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Lagos: World’s Oldest Person Living With Sickle Cell Dies At 94

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Alhaja Ashata Onikoyi- Laguda, the world’s oldest person living with sickle cell, is dead. She passed yesterday, Saturday, in Lagos in her sleep. She was aged 94. 

A source from the Onikoyi royal family confirmed the death of the legendary woman, who has become a specimen of science wonder to the world, to The ELITES and disclosed that her last moments on earth were pleasurably spent in the caring company of her immediate family.  

Her remains will be buried in accordance with Islamic rites today, Sunday, March 1, 2020, at Atan Cemetery, Lagos. 

Sickle cell disorder (SCD) is an inherited abnormal haemoglobin (blood) disease that causes severe pains, organ damage and early death. Mama Onikoyi- Laguda was among the rare patients that lived with sickle cell disorder.

Most people her age would have had their children and younger relations fussing over their well-being and spending fortunes on medical bills and other efforts to buoy their ebbing health. Not Mama Onikoyi-Laguda. Till her death, she cut a picture of the ideal grandmother: patient, loving …and healthy. 

Her blood pressure hovered around 160/90 (the normal is 120/80), Onikoyi-Laguda was under no dietary restrictions whatsoever. She still relished consuming salt, sugar, fried food and meat, without the least adverse effect on her health. 

But Onikoyi-Laguda’s enjoyment of good health was a medical aberration. As a sickle cell sufferer, she was not supposed to live beyond her fifties, at best. Her living up to the ripe age of 94 remains a mystery to most people. And she was believed to be the oldest person living with sickle cell disorder in the world.

Born on November 1, 1925, Onikoyi-Laguda was the second of four children. She was born in the same year as Margaret Thatcher, first female British prime minister; Malcolm X, civil rights activist, and Idi Amin Dada, Ugandan dictator. Her father, AbdulYekeen Ishola Onikoyi, was a prince of the Onikoyi ruling house in Lagos, while her mother, Aishat Alake Onikoyi was from Kudeti, Ibadan in Oyo state. At the time Onikoyi-Laguda was born, the average life expectancy of people living with sickle cell disorder was just five years. Although she had all the symptoms of the condition, she was not diagnosed of the ailment due to the low level of literacy at the time. The pains she suffered during childhood were severe enough to delay her from going to school till she was 12 years old.

Onikoyi-Laguda struggled through primary school, and enrolled at Queens College Lagos, where she met her husband Bolaji Alakija, a medical doctor. He treated her for sickle cell, but she never really told him much about her condition, as it was the culture in those days. 

Alakija had 27 children, five with Onikoyi-Laguda and the rest from his nine other wives.

Onikoyi-Laguda refused to allow sickle cell deprive her of an active and fruitful existence. A devout Muslim, she visited Mecca 13 times and performers Lesser Hajj, (Umrah) six times. 

When she clocked 88, Onikoyi-Laguda was forced to quit observing Ramadan by her children.

In August 2014, Onikoyi-Laguda lost one of her sons, who died at the age of 59. Even though she accepted what befell her as the will of Allah, she always prayed that her other children would outlive her. 

God was faithful in fulfilling her prayer because she never had any cause to mourn any of her children till she died. 

Remarkably, Onikoyi-Laguda still read the Bible and Quran till she died yesterday.

Source: The Elites

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Investors Affirm Support For Fidelity Bank Plc With 238% Oversubscription In The First Phase Of Equity Capital Raise

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Leading financial institution, Fidelity Bank Plc, has announced the successful conclusion of the first tranche of its equity capital raise through its Public Offer and Rights Issue (the Combined Offer) following the completion of the capital verification exercise conducted by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and approval of the Basis of Allotment by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

A total of 108,046 applications for 23,791,687,463 Ordinary Shares totaling ₦231,968,952,764.25 were received on the Public Offer. Out of these, 107,588 applications for 23,768,724,000 Ordinary Shares totaling ₦231,745,059,000.00 were found to be valid based on the terms of the Offer and the CBN’s verification. However, 458 invalid applications for 22,765,143 Ordinary Shares totaling ₦221,960,144.25 were rejected, while 548 applications which included odd lots amounting to 198,320 Ordinary Shares (i.e. ₦1,933,620.00) were also rejected. The Public Offer was 237% subscribed and 150% allotted.

With respect to the Rights Issue, 7,559 applications for 4,430,290,237 Ordinary Shares totaling ₦40,980,184,692.25 were received of which 656 applications for 23,037,442 Ordinary Shares totaling ₦213,096,338.50 were invalid based on the terms of the Rights Issue. The Rights Issue was 137.73% subscribed and 100% allotted.

“We are delighted to announce the successful completion of the first phase of our capital raising initiatives through a Public Offer and Rights Issue. The positive result recorded in our Combined Offer is a testament to the strength of the Fidelity Bank franchise in the capital market. It is both gratifying and humbling to note this level of investor confidence in our Bank. We extend sincere gratitude to our investors for their continued confidence in the Bank, as evidenced by the 237.92% and 137.73% oversubscription of our Public Offer and Rights Issue respectively. As we go into the next phase of our capital raising drive, we reaffirm our commitment to providing cutting-edge financial solutions to our customers and sustainable returns to our stakeholders”, commented Dr Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, OON, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc.

The funds realised from this initial phase of capital raising will be deployed to local and international business expansion, enhancement of technology infrastructure and deepening customer service initiatives.

With the successful conclusion of the first phase of capital raising, the Board of Directors recently obtained the approval of shareholders to commence the second phase and is confident of meeting the new regulatory capital for banks with international authorisation before the CBN’s deadline of March 31, 2026.

Following the CBN’s publication of the revised minimum capital requirement for banks in March 2024, Fidelity Bank with its combined offer of June 2024, became the first financial institution undertake a public offer on the Nigerian Exchange Group.

From an offer price of N9.75 per share for the Public Offer and N9.25 per share for the Rights Issue in June 2024, the Bank’s shares traded at a high of N21.15 on February 7, 2025, a growth rate of over 116%, the highest for any financial institution in the banking industry.

Ranked among the best banks in Nigeria, Fidelity Bank Plc is a full-fledged Commercial Deposit Money Bank serving over 8.5 million customers through digital banking channels, its 251 business offices in Nigeria and United Kingdom subsidiary, FidBank UK Limited.

The Bank is the recipient of multiple local and international Awards, including the Export Finance Bank of the Year at the 2023 BusinessDay Awards; the Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards; Best Payment Solution Provider Nigeria 2023; and Best SME Bank Nigeria 2022 by the Global Banking and Finance Awards. It was also recognized as the Best Bank for SMEs in Nigeria by the Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2023 and the Best Domestic Private Bank in Nigeria by the Euromoney Global Private Banking Awards 2023.

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Video: I Won’t Apologise For Your ‘Forgetfulness’ – Naja’atu Muhammad dares Ribadu

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Founder and Chairman board of trustees of the Northern Star Youth Initiatives, Hajia Naja’atu Muhammad, has reacted to reports of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, demanding apology over her viral TikTok video.

Naja’atu, in a recent video sighted by our correspondent, dared the NSA to go to court if he has issues with her statement, saying she’s not ready to apologise for his ‘forgetfulness’.

Meanwhile, Hajia Muhammad, in the viral TikTok video, claimed that the current NSA is serving in President Bola Tinubu’s government, whom he had criticised as ‘corrupt’ when he was the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

However, Tribune Online reports that the NSA Ribadu, through his lawyer, Dr Ahmed Raji (SAN), said he never publicly or privately accused Tinubu of being a corrupt government official.

The NSA therefore urged Naja’atu Muhammad to tender an unreserved apology, noting that the damage had been done to his reputation.

But Naja’atu Muhammad, while responding, said she stood by her original statement and would never be intimidated by those she referred to as “attack dogs” from the NSA.

She said, “There’s no retreat. No surrender. No apologies to Nuhu Ribadu. I’m speaking in response to the recent threats and intimidation by Nuhu Ribadu using his attack dogs and his lawyer, Ahmed Raji and Co.

“Regarding my statement that the then chairman of the EFCC had publicly accused the then Governor of Lagos State, Ahmed Bola Tinubu of being and I quote ‘a corrupt government official who will not escape justice’.”

Continuing, she noted her acknowledgment of the possibility of Nuhu Ribadu to have forgotten or retracted his past comment, but stated that her words accurately reflected her views on the matter already in public domain.

“While I acknowledged that Nuhu Ribadu might have forgotten or chosen to retract his comment from the past, I stand by my statement and do not believe an apology is warranted. Apology to whom exactly? To President Tinubu for the earlier comments made by his now National Security Advisor? Or apology to Nuhu Ribadu for his forgetfulness and master-serving mindset.

“I stand by my original statement and will not be retracting it. My words accurately reflect my views on the matter based on what is already in the public domain. And I do not believe an apology or retraction is necessary,” Naja’atu Muhammad added.

The Northern Star Youth Initiative leader urged the NSA to approach the court as he has threatened, saying, “I will not compromise my position to appease Nuhu Ribadu and his attack dogs. I will not retract my statement nor will I apologize for speaking the truth as I see it. You have issues, as you’ve threatened; please go straight to the court. But nothing will silence me.”

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Speaker Mojisola Meranda Calls For United Action To End Female Genital Mutilation

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Lagos Speaker Mojisola Lasbat Meranda has reaffirmed commitment to ending Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), calling for a united front against the practice.

In a statement marking the International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation, Meranda condemned the violation of human rights that affects millions of girls and women worldwide.

Meranda emphasised the need for accelerated efforts to end FGM, stressing that it’s a responsibility that goes beyond governments to every individual. She vowed to push for policies that raise awareness and protect potential victims, ensuring the health, dignity, and rights of young girls are safeguarded.

She said: “This year’s theme, #StepUpThePace, is a call to action. We must accelerate efforts to end this barbaric practice once and for all. It is not just the responsibility of government but of every individual – whether you are a legislator, a healthcare worker, a professional or simply a concerned human being.

“We must unite to protect the future of our daughters and ensure their health, dignity and rights are safeguarded. I commit to pushing for policies that protect girls, raise awareness and put an end to this atrocity.”

The Speaker urged everyone to take action in their respective capacities to put an end to FGM, emphasizing that together, a world free of this harmful practice is possible.

 

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