The Nation Newspaper

Category: Grassroots

  • Okeowo presents 500 JAMB forms

    Okeowo presents 500 JAMB forms

    Chairman of Ifelodun Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Olufemi Akanbi Okeowo, has presented 500 free JAMB forms to indigent students.

    The council boss told the beneficiaries that the funds that were expended on the forms were the proceeds from the removal of fuel subsidy by the Federal Government last year.

    He said: “We are aware of the excruciating pains parents are going through to send their children to school at this critical moment in our country. This is a form of Educational Palliative to assist parents who desire their children to be In school but they lack the financial requirements.

    “I have lived in this community for more than 50 years; I love education, hence I want all our children to go the school in order to be free from ignorance, squalor and diseases. An educated society is a free society.”

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    Okeowo equally used the opportunity provided by the gathering to advise youths to avoid abuse of drugs, hooliganism, Cultism, gangsterism and other vices.

    The Head of Education and Library Studies Mrs. Funmilayo Abraham charged the beneficiaries to seek expert’s counsel before they fill their forms on their choice of course.

    She urged them to be conversant with their university of choice in order to avoid courses that are not accredited.

  • ‘Education is my top priority’

    ‘Education is my top priority’

    The Chairman, Badagry Local Government, Olusegun Onilude, has given out free Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms to 200 indigent candidates in the area.

    Onilude said, during the presentation of the forms, that the current administration was committed to making education accessible to all.

    According to him, “I was once a teacher and I know the impact that education can have in transforming lives.

     “We have reached out to over 2,000 students since the inception of this administration.

    “The aim is to remove the burden of financing the JAMB forms from the candidates’ parents and ignite the flames of hope and possibilities in the hearts of our youths,” he said.

    The chairman reminded the beneficiaries that the gesture was to promote education and assist resourceful youths to pursue their goal in life.

    “My advice to you all is to ensure proper use of this opportunity by ensuring that you all pass your examinations.

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    “The current administration will continue to do more for you if you make good use of this golden opportunity by performing well in the JAMB examination,” he said.

    Onilude assured them that education would continue to be his top priority.

    Mrs Sewede Pot-Balogun, the Supervisor for Education in the council, said that the free forms were to give succour to the parents due to the current economic challenges in the country.

    Pot-Balogun said the beneficiaries were selected through a series of interviews for those with their National Identification Number (NIN).

    She said that the council would organise coaching classes for the candidates to excel in the examination.

  • Apapa Council chair seeks more roles for monarchs

    Apapa Council chair seeks more roles for monarchs

    The Chairman of Apapa Local Government Area, Idowu Senbanjo, has backed calls for more constitutional roles for traditional leaders.

    Speaking during an event tagged An Evening with Royal Fathers, Senbanjo said traditional rulers were peace-makers in communities.

    She said governments at various levels relied on their expertise to ensure peace and harmony at the grassroots.

    According to her, the monarchs have been playing pivotal roles in driving government policies among the masses.

    “Going by their germane roles in our community, we thought it wise to celebrate them. This is an avenue where the residents of Apapa interact with our Kabiyesis in a relax atmosphere. We want out traditional rulers to continue supporting our programmes and activities like they always do,” she said.

    Senbanjo seized the opportunity of the event to appeal to Nigerians to be patient with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on his reform programmes.

    Nigerians, she said, will soon benefit from the policies.

    Olu of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom Oba Moruf Oyekunle hailed the council boss for organizing the tete-a-tete.

    Oba Oyekunle said rubing minds together with residents would aid development in Apapa.

    He described Apapa as a mini Nigeria where you have all the tribes.

    He promised to deliver residents’ messages especially the traffic gridlock challenge facing the community to the Governor of Lagos State.

    The monarch urged Nigerians to continue to pray for the country and President Tinubu.

    “I want to appeal to Nigerians to please let us give him (President Tinubu) some time and I’m sure very soon everything will bounce back. We should not listen to people who have parochial,” he said.

    An elder statement, Chief Jimi Agbaje, prayed Apapa returns to the good old days.

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    Agbaje, who said he has been living in Apapa since 1959, said he used to ride bicycle in those days.

    He said his wife nearly divorced him for insisting on staying in Apapa despite the traffic snarl crisis.

    While hail Senbanjo for the Get-Together, Chief Agbaje promised to support her efforts in returning sanity to Apapa.

    Former All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State Chairman, Alhaji Babatunde Balogun, described the gathering as a great event.

    Balogun said he has been living in Apapa for the past 60 years.

    According to him, Apapa was like a London city in those glorious days.

    He said it has become more or less a jungle.

    He expressed optimism that Apapa would regained its lost glory.

    The Ojomu of Ekpoma, Sir Eyinabe Ezekiel, said this year marks his 52 years in Apapa.

    He thanked the council boss for bringing them together.

    “Your efforts to sanitise Apapa is well appreciated. We’ll support you. I want you to do more on roads’ palliative especially during this dry season,” he said.

  • Ojodu distributes furniture, exercise books to schools

    Ojodu distributes furniture, exercise books to schools

    • By Muinat Ajibade-Alasela

    Junior Secondary and Primary Schools in Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) have benefitted from the gesture of the Council Chairman Segun Odunmbaku.

    The Junior Secondary got 400 sets of Furniture while 50,000 exercise books were distributed to the Primary Schools.

    The gesture, Odunmbaku said, was to aid good learning for pupils.

    The council boss  admonished the authorities and administrators of the schools to ensure that the benches and desks were well maintained.

    “Let me seize this opportunity to encourage my wonderful children and our leaders of tomorrow to always put up good behaviours and focus on their studies while shunning violence, disobedience and other social vices that may jeopardise their future,” he said.

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    He  lauded the  efforts of all the tutors and the parents who are resolute in ensuring the good success of the students.

    Represented by Secretary to the council, Olaide  Bello, Odunmbaku said the administration had made it a priority to improve the standard of education of children by providing necessary materials that would ensure their academic success in all ramifications.

    He further said educational programmes like donation of Free JAMB and GCE Forms, Teachers’ Empowerment, Coaching Classes, Upgrading of ICT Hub and Distribution of Back To School Kits would continue to be prioritised by the administration for educational development.

  • Mushin lifts students with free JAMB forms

    Mushin lifts students with free JAMB forms

    Mushin Local Government Chairman Emmanuel Bamigboye, has lifted indigent pupils with free Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) forms.

     This, he said, would assist those who may not have the means to pursue their dreams of higher education.

    This event, which was held at the Mushin Local Government secretariat, had the beneficiaries and their parents in attendance.

    Addressing the beneficiaries, Bamigboye said it’s with sense of pride and purpose to embark on a noble mission to empower the indigent students of the community with free JAMB Forms as educational palliative, in order to assists their parents.

    He added that significant steps are taken towards ensuring that every deserving student has a fair chance to excel academically.

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    “The JAMB forms that we’re distributing will serve as a passport to a world of knowledge, growth and endless possibilities, with the aim to enable our students in Mushin compete on an equal footing with their more privileged peers,” he said.

    He added that his administration will not relent in providing the best for youths and students in all ramifications.

    “Our administration takes educational standard at higher priority by building conducive blocks of classrooms, providing free exercise books, writing materials and distributing school bags to pupils in public primary school in mushin LGA, at the beginning of every new academic session.

    “GCE and JAMB forms were purchased yearly and distributed freely to indigent students, with the aim of relieving parents of the expenses and enhance the academic career of our teeming youths,” he said.

  • Monarch backs farmers’ projects on food production

    Monarch backs farmers’ projects on food production

    The Oloto of Otto, Ido and Mainland, Oba Bashir Abisoye Odesanya, has given his support to the Agbeloba Voters Independent Group of Nigeria (AVIGN) on their food production project.

    He said this at the meeting organised by the AVIGN to follow up on how to ease the economic situation of the country.

    Oba Odesanya said the project is going to help the economy of the country to flourish and to grow in diverse ways.

    He added that the initiative would aid food security and other aspects of life.

    “This kind of project ought to have been implemented for years. We’ve been encountering food scarcity due to shortage in agricultural produce.. Had it been the agricultural sector is being flourished and being utilized, we wouldn’t face this kind of hardship, even if we’re to face it, it would be minimal.

    “We are being blessed with vast land, we don’t have any stress other than to make use of our lands and to invest in green economy. It is a good project and I support your initiative,” the monarch said.

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    President of AVIGN Chief Lateef Lasisi, Agbeloba said that the project is about economic recovery.

    “We have to be practical, that is why we said we have to massively tilt the ground for massive employment opportunities for youths as well as massive food production. For the past 31 years, we’ve been running after this course. We believe that the government has a role to play in achieving our goal,” he said.

    He added that with the help of the government, the project would flourish.

    Leader of Igbo Traders’ Association at Oyinbo Market, Emmanuel Okwu, pleaded with the government to help actualise the project.

    This, he said, would help the federal government to address shortage of farm produce.

  • Council chair, monarch praise foundation for impact

    Council chair, monarch praise foundation for impact

    The Chairman of Ajeromi- Ifelodun Local Government, Lagos State, Hon. Fatai Adekunle Ayoola and the Olu of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom, Oba Moroof Amodu Tijani-Oluwa, and others have praised the Olawale Haruna Ariyo Foundation(OHAF), a non- governmental organisation, for its  contributions to the people of the local government and the state.

    They gave the commendation at an event organised by the foundation to commemorate its 10th anniversary last Wednesday.

    At the event, about 200 pupils, from 48 public primary schools in the local government area, were given free school uniforms by the foundation.

    The council  chairman, represented by his deputy, Lucky Udukhue, and the monarch, said they were  impressed by the testimonies people shared about the impact of the foundation on  their lives.

    They stressed the need  to touch lives, particularly of the less privileged and vulnerable in  underserved communities.

    The monarch urged other good-spirited people to emulate the foundation and its founder and show love.

    Founder of OHAF, Alhaji Olawale Ariyo, highlighted what the foundation had done.

    He said: “We have touched people’s lives in many ways. We have given many children scholarship, we have rehabilitated roads, donated transformers and we have also helped many youths in the area of sports and entertainment.

    “Now, we’re giving out free school uniforms to about 200 pupils from 48 public primary schools within the local government.

    “We know today is a Valentine’s Day, a  day of love,hence,  we are using the occasion to demonstrate to our people that we really love them.

    “So, our foundation believes that to support children in the way we can is to prepare them well for the future because they are truly our future.”

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    He pledged to continue to give to humanity and God’s work.

    Delivering a keynote address at the event on the topic, “Education through Love: Impacting the futureof Ajeromi-Ifelodun LG pupils,” Mr. Tunbosun Ogundare, an Assistant Editor with Nigerian Tribune, said the best love and legacy to give to any child irrespective of family background is quality education.

    He explained that quality training would take place not only in schools but also at home and in the society to provide requisite knowledge, skills, connection, exposure and good character.

    He urged  parents, teachers, religion leaders, and political leaders to ensure they genuinely love the children and prepare them well for the future.

    Ogundare praised OHAF for its   humanitarian service and for coming up with a public lecture to enlighten the people of the local government.

    Dignitaries in attendance included,Member of Lagos House of Assembly representing Ajeromi Ifelodun Constituency 2, Akanbi Oluwa; Ariyo’s wife, Hajia Khadeejat Ariyo; Vice Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC)  Ajeromi Ifelodun LG, Alhaji Gbenga Bakare; Chairman, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Ajeromi-Ifelodun LGA, Mr. Lebile Adeniyi; Baale of Alayabiagba; High Chief Yahya Adesina Ojora, among others.

  • Council gives JAMB forms to indigents

    Council gives JAMB forms to indigents

    The Chairman of Ikorodu West Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Otunba Sulaimon Kazeem, has affirmed his commitment to the growth of education in the council area.

    He said this during the presentation of JAMB forms to Indigents.

    The gesture, he said, was part of his promise to the people of Ikorodu west.

    He noted that his administration would strengthen academic development for young minds.

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    This, he said, is in line with the greater Lagos Initiative and respect for “THEMES AGENDA” of Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu in ensuring education is giving priority.

    He implored the beneficiaries to study hard to gain admission into higher institution.

    Others speakers at the event took turns to encourage the beneficiaries to good of the opportunity at their disposal.

  • Olowa hails mosque’s builder’s philanthrophic gesture

    Olowa hails mosque’s builder’s philanthrophic gesture

    • By Ummusalamoh Kamorudeen

    Chairman, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government, Abdullahi  Olowa, an engineer, has said it is the collective responsibility of every Nigerian to support the Federal Government at various capacity in bringing our dear nation back to her feet as the ‘Giant of Africa.’

    Speaking during the opening of the multi-million naira Ibeju-Lekki Central Mosque (Mosadoluwa), donated by philanthropist and the Managing Director/CEO, Ibile Estates and Gardens, Saheed Mosadoluwa, fondly called Ibile, Olowa, urged Nigerians to help in promoting religious peace and harmony.

    The council boss stressed that it was important for all to foster and preach peace to douse the tension the country is currently experiencing.

    Said he: “On our part, we have always preach peace; tolerance and religious co-existence. We have also left no stone unturned by providing for our people accordingly, irrespective of our differences. We shall continue to do our best in protecting the  relative peace we enjoy here as I appeal to all to do the same in cognisance with recent developments in the council.

    “I commend our benefactor, Alhaji Mosadoluwa (Ibile), for this mosque and for every other philanthropic gesture at various levels towards the growth of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government.

    “The council under my predecessor had provided the land on which this mosque is sitting. We might also not have been able to raise the resources to single-handedly build it, If not for you your intervention.

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    “We thank you for lending a supportive hand when it is most needed.”

    He praised the various committees responsible in the coordination of the great project.

    Chairman/CEO of BOMELIN Properties Prince Adeyemi Adebomehin, a  surveyor, commended the donor, Mosadoluwa, for building a Central Mosque for the community.

    According to the surveyor, Mosadoluwa, has not only built a house of worship, but has also registered his name in the good books of life.

    Adebomehin, therefore charged the benefactor, not to relent in sowing in God’s vineyard, even as he enjoined the people of God on selfless giving; charity and strong faith in God.

    He also applauded Mosadoluwa, and his family for the beautiful Ibeju-Lekki Central Mosque, built for the Muslim Ummah and prayed for God’s blessing and protection on the family.

    In attendance at the gathering, where Islam brought people together for a common course despite their differences and diversity as a country, were top government functionaries; royal fathers; religious leaders; political stalwarts; captains of Industries, among others.

  • My achievements, by Oshinowo

    My achievements, by Oshinowo

    The Agboyi-Ketu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Chairman,  Mayor Dele Oshinowo, has explained why he is transforming the council with mass housing initiatives.

    He spoke during a tour of his many impressive projects across the LCDA.

    According to him, his government is not only renowned with mass housing; it has done a lot of other things both in health, road construction and empowerment among others.

    He said: “So that is not the only thing, we are about to launch one of its kind ICT hubs. We actually partner with Microsoft and Google for this and more software providers across the nation. It will afford our residents the opportunity to key into it, to be able to log in and book a session.

    “We have been training people on different skills in relation to ICT to be able to learn about graphics, website design and lots more. You don’t have to know anyone, you just have to go to our portal or our website, click, book for your session between 30 minutes and 1 hour, you have access to book two sessions in a week, it is first come, first serve,” he said. 

    Under his dynamic leadership, the LCDA has experienced significant progress across various sectors, including  sustainable development goals (SDGs), infrastructure, education, health, environment, agriculture, social development, and technology.

    Oshinowo’s inclusive and responsive governance style, coupled with a strong commitment to grassroots development, has steered the council towards remarkable achievements.

    The administration’s focus on security is evident in the provision of vehicles and motorcycles to local police divisions, enhancing rapid response capabilities and overall security in the LCDA.

    Encouraging widespread participation, Oshinowo highlighted the transparent and flexible payment structure for these projects.

    The LCDA, has successfully completed affordable housing estates such as Greenwich Gardens phase one, Sterling Height, and Raymond estates. These well-managed estates feature amenities like electricity supply, pipe-borne water, and green spaces, making them highly sought-after.

    The mayor said that the LCDA had completed  271 housing units, with more projects in the pipeline.

    Beyond housing, the LCDA is diversifying its development initiatives.

     Ongoing construction of recreational centers, including the Agboyi 7- Aside Stadium, Lawna Territory, and Thomas Community Playground, aims to provide sports facilities and engage the youth positively.

    The LCDA is also set to launch an innovative ICT hub in collaboration with Microsoft and Google, offering residents opportunities for skill development in graphics, website design, and other ICT-related fields.

    On his advice to other LCDAs, he said “My advice to other LCDAs, not all LCDAs can do this, in the sense that you have to look at the issue of land, this is part of the advantage we have over others. So if they have their land, to me all of us here in Lagos, LGAs, LCDAs, we all have different legacy projects, and signature projects. You see what is happening in Amuwo-Odofin, Ifelodun, they have one of the best primary healthcare centres, it is like a general hospital. If you go there, they have all the equipment, which the state is even proposing to continue assisting them.

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     So there are a lot of legacy projects everywhere.

    “In Lagos LCDAs we are doing wonderfully well, they are looking inward, and they are thinking outside the box to create something unique, something that would live after the end of their tenure, and something that they can showcase as this is what we are doing in Lagos. We all know Lagos as the front runner in relationship development and you know what our governor has been doing, and this is part of what we are doing in Lagos. Our collaborative efforts have actually led to this, and this is what Lagos is made of,” Oshinowo said.

    Oshinowo emphasized the LCDA’s commitment to education, noting that empowering young scholars and supporting higher education aspirations are integral to sustainable development.

    On February 8,  Oshinowo distributed JAMB forms to indigent students, urging them to utilize the opportunity wisely and become ambassadors of the LCDA. In a call to parents, community members, and leaders, Oshinowo stressed the importance of providing children with the best education, emphasizing that well-trained children contribute significantly to society and secure a promising future.

    “Let me seize this opportunity to advise the beneficiaries to make optimum utilization of this rare opportunity by being good ambassadors of this LCDA because to whom much is given, much is expected, and make sure you face your studies squarely and shun all social vices.

    “I also want to use this medium to urge our parents to endeavor to give their children the necessary support both morally and spiritually so that they would become our national pride. I am appealing to us all, parents, community and leaders to please give our children the best, a well-trained child has a guarantee for a secure tomorrow,” he said.