Category: South West

Ekiti State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship aspirant Sen. Opeyemi Bamidele has said God has preserved his life to aspire to a higher level of service in the state.

He reflected on how he survived an accidental discharge from a policeman at the party secretariat in Ado-Ekiti while carrying out his duties as the director general of Fayemi Campaign Organisation in 2018.

Bamidele, who recalled the anxious moment at a parley with reporters in Lagos, said God prevented what would have amounted to an untimely death and permanent incapacitation.

The federal legislator from Ekiti Central District said God spared his life to fulfil a special mission.

“I was saved to serve,” recalled Bamidele, who narrated the gory June 20, 2018 experience of how bullets pierced through his body without hitting his liver and lungs.

He said: “I owe it a duty to serve, to aspire to serve, to place at the disposal of Ekiti my God-given talents. We need to take Ekiti out of poverty and despair.”

The senator, who also said that he later campaigned vigorously with colostomy bags in his body, recalled that over 300 people volunteered to donate blood to him out of love.

Bamidele, a pro-democracy crusader and former Lagos State Information and Strategy Commissioner, said the 30-year old highly educated and endowed state should be led by a man of great exposure and competence in post-Fayemi era.

He flaunted his credentials as a national student leader, patriot, lawyer, rights activist, former commissioner, one-time member of House of Representatives, chairman of Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters and member of the Body of Benchers.

He paid tribute to Governor Kayode Fayemi for his understanding of the language of democracy and development, promising to build on his legacies, if elected as governor.

Bamidele said he had informed the governor about his bid, adding that the amicable resolution of past disagreements heralded his emergence as his campaign director general in 2018.

Noting that many aspirants are warming up for the shadow poll, he said the governor would be interested in a candidate who could win the general election.

Describing himself as a product of transparent direct primary, Bamidele said it was natural that he would prefer the mode through which he emerged as a senatorial candidate before scoring 94,600 votes at the polls.

He said since Ekiti can be volatile during electioneering, he is not oblivious of the fact that power is not served a la carte.

The aspirant acknowledged the agitation for zoning to Ekiti South by contenders from the district, saying the moral argument is legitimate.

He said although he is not opposed to the clamour, there has been no attempt by the two main political parties to act on it.

Bamidele noted that observers have also pointed out that the homogeneous Ekiti State is not like Ogun State, which diversity is underscored by Egba, Yewa, Ijebu and Remo.

Acknowledging the harsh economic realities, complaints about hard times by Nigerians and the difficulty of paying workers’ salaries and N30,000 minimum wage in some states, he said: “This is why I am running and I am prepared to excel.”

Bamidele promised to explore the agricultural and solid mineral potential to develop the state, stressing that he will continue what Fayemi has started.

With utmost gratitude to God for a life well spent, the Oloko family of Ido- Ile Ekiti, Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State announce the passing unto glory of their father, grand father and great grand father, Chief Samuel Oladipo Oyebode, who passed on peacefully yesterday at the age of 95.

Chief Oyebode, a retired head teacher, commissioner of scout and a community leader, was the Mayegun of St John’s Anglican Church, Ido Ile Ekiti.

He is survived by many children, grand children and great grand children.

Burial arrangements will be announced later.

A non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), The Orphan Empowerment Society (TOES), has said it has empowered over 25,000 orphanages and the less privileged across Africa, particularly in Nigeria.

It said it had provided scholarship for outstanding students in orphanages, for them to become better people and influence the society.

Speaking at the weekend on behalf of TOES founder Gbenga Ogunbowale, during this year’s ‘December to Remember’, an event held at Kings Heritage Mission Home, Ijebu-Ode, the TOES Coordinator in Ogun State, Michael Ogunbiyi, said besides empowerment, the organisation had also provided the orphanages with basic needs such as food items, clothes, toiletries and writing materials, among others.

He said fund had been a major challenge confronting the NGO, but the problem was ease through contributions from 156 volunteers and good Samaritans across the state.

Ogunbiyi, however, urged Nigerians to always give back to the society and support the less privileged, saying “your little can go a long way.”

The Visioner and Resident Pastor of Kings Heritage Mission Home, Gabriel Adeyemi, described the programme as a blessing to the home, lamenting that a lot of children had become a nuisance and touts because of lack of proper care.

A child at the home, Olugbemi Deborah, said TOES has put smiles on their faces, urging well-meaning Nigerians to emulate its kind gesture.

The Alayemore of Ido-Osun and Secretary-General, Council of Yoruba Obas, Oba Adedapo Aderemi, has hailed Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for demonstrating good leadership virtues in the administration of the state.

The monarch, who is also the Secretary of Board of Trustees, National Council of Traditional Rulers of Nigeria, described the governor as a man who upholds his virtues of integrity, financial probity and service to humanity, which he has been known for from time immemorial, even despite being in the political circle.

A statement yesterday by the Special Adviser to the Governor, Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, said the monarch, while hosting him at his palace in Ido-Osun, noted that Oyetola’s personality had given him that respect among royal fathers.

Eulogising Oyetola for adding immense value to the lives of the residents through massive developments recorded in critical sectors of the state such as health, education, infrastructure, security, commerce and human capacity building, the traditional ruler also praised the governor for his socio-economic interventions at Ido-Osun community.

A former President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Wole Olanipekun, SAN, has blamed politicians from Ekiti South Senatorial District for the alleged political marginalisation and misadventures of the zone in the state’s governance structure.

Olanipekun, who argued that political leaders of southern extraction were the architects of their political misfortunes,  accused the leaders of being too timid to speak out for the zone in its quest to produce governor.

He spoke in Ikere-Ekiti yesterday during the annual Wole Olanipekun Christmas Carol, against the backdrop of vociferous agitations for power shift to the South and allegations of political marginalisation of the zone.

Ekiti South has not produced governor since the state was created in 1996 out of the old Ondo State, whereas North and Central have since been rotating the coveted seat between themselves.

The legal luminary attributed the alleged political misadventures of the district to the disunity among the ranks and files of its politicians, who he said were working at cross purposes, thus, making the struggle to produce governor impossible.

Olanipekun, who was embittered by the development, pointed fingers at some prominent politicians in the South, who he called “midgets”, for betraying the zone’s cause to mount the governorship seat in exchange for “political tokenism”.

He said some Ekiti South politicians have made themselves willing tools in doing the dictates and biddings of those from the North and Central solely for their parochial and selfish interests.

“I pity those who say they are politicians from Ekiti South. They want to play second fiddle because they think they are inferior. That is the way I see it. If you say I want to be deputy governor and I want to play a second fiddle, then, they will treat you as a second fiddler.

“To me, I don’t blame the people from the North if your so-called politicians from the South feel inferior and they give them political tokenism and they will accept it.

“They see themselves as nuggets and see those from the North and Central as the giants. And they behave like zombies,” Olanipekun added.

The wife of Lagos State Governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu, has urged Nigerians to imbibe the attribute of Jesus Christ, which is love.

She spoke at the weekend at the 15th edition of the Christmas Carol of Nine Lessons, held at the Lagos House, Ikeja. Mrs. Sanwo-Olu said: “It is only when all Christians, irrespective of creed, race and tribe, emulate and put to test all that Jesus Christ imbibes that we will be called real children of God.

“The end of the year is a period of sober reflection, a time to take stock of all activities, imbibe and sustain the virtue of true love for each other and service to humanity.”

Home Affairs Commissioner Prince Anofiu Elegushi said Jesus Christ is the reason for the season.

He said: “The 2021 edition of the Christmas Carol Service is special for obvious reasons. We should give thanks to God because He has indeed been faithful.”

The event was also attended by the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, Lagos State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Cornelius Ojelabi, Secretary to the State Government Mrs. Folashade Jaji,

Permanent Secretary Ministry of Home Affairs Mr. Oluseyi Whenu, among others.

The Ajibade Ruling House of Ifaki-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State has rejected the announcement of Prince Adegbenro Falore as the monarch -elect of the town by Governor Kayode Fayemi.

The family had approached an Ado-Ekiti High Court to seek an interlocutory order restraining Governor Fayemi and others from installing Prince Falore as the new monarch.

The Olufaki stool became vacant in November 2020, following the demise of Oba Gabriel Agbaje of Aladegbami ruling house.

A motion exparte with HAD/109/2021, filed at the the Ekiti State High Court in Ado Ekiti on December 1, 2021, sought an interim order stopping Fayemi , the Kingmakers, the Secretary to Ido /Osi local government, among others, from installing Prince Adegbenro as the new Olufaki.

The suit, deposed to by Barrs. Ademola Adeyemo, T.S. Adebiyi and Co, said it contravened the rotation of Olufaki stool that had long been in practice for Prince Adegbenro, whose father was the last monarch from Ajigbade dynasty to be installed at the expense of other arms of the extended royal family.

The suit contesting the selection was filed by Prince Emmanuel Adeoya and Prince Adedayo Adeoya of Ajigbade ruling house.

The defendants  in the suit were: Olokun of Ifaki, Chief Tunji Olaiya(1st), Onigemo of Ifaki, Chief Julius Ajayi, Oluwore of Ifaki, Chief Samuel Ojo, Elero of Ifaki, Chief Sunday Adeyemo, Olulogbe of Ifaki, Chief Ayodeji Ajayi, Elegun of Ifaki, Chief Ojo Olofinjana, Secretary , Ido /Osi Council, Permanent Secretary, Ekiti State Bureau of Chieftaincy and Governor Kayode Fayemi.

The Motion exparte  made available to journalists in Ado Ekiti yesterday, sought an “order of interim injunction restraining the 9th and the 1st-8th defendants , their agents, servants, privies or anyone to whom they delegate the duty from installing or giving instrument /staff of office to Prince Adegbenro Falore as the Olufaki of Ifaki Ekiti.

In the 10-paragraph affidavit in support of the application and deposed to by  Prince Adedayo Adeoya, claimed that picking Adegbenro Falore would negate the principle of rotation in the family.

Adeoya also faulted the process leading to the purported selection of Adegbenro by some kingmakers, saying no Ifa Oracle was consulted in line with practice and tradition, regarding the election conducted by some Kingmakers as flagrant desecration of the tradition.

Oyo State has won four digital technology awards for how it has deployed ICT in the area of administration and governance.

The awards include: best in Digital Technology Human Capital Development; Best State in Digital Technology Infrastructure Development; runner up in E-government Implementation and Overall best state in Digital Technology Development.

The awards were presented at the 9th regular meeting of the National Council on Communications and Digital Economy (NCCDE) chaired by the Minister for Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami.

The theme of the event was “Utilizing Digital Technology to Accelerate Economic Recovery in a Post Covid-19 Era and Beyond.”

According to the organisers in a statement, during the state peer review session, all states presented their ICT roadmap in front of judges and all the participants under three categories: digital technology human capacity development; digital technology infrastructure development and E-governance implementation.

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The Special Assistant to Oyo State Governor on ICT and E-governance, Mr Bayo Akande while presenting on behalf of the state highlighted the state’s achievement in each category.

For Digital Technology Human Capacity Development; he revealed that OYSG had partnered with Oracle Academy to train computer science teachers in all state-owned schools on programming languages foundations.

According to the statement, “The state is also partnering with Tech4Dev to organise digital skills training for individuals in rural clusters, persons living with disabilities and other disadvantaged groups, as well as the NDPR and digital skills training which was organised for all civil servants in the State.

While speaking Akande, thanked Makinde who gave him the opportunity to carry out his ICT vision for the state, adding that the governor has always understood from the very beginning that digital technology development is crucial to achieving his roadmap for accelerated development in Oyo State. We will be rolling out more innovations in the years to come.”