Category: South West

All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Senator Abdulfatai Buhari yesterday unfolded his ambition for governor in Oyo State.

The lawmaker, who represents Oyo North, said he looked forward to serving as chief executive of the state, not on the basis of zoning, but on merit, suitability and competence.

Although he did not repudiate zoning, Buhari, who hails from Ogbomoso, said his academic credentials, work profile and achievements as a member of the National Assembly attested to his experience and capacity.

The senator, who chairs the Senate Committee on Transportation, unfolded a robust agricultural policy, saying he would make willing graduates to serve in the state for the second time after their mandatory service year.

He said agric facilities from the Central Bank of Nigeria, Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry would be made available to them, while agricultural officers would be engaged on the field.

Buhari said those who might wish to continue their agricultural business after serving for the second term would be supported, stressing that the programme would herald employment, greater revenue and food sufficiency.

He said agriculture could also be developed through infrastructural development, particularly the extension of rail lines to rural areas, to facilitate the movement of farm produce to the market.

Buhari refrained from directly criticising the Governor Seyi Makinde administration, saying at the appropriate time, a searchlight would be beamed on his scorecard.

He said he had lived to expectation as a federal legislator, adding that his bills and resolutions, and his empowerment programmes had impacted on his constituents.

He said he will adopt former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu’s style of governance in Oyo, if he elected, particularly his selection of best hands to run the state and succession formula Q

Buhari lamented the crisis that had seized Oyo APC, noting that conflicts were not peculiar to the chapter.

He urged the National Chairman, Senator Adamu Bello, to intervene.

The senator lamented that the chapter had not learnt lessons from its 2019 defeat, which was embarrassing.

He resisted the consensus controversy, saying it could not be properly forged on the convention podium.

Former governorship aspirant in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun  State, Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, has dumped the party.

Ogunbiyi, the chairman of Mutual Benefits Assurance, was the first runner-up during the primary election of the party in 2018 and also obtained governorship nomination form in 2022 before he withdrew from the race before the primaries

He accused the PDP leadership of being biased, alleging that the exercise had been schemed to favour Senator Ademola Adeleke.

In a letter dated 25 March 2022, titled:  ‘Letter of Resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)’ Ogunbiyi said: “Please accept this letter as a formal resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with effect from 28 March 2022.”

However, he has not announced his next political move.

The Olu of Warri, Ogiame Atuwatse, has predicted that Ogun State will soon join oil producing states, as oil and other petrol-carbon products will be discovered in the state.

The monarch made the prediction when he visited Governor Dapo Abiodun at the Presidential Lodge in Abeokuta.

He said Ogun has all it takes to be an oil-producing state just like the states in the Niger Delta.

The traditional ruler said: “When our forefathers left the waterside to where we are now, they scooped the water and when they got to Warri, they dropped the water there. When they came back to the waterside, they also scooped water from Warri and dropped it at the waterside. Since we have oil in Warri, I am sure oil is also here. I want to predict that very soon, oil will be discovered in this state and you will also join us in that club. When this happens, I will be here to celebrate with you.”

He said his visit was to identify with the people of Yorubaland, as Warri people regarded themselves as part of the Yoruba stock

The Alake and Paramount Ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo, who accompanied the Olu of Warri on the visit, said Nigerians were one and same people, no matter where they came from.

He stressed the need for Nigerians to promote their culture and work towards a united country.

Governor Abiodun urged Nigerians to see themselves as people with common ancestry and history.

He advised them to work towards a peaceful and united country.

Abiodun described the Olu of Warri as a well-brought up person with adequate education to carry out his role as a prominent monarch, hoping that ancient city of Warri and its environs would experience development during his reign.

Lagos State Government has urged Lagosians, especially residents of Lekki and Ikoyi, to show understanding ahead of the proposed reopening of the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge Toll Plaza by the Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC).

The appeal was made by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotosho, and his counterparts in Transport, Dr. Fredericks Oladehinde as well as Home Affairs, Prince Anofi Elegushi, during a stakeholders’ meeting yesterday at the Lekki Coliseum in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos.

They assured the residents that the government would look into the requests and recommendations made by the stakeholders and respond.

The stakeholders meeting, which was held to engage key residents on LCC’s plan to reopen the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge Toll Plaza, was attended by key stakeholders, which included the President of Lekki Estates Residents and Stakeholders Association (LERSA), Olorogun James Emadoye; human rights activists, the media and other residents of Lekki.

Responding to the key stakeholders, who expressed their views about the LCC decision to reopen the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge Toll Plaza in April, Omotoso hailed the speakers and implored them to show understanding with the Lagos State Government.

He said: “We are here to seek your understanding as a government about the matter at hand. We are also citizens of Nigeria. We are all Lagosians. I have listened to all of you talking about our rights, privileges and how government should be responsible for everything. I also feel that as citizens, we should have some responsibilities.

“Lagos is a city of about 25million people and out of the 25million people, there are about six million taxpayers and among six million taxpayers, only 4.2million are active taxpayers. So, let us reflect on all these things. I know how people feel and I understand what has been said, but I believe that the matter at hand is about seeking your understanding. It is a matter of showing some compassion for people who have one thing or another to do with this company.”

Oladehinde, who also appealed to the people not to be shortsighted, said the decision of the government was not to punish people, but to create an enabling environment for more jobs through private sector participation.

Elegushi said the purpose of the stakeholders’ meeting was to engage key stakeholders on the matter of reopening the Lekki-Ikoyi Link Bridge Toll Plaza.

He appealed for cooperation from the people, saying “we must all work together.”

The Managing Director/CEO of Lekki Concession Company Limited (LCC), Mr. Yomi Omomuwasan, said the resumption of operations was necessary for the company not to default on its payment of local and international loans, as well as to cater for the welfare of its workers.

The seven days vacate order to traders under bridges is still intact, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said.

He spoke when he inspected the Apongbon axis of the Eko Bridge, which was gutted by fire last Wednesday.

Sanwo-Olu reaffirmed the government’s position while addressing traders at Apongbon and Obalende areas.

He insisted that there was no going back on the seven days ultimatum issued to them.

The governor said the fire damaged the bridge, adding that the government was working with the Federal Ministry of Works to clear the refuse and conduct a comprehensive assessment of the affected part.

He urged Lagosians to take ownership of government assets, to forestall recurrence.

Sanwo-Olu said a meeting would be held with traders in the areas and plans would be made to relocate them.

He advised motorists to use Ebute Ero to link Inner Marina and Third Mainland Bridge to continue their journeys, stressing that the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) is on ground to minimise inconveniences.

The traders affected by the fire had earlier appealed to the government to reconsider its decision to relocate the market. They carried placards to express their feelings.

The traders said they were responsible citizens adding value to Nigeria’s economy through the market and urged the government to help them.

Friends and family members yesterday thronged the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) Pavilion, Alausa, Ikeja to celebrate Mrs. Toyin Machado-Onanuga, who retired as Permanent Secretary, Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM).

She also turned 60.

Mrs Machado-Onanuga was described by many as a jolly good fellow.

Former Ogun State Deputy Governor Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga congratulated Mrs. Machado-Onanuga on her birthday and retirement from public service.

She described the celebrator as being humble, saying she had known her for over 33 years.

“She is beautiful in and out, very respectable and jovial. I wish her many more years. She will not retire into penury,” the ex-deputy governor said.

Former Lagos State Head of Service (HoS) Mrs. Folashade Adesanya described the celebrator as a diligent person.

“Toyin worked with me when I was permanent secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA). She is a detailed and diligent person. It was her submission that attracted her to me and I said I wanted to see the person who wrote it. I knew she was a permanent secretary material there and then,” Adesanya said.

She said the celebrator was a linguists and a role model, adding that people should look up to her, as she instilled discipline and impacted positivity on the people she came across.

The ex-HoS hailed the Lagos State Government, saying the state has a moving population, which is difficult to maintain and handle, “but the government is really doing a good job.”

According to her, their slogan is “hard work brings more work because of the standard and excellence the state has attained, but there is need to step up and that will be done.”

She advised Mrs. Machado-Onanuga to take a year off to rest from the great jobs she had done during her service to the public.

TESCOM Chairman Mrs. Olabisi Ariyo described the celebrator as a down to earth and a very good leader, who carried everyone along as her own style of working.

She said Mrs Machado-Onanuga had an open door administration, a sticker for excellence, noting that she was a woman of principle.

The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved new set of degree programmes for Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE), Omu-Ijebu, to be run in affiliation with Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, beginning from 2021/2022 academic session.

The eight programmes are: Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) in Nursery and Primary Education; Bachelor of Arts (Ed.) in English; Bachelor of Science (Ed.) in Biology; Bachelor of Science (Ed.) in Chemistry; Bachelor of Science (Ed.) in Physics; Bachelor of Science (Ed.) in Geography; Bachelor of Science (Ed.) in Physical Education; and Bachelor of Science (Ed.) in Health Education.

TASCE in affiliation with Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye has been running degree courses in Guidance and Counselling; Mathematics; Computer Science; Business Education; Political Science; Economics; and Social Studies since 2018/2019 academic session.

Ile-Ife community yesterday alleged that the management of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) refused to appoint its indigene as the Vice Chancellor (VC) because of the land dispute between the community and the institution.

The community, through the Ife Development Board (IDB), said the varsity thought that if an indigene of the ancient town was given such an appointment, he might cede the disputed land to the community.

In a statement, the President of the board, Lawrence Awowoyin, said: “The crux of the matter is a pending land dispute between the community and the university since the emergence of the outgoing Vice Chancellor, Prof. Tope Ogunbodede.”

He said the management discriminated against any candidate of Ife origin because of controversial parcel of land, which the university was claiming.

Awowoyin noted that “we had advised the university that their purported claims were invalid.  We, therefore, sought dialogue with the university authorities, asking them to produce gazetted documentary evidence in their possession so that both parties could easily reconcile their conflicting claims. The university consistently refused to avail us of such documents in support of their claims.

“The administration of Prof. Ogunbodede turned a simple dispute resolution process into an unbelievable war of attrition, alleging criminality against members of the community and wilfully waging a media campaign that sought to malign and undermine our leaders in the eyes of the world, thereby disrupting the peaceful and mutually respectful relationship of many decades.

“Prof. Ogunbodede and his collaborators have since convinced themselves that if a candidate of Ife origin emerges as the vice chancellor, he/she will automatically determine the outstanding land matter in our community’s favour. With such a subjective mindset, he has tried to poison and mislead the Governing Council and officials of the Federal Government to believe in such false assumptions and wrong conclusions. This devious attitude, therefore, set the stage for the discrimination being suffered by one of our sons, Prof. R. A. Adedoyin, who is contesting the vice chancellorship.”

OAU spokesman Abiodun Olarewaju said: “The Ile-Ife community has petitioned the Federal Government over the process that led to the appointment of Prof. Adebayo Bamire. Let them wait for the outcome now! Instead of this name-calling.

Since the former Soun of Ogbomoso, the late Oba Jimoh Oyewunmi, joined his ancestors on December 12 last year, all eyes have been on the Laoye family, which is to produce his successor, according to the 1953 Soun Chieftaincy Declaration.

As expected of contests for good positions, the family had a tough time screening the 25 interested applicants to a manageable number of three, for kingmakers to make the final selection. Successful sons in the Laoye family globally showed interest in mounting the throne of their forefathers. They include businessmen, top civil servants, other professionals and military officers. But one of them, who is a pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Jesus House Washington DC, United States (US), Afolabi Ghandi Laoye, eventually got the nod of the kingmakers to be enthroned as the next Soun of Ogbomoso.

The family heads had difficulty screening the candidates for fear of being accused of bias. The Laoye family has 10 sub-units; hence, it was difficult to talk any candidate to stepping down for others since it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The declaration recognises five ruling houses – Aboru-Maku, Gbagun, Laoye, Bolanta and Odunaro – with the throne rotating among the five in that order. Oba Oyewunmi hailed from Gbagun family.

Due to their inability to pick a consensus candidate from the contestants, they referred all of them to kingmakers for selection. The Nation learnt that about 18 of the candidates were shortlisted and invited for interview by the kingmakers to Ogunlola Hall, but others who were not invited joined them. Besides, it was learnt that the town’s development association – the Ogbomoso Parapo – advised the kingmakers to avoid any approach capable of attracting legal action from among contenders or other interested persons. This made the kingmakers to interview all of them. The only contender that could not attend the interview, having gone on a business trip, was said to have been interviewed on the phone. A representative of Ogbomoso North Local Government under whose purview the throne operates attended the interview as an observer.

At the end of the interview, the contenders were screened to two. They are Lt. Col. Sirajdeen Laoye and US-based Pastor Afolabi Olaoye.

Then, the four kingmakers were said to have been divided over the two candidates. They opted for voting and each candidate was supported by two kingmakers each, meaning a tie. The head of kingmakers resorted to using his Casting Vote Right (power to have an additional vote) to resolve the tie. His vote went for the pastor; hence he scored three, while the military officer scored two.

Although the chieftaincy declaration stipulates that six members shall constitute the kingmakers council, one kingmaker passed on about six weeks ago according to The Nation’s investigation, while another one is still in the process of having his installation as a kingmaker officially confirmed, thereby leaving the number at four. He was said to have been installed a kingmaker by the late Oba Oyewunmi, but formalisation of his papers is not yet completed.

The declaration also stipulates that four members of the council shall form quorum for decision-making, but that the head of the council shall have an extra vote in case of a tie.

Pastor Laoye’s name has since been forwarded to the local government for onward recommendation to the governor for approval.

Those who contended for the throne were Princes Gbolahan Idowu Oyegoke, Sirajdeen Lawal Olaoye, Tirimisiyu Gbolagade Bello, Abayomi Isaac Jacob Oyewusi, Gbadamosi Taofeek Lawal Olaoye, Mohammed Gazali Jamiu Oyetunde, Isiaka Oluwasegun Lasisi, Ismail Kayode Olaoye and Olabode Akeem Olayide Olaoye.

There were also Musibau Adeniran Alimi, Amusa Felix Bello, Peter Olatunde Olaoye, Abubakar Abduganiyu Akano, Johnson Olusola Olaoye, Taofeek Adeyemi Akorode Olaoye and Olalekan Olaoye.

Others were Afolabi Ghandi Olaoye, Badmus Babatunde Olaoye, Abdulrahman Hamzat Adebayo, Sirajdeen Akorode Olaoye and Muhammed Nurudeen Bello Olaoye.