Tight security in Abuja as Oshiomhole gives out daughter

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•    Writing materials challenge in Lagos By Emmanuel Edukugbo, Samuel Oyandongha, Chris Ochayi and Dayo Adesulu Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, was, yesterday, thrown into confusion when news filtered into town that three candidates from the state scheduled to sit for the 2011 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) organised by the Joint Admission  Matriculation Board, JAMB, were killed in auto-crash in Abua-Odual local government area of Rivers State. The examination itself suffered a setback after the biometric registration of candidates experienced difficulties in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, forcing JAMB to dump the system for manual registration.  In Lagos, there were problems of absence of writing materials in many centres. Though the identity of those who lost their lives in the Rivers State accident could not be immediately ascertained, sources told Sunday Vanguard that it occurred some distance away from their centre.

By HENRY UMORU

WHAT ordinarily  would have been  a solemnization of holy matrimony was yesterday turned into a political gathering as Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State gave out his daughter, Winifred, in marriage to Solomon Owumi.

It was a gathering of ‘who is who’ in the political, social and business circles who came  to witness yet another marriage, barely five months after the governor hosted Nigerians, foreigners on the marriage between his daughter, Jane, and Achimugu Aduku on January 8, 2011, just as yesterday was the posthumous birthday of the late Mrs Clara Oshiomhole, Adam’s wife, who died last year.

As early as 8 a.m. yesterday, security was already beefed up at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, venue of the wedding, as heavily armed soldiers, and policemen were deployed there, just as men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, were on hand to assist.

The tight security around the church and the reception venue, Thisday Domes, did not take people unawares because the marriage took place seventy-two hours after the bomb blasts which occurred at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
At the Catholic Church, the officiating priests  were Bishop Gabriel Ghiakhomo Dunia, the Archbishop of Auchi; Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, the new Archbishop of Sokoto,;the Archbishop of Benin, Bishop Augustine Obiora Akubueze, and the parish priest, Rev. Father Innocent Jooji.

The clerics  prayed for love, good health and unity between the couple, even as they stressed on the importance of marriage and the need for Solomon Aduvienane Owumi and Winifred Isimakhome Adams Oshiomhole to guide it very well.

Speaking later at the reception, former Head of State and chairman of the occasion, General Yakubu Gowon, urged the couple to emulate their parents who sustained their marriages to old age.

In attendance at the wedding were former Senate President Ken Nnamani; former governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; and former governor of Ogun State, Segun Osoba.  Also there were Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan, Delta; Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Imo; Mallam Isa Yuguda, Bauchi; Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Ekiti; Liyel Imoke, Cross River and Ibrahim Idris, Kogi.

Chief of Staff to the President, Chief Mike Ogiadhome; former governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili and his wife; Femi Otedola; president, Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Senator Tunde Ogbeha; Senator Isaiah Balat; Senator Chris Ngige; NLC president, Abdulwaheed Omar; the representative of the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, and former Governor Lucky Igbinedion were present as well. .

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Tight security in Abuja as Oshiomhole gives out daughter