The Nation Newspaper

Category: South West

  • Oyo APC: Lanlehin reconciliation committee submits report

    Oyo APC: Lanlehin reconciliation committee submits report

    The Senator Olufemi Lanlehin-led Oyo State Reconciliation Committee has submitted its report to the State Executive Committee of the  All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    The committee was set up with a view of brokering truce among warring factions and engendering electoral success for the Oyo State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has again been reiterated.

    Some of the recommendations of the committee according to a source include the harmonisation of the Executive Committees from the ward to the state to accommodate all tendencies, constant engagement of all aspirants in party assignments beginning with their inclusion in campaign committees to showcase their recognition and continued dialogue with all stakeholders to engender peace and harmony.

    Speaking during the submission of the report, Senator Lanlehin in his opening remarks interrogated some of the issues which birthed the dire need for the Committee, especially those which cropped up during the party’s congresses and primaries.

    He said: “Despite members’ understandable anger, one good thing I took away was their commitment to remain within the party; in fact, they’ve only asked that the party takes note of their grouse and keeps faithfully to their recommendations,” Lanlehin submitted.

    State Chairman of the party, Isaac Omodewu while responding, appreciated the Committee for putting their all into the assignment, noting that party members have a lot to learn from the commitment of the Committee, imploring them to note that their assignment had not ended, as it will always be an ongoing one.”

    “Until we achieve electoral victory in the 2023 polls, your assignment has not ended. Even after, I’m sure you’ll still have one or two things to do, for the sake of the party,” Omodewu said.

    Commending members for their selflessness, the Oyo APC helmsman praised them for doing the assignment pro bono, praying that their reward will not elude them when the time comes. “If we had given this assignment to a Consultant, we know how many millions he would have charged us. So, we thank this Committee for doing a thoroughly professional job free of charge. We cannot appreciate you enough”.

    Joining the State Chairman to receive the reports were members of the State Executive Committee and some chieftains from the six states of the Southwest who were in Ibadan to attend the party’s zonal meeting.

    In attendance were Barrister Paul Omotoso, Ekiti State APC Chairman, Barrister Kola Majaro, and Mrs. Yetunde Adesanya, Southwest Zonal Legal Adviser and Woman Leader respectively, amongst others.

  • Suspected cultist killed in Osun days after wife put to birth

    Suspected cultist killed in Osun days after wife put to birth

    A 45-year-old suspected cultist identified as Tajudeen Rabiu has been killed by members of a rival gang in Osogbo capital of Osun state on Friday.

    The Nation gathered that Rabiu who is popularly known as Spiner was killed close to his wife’s shop at Oke-Ijetu, Ilesa-Garage area around 12:40 pm after some members of a rival cultist shot him in the right side of the chest and neck.

    It was learnt that Rabiu who was a close ally of the Chairman of the Osogbo branch of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Kazeem Oyewale popularly called ‘Asiri Eniba’ was killed a few days after his wife was delivered of a baby.

    An eyewitness said: “Rabiu was shot at the chest but attempted to run with the bullet. He was chased. And shot again behind his neck. He fell very close to a mosque inside the garage.”

    The spokesperson of Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident to our correspondent.

  • Security threats: Sanwo-Olu directs security agencies to raise vigilance level

    Security threats: Sanwo-Olu directs security agencies to raise vigilance level

    Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu yesterday asked commanders of all security formations across the state to raise their present level of vigilance following concerns about alleged threats to security.

    He assured residents of their safety.

    Sanwo-Olu who received firsthand briefings on the level of alert from the commanders at a meeting of the state Security Council said members of the committee reviewed the situation across flashpoints in the State,  and decided to take appropriate action.

    He said residents have no reason to panic as all security formations had been put on high alert to ensure public safety.

    Speaking at the end of the meeting, he said: “In the last three and a half hours, we discussed the current security situation in the State and we have reviewed where we are.

    ”We have our heads together and come up with a strategy that is assuring to our citizens. Our men are alive to their responsibilities and they are ready to ensure safety of lives and properties of our citizens is not compromised in any way.

    ”All of the security agencies have been activated not to cause panic; they have been reassured of not only the support of the State Government, they also have been encouraged to be vigilant in their statutory responsibilities.”

    Sanwo-Olu told the residents to be law-abiding and not to hesitate in raising the alarm when they notice suspicious activities around them and in their communities.

    The Governor said security remained everyone’s business, urging the residents to work with the Government in containing any threats that could potentially disturb the peace in the State.

    ”I urged our citizens to continue to go about their lawful duties and be law-abiding. Security is everybody’s business. We implore our residents to join us in this effort, and say something whenever they notice suspicious activities around them,” the Governor said.

    The Nation had reported last Sunday how the recent surge in terror attacks in Abuja had sparked fresh security fears across the country’s main cities, including Lagos, over the large number of undocumented foreigners who are mainly engaged as guards and other domestic hands.

    Residents and security experts say such foreigners could turn easy tools at the hands of terrorists.

    The report drew attention to how the gates of many of the houses in areas such as Lekki, Ikoyi,  Victoria Island, Banana Island, Ikeja GRA, and how Magodo are manned by such foreigners and how Some uncompleted houses and those under construction in those areas are also largely occupied by them.

    Some of the foreigners serve as maids and servants.

  • Four burnt, 16 injured as bus goes up in flame on Lagos – Ibadan highway

    Four burnt, 16 injured as bus goes up in flame on Lagos – Ibadan highway

    Four persons have been burnt to death while 16 others were injured when a bus conveying them burst into flame on the Oniworo – Foursquare camp corridor of Lagos – Ibadan expressway.

    The lone accident which occurred on 7.50 am on Friday, involved a Mazda bus with registration number APP934XH.

    Superintendent Route Commander and Public Education Officer, Florence Okpe, who disclosed this on behalf of Sector Commander FRSC Ogun Sector Command, Umar Ahmed, attributed the cause of the accident to excessive speed which led to the loss of control of the wheel.

    She stated that the Mazda bus rammed into the road median strip (road divider) and went up in flames.

    “The injured victims were taken to Victory Hospital, Ogere for medical attention while the remaining four were burnt beyond recognition,” she stated.

    She quoted the Sector Commander as reiterating the dangers of speed violation and advised motorists to obey traffic rules and regulations even as he commiserated with the families of the deceased passengers and prayed that God should strengthen them for the losses.

  • Four Ondo chiefs kidnapped

    Four Ondo chiefs kidnapped

    Four traditional chiefs of Ikare-Akoko, Ondo State were kidnapped on Owo/Ikare Road on Thursday.

    According to the police spokesperson, SP Funmilayo Odunlami, the chiefs were returning home from Akure, the state capital, when they were attacked by their assailants.

    Odunlami said: “Police received a distress call at about 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 4 that gunmen shot at one Toyota Corolla car while on motion around Ago Yeye, on Owo/Ikare Road.

    ”A bullet hit the driver in the head and the vehicle came to a halt, the other occupants numbering about four (identities unknown) were whisked into the bush while the driver was abandoned.

    ”The police have recovered the vehicle while the driver was taken to the hospital where he is currently in stable condition.’’

    The police spokesperson added that police operatives, local hunters and vigilantes were combing the bush to rescue the victims and apprehend the assailants.

  • How Ogbomoso fireman is saving lives with cassava starch, neem leaves

    How Ogbomoso fireman is saving lives with cassava starch, neem leaves

    At the Fire Service Station in Ogbomoso, Mayowa B. George is just one of the firefighters. But in the communities, he has touched and among the colleagues who have witnessed his passion, he has earned a more fitting title: “Mr. Fire.” This isn’t because he’s the first into a burning building, but because his brilliant mind is ensuring those buildings don’t catch fire in the first place.

    For countless Nigerians, especially those in bustling markets and tightly packed neighbourhoods, the fear of fire is a constant, gut-wrenching anxiety. A knocked-over kerosene stove or a faulty wire can spell ruin. While the wealthy can afford expensive fire extinguishers and alarms, the average person is left with little more than a bucket of sand and a prayer. Mr. George saw this injustice and decided to fight it, not with water, but with wisdom.

    “I would see reports of market fires and families losing everything, and I’d ask myself, ‘What if we could give them a fighting chance before the fire truck even arrives?’” he told our correspondent. “The answer wasn’t in a shipping container from China; it was in our farms and in our soil.”

    Armed with this conviction, George spent years researching local materials. He discovered that the same cassava starch used to make amala could be processed into a paint-like coating that, when heated, swells up and creates a barrier against flames. He found that the oil from the humble neem tree, known for its medicinal properties, could make wood and fabrics harder to ignite.

    His ideas, once confined to a research paper, have now been vindicated. The governments of Oyo State and Lagos State, after testing his methods for a year, have showered him with praise and official awards. In a market in Agege, Lagos, where his coatings were applied to wooden stalls, traders now speak of him with reverence.

    “Before, if one person’s shop caught fire, the whole line would go up in smoke,” said Mrs. Folashade Adebayo, a fabric seller. “Last month, there was a small electrical fire at my neighbour’s stall. We were all panicking, but the fire didn’t spread. It just burnt out on the wood. The coating Mr. George’s team applied saved all of us. He is our hero.”

    In a rural community in Oyo State, clay bricks fortified with local fibres, another of his recommendations, have replaced flammable materials in new buildings. Residents say they sleep more soundly.

    His journey wasn’t easy. He faced skepticism and the usual bureaucratic hurdles. But his persistence, fueled by the faces of fire victims he had seen throughout his career, paid off. The two Certificates of Appreciation he recently received are more than just paper; they are proof that a local idea, born from empathy and ingenuity, can change a nation. Mayowa ‘Mr. Fire’ George is not just putting out fires; he is igniting hope.

  • Sanwo-Olu declares work-free days for PVCs registration

    Sanwo-Olu declares work-free days for PVCs registration

    Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared four work-free days for public workers to register and collect their Permanent Voter Cards(PVCs) ahead of the deadline on July 30.

    Starting from Tuesday, public workers from different grades have been scheduled on the expected day to be off from work for the exercise.

    Lagos Head of Service Hakeem Muri-Okunola, in a statement, encouraged workers to be involved in the electoral process.

    He informed public workers on Grade Levels 01, 03, 07 and 15 are excluded from work on Tuesday; Wednesday for GL 02, 04, 08 and 13; Thursday for GL 05, 09, 12 and 17 while Friday is GL 06, 10, 14 and 16.

    The statement reads: “It is the civic responsibility of every citizen to participate in the electoral process of her country. Therefore, all public servants are encouraged to partake in the upcoming year 2023 general elections.

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    “Consequently, it is notified for general information that all public servants who are yet to register for or collect their Permanent Voter Cards from designated Independent National Electoral Commission centres are advised to do so before the deadline date of July 30, 2022.

    “To this end, Mr Governor has graciously approved a work-free for public servants to enable them to process/collect their PVCs from their respective Local Governments/Local Council Development Areas. “Officers are expected to return back to work with their voter cards after this exercise.

    “Accordingly, accounting officers are hereby enjoined to excuse their officers in the respective grade levels on the designated dates.”

  • Oyingbo/Agbado passengers train begin operations 2023

    Oyingbo/Agbado passengers train begin operations 2023

    A 31-km redline passengers rail service from Oyingbo, Lagos State to Agbado in Ogun State is set to commence in the first quarter of 2023.

    Disclosing this during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the rail project between Ogun and Lagos States, the Secretary to the Ogun State Government (SSG) Tokunbo Talabi, noted the project is another significant achievement in the series of developments engendered by the Lagos/Ogun Joint Commission.

    He said the development was another achievement from the robust understanding and synergy between the governors of Lagos and Ogun States in taking advantage of their proximity to better their economies and the lives of their citizens.

    Talabi noted that significant achievements had been made by the two States through the Lagos/Ogun Joint Commission in the areas of waterways and security, saying “this is yet another testament of more initiatives to be undertaken by the joint commission”.

    The SSG said: “The two states have the understanding that what benefits one, benefits the other and what brings convenience to one will mean the same for the other due to their close proximity. Integration of the transport system between the two states is highly probable for the benefits of both States’.

    While pointing out that the transport system of any nation or state is critical to its civilization, Talabi affirmed that Ogun State is committed to taking advantage of the sector to improve the livelihood of commuters and citizens alike in Ogun and Lagos.

    Speaking with newsmen after the signing of the MoU, Lagos Commissioner for Transportation,, Dr. Frederick Oladeinde, explained that the redline rail project is 31km, the first phase of 25km stretch from Oyingbo to Agbado already being constructed will be completed by the end of 2022 while passenger operations will commence first quarter of 2023.

    Oladeinde added a train station and depot is being built in Ogun State, noting that the project will create a lot of employment opportunities and huge investment within the corridor for the states.

    Ogun Commissioner for Transportation, Engr. Gbenga Dairo hinted the Ogun government intends to latch on to the initiative to extend train services beyond Agbado to other parts of the state such as Ijoko, Kajola among others.

    Dairo acknowledged the Lagos State Government’s initiative in investing massively in rail infrastructure, saying “the two states are already taking advantage of the significant investment of the Federal Government through the Nigeria Railway Corporation (NRC) along the Lagos/Ibadan standard guage railway infrastructure to ensure transportation is effective and efficient to serve the economic needs of Lagos and Ogun as the commercial nerve and industrial hub of the nation respectively”.

  • 2023: Christian clerics and APC Muslim/Muslim ticket saga

    2023: Christian clerics and APC Muslim/Muslim ticket saga

    Some weeks back, after the declaration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the flag bearer of All Progressives Congress for the presidential race come 2023, serious-minded Nigerians were curious to look at whom will be his running mate. A democratic government, according to Abraham Lincoln, must be with equity, fairness, transparency, etc and he wants to maintain that standard. The issue of Muslim/Muslim tickets in APC has generated attention on social media platforms.

    Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a political heavyweight, needs no introduction, he is well-known like money. For the sake of the younger ones who may not know him, Asiwaju is the erstwhile two-term governor of Lagos state who served between 1999 and 2007 and the former Senator for Lagos West, Lagos State. In terms of political strategy, I can’t say he is second to none but he is brilliant.

    Since his victory as the APC flag-bearer, BAT has been faced with the dilemma of whom to pick as his running mate. He ruminated, cogitated and rack his brain before he got the answer of his thinking mathematics by selecting whom he thinks he can bring about good governance in the country.

    On Sunday, Asiwaju dropped the bombshell and quenched the long-time expectation of patriotic Nigerians. He proclaimed the former northern governor of Borno state, Senator Kashim Shetima as his running mate for the 2023 election. This has resulted in the mixed feeling of some people and some are raining the words of appreciation on his head. Social media was awash with the news, to the extent that I rarely scroll down on Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, etc without my eyes catching the burning discussion of Shetima appointment as the running mate.

    The 1993 presidential election, which is referred to as the free and fair election was in the favour of Ogun State-born political panjandrum, Cheif Moshood Abiola Kasimaa, the publisher of the bilingual newspaper — Concord Newspaper and (Iwe Iroyin Isokan), which was later annulled by Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. The full-blooded Yorubas, then, were in anguish for denying a softhearted, pragmatic politician a chance to clinch the power. Going down the memory lane, one could observe that 1993 general election, where Chief Kasimaawo ( Southerner, Muslim) and his running mate, Alhaji Babagana Kinnigbe ( Northerner, Muslim) threw his hat into the ring under the umbrella of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) ended in bad fate. Tinubu ardent followers have been praying for history not to repeat itself, because his choice is akin to that of M. K. O.

    Two renowned clergymen, the duo of the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses; Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah, and the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria, Borno State Chapter; Bishop Naga Williams Mohammed have appreciated the presidential aspirant — BAT for the sagacity he displayed in the selection of his running mate. Bishop Kukah said: “If people feel unhappy with the kind of choices that have been made, that’s why we are democratic, you can’t force it… And there is no guarantee that all Christians will vote for Christians.” Going by what this man of God said, I can never refuse to go by his word being a shepherd. The reason for my total submission to his opinion can be avouched in the sacred book of the Bible, Ezekiel 34:11-16 states: “For thus says the Lord GOD: “Indeed I will search for My sheep and seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock on the day he is among his scattered sheep, so will I seek out My sheep and deliver them from all the places where they were scattered on a cloudy and dark day…”

    Let’s rally round Tinubu being from a south. If the rotation of power is considered, it is turn of the south to clinch the mantle, though not Constitutional but form the sake of fairness. He foresees good governance, development, tranquil coexistence will come out from the Samaritan of Shekima, may be the reason he is appointed. Religious bigotry or fanaticism should be disallowed from engulfing our heart.

    • Inaolaji writes from Ogbomoso. olayodesunday202046@yahoo.com
  • Place Nigeria launches new outlet

    Place Nigeria launches new outlet

    The Place Nigeria, one of Nigeria’s leading quick-service restaurants is set to open a new outlet in Egbeda. This announcement was made during a press briefing on Friday at their head office in Lekki, Lagos.

    According to Susan Izenegu, head of marketing, the Egbeda outlet, located along Idimu-Egbeda Road, would be launched on Monday, July 18 as an addition to the already existing 21 outlets across the country.

    Izenegu explained that The Place is poised to provide its customers with premium dining experience and exceptional customer service they don’t get in other restaurants.

    Izenegu added that The Place is a place those who desire homemade meals can have their desires met.”We can assure the people of Egbeda and its environs that they now have a quick-service restaurant they can rely on for a variety of mouth-watering, delicious and healthy meals.”

    The Place currently has 22 outlets across the country and will be opening more to ensure that families enjoy great value healthy home meals.

    The Place is known for serving a variety of delicious and healthy Nigerian cuisines since its inception in 2006 and has continued to expand with Egbeda being the third outlet opening this year.