Featured

Fire guts goods worth millions in Ibadan

Published

6 years ago

June 15, 2019

Goods and property worth millions were on Saturday lost to a fire incident at the Orita-Aperin Market, Ibadan.

The incident is coming weeks after a tanker fire burnt cars and people around the Onipepeye Bridge of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway.

The cause of the Orita-Aperin market fire, which was said to have broken out on Friday midnight, was still unknown as at the time of filing this report.

Speaking on the incident, the Babaloja of Orita-Aperin market, Abiodun Hammed said: “The fire started by 12 midnight on Friday, and we immediately called on Oyo State Fire Service but unfortunately, when they got here, the nozzle of their truck was not functioning

“So, we had to resolve to self -help by putting out the fire ourselves, or else, the lost would have been more than that”.

The Babaloja added that most of the owners of the affected shops just bought their goods , adding that this was what makes the total value of the goods affected by the fire to be much.

“The shops that were affected include shop of a jeweries seller, shop of a food ingredient seller, shop of a provisions seller, red oil seller and herbs seller among others.

“N5,600,000 was the worth of jewelry that got burnt and most of the goods affected in the shops of the herbs seller cannot be replaced because they were ancient goods that cannot be seen on the market again,” he lamented.

He, however, appealed to the Oyo State government to come to their aid because the loss was too much for the victim to bear.

One of the victims, whose shops were also affected by the fire, Latifat Adegbola, appealed to the Oyo State government to assist them financially because the money they used to buy the affected goods was collected as a loan with interest.

Adegbola said “All my goods have been consumed by fire and the remaining ones are useless. We are calling on the state government to come to our aid so that we can survive.”

A pepper and onion seller, Mariam Oladepo, who said she lost goods worth N100,000 to the inferno lamented that her shop has been razed with nothing left for her and her children to feed on.

The market women however alleged that the fire would not have gone to that extent if the Oyo State Fire Service truck that was deployed to the scene of the incident had functioned properly.

But in a swift commiseration with the victims, Oyo state Governor Seyi Makinde although described the incident as sad, vowed to find out the cause.

In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, Makinde lamented that the incident happened in the dead of the night when many of the shops’ owners were fast asleep, adding that the incident is happening at a time he is looking at expanding the state’s economy in the people’s interest.

He said: “Let me assure market leaders, market men, and women, especially those affected by the Aperin fire incident to rest assured that the government of Oyo state will not abandon them to their fate at this time.

“We will not only unravel the cause of the fire but will also ensure that we do what is within our powers to support the victims of the incident.”

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Featured

Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

3 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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