THEWILL NEWSPAPER

SEYI OSHODI CLOCKS 60

- STORIES BY SHADE WESLEY-METIBOGUN Oshodi

igeria's foremost artist,

Seyi Paul has joined the quadragena­rian club. The Chief Executive Officer of Oshodi Arts and Gallery and convener of Ondo Art and Cultural Festival celebrated his day in a quiet way at his Art gallery which played host to few guests who celebrated with him. The gallery which is reputed to be the largest in the whole of West Africa has made notable sculptures which has earned the scholar some accolades in Nigeria and internatio­nally. He is credited with creating different logos and designs for Nigeria such as the logo for Tai Solarin University of Education Ijebu Ode, the Nigeria Port Authority logo, and a host of others. Beautifull­y designed sculptures and images of foremost Nigerians have been done by the artist. He erected the Gani Fawehinmi

Statue at Ojota, the Tunji Braithwait­e Statue at the 3rd Mainland Bridge, the sculpture of Fela in New York City, the monumental statue of the Hunter and Elephant at Ikorodu Oga in Ikorodu Local Government of Lagos State etc. The cerebral artist and a man of many facets attended Stella Maris College, Okitipupa, Ondo State and Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, before earning a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education and a Master's degree in educationa­l technology from Lagos State University. His quest for further artistic capacity took him to the University of Ibadan where he bagged a Master's degree in Visual Arts and also a doctorate degree in Visual Arts and African Cultural Heritage from European American University.

Former lawmaker, Senator Obi Igbeke is no longer in the good books of the people of Anambra North Local Government Area of Anambra State, the constituen­cy he once represente­d at the National Assembly. The former Director General of All Progressiv­e Grand Alliance, APGA, has been sent on exile from Nsugbe, his hometown over allegation­s of unlawfully arresting some youth leaders in the community. The former lawmaker was accused by the Nsugbe Council of Elders of Nsugbe community of forcefully snatching land and arbitraril­y arresting eight youths who were taken to the police authoritie­s in Awka and whose whereabout­s are still unknown. It was alleged that he mastermind­ed the killing of those eight youths. In November 2022, two youth leaders in Nsugbe community, Chidi Akudo and Charles Obodoechin­a, were arrested and detained by the Anambra State Police Command on the orders of Igbeke. Despite the fact that hundreds of women and youths from the community protested against the detention of their sons by the Nigeria Police Force, the senator instructed that they should not be released. The Council of Elders also pleaded with him to release the boys. He promised that they would be released because they have committed no offence, but he didn’t fulfill his promise. He also instructed the Deputy Commission­er of Police not to attend to the council of elders who went to bail the youths. After so much pleading from the community, the two youths were released last week after spending about two months in detention. However, the whereabout­s of the remaining eight youths are still unknown. The community has pleaded with him to disclose where they were taken to or what happened to them. The Council of elders had to place a fine of N1 million on the senator and also a fine of N100, 000 on whosoever associates with him because of all the allegation­s. However, Igbeke revealed that they are lies fabricated by few disgruntle­d elements in the community who are envious of his achievemen­ts. He said at no time did he arrest any innocent youth and dumped them in a police cell. He also denied mastermind­ing their killings, nor forcefully snatching people's lands as being alleged by the community. He accused his enemies of using the members of his community to smear his good name.

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