Eighty chiefs of the Ikirun community, Osun State, have demanded the removal of the newly installed Akirun, Oba Yinusa Akadiri and urged Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola to ensure fairness in selecting a new king for the town.

The traditional chiefs led by Chief Yakub Fabiyi addressing newsmen at NUJ Press Centre, Osogbo on Friday noted that the Oba Akadiri was not properly elected and the actions of the government on his appointment and installation are contempt following the pending court case.

Read Also: Olu of Ilaro, 41 other Yewa monarchs endorse Abiodun for second term

According to him, “we want the current  Akinrun removed because he was not properly elected. In Ikirun, we don’t choose a monarch through voting. The rites that the new Akirun must undertake were not done because he was illegally appointed or selected. The way he was appointed is offensive to the culture of Ikirun people. Oba cannot be installed in the same manner an ordinary chief will be installed.

“Oyetola has not appointed a monarch for us in Ikirun. There is a Chieftaincy Declaration that stipulates how the stool shall alternate among the ruling houses. There are three Ruling Houses namely: Obaara, Adedeji, and Gboleru.

Adeyemi that reigned before the last monarch was from Obaara, the immediate past Olayiwole was from Adedeji, so Gboleru is next going by the Declaration and the families in Gboleru were having court cases within the Ruling House.”

The Government of Osun has reiterated its commitment to sustaining its social intervention programmes aimed to raise the standards of living of the people, stimulate the economy, and make life meaningful and worthwhile for the generality of the people.

The government noted that it was resolute to continue the programme for the betterment of the people particularly the most vulnerable, saying nothing would make the lofty initiative die.

This is even as the gari processors lauded the Oyetola‘s social investment programmes saying it has particularly dignified and elevated them to the rank of government contractors’ list through gari production.

Recall that the administration of Governor Oyetola had in April 2021 inaugurated the monthly distribution of food items to vulnerable citizens as part of efforts to cushion the adverse effects of COVID-19 and meet the most essential basic food needs of the beneficiaries.

To this end, 30,000 households have been benefiting directly from the scheme on a monthly basis with an attendant multiplier effect on the socio-economic fortunes and commercial activities of the State.

Flagging off the 20th edition on Friday at the multipurpose hall, Local Government Service Commission, State Government Secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, Governor Oyetola expressed satisfaction with the huge success the scheme had recorded since its introduction.

Read Also; I will reclaim my mandate, says Gov Oyetola

Oyetola who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, said the positive feedback has been the source of encouragement for the government to continue.

“We thank God that in the last 20 months, this administration has not failed on the promise made to the people of the state. Just like we said a few months ago, we will continue this programme as long as we remain in government and we are glad that this is the 20th edition in which over 600,000 households have directly benefited. You can imagine the number of persons that make up a household, some are three, four, five, six, and so on.”

Addressing the journalists shortly after the flag-off the Commissioner for Regional Integration and Special Duties, Engr Olalekan Badmus, said the scheme had impacted greatly on the economy of the State.

Badmus noted that the introduction of the Osun food support scheme had really helped to mitigate untold hardship on the part of the vulnerable segment of the population.

Also speaking, some of the young entrepreneurs that supplied gari to the State for distribution acknowledged the great impact the intervention has had on their businesses.

Mr. Raji Adekunle noted that the introduction of gari into the scheme has helped to dignify his personality and elevated his business.

“Through this scheme, we the young entrepreneurs, particularly those that are into gari production have been elevated. This intervention has dignified gari processors and elevated us to the rank of government contractors, whereas the norm in the past was about civil engineers working on the road and other professionals being on the contract list of the meagre government. But today,  due to the magnanimity of the present administration of Governor Oyetola, gari processors have been elevated to the rank of contractors, I can say it boldly that I am a contractor now,” he asserted.

Also, Mr. Tajudeen Azeez, described the scheme as a life-changing for him as it has helped him to scale up his business from meagre to mega.

“The impact of this scheme on our business is very huge. It has helped to scale up our business from meagre to mega. The production of gari touches every life at the grassroots, from cassava farmers to gari processors, and transporters among others. So we thank Mr.Governor for patronising us,” he added.

In its bid to put an end to incessant kidnappings along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, the Oyo State Government has resolved to involve traditional leaders and local vigilantes.

The vigilantes and other non-state actors will work with regular security agencies in order to arrest perpetrators of heinous crimes along the expressway.

Special Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Seyi Makinde, CP Fatai Owoseni (rtd) made this known while briefing newsmen on the outcome of a stakeholders’ security meeting held at the Oyo State Security Trust Fund Office, Onireke, Ibadan.

Owoseni, who explained that the collaborations of the Oyo and Ogun state governments are already yielding positive results, noted that the governments of the two states have strengthened the security architecture on the Ibadan-Lagos expressway.

He said “Sadly, we have had three incidents in one week cutting across, that made it look as if the security agents are sleeping on their obligations but I must correct that impression. Before then, it was not as if measures and strategies were not put in place to curb any incident.

Read Also: Insecurity in the country and role of governors

“The perception and the interpretation that has been given is that your community is insecure but it is not possible to have a totally crime-free society.

“Concerning the incidents we recorded about two weeks ago, a whole lot has been put in place by the government to ensure that we give safety to commuters, not just on the express road but the road that leads to Lagos and Abeokuta and some other parts of Oyo State.

“And that also was the reason why the governors of Ogun and Oyo States met to form the Joint Security Committee. So, in essence, with what has happened, the interpretation of security will be that there must have been a gap.

“For now, we have strengthened visibility and also found out certain things. We have taken a lesson from that to say that whatever is put in place now will be something that is workable, practical, and sustainable and that is where we are now.”

Owoseni added that the governments of both states are working together to secure the axis.

“We have reinvigorated our visibility on the road, denying the criminal elements the space to operate freely. We are going after the ones that have operated and bring them to justice.

“All the security agencies and commanders are working together and we have also used this to strengthen the synergy that all the agencies have. Anyone plying the road now will see static and mobile deployments.

“All the agencies are there; you have the Air Force, Army, Amotekun, Police, Civil Defence, and elements of the covert operation on the ground as well and they have the resources they can use in terms of logistics.

Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu, SAN, on Thursday inaugurated the iconic Olaiya flyover in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

Akeredolu described the performance of Oyetola in the State as incredible and worthy of emulation.

This is even as Governor Adegboyega Oyetola said the construction of the flyover was a child of necessity aimed at putting a permanent end to avoidable road accidents and other mishaps hitherto being experienced by road users and residents of the State.

The newly-inaugurated Olaiya flyover was completed within the one-year time frame allotted to it a few months ago with a target to substantially ease the growing traffic, eliminate unnecessary cases of accident, secure the lives of the valued citizens, and further enhance the architectural beauty of the State capital.

Addressing the people at the venue of the inauguration, Oyetola said the successful completion of the flyover was an attestation to the efficacy of the Alternative Project Funding System, a novel development model introduced by his administration to boost the State’s development and infrastructure needs.

He said his administration had taken care of the fears and evil of fiscal indiscipline and lack of implementation, which hamper projects and services in the nation’s public service as seen in the myriad people-centred and masses-focused projects being inaugurated and delivered for the use of the people of the State in the about four years of being at the helm of affairs.

The Governor who described the flyover as an architectural masterpiece, a paragon of aesthetics and a socioeconomic signature on the economic transformation captured by the Development Agenda of his administration,  said, “This is another fulfilment of our electoral promise we exchanged for the mandate of our people”.

He said his government had so far proved that infrastructure and economic development are doable in a depressed economy and that stagnated development in a struggling economy is a product of intellectual laziness,  dearth of creativity,  shortage of innovation, and lack of political will.

Read Also: Akeredolu signs multi-door court house bill into law

“It (Olaiya flyover) is a worthy complement to the over 500km roads we have rehabilitated and constructed in our four years in government so far.

“Fixing our State’s infrastructure deficit is a critical item on our Development Agenda. This is because no economy can truly succeed without adequate infrastructure to make life easy for residents and businesses.

“This realisation accounts for why we are engaging in the mass spread of infrastructure development across the State to stimulate development in line with our Development Agenda.

“We have rehabilitated and constructed several roads across the State as a catalyst for equitable socio-economic development. Among these roads are Ada-Igbajo road, Osogbo-Kelebe-Iragbiji road, and Akindeko-Awosuru link road via Adejumo Street with Oremeji spur, Akinlade Street, Adewale Street with loop to WAEC road all in Osogbo; Army Barrack (Ede)-Ara-Ejigbo township road, Moro- Yakoyo-Ipetumodu-Asipa-Ife/Ibadan Expressway Junction Road and Ereja Roundabout-Ereguru-Isaare-Oke Oye-Sabo (Irojo)-Ilesa/Akure Expressway Junction.

“Others are: Lawyer Atanda Road, Iwo; Ila-Arandun-Kwara Boundary Road; Nike Gallery-Ido-Osun Township airport with palace spur; Ikirun-Eko-Ende Road; the access road to Fountain University, Osogbo; Osogbo (Lameco)-Okinni-Ilobu-Ifon Osun Market with Spur to Olobu’s Palace; Osogbo/Ilobu-Akari-Erin Osun Roundabout on Osun LCDA Junction; Post Office-Ayetoro-Jamodo-Ifon Palace-Janta Ifon Osun; Isale-Asa-Oke Aree road, Iree, as well as Ikire township roads, among other interventions.

“There are however a few other roads that are still on-going, while some are nearing completion. Among these roads are: Ife Township Roads; Inisa Road and Osogbo-Iwo Road.

“We have also focused attention on opening up our rural roads with the aim of connecting them to the urban areas. This is to stimulate rapid state-wide development and facilitate ease of movement for our people and goods from one part of the State to another.”

Inaugurating the flyover, Governor Akeredolu, commended Oyetola for being committed to the welfare and general well-being of the people of the State.

Akeredolu who described the flyover as unprecedented in the history of the State expressed confidence in the fact that the facility would go a long way at meeting the infrastructure needs of the axis, most importantly the road users.

“This is historic in the history of Osogbo. Oyetola has made history. I congratulate you for your resilience in the face of daunting challenges even from those that are supposed to be your friends.

“We knew what you met in the State and we know what you have done and where you have taken the State. We can’t lie to ourselves, we are fearless — you have tried. We were here when salaries were owed for several months but you came and the story changed. I commend you for making the interest of your people primary consideration.”

Earlier in his welcome address, the Commissioner for Works and Transport, Engr Remi Omowaye, said the successful completion of the flyover would in no measure add value to the socioeconomic activities in the State in general and Osogbo in particular.

Omowaye who highlighted many of the infrastructure developments, particularly road infrastructure initiated by the Oyetola led administration, said indeed the government has raised the bar of infrastructure in the State.

The Contractor of the project and Chairman Peculiar Ultimate Concerns, Engr Olanrewaju Adeleke, reassured the people of the quality of work done on the flyover which according to him has the capacity to meet the immediate and future needs of the road users.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have raised alarm over the increasing deaths of Nigerians associated with antibiotic resistance due to the abuse of such medications.

They noted that if nothing is done urgently to educate Nigerians on the health hazards like cancers, allergies, mutations etc., associated with abusing antimicrobials – antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, and antiparasitics, many infections like pneumonia, sepsis etc., which could be easily treated using antimicrobials could become untreatable, hence causing deaths.

While urging Nigerians to ensure that they get a proper prescription on the usage of antibiotics from qualified health professionals before taking them, they revealed Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR), otherwise known as drug resistance, which is a big challenge in Nigeria, is projected to cause over 10 million deaths globally by 2050, with the large part of this occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.

Read Also: 17 new Lassa fever cases reported in one week, says NCDC

Speaking during a briefing to commemorate this year’s antibiotics awareness week, the Director-General of the NCDC, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, who described AMR as a pandemic waiting to happen, stated that in Nigeria, 7 out of 10 persons in the community access antibiotics outside licensed health facilities or pharmacies, while many patients in the hospitals are overprescribed antibiotics that have a higher risk of bacterial resistance selection.

Represented by the Chair of the National Antimicrobial Resistance Coordination Committee (NAMRCC), Dr. Tochi Okwor, he said: “Some of the identified challenges for Nigeria’s AMR response include suboptimal coordination between relevant sectors (regulatory authorities and components of the healthcare delivery system), poor surveillance and response on account of limited availability of diagnostics and inadequate resources, suboptimal adoption and practice of standardized infection prevention and control practices in the community and health facilities, limited access to proper medications, inappropriate prescription practices, and poor enforcement of legal frameworks in place to regulate antimicrobial use.”

The Technical Officer of AMR at the WHO in Nigeria, Dr. Laxmikant Chavan, while calling on all stakeholders to accelerate the AMR response in-country, said: “The global and regional burden is alarming, but it is sub-Saharan African countries that bear the heaviest burden of resistant bacterial infections.

“In 2019, 4.95 million deaths globally were attributed to drug-resistant bacterial infections, with 1.27 million directly related to AMR – more than HIV/AIDS and malaria combined.”