Skoda Rapid spaceback unveiled

A shorter, sportier version of the Skoda Rapid, the Spaceback will go on sale later this year, Skoda has said.
With this model, the automaker said it hopes to broaden its appeal to younger buyers with the new Rapid Spaceback, which was recently unveiled.
The Skoda Rapid Spaceback makes its debut about a year after the existing Rapid hatchback went on sale. The Spaceback version shares the same underpinnings and looks much the same from the central pillars forward, but it is 18cm shorter and has a more upright rear window.
A panoramic roof glass roof will be available as an option for the Spaceback. It can be combined with an optional “prolong” rear window that has tinted glass that extends about 10cm farther down the car’s tailgate to give a more “sporty character.”
Skoda is yet to confirm prices and specifications for the Spaceback, but it said the new model will be available with the same engines as the existing Rapid, but it’s unclear whether it will share the same trim levels, or whether there will be a premium for the Spaceback model.

Volkswagen Group grows deliveries in first year

The Volkswagen Group has said that it grows its vehicle deliveries in the first half of 2013, recording 4.45 and +5.5 per cent increase of sales to customers worldwide.
The automaker said its deliveries made satisfactory progress even though market conditions were not always easy. “However, the economic climate remains tense, especially in Europe. We remain on course and are entering the second half of the year with confidence. Nevertheless, the enormous challenges persist,” VW said.

What you should know about squid, the ‘mermaid’ that caused stir in Ibadan

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Last Tuesday, Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State, was thrown into an unusual turmoil when news filtered through the town that a woman discovered a mermaid in a carton of iced fish she bought from a local store.
Even up till Wednesday, when the state police command that had been battling to save the discoverer of the ‘mermaid’ and her family from rampaging thugs and traditional religious believers who wanted to take custody of their “god,” not many people had realised that the creature found in the fish pack of Mrs Ramotalai Adeyemo of Akindele compound in Isale Asaka, Foko area of the town was a squid and not even particularly an octopus, as many have later claimed.
Squid, one of the animals from the sea Loliginidae family and of class Cephalopoda, in Latin language, is known as Loligo spp. In Indonesia, the squid is known with some of the terms, such as enus, NUS, cuttlefish or sontong interest.
Findings showed that octopuses and squids are both head-footed aquatic animals, known as cephalopod. But they differ in their physical characteristics, habitats and behaviours.
An octopus has a round head and a mantle along with eight arms. The arms are endowed with one or two rows of suckers, but these never have hooks or sucker rings. Squids are also of the cephalopod family with a triangular shape head, a mantle and eight arms. Along with that, they have two fins on their head and two tentacles. Unlike the octopus, the arms of a squid are endowed with hooks and/or suckers or sucker rings. The tentacles are arranged in pairs.
Further findings showed that most octopi do not have fins, though some deep water octopuses may be exceptions. However, squid, such as the one found in Ibadan, have two fins on their heads. The animals belong to the group known as phylum Mollusca (the group that snail, shrimps etc belong) in biological parlance. But while the squids live in the open ocean, the octopi live in the sea floor. Also, while the biological order of octopus is octopoda, that of the squid is teuthida. While octopi have no skeleton at all, squids possess a stiff structure known as a pen, which acts like a flexible backbone. Finding showed that an average squid is about 60 centimetre, while a giant one can be between 13 and 20 metres (about 66 feet). The animal, which has about 298 species, has a life span of between nine months and five years.
Unknown to many, particularly in this part of the world, squids are source of food in many parts of the globe. Findings have shown that it is food in countries like Japan, Argentina, Australia and many parts of South America. In fact, as a result of fear of driving squids into extinction, authorities in Argentina recently imposed a temporary ban on squid catching. Reports had it that it was discovered that squids were not allowed to grow to the desired 800 grams size before they were hauled off the waters for consumption. Thus, the country’s Federal Fisheries Council (CFP) decided to impose the ban. It was estimated that the global catch of squid in the South Atlantic region is around 390,000 tonnes.
In some places, when considered as sea food, squid may be called calamari. A variety of food, known as black pasta, is colored using squid ink. The arms, tentacles and ink of squid are also edible. Indeed, the only part of the squid that is said not to be eaten is its beak and gladius (pen). Squid rings and arms are often coated in batter and fried in oil.  Reports said in the Mediterranean, squid or cuttlefish ink is eaten in a variety of dishes such as paella, risotto, soups and pasta. In Chinese and South East Asian cuisine, squid is a common ingredient in a variety of dishes such as stir-fries, rice and noodle dishes.
Nigerian Tribune’s findings indicated that in addition to being delicious, squid is rich in nutrition. Reports had it that it is rich in protein, minerals and various vitamins. Some health blogs maintain that the “ink liquid asset” of squid is useful for combating tumour.
Experts also said squid have a womb made up of extraordinary nutrition, “because protein in its uterus is quite high.” Squid meat is said to consist all of the essential amino acid needed by the body, such as the dominant leucine, lysine and phenylalanine. Squid is said to be capable of providing the body with 90 per cent of copper, a trace mineral which plays a role in the absorption, storage and metabolism of iron and the formation of red blood cells in the body.
This animal is also reported to be rich in Vitamin B2 (riboflavin), a nutrient which several studies have shown lowers the frequency and duration of migraines. Although experts claim that findings were preliminary, research data suggest that riboflavin supplementation may be a good addition to migraine prevention treatment. These are only a few among the plethora of nutritional value inherent in squid consumption.
Further investigation into this specie of animal indicated that a recent report by AFP showed that Japanese researchers discovered that a species of oceanic squid can fly more than 30 metres (100 feet) through the air “at speeds faster than Usain Bolt, if it wants to escape predators.”
The report added that Neon Flying Squid propels itself out of the ocean by shooting a jet of water at high pressure, before opening its fins to glide at up to 11.2 metres per second, according to Jun Yamamoto of Hokkaido University in Japan.
“There were always witnesses and rumours that said squid were seen flying, but no one had clarified how they actually do it. We have proved that it is really true,” Yamamoto was reported to have told AFP.
“Once they finish shooting out the water, they glide by spreading out their fins and arms,” Yamamoto’s team said in a report. The fins and the web between the arms, according to him, create aerodynamic lift and keep the squid stable on its flight arc.
“As they land back in the water, the fins are all folded back into place to minimise the impact. We have discovered that squid do not just jump out of water but have a highly developed flying posture. This finding means that we should no longer consider squid as things that live only in the water.
It is highly possible that they are also a source of food for sea birds,” the report, published by German Science magazine, Marine Biology, noted.
It, thus, appears that the “Yemoja” found in a carton of fish in Ibadan was only an unfortunate squid caught by a trawler and inadvertently packaged with some species of fish, probably, herring. The fact that squid live either in isolation or in shoal in the open ocean like fishes is enough to make it susceptible to being caught in the fisherman’s net. It is for the same reason of habitat that it is most unlikely that an octopus would find itself in a carton of iced fish bought at a local shop in Beere or Oja’ba in Ibadan, because the octopus lives in the sea bed.

Why PDP is worth dying for —Tukur

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With the swearing in of the special committee on mini national convention, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) now appears set to move on, having been dragged down for some time. Chairman of the party, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, speaks on other challenges facing the party in this interview with newsmen in Abuja. IDOWU SAMUEL brings excerpts.

The PDP appears embroiled in crises of late, even as efforts by the party to conduct a mini national convention for electing new National Working Committee (NWC) members have been generating controversies. What is happening?
I will not be tired of saying that what people call crisis in PDP is an ongoing process of rebirth by the party. The PDP is simply trying to refocus to emerge stronger as the ruling party. For the party to come out stronger, the members must be able to express themselves, unrestrained by anybody. There is freedom of expression in PDP because it is a party that allows different interests to contend. If you study party politics, the first thing you notice is that where there is repression of freedom in a party, there is bound to be an implosion. So, PDP had gone through different turbulent periods, but it survived all. There were times when members would get angry and the next thing for them was to leave and join other parties. But in the end, they came back into the party because it is the only party in Africa that offers succour to political office seekers.

PDP is the only party where we have the principle of democracy running meaningfully. PDP cuts across the federation. Its spread across the country is unparalleled. So, when you have a party like PDP with its attractiveness and selling points, you cannot but have a huge crowd. And when you have a crowd, you have different kinds of competing interests and with that, decision making becomes a Herculean task. We are reorganising, we are making reforms and we are trying to reposition. The truth is that it is not everyone who would like a process of reform because reforms mean it is no longer business as usual. When you say PDP must hold election with a high measure of transparency, with every member being carried along, those who do not want that would surely turn around to say, ‘no, Bamanga Tukur is the problem.’ When you say there should be party supremacy and every member must submit to constituted authorities in the party, those who see themselves as bigger than the party would revolt. Then, they begin to accuse the leadership of ulterior motives. Yet, as a party, you must carry on and take decisions capable of infusing a sense of belonging in every member. This is what we have been doing and you, the media, will always say, ‘PDP is fighting,’ ‘Tukur must go…’ and all that. PDP is beyond Tukur because ours is a passing phase. Before Tukur, we had people leading the party. But we want to create the difference this time, especially with the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan. We will continue to do our best so that the crises you people always talk about will not be there again.

But there have been hues on the proposed mini convention by the party, especially the controversy over what date the convention should hold. Was it not the resolve by the NWC members to stop the Jerry Gana cmmittee on fixing the date that generated fresh row within PDP?
Again, I say the sensations over the convention issue are needless. The media reports on the issue were skewed to create confusion in the party. This is why I always love to appeal to the media to assist the PDP to get its acts right. I have personally made attempts to reach out to the media, calling for understanding that when members demand explanations or put up acts to draw specific reactions from the party, that does not amount to crises. But the media usually go to town to paint the scenarios within the party in a most terrifying manner. Every time they say Bamanga Tukur will resign when, indeed, there was nothing to point towards that. When someone talks in the party, the next headline is: ‘party member calls for head of Bamanga Tukur.’ This is not right. I have been labouring to reposition this party and make it stronger to face more daunting challenges in 2015. At my age, I say it is payback time so that I will be seen to have tried my best to help my country through the PDP before I finally retire from active politicking. We are doing this for the younger generation and I think you should appreciate that. When some members of the NWC resigned in obedience of a court judgment, the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party met and set up a committee. With that committee in place, the expectation is that the PDP, as required by the constitution, will be in charge to fulfil the mandate given to the committee on convention. When the issue of the date of convention came up, what we did was to say, okay, let the party be carried along because of certain considerations. I have no problem with Jerry Gana’s committee on the issue of convention. It is a party issue, and you know that any committee set up by the party to carry out an assignment must be answerable to the party. But what we read in the media was that Bamanga Tukur and Jerry Gana are fighting over convention issue. Don’t forget that we are founding members of the party, still fighting to make the party survive. Now that the whole thing has been resolved, what next? That is the question the media should be asking us, and not blowing little issues out of proportion because some extraneous interests are involved. Now, the convention will hold as scheduled, and we will make it more transparent, free and fair.

How would you guarantee free and fair conduct of the convention?
We will do that by ensuring the transparency of the process. We will ensure that all party stakeholders down to the grassroots are carried along. Once you don’t hold any issue in secret, you will succeed in raising the confidence of every member. To have come this far, I will like to acknowledge the efforts by the pesident. He was fully involved in every process and he has acted like a true leader. We are to use the convention to demonstrate that we are ready for 2015, because once the NWC is in place, actions will continue.

The Secretary to the Government of Adamawa State accused you of creating confusion within the party in your home state. How did you feel with such allegation?
How did I feel? I am the chairman of the party and I said earlier that every member of the party is guaranteed freedom of expression. I feel that you should take a trip to Adamawa and have a feel of what is happening in the state. Speak with the ordinary man on the street, speak with the elite and speak with party members and draw your own conclusions. It is not enough to ask me how I feel on what someone said, using the media. Get your facts right by going to Adamawa to know what happens. We have been emphasising party supremacy and discipline and that will come with the ongoing reforms within the party. At the nick of time, PDP will take care of undue insurgencies by members against the leadership.

What is the state of PDP in Adamawa State?
It is not for me to make comments. I am at the centre of it all as the National Chairman, but you need to go Adamawa and find out. Doing that will make you appreciate whether or not we were right with the decisions we had taken in line with requests by stakeholders of the party in the state.

Some key functionaries of PDP were reported to have defected to the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in the state. Does that not worry you?
Then, ask yourself why they defected. What factors caused them to defect? This is politics and we are best at playing it. Those you said are defecting are not doing so because they did not like the face of Bamanga Tukur; that, I can tell you. They have their reasons, so go and find out. Then, find out the number of the so-called defectors and why they are defecting.

Are you in good terms with the state governor?
I am in good terms with all our party members.

With the way things are going, will the PDP be able to overcome the challenges of winning elections like before, in 2015
There is no party in Nigeria you can compare with PDP. Don’t get carried away by the noise from our opponents. When you talk about opposition, you can find out whether or not they have the kind of stability that the PDP enjoys. I can predict that by the time we put behind all the issues that seems to slow us down now, many members of the opposition will announce their defection to PDP. It happened when we went to Nasarawa State and then, we had defectors showing eagerness to realign with the party to which they once belonged. The defectors said to my hearing that they had no reason to leave the PDP, but due to repression from some party leaders in the state, they had to go. That is why I said when you carry your members along in what you do; there will be no reason for anyone to get disgruntled. This is the reform we have been trying to make in PDP and those who don’t want reform are calling us names. So, PDP does not have any problem about winning. We will win again and again because we do not have anything to stop us. If PDP has been a party without order, if PDP has been a party without stories of successes, do you think Nigerians would have reposed confidence in us for the party to continue to be in power? Even the so-called APC (All Progressives Congress) will be no match for PDP by the time we get set for elections.

Will President Jonathan enjoy automatic ticket in 2015?
Allow us to cross the bridge first. But I can assure you that preparations by PDP for 2015 congresses and national convention will be transparent. It will be confidence enhancing such that we will leave no member with a reason to grumble. The process has just started. We will follow the good cause of deepening democracy to the letter. We will work hard; we will campaign widely as usual. We will go to the grassroots and mobilise fully for success. We have the support already; all we need to do is increase our support base in all parts of the federation.

Has President Jonathan done well to merit the support of the party for re-election?
He has done well with impressive performances. You know Nigerians naturally do not appreciate what they have until after some time. President Jonathan has demonstrated good leadership qualities with the manner he has been encouraging the party to toe the line of democracy in all its activities. He has been holding regular meetings with party members with whom he usually take crucial decisions. We have a mid-term report on the transformation agenda of President Jonathan which shows clearly that the PDP government is on course. You can see how the government has been tackling the security challenges across the federation, while showing resilience in fighting terrorism. He has a good working relationship with the National Assembly and that is sort of cushioning our hope and expectations on democracy. There is an ongoing reform in the oil and gas sector and there is the hope that the Petroleum Industry Bill, if passed, will make the oil and gas run effectively. We are glad that in Nigeria, agriculture is getting ready to support the revenue from oil. We should all be glad with this because agriculture alone, if well promoted, has the capacity to reduce the problem of unemployment in the country. The PDP government, to my delight, is bringing changes on transportation. Rail lines are being constructed and refurbished and we have the hope that the construction of major roads across the federation, many of which will be completed by 2015, will enhance the image of the government. We have not talked about the power sector which now has different companies working to end the problem of power supply in the sector. I have been on tour with the president several times and I can see the huge investment the government has been making in the sector. From the look of things, God is set to make President Jonathan emerge as a hero for transforming the energy sector for the good of the country. So, there is no denying the fact that the president has done well for himself to justify his interest in getting re-elected by 2015.

How will the PDP surmount the challenge of winning election in the North, given the apparent disillusionment by the political elite against the PDP government?
If you want to know whether or not the North is disillusioned against the PDP, you will have to wait till after the 2015 elections. What disillusionment are you talking about when, indeed, the PDP has strong footholds in nearly all northern parts of the country? And that presupposes that the North will not wish away its leadership role in national politics by supporting a political party not likely to win any presidential election, everybody knows this. At the appropriate time, events will prove what I have just told you. The hype by the media on northern opposition to Jonathan will give way to new realities when we approach 2015. There will be talks and consultations and there will be compromises. In the end, PDP will get back its momentum and romp into victory as usual. What will make the difference for PDP this time around are the good effects of the transformation agenda. The agenda is working in all facets and it cuts across all parts of the country. Rest assured that the North, having worked so hard to build PDP, will not ditch the party at the last minute over issues that could be resolved through dialogue.

What do you consider the greatest challenge that PDP must surmount as it prepares for 2015?
The greatest challenge, for me, is how to get our members to appreciate the need to put up a good reform that will stand the test of time. We want to infuse into PDP the kind sense of discipline that you have in parties like the African National Congress (ANC) in which case authority within the party is centralised and every member just keys in. We have been to South-Africa and met with leaders of the party. We exchange ideas and we want to keep on learning as the biggest party in Africa. We don’t want to condone instability, where a few members would lord it over the party. When we came in, one of the first steps we took was to call for reconciliation. Many members of the party welcomed the idea and they welcomed us everywhere we went. We should have taken several steps ahead from the good outcome of the reconciliation tour. The problem is that some people don’t want a sweeping reconciliation so that they can always be in control. And we say it should no longer be business as usual. Let us come together to build the party and make it stronger and stronger to face tougher challenges of governance. We depend on our governors who control the party at the state level to rise to the occasion in making this to happen. For PDP to succeed, we must bring members to appreciate that individual efforts cannot win a battle. The party is supreme and we must embrace that fact if the reforms we are thinking about are to work.

With the troubles you have passed through in the past few weeks in managing the party, would you still say that the PDP is worth dying for?
If it is not worth dying for, why am I still here? PDP is worth dying for because it is the ruling party which has the correct experience of running governance. PDP has been in power since 1999 and has continued to win the confidence of everyone. That is the reason it keeps winning elections. The electorate are quite discerning. They know it would amount to a terrible gamble to put an inexperienced party in power. With PDP, you can change the fortune of the country and that is what the present government has been doing. When the chance to be chairman of this great party fell on my laps, I took it because I wanted to use it to further my contributions to national development. Nigeria has been good to me. The country made me who I am today and for me, it is payback time. The struggle that I am in now is for people of your age, the younger generation. What else would I be looking for at my age other than the progress of the country, the well-being of the youth and women as well as the interests of the older generation so that they can depart well? If I take abuses because of this, it is because the party is worth dying for. We are bringing reforms which will retain the PDP on the front seat. The reforms will make us more pragmatic in the way we run our affairs. The reforms will make everyone see the party as their own, and from there, things will begin to normalise. At the moment, we are making efforts to expand our coasts. We shall get there by winning more states come 2015.

The PDP governors appear to be perpetually drawn in battle since their forum broke into two. Is the party helpless about resolving issues among them?
The governors know what is at stake for the party and they cannot afford to gamble for long. The governors are leaders and cannot be restrained from engaging in power play which will ultimately determine their political future. They are all fighting for the interest of the party. They are fighting to secure the future of the party because they are what they are today on the platform PDP gave them. Yes, situation appears rough among the governors, yet they will come together after addressing pertinent issues of common concern and then, the struggles continue. No governor will leave PDP as we have been reading. Any governor who is interested in doing so would have jumped the ship already so that he can settle in comfortably in his new party before the next round of election. We have been interacting with the governors and so far, none of them has indicated that the party that gave them the platform to be who they are is no longer attractive. The governors will engage in dialogue, talk to themselves and from there, we will begin to move on as a family.

How prepared is PDP for Anambra State?
The case of Anambra State is special because of the peculiar circumstances and challenges. The stakeholders know what is at stake and all of them have realised that this is not the time to gamble. We have held meetings with top members of the party in the state, while we explored many areas that will make the PDP win the state. During the meeting, everyone asked for the party to be transparent. We assured them that we will offer the same platform to all of them. I believe strongly that once you are open in the way you conduct the affairs of the party, there will be nothing to stop you in winning the heart of all players. I can see genuine interest in party members from Anambra to get the party’s support for a good and successful conduct of the governorship election in the state. They seem to have realised that they all need to work together this time to win the coming election in the state. We will support them to do win. As we are putting emphasis on Anambra, so also are we ensuring that we regain South-West by 2015. The first step for us to take is to hold a wider consultation with the party stakeholders in the region. We will appeal to the aggrieved to bury the hatchet and allow us to move forward. What is putting us on hold in making progress on the South-West issue are the cases that we have in courts. The South-West leaders are committed people who are ready to assist us in making progress in the zone. Don’t forget that we had the entire South-West before now. We will do all in our capacity to bring back the zone to the centre where it belongs.

Steer clear of sick pilgrims from S/Arabia •WHO issues global warning as deadly disease spreads to 9 countries

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Amidst worldwide concerns over likely spread of a deadly respiratory disease that broke out in Saudi Arabia, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued world travel advice to minimise its spread during the on-going Umra and the coming Hajj pilgrimages.
The advice issued, late on Thursday, also disclosed that the disease, named Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has affected nine countries to date, while adding that the WHO is coordinating the global response to the emerging virus.
The WHO particularly asked pilgrims who developed a significant acute respiratory illness with fever and cough, severe enough to interfere with daily activities to minimise their contact with others to keep from infecting them, among other personal hygiene prescriptions. It also advised persons who have had close physical contacts with any sick pilgrim and who have also noticed similar symptoms to report to the hospital for monitoring.
While admitting that the risk from the MERS virus is “considered very low,” the WHO, however, cautioned that countries should advise pilgrims with chronic diseases such as diabetes, chronic lung disease and immunodeficiency to “review the risk and assess whether making the pilgrimage is advisable.”
“Returning pilgrims should be advised that if they develop a significant acute respiratory illness with fever and cough (severe enough to interfere with usual daily activities) during the two weeks after their return, they should seek medical attention and immediately notify their local health authority.
“Persons who have had close contact with a pilgrim or traveller with a significant acute respiratory illness with fever and cough (severe enough to interfere with usual daily activities) and who themselves develop such an illness should be advised to report to local health authorities to be monitored for MERS-CoV.
“Practitioners and facilities should be alerted to the possibility of MERS-CoV infection in returning pilgrims with acute respiratory illness, especially those with fever and cough and pulmonary parenchymal disease (e.g. pneumonia or the acute respiratory distress syndrome). If clinical presentation suggests the diagnosis of MERS-CoV, laboratory testing,5,6 in accordance with WHO’s case definition7 should be done and infection prevention and control measures implemented. Clinicians should also be alerted to the possibility of atypical presentations in patients who are immunocompromised,” the WHO said.
The World Health Organisation puts the latest global toll from MERS at 45 deaths from a total of 90 laboratory-confirmed cases.

Cruyff: Barcelona should think about selling Messi

FORMER Barcelona manager Johan Cruyff believes the Catalan club should plan for the possibility of selling Lionel Messi now that they have signed Neymar.

Neymar arrived at the Nou Camp on June 3, signing a five-year contract for €57million from Santos, but Cruyff believes the 21-year-old Brazilian forward will struggle to work alongside Argentinian Messi in Tito Vilanova's frontline.

Cruyff told Marca: "With Neymar signed, I would have planned for the possibility of selling Messi. Some would agree with that, others not.

"You are talking about a team, its players, the things around it... There are too many things at stake. That's why it's so difficult to manage such a top-class squad."

Cruyff believes it will be difficult to satisfy two prodigious talents like Messi and Neymar on the same pitch, and that problems could also occur due to the two players having contracts with different sponsorship arrangements.

"It's like the free-kicks. Neymar is very good at taking them, and Messi has already shown he is. Who's going to take them?" he said.

"Or the fact that Neymar and Barcelona are with Nike while Leo is with Adidas. These are situations that could cause problems."

Cruyff, who both played for and managed Barcelona, leading them to their first ever European Cup in 1992, added that he would not get excited about Neymar playing for the club until he had watched several games with him in the side.

"We'll have to wait and see," he added. "He is talented but we'll have to see how he gets on with everyone. That's a problem.

"It could turn out well or badly. It's a risk. I wouldn't have signed Neymar."

Messi has struggled to develop a blossoming on-field relationship with any of his striking partners, including Bojan Krkic, Samuel Eto'o, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and David Villa. Three of those players have since left the club, while Villa failed to hold down a place in the first team last season.

"Depending on how you view it, it can seem that Messi is a dictator," said Cruyff.

"When you have the chance to be the best player on the pitch in every game you have to be a bit of a dictator, because you are not just concerned about your team, you are concerned about yourself and your prestige.

"Therefore the pressure on Messi is huge because everyone in the stadium wants to see him perform miracles. And for him to pull off miracles, things have to work in his favour

Timilehin, boy slain by police, buried amid tears

 

Tears flowed freely at Ijede Cemetery, Ikorodu, Lagos as family members and sympathisers gathered to bury the remains of Timilehin Ebun, a nine-year-old boy killed by a police bullet.

PUNCH Metro had reported that the boy and members of his immediate family were on their way to their Ikorodu home when a stray bullet pierced through his father’s vehicle and killed him.

Our correspondent, who was present at the funeral, observed that the deceased’s siblings were not at the cemetery. However, cousins and friends of his parents were present.

Earlier, the relatives had collected Timilehin’s corpse at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, where an autopsy was performed on it.

Symapthisers at the funeral, which started around 3pm burst into tears when the deceased’s coffin was opened for them to see.

The corpse was clothed in a white and blue shirt and a pair of jeans.

The presiding minister, Pastor Banjo Lawrence, said although the incident was tragic, it was pertinent that people should see it as proof that anyone could die at anytime.

He therefore urged all to live right before God because both old and young would die. He however prayed that such a tragedy would not befall the family again.

He said, “It is most unfortunate that the boy was killed so suddenly and at such a young age. I pray that God will console the family and none of the remaining children shall die young.

“We all need to remember every day that we shall all die one day. We should therefore endeavour to live right before God.”

The most emotional aspect of the event was the lowering of the coffin into the grave, after which cousins of the deceased were called upon to perform the dust-to-dust rites.

One of the cousins, Abiodun Ebun, cried profusely. Abiodun said he never imagined that he would be the one to bury Timilehin, who was many years younger than him.

He said, “This is very unfortunate. Timilehin was just too young. How could I be pouring sand on his coffin? God, why? The boy was not sick; he just went to pick up his brother from the airport and was killed in the process? I hope Jide, who just came back from Canada does not start blaming himself over the incident?

“This death was completely avoidable and yet it happened, just like that.”

Employees of Timilehin’s father, described the deceased as a pleasant boy who always followed his father to work.

One of the employees, who did not identify himself, said, “Timilehin was such a good boy, it is hard to believe that he is gone. He usually came to the office with his dad and they were inseparable. I wonder how the man will survive without him. It is just too sad.”

A copy of the death certificate made available to PUNCH Metro reads in part, “Timilehin died of exsanguination (bloodlessness), disruption of facial vessels and gunshot injuries to the face.”