Category: South West

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has urged Nigerians to key into the biblical injunction that righteousness exalts a nation.

He said they should pursue the principles of righteousness, which included diligence and integrity, to move the country forward.

Prof. Osinbajo gave the advice yesterday at the Bible Society of Nigeria’s Christian Leadership Summit with the theme: “The Holy Bible: Our Reliable Foundation for Maximising Personal and National Well-being”, held at Radisson Blu, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

He enjoined Nigerians to emulate the principle of righteousness that made Europe to develop.

The Chairman of the event and father of the day, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, said: “When we talk about personal well-being, community well- being, national well-being, global well- being, what do we really mean?

“God reveals Himself to mankind through many ways, but the most significant way that man can get the true revelation of God is through the Holy Bible.”

The Patron, Bible Society of Nigeria (BSN), Gen. Yakubu Gowon, said: “The future of our nation and indeed Africa is hinged on our affirmation and irrevocable commitment to the word of God, which is the only foundation for maximising our personal and national well-being.”

The President/Board Chairman, BSN, Bishop Olubunmi Banwo, asked for support so that BSN could do more than publishing Holy Bible in 26 languages “out of about 500 languages we have in Nigeria, which is the antidote to crime in the country.”

The President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Rev. Samson Ayokunle, asked the church and the public to support BSN “that is doing a good thing,”

Kwara State Government said yesterday that about 90 per cent of its over 22 infrastructural projects were being handled by indigenous contractors.

Commissioner for Works, Suleiman Iliasu, told reporters in Ilorin during an inspection visits to some of the ongoing project sites.

He said projects such as roads and flyovers were located in the three senatorial districts.

The commissioner said the government had collated a list of local contractors at the inception of the administration towards patronising them, adding: “We want indigenes to get the best in what we are doing.”

“We believe they will do well with strict supervision on our part in order to adhere to scope of work as stipulated in the contract. Most of our road projects are being done by local contractors who have lots of other investments in the state spanning long years. Their workers are indigenes of the state. We want ‘Kwarans’ to get the best in what we are doing.”

He listed some of the projects to include dualisation of Yebumot-Adeta Roundabout-Oloje road, General Babatunde Idiagbon flyover at Tanke, Tanke-Oke Odo ring road, St. Clair’s road, Offa, Banni township road in Kaiama Local Government, Osi-Obbo road, Abdul Azeez-Oja Oba road, Ilorin, Ibrahim Taiwo-Ita Amodu road, Ilesa-Baruba Gwanara road, Ilesa-Baruba township road, Owode-Ofara-Alabe road, Ooloru township road in Moro local government, Lanwa road, Otte and Eyenkorin roads leading to Balah community in the Asa Local Government.

Iliasu said that most of the infrastructural projects were aimed to attract investors, adding that investors always want to see what government has on ground before they come in.

Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola yesterday laid the foundation of 180 housing units for civil servants.

He said at the groundbreaking of the housing project, held behind Zone XI Police Station, Abere, sponsored by Federal Mortgage Bank Nigeria, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) that the project would ameliorate housing challenges, especially among civil servants.

The management of Otunba Tunwase National Paediatric Centre, Ijebu Ode, an annex of University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, has provided free medical care for over 500 residents of Ijebu Ode and its environs.

The three-day free medical care was held at Oke Aje Market, New Market and Erinlu, all in Ijebu Ode metropolis.

During the free medical treatment, residents were examined and treated for ailments such as high blood pressure, malaria, infections, diabetes, in addition to medical counselling.

Those who needed further medical care were given referrals.

Speaking during the medical interventions, the Acting Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Adedayo Williams, said the gesture was to commemorate the 88th birthday of the banking guru and philanthropist, Otunba Michael Subomi Balogun, who donated the world-class hospital to UCH.

He said there was no better way to celebrate the birthday of Otunba Balogun, who is also the founder of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), than to make a difference in the lives of the people of Ijebu Ode and its environs through free medical outreach.

Williams said: “Everyone knows that besides being a highly cerebral business mogul, Otunba Balogun is equally a philanthropist of note.

“His love for the people is so real and great, particularly for their health because we are all aware that health is wealth. That was why he built Otunba Tunwase National Paediatric Centre and gave it to UCH.”

Speaking on the occasion, the Olowu of Owu Ijebu, Oba Segun Adesina, as well as a community leader, Col Anthony Olatunde Awote (rtd), were full of gratitude to God for allowing Otunba Balogun to celebrate 88 years on earth.

The Head of Administration of the health facility, Mr. Yinka Ojo, while rejoicing with Otunba Balogun for turning 88, prayed that the Almighty God would strengthen him to celebrate more years in his service to uplifting humanity.

Lagos State Government has paid N500 million as compensation to Ikorodu residents, who lost property to the building of the Bola Tinubu Way in Igbogbo, Ikorodu.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu handed over the cheques to beneficiaries when he paid a working visit to Ikorodu yesterday.

He said the government would continue to work to lift the people.

The governor also handed over the Ikorodu Youth Centre to the community, saying it would help to reduce vices and take youths off the street.

Sanwo-Olu, who said his administration had rehabilitated over 27 roads in the area

and strengthened intermodal transportation through the waterways, added that work had begun on Ikorodu Stadium.

The Chairman of Ikorodu Local Government, Wasiu Adesina, thanked the governor for embarking on development projects in the division.

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has promised that his administration will stand with and work for women, to ensure gender parity and fair representation.

He spoke at the 2022 International Women’s Day, held at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos Island.

Sanwo-Olu described the celebration as “a call to action and the stepping up of advocacy aimed at raising awareness to what the society stands to gain if equal opportunities are provided for the female and male genders, to pursue their dreams and attain their potential.”

He said the government was joining women to celebrate the day in recognition of their potential and contributions to the development of the state. The governor promised that his administration would do what was best for the women, to ensure their true freedom.

The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Cecilia Dada, said: “Today, we choose to do things differently. Today we are breaching the frontiers of silence and inaction by challenging every stereotype in the way of gender parity and inclusion.

“Here, at the Centre of Excellence, Lagos, Nigeria, we join change makers all over the world in a unanimous alliance to prioritise gender equality and indeed break the bias.

“This particularly showcases the importance of women and girls.”

The Interim Administrator, Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP), Col. Milland Dixon Dikio, has revealed plans to roll out a special project to avert a new generation of agitators in the Niger Delta.

He said the project tagged: ‘Niger Delta Stabilisation Programme’, would involve a massive reorientation programme targeting youths between 12 and 18 years in the states in the region.

“This will ensure that a new generation of agitators does not arise in the Niger Delta and in the nation in general,” he said.

A statement by Dikio’s Special Adviser on Media, Nneotaobase Egbe, said the PAP boss made the revelation while delivering a lecture at the Nigeria Defence College in Abuja on Monday.

He said the project would also strive to set up ex-agitators in meaningful business ventures to ensure lasting peace and security in the Niger Delta.

Dikio said the projects would be implemented through schemes such as the Train, Employ and Mentor (TEM), cooperatives, strategic conflict resolutions and peace-building programmes.

He said with the increasing calls for the termination of PAP, the projects were necessary alternatives to curb emergence of new wave of militancy amid the current economic realities in the country.

Dikio said the peace being enjoyed in the Niger Delta was not by accident, adding that PAP under him launched strategies to create an enabling environment.

He said: “We have adopted a conflict resolution system that involves robust stakeholders’ engagement, strategic communication and rehabilitation and resettlement, peace building and reconciliation programmes.

“It is also pertinent to note that the proposed Niger Delta Stabilisation programme targeted at age group 12 to 18 involves reorientation and visioning of this group of youths to curb any new emergence of militancy in the Niger Delta.

“You will be pleased to know that some of the people, whose responsibility is to block the roads when they have issues, have come out to confess that they didn’t know better. They confessed that they were hired to block the roads and they did so because they were ignorant.

“Now, instead of the usual violent behaviour, they seek avenues for dialogue. We hold face to face meetings with the ex-agitators, talk about their issues and work out resolutions that benefit all. This has helped in mitigating many issues that otherwise would have led to breakdown of law and order in the region.”

Dikio said PAP set up a Strategic Communication Committee (SCC) last year to resolve some of the challenges of the ex-agitators.

He listed the achievements of the SCC as renewed trust, better understanding by ex-agitators and knowledge that blowing up pipelines only had negative effects on the environment.

“The ex-agitators have also come to see the opportunities for gainful employment available in the Niger Delta and access to funds to enable the self-employed to obtain loans and grow their businesses,” he said.

Dikio said PAP was not acting alone in actualising its objectives of proper reintegration of ex-agitators and development of the region, noting that the scheme was collaborating with other government agencies, stakeholders and players in the private sector to realise its mandate.

Chief Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho, who was released from prison on Monday by the Benin Republic Government to his doctor, has been given clean bill of health.

Chief Yomi Alliyu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the counsel representing Igboho, made this known yesterday in Ibadan.

Alliyu, however, made clarification that it was Prof. Wale Adeniran and Prof. Banji Akintoye who facilitated Igboho’s release and not Prof. Wole Soyinka, as earlier reflected in his Monday’s statement.

According to him, Prof. Wale Adeniran meant, NOT Prof. Wole Soyinka, who had nothing to do with the release of Chief Sunday Adeyemo, aka Igboho Oosa.

Alliyu said: “His doctors have declared him hale and hearty.

“One of the conditions for his release is to stay in the Republic of Benin for the time being under full security. He is hale and hearty.”