The Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has said the contributions of artisans to the socio-economic development and growth of the state cannot be overemphasized .

Governor Abiodun said this during the maiden edition of the 2022 Artisans Day, held at M.K.O Abiola International Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta, with the theme: “The Role of Artisans in Tackling the Menace of Youth and Women Unemployment”, saying their cooperation with the government had enhanced  Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of the State.

While appreciating the State chapter of the Artisan association for their input in the delivery of affordable home projects, Abiodun urged them to continue to support his administration.

According to the Governor, ‘’I want to acknowledge the role of artisans in bringing unemployment to the barest minimum. Artisans are masters of their crafts. Your sector is a key driver of economic growth, job creation, and cultural preservation, as you bridge the supply chain gap in many industries’’.

Earlier in his remarks, the State Chairman of the Association, Mr. Anthony Ayodele, appreciated the Governor and his wife for their unflinching support, adding that the handiwork industry was one of the employers of labour to be reckoned with.

He pleaded with the Governor to sustain the celebration of the Day,  facilitate empowerment programmes and credit facilities for members, as well as providing equipment that would expose them to modern technology, pledging their support for the administration

The highlight of the event was the handing over of a brand new Toyota bus to the Association by Governor Abiodun.

The paramount traditional ruler of Awori land, Olofin Adimula, Oba Sulaimon Adekunle Bamgbade and three other prominent monarchs across Awori kingdoms Friday paid a royal visit to the new Oloworo of Oworo, Oba Babatunde Saliu (Elebo II).

The royal fathers also seized the occasion to sue for peace and unity among the Bashir Oloruntoyin Royal Family of Oworonshoki Kingdom.

The Olofin Adimula, Oba Bamgbade, was accompanied on the visit by the Olu of Agboyi, Oba Monsur Abimbola Ladega; Olojodu of Ojodu, Oba Sobowale Benson and Alaketu of Ketu, Oba Isiaka Oyero.

The Olojodu of Ojodu in his address described the ascension of Oba Saliu as divinely ordained and called on the aggrieved party to accept it in good faith.

In the same vein, Oba Isiaka Oyero of Ketu congratulated the new Oloworo, stating that it was a rarity for a prince to succeed a father on the throne.

Oba Ladega of Agboyi on his part urged the people to rally round the new monarch, adding that the unity and development of Oworonshoki should be topmost in the mind of all sons and daughters of the town.

While tracing the link between the first Oworonshoki settlers and the ancient town of Agboyi, he spoke of how he initiated a peace move between the Ajisegiri family and the Saliu Royal Family, and how that prompted the Ajisegiri family to visit Oba Babatunde Saliu at his palace to pledge their allegiance.

The Olofin Adimula, Oba Bamgbade capped the royal visit with a special prayer for the new monarch, the people and town of Oworonshoki Kingdom.

Their host, Oba Babatunde Saliu thanked the royal fathers for the visit while tracing the ancestral home of his forefathers to Isheri Olofin.

The lawmaker representing Ondo West Constituency in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Tomide Akinribido, has said that issues of security and economy would determine the voting pattern of Nigerians in next year’s general election.

Akinribido, who spoke in an interview in Akure, said the 2023 general election would be a battle between the Labour Party, the ruling All Progressives Congress and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party.

Akinribido, however, stated that the electorate would consider state of the country’s security and how the economy has affected their lives to determine who to vote for as the next President.

The lawmaker who expressed optimism that the PDP would defeat the APC in Ondo State said the people believed they had a better life under the PDP’s administration of late Dr. Olusegun Agagu and Dr. Olusegun Mimiko.

He said Nigerians do not feel policies of government because the budgeting processes do not take their actual needs into consideration.

His words, “Before venturing into politics, I had always seen the legislature as being short of performance and efficiency. The most important aspect of lawmaking is the passage of bill especially the budget. The electorate are not carried along efficiently in the process of budgeting. That is why majority of the policies of government are not in consonance with the most dire need of majority of Nigerians. That was my view before I became a lawmaker and it remains my view that the process of budgeting be better handled for government policies to be a reflection of what the people will benefit from.

“The PDP government of Dr. Olusegun Agagu and later Dr. Mimiko benefited the masses of Ondo more than the present APC government especially in the areas of general welfare of the citizenry, local economy of the state and infrastructure. I believe that the people of the state have tested both parties and their opinion is that they had a better life under the PDP.

“Every election is a referendum on the incumbent. The people of Ondo West will also have an opportunity to decide on the quality of my representation. They can attest that I brought in dynamism. I have bridge the gap between the legislator and my constituents. I have been able to surpass expectation especially as a young legislator in an opposition party by effecting a lot of social interventions.”

To further accelerate the impact of its capacity development drive on talented youths, the Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led Lagos State administration has unveiled the Gidi Creative Centre.

The programme is a partnership with a full-service creative agency, The Temple Company.

The initiative targeted to empower 200 youths across 10 skill areas was launched by Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf at state-of-the-art Ogidi Studios, Lekki, Lagos.

Gidi Creative Centre has also received a strategic partnership from United Kingdom-based Henley Business School and the University of Lagos (UNILAG).

Spanning 11 weeks, successful applicants will be trained using a robust 11-weeks module that covers specialisations including filmmaking, creative writing, animation, audio engineering and music production, graphics design, multimedia design, film and screen production design, project management for creative professionals, fashion design and media studies.

Declaring registration for participation opened, Idris Olorunnimbe, Group Chief Executive Officer of The Temple Company said that registration to enrol into training is accessible till September 8 to youths who are residents of Lagos State.

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To register, interested persons were advised to visiwww.gidicreativecentre.com and apply for their preferred courses.

Idris explained, “The creative industry is the future of the world and Nigeria cannot be left behind. The Lagos State Government under the leadership of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu recognizes this and has decided to take the front seat. This is not the first training embarked upon by the Lagos State Government but I dare say that it would be the best they have done so far. I predict they would keep coming back to us for more because we are doing it differently. We partnered with two global tertiary institutions, the University of Lagos and Henley Business School, University of Reading, United Kingdom.”

“The most important thing that has brought together The Temple Company, facilitators of Gidi Creative Centre, and Lagos State Government together to forge this partnership is a common goal to equip the young people of Lagos to be the best they can be within the creative industry.”

On her part, Uzamat noted the initiative aligns with the vision of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu under the Lagos State Creative Industry Initiative (LACI) Programme. She also made a case for partnerships such as with The Temple Company as a critical plank that can help the government to make an impact. Describing Ogidi Studios as one of the best of its kind in Africa, she affirmed that the facility would enhance learning.

Often described as a creative industry campus, Ogidi Studios houses a fully-fitted animation studio, post-production studio, adaptive studio for set creation, four audio recording and production studios, green screen, live rehearsal spaces, dance studio and apartments for cast and crew among others.

Speaking furthermore, the Honourable Commissioner disclosed that almost 3,000 youths had been trained in similar capacity development platforms in partnership with Ebonylife Academy and DelYork Creative Academy. Aiming for inclusiveness and wider reach, Lagos recently partnered African Film Academy to equip about 600 youths in development that covers Alimosho Local Government and two other cities on the outskirts, Epe and Badagry.

While expressing high expectations from the project, she disclosed:

“The end product that comes with this Partnership is to open up spaces for new ideas, identities, and perspectives to flourish in the creative sector and support the tourism vision of making Lagos State one of the top-five urban tourism destinations in Africa as well as being recognized as the face of art in Africa for its multiple creative and innovative tourism products and experiences.

“I am certain that at the end of the training period, these participants would have become better,

more creative, and innovative versions of themselves who will be able to stand tall and independently to effect and influence change in the larger society, ” she concluded.

To help achieve self-sufficiency, Director of Strategy Funding and Stakeholder Management,

Lagos State Employment Trust Fund, Sheila Ojei, assured access to finance post-training for participants. She disclosed:

“In partnership with the ministry of tourism, we have the LEAP tourism loan. This is accessible to businesses in the tourism and hospitality sector including players in the entertainment industry. It is a loan with a 5% single-digit interest rate per annum. You will not get this anywhere else because it is an intervention fund where you can have access to loans to be able to establish your creative business and grow. The maximum is N5 million, with a tenure of 10 to24 months. We have confidence in the training that participants at Gidi Creative Centre would receive.”

Director, Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre, University of Lagos, Professor Sunday Adebisi, noted that with projects such as Gidi Creative Centre, the shortfall of job opportunities in Africa would be solved easily.

The university Don disclosed that Africa’ youth population of 798 million need 12.3 million jobs yearly in Africa to close the unemployment gap, but sadly, only 3.1 million jobs are produced leaving a huge deficit of 9.2 million jobs yearly.

Ogun State House of Assembly has confirmed the appointment of the commissioner-nominees: Mrs. Olufemi Ilori and Jamiu Odetogun, whose names were contained in a correspondence recently sent to the Assembly by Governor Dapo Abiodun.

The confirmation was made barely 24 hours after they were screened by the lawmakers.

The approval followed the adoption of the report of the Committee of the Whole House chaired by the Speaker, Olakunle Oluomo, as presented by his Deputy, Akeem Balogun, after which the Majority Leader, Yusuf Sheriff, moved the motion for its adoption, which was seconded by Kemi Oduwole.

The confirmation of the nominees was thereafter done through a motion moved by Sheriff, seconded by Abdul Bashir Oladunjoye and supported by the whole house through a voice vote.

According to the report presented by the Deputy Speaker, the Committee of the Whole House screened and found the nominees to be eligible and suitable to hold the office of commissioner in the state, in consonance with the 1999 Constitution (as altered).

Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, has said the celebration of Udiroko festival in the ancient town is not idolatry.

He said the perception that the annually-celebrated Udiroko was fetish was far from the truth and that the festival was celebration of Ado-Ekiti rich cultural heritage.

The first-class monarch made the clarifications in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, at a news briefing heralding the 2022 edition of Udiroko festival.

He said this year’s event would be celebrated in a usual way with the pomp and ceremony associated with the festival’s grand finale slated for Sunday.

Oba Adejugbe said Udiroko festival marked the beginning of new year in Ado traditional calendar and gave the indigenes the opportunity of coming together to review development of their hometown.

He added that the Udiroko was also used to rally Ado-Ekiti sons and daughters to ensure development of the ancient town in infrastructure, commerce, education, social development and elevation of royalty to higher spheres of influence.

The traditional ruler cautioned people against misinformation about the annual festival, but called for support from governments, corporate bodies as well as individuals in giving international recognition.

“It is imperative to dispel the erroneous belief the Udiroko festival is fetish and idolatry. It has nothing to do with idolatry, as it usually starts with a jumat service and ends with a thanksgiving service in a church.

“It is apposite to say that there is nothing fetish or idolatry about Udiroko festival. These aspects of the annual festival, which start and end in prayers in the houses of God, indicate that the festival is not fetish by any standard and not shrouded in secrecy.

“Through this festival, we constantly celebrate our ancient past and showcase the rich cultural heritage of Ado people in ways that give currency to the past and precisely situate the present for the productive future,” he said.

The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has set up a seven-member caretaker committee to run the affairs of the Osun State chapter.

Dr. Adekunle Akindele was named as chairman of the committee. Other members are Mr. Niyi Owolade, Mrs. Ayo Awolowo, Dr. B. T. Salami, Adetoye Ogunboyega, Alhaji Razaq Oyelani and Mr. Hashim Abioye (secretary).

A statement yesterday by the PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, said the tenure of the committee was with immediate effect.

The statement added that the decision followed the expiration of the tenure of the previous caretaker committee.

The committee was given 90 days tenure, pending the election of a new set of executive committee.

The party urged its members in Osun State to remain united and focus on the party’s mission to “rescue, redirect and rebuild the nation.”