Category: South West

Wife of Lagos governor, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu has promised to continue to be a voice to the voiceless towards eradicating all forms of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), especially rape of women and girls and defilement of minors..

She spoke  on Wednesday during the continuation of her SGBV advocacy visit to the Lagos State Judiciary, the State Police Command, and various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) providing shelter for rape victims in the state.

A statement issued by the Assistant Director of Public Affairs in the governor’s wife’s office, Olubukonla Nwonah said the ’’visit was in furtherance of the ongoing global 16 days of activism against SGBV designed to eliminate violence against women and girls.

‘’At the State High Court, Ikeja where she was received by the State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Kazeem Alogba, the First Lady commended the judiciary for supporting the fight against SGBV, especially the conviction of perpetrators to send a clear message against the menace.

‘’According to her, it is important we come here to appreciate the Hon Judges and principal officers of the High Court of Lagos. We would like to say a big thank you to the judiciary for all you are doing in Lagos State.

“We have realized that we have to visit the special offenses and domestic violence courts and family courts to understand how the judiciary dispenses their cases.

“Therefore, we will encourage victims to use these family courts and not jettison their matters and opt for juicy offers by the perpetrators.”

She also promise that her office, in line with efforts of the Nigerian Governors’ Wives Forum (NGWF) would continue to work towards eliminating violence of all sorts against women and girls, and also men and boys.

”I am a voice to the voiceless and I will use my position to achieve that to the best of my ability. If someone is being raped somewhere, they should have hope and know that I am their voice.

”We cannot achieve this alone, it is a collective effort by all stakeholders, like the Ministries of Health, Education, Youth and Social Development, Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Justice, Judiciary, among others, and that is why we are here,” she added.

The Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Apapa Command, Comptroller Malanta Yusuf has disclosed that no fewer than 13 containers loaded with contraband including drugs, foreign parboiled rice, tomato pastes, and second-hand clothes worth N285 million were intercepted in November 2021 alone.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Public Relations Officer of the Command on Tuesday, Abubakar Usman,  Yusuf also said that the command intercepted 97 containers with a Duty Paid Value (DPV) of N17.5 billion between January and November.

He explained that’’  notable among the seized items are hard substances like Captagon pills, Cocaine, Tramadol, Codeine syrup, Foreign parboiled rice, Tomato paste, Used clothing, etc.

“These were seizures made based on clear contravention of sections 46, 47 and 161 of CEMA (Customs and Excise Management Act) Cap C45 LFN2004.”

Yusuf noted that the command would not compromise examination on the altar of trade facilitation, while its officers would not relent in sharing intelligence to alert the system on false declaration even after examination or release of falsely declared items.

He added: “Concealments will always be unveiled through the use of forensic manifest management system and synergy with other sister agencies in the port.

“We appreciate our compliant traders for keeping to the rules of engagement on import and export procedures by adhering to the dictates of import/export guidelines.’’

”We will like to warn perpetrators of illegalities that our officers are always vigilant to uncover any form of unlawful trade.

“Let me reiterate our resolve on a meticulous examination of all cargoes coming in and out of Apapa port to curb the menace of illicit trade.

”Also, the command’s revenue profile between January and November stood at N784.8 billion,” he added.

A former Registrar of Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State, Dr. Oladele Ogunleye has dragged the Rector, Dr. John Adekolawole, and two others to an Osun State High Court, over an alleged assassination attempt.

In a court process with suit number HOS/M.177/2021 made available to The Nation, Ogunleye through his lawyer, Kanmi Ajibola, joined Superintendent Isaac Omoyele, Rotimi Orowole with the rector.

The document read in part: “From November 2017 to March 31st, 2020 when I left the Federal Polytechnic Ede as the Registrar, I did not have a good working relationship. On July 2nd, 2019, operatives of the defunct Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) led by Isaac Omoyele arrested me over allegations of an attempt to assassinate three people and unlawful possession of a pump-action gun.

“I was taken to SARS unit, Adeniji Adele, Lagos where one Rotimi Orowole who claimed that he was a police informant said I contracted him to kill Dr. John Adekolawole; Dr. Olofu Adie and Mr. Elkanah Aruwajoye but all proved to be false.

“I demanded that Rotimi Orowole should be prosecuted and I called for the involvement of Rector and the Omoyele in over the false allegation against me. Since he was arraigned in court on November 10 2021, the two respondents have been hunting to kill me.”

Ogunleye, while addressing newsmen urged Governor Adegboyega Oyetola, Osun State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon Timothy Owoeye, and member of the house representing Ori-Ade local government to intervene in the matter.

In his reaction, Adekolawole explained that “the police came to Osogbo and arrested Dr. Ogunleye in his house for gun-running and attempted assassination on myself, Director of Medical Service and Director Administration, so since then SARS were investigating it(sic), now that SARS has been disbanded another unit has taken over, so we are waiting for the outcome of the investigation. That is all.

“They are investigating him not me or the others. He is lying, the police are watching him. You can go to Zone IX on how far the case has gone.”

The legal tussle over Akinrun royal stool filed before an Osun State High Court,  has been transferred to the Chief Judge, Justice Oyebola Adepele-Ojo, for reassignment to another judge.

When the matter came up on Friday, counsel to the 1st, 7th to 12th defendants, Muhydeen Adeoye, urged the court to transfer the case file to the Chief Judge to reassign the matter to another judge because his clients have lost confidence in the court.

He said: “We were in court on December 6 and the matter was adjourned to 17th February 2022. I was surprised to see messages and calls from the bailiff of the court, directing me to come for the matter by 1 pm of December 8.”

”I discussed the action of the bailiff with my clients and they directed me to write to the CJ stating their loss of confidence in the ongoing matter which I have done. I will be praying your Lordship to allow the matter to be abate pending the treatment of the letter submitted to the CJ.”

The plaintiffs’ counsel, Chukwudi Maduka, urged the court to disregard and discountenance the application and go on with the proceeding since the parties are present in court.

Justice A. Onibokun directed the clerk to transfer the case file to the CJ saying that she has no interest in the matter.

THE people of the Ondo South senatorial district have thrown their weight behind a bill to upgrade the Federal College of Agriculture, Akure, Ondo State, to a full-fledged Federal University of Agriculture.

The bill, which is still in the Second Reading on the floor of the Senate, has been referred to the committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tetfund. It was sponsored by Sen. Ayo Akinyelure who represents Ondo Central and seconded by the representative of Ondo South in the upper legislative chamber, Sen. Nicholas Tofowomo.

A socio-cultural organization, the Arogbo Ijaw Community Organisation (AICO), in Ondo South, has described the bill as a bold step towards addressing the educational deficit of the people, particularly those in the rural areas. A statement by its Chairman, Deacon James Ashidi, and the Director of Ijaws in Diaspora, a group under AICO, Suffy Uguoji said the organization was looking forward to the idea seeing the light of the day.

The group called for the location of the Faculty of Fishery of the proposed university at Agadagba Obon-Arogbo, in Ese Odo Local Government, which constitute 40 percent of the coastline in Ondo State, saying it will help to intensify massive fish production in the county by the application of advanced technology.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State declared yesterday that the state government would no longer tolerate cultism and bullying in public and private schools across the state.

Sanwo-Olu, in a speech at the commissioning of a female hostel and 12 classrooms block at the Lagos State Model College, Igbokuta, Lagos, said cultism and bullying in schools must be eradicated.

He spoke against the background of the recent death of Sylvester Oromoni, a student of Dowen College, allegedly caused by bullying by some of his seniors.

“I must make it clear that bullying will not be condoned in any of the private or public schools in Lagos State,” the governor said.

He said cases of bullying in schools must be promptly reported to the school administrators “in line with our policy of ‘if you see something, say something.’”

School administrators, he stressed, “are obligated to act swiftly and responsibly.”

He sympathized with the family of the late Sylvester Oromoni, adding: “ we will do everything within our power to ensure that all those involved in the unfortunate incident are duly prosecuted and justice is fully served.”

Sanwo-Olu said his administration would keep building “world-class schools and equipping our students with the requisite knowledge and skills needed to compete globally.”

He said yesterday’s commissioning was a demonstration of his  promise  to “give our students the best in terms of quality education and excellent infrastructure.”

He added: “As a means of improving teaching and learning in our primary and secondary schools, we have commissioned over 1,097 projects in 970 schools across the State. We also ensured the prompt construction and rehabilitation of 322 dilapidated public schools, while 87,000 dual composite units of furniture have so far been supplied to schools.”

Lagos State House of Assembly is organising a three-day budget retreat, to address service delivery to Lagosians in the post-COVID era.

The theme of the retreat: “Addressing the service delivery priorities of Lagosians in the post-COVID era: Issues, Opportunities and Options”, which holds at the Orchid Hotels in Lekki, Lagos, aims to provide a platform for the House to reflect and effectively review the Y2022-Y2024 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) and ensure the  implementation of its oversight.

Three families, Ajose, Osu Olowu and Asesewon of Ojuwoye, Mushin yesterday urged Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to review the declaration, which identified only two families to the stool of Olu of Imushin, to enable peace, equity, fairness and justice reign.

The kingship declaration made in November 1975 by the state government only recognised Odu Abore and Aiyeleru as the only families entitled to the Mushin Chieftaincy by rotation, while the names of the three families were omitted.

They accused the two families of making themselves the sole claimant to the stool.

The aggrieved three ruling families, at a news conference, said the declaration was unfair, devoid of justice, equity and infringed on their rights to the stool.

They asked the governor to revisit the declaration to ensure the inclusion of Ajose, Osu Olowu and Asesewon families of Ojuwoye, Mushin among those that can ascend to the stool of Olu of Mushin, to avert crisis.

Their request was contained in a statement by Messrs. Mukaila Ajose, Ìdòwú Fatai and Najeem Asesewon for Ajose, Osu Olowu and Asesewon families.

Fatai, who addressed reporters on behalf of the families, said that the institution of Baale used to rotate among six families before the 1975 declaration and questioned their exclusion without consultation by the government.

He gave historical account of their evolution to support their claim to the stool of Olu of Mushin.

Said he: “The first and the original settler on Mushin Ojuwoye land was Ajose Alowolu, who was later joined by another Ajose, Osu-Olowu and Asesewon families, after which Aileru and Odu Abore joined the four families.

“It was on record that following the death of Ajose Alowolu, who unfortunately died childless, in order to allow for administrative convenience, the six families that formed the community decided to administer its affairs with a representative from each of them as trustees.

“The trustees at that time were known and recognised as Baales and it was rotating among the six families.

“It is a fact that Mushin Ojuwoye is a communal land and not a stool land. No crown was brought by our forefathers, which has been established by numerous courts from 1918 to date.

“Our grouse at the moment is largely hinged on the fact that the 1975 declaration denied our families the right to ascend to the throne or participate in the community administration.

“Our humble position is that we are calling on the Lagos State Government to do the needful by looking into the declaration obtained in 1975, which excluded our families from the Obaship stool and community administration for justice, equity and fairness to prevail in Mushin Ojuwoye ruling houses,” he said.