel his caregiver, who would accompany him. Ronald and Angel have been married for over five years,” Okeke explained.
Recalling his close ties with Ronald while he worked with Daily Trust, Okeke stated, “As a security, defence and financial crime correspondent, he demonstrated profound commitment to investigating, reporting and exposing sleaze in both the public and private sectors in Nigeria.”
As of Friday, the fundraiser had generated $3,529 out of the $40,000 needed for the medical bills.
Back in Nigeria, colleagues, friends and associates of Mutum have also set up a WhatsApp group, “Save Ronald Mutum” with 197 participants to raise some funds for him.
Molly Kilete of The Sun Newspaper, who initiated the group, said she was touched by his condition and summoned a meeting where the fundraiser platform was set up.
Kilete said she covered the Defence beat with Mutum and if it were to be someone else in need of help, Mutum would have done the same.
“Ronald is nice and intelligent. He makes friends very easily and takes people’s burden like his own. He is an easy-going guy, but unfortunately this has happened and in the course of the crisis, he lost his job and this was why I mobilised one or two people for a meeting,” she said.
When contacted, Mutum’s family declined comment, but Mutum gave his consent for the fundraiser.
His former colleague at Daily Trust, Victoria Bamas, said Mutum’s condition made her realise that in Nigeria, unless you are in the top wealthy position, you are one sickness away from being absolutely broke even after working for decades in what is considered a middle-income level.
“It goes to show that more needs to be done about our health system,” she said.
His associate and former colleague, Daniel Adugbo, said he felt pained and devastated when he recently learnt that Mutum had been diagnosed with cancer.
Adugbo called on Nigerians to rally round Mutum to raise the funds needed for his treatment.
“My prayers are with him and as a friend/colleague, I will support him financially. Ronald or Mutumina, as I teasingly call him, is a great guy and a professional. I wish I could afford all the costs for his treatment. I believe that God would make a way for him to get the treatment, get well and finish the race of life. He still has a lot to offer to his family, the journalism profession and Nigeria,” Adugbo said.
Interested donors to send their donations to Iremide Adepegba 2023159835 UBA
-Trust
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Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
The Lagos State Government has rolled out stricter measures to combat noise pollution, requiring nightclubs, lounges, bars, and worship centres to obtain permits for events involving amplified sound.
The measure, it said, aimed to safeguard the health and well-being of Lagosians during the festive season and beyond.
Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced this via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, emphasizing the government’s zero-tolerance stance on noise pollution.
Wahab highlighted that events with amplified sound must be conducted in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect residents from the harmful effects of excessive noise.
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“Establishments such as worship centers, nightclubs, lounges, and bars must now obtain permits for events involving amplified sound and ensure these activities take place in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect neighboring residents,” the statement read in part.
To enforce these directives, the government said it had established a Special Task Force on Noise Pollution under the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
This task force, in collaboration with the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LSNSC) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), would oversee compliance, arrest offenders, and prosecute violators of noise regulations, it stated.
The statement further noted that starting January 2025, the government would roll out a public awareness campaign to educate Lagosians on acceptable noise levels and the benefits of a quieter environment.
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
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Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
Singer, Dammy Krane has stated that social critic, Very Dark Man, is joking with claims that N180 million was diverted from the NGO account he created in October this year.
VDM shocked Nigerians on Friday, December 27 when he released a video claiming hackers had breached his NGO website and moved N180m leaving only N20 million.
The news shocked many Nigerians who took to social media to slam him.
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However, in a post shared on his Instagram page this evening, Dammy Krane claimed that VDM is renovating a school in Jos, and was only joking with the story of stolen funds.
Also, a Human Rights activist, Omotayo Williams, claimed the man VDM showed in his video as an officer accompanying him to Jos is a well-known member of the Kogi State Taxi Taskforce.
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
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Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has expressed support for the proposed implementation of Sharia law in the South-West, emphasizing its historical presence in Yoruba culture.
Oba Akanbi noted that Sharia principles have long been part of Yoruba land, citing examples such as Sharia banking and the existence of a Sharia college in Iwo, Osun State.
He stated, “Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years… It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court.”
Recall that the discussion around Sharia law gained traction after plans were announced for the inauguration of a Sharia council on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Oyo. However, the event has been postponed indefinitely following widespread public criticism.
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Critics have argued that the Yoruba-dominated South-West, where Muslims and Christians coexist, is distinct from the predominantly Muslim northern region where Sharia is more widely practiced.
Addressing concerns, Oba Akanbi explained that Sharia law is already embedded in Nigeria’s constitution and should not cause alarm for non-Muslims.
“Sharia law is only for Muslims and does not concern others. If any other person likes it, they can convert to Islam, and Muslims can also convert to Christianity. Everyone is free,” he said.
The monarch also drew attention to the challenges faced by Muslims under existing laws, particularly in matters such as inheritance and divorce, where Western legal frameworks may not align with Islamic traditions. “Many Muslims feel disenfranchised… Western education doesn’t understand the ways of Muslim divorce, marriage, and inheritance,” he added.
Oba Akanbi emphasized that Sharia law represents the inalienable rights of Muslims and should not be viewed as a threat to other religions. “No government can deny Muslims their inalienable rights,” he concluded.
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
(PUNCH)
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