Category: South West

The former Chief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Samuel Ilori, will be buried in his hometown, Ilesha, Osun State on Friday.

He died on October 12. He was 87.

Ilori was the 9th Chief Judge of Lagos State.

As part of the activities for his burial, the Lagos State judiciary will hold a valedictory session in his honour on Wednesday to enable judicial officers of the High Court of Lagos State, members of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), legal community  and other stakeholders  send  tributes and pay their last respect to the deceased.

The event will hold on the premises of Ikeja High Court.

On Thursday, a farewell and commendation service will be held at the Archbishop Vining Anglican Cathedral, GRA, Ikeja, Lagos.

Christian wake will hold at his home in Ilesha, Osun State, the same day.

On Friday, funeral service will be held at the Holy Trinity Church, Omofe, Ilesha, while internment takes place immediately at the family grave site.

A new President for the Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) has emerged.

He is Mr. Micheal Olayemi Shonubi. He promised to entrench best practices in the administrative and governance structure of the institute.

Shonubi, who was inaugurated the 26th president of NIQS last Saturday at the institute’s 29th biennial conference held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, stressed the need to consolidate on the achievements of the past administrations.

He outlined his vision to include collaboration with other professional bodies in the built environment with a view to influencing government policies and laws that affect the industry; developing strategic plans for the growth and development of the profession as well as deepening the training on ethics and ensuring that the ethics and practice monitoring committee of the institute function effectively.

“While I believe we have a great team in this newly inaugurated NEC, I have always and still believe that it takes all of us working together to move this institute forward to achieve our desired goals and aspirations for our profession. In that respect, I will like to solicit your continuous support for the activities, which we shall be unveiling in days ahead,” he said.

Shonubi, who until his elevation as the president of the institution was the deputy president, is a quantity surveyor of about 30 years’ experience.

He has worked on notable projects in Nigeria, prominent among them are Union Bank PLC Head Office Building, Marina, Lagos; UBA PLC Western District Office, Ibadan;   Happy Haven Estate (21Nr Luxurious Apartments), Banana Island, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Others are Nampak Cartons Nig. Ltd Gravure Printing Plant, Ibadan; Rice Mill Plants for Dangote Rice Mills Ltd in Jigawa, Zamfara and Kebbi states and College of Engineering Complex for Redeemer’s University at Ede, Osun State.

The outgoing president of the institute, Mohammed Abba Tor,  urged the government and professionals to “develop infrastructures that are environmentally friendly, economically responsive, financially attractive; that consider social factors and are institutionally sustainable.”

Speaking about the theme: ‘Climate Change and Global Disasters: Developing Sustainable Infrastructure to Achieve Growth Amidst Declining Economic Resources’, he advised professionals in the built environment to adapt to the challenges posed by climate change.

Others elected at the biennial election general meeting include, Kene Nzekwe,(Deputy President); Bamidele Mafimidiwo (Vice President); Secretary General (Rotimi Ojelade); Jide Olamilokun (Assistant Secretary General); Aderonke Oyelami (Secretary Marketing and Corporate Affairs) and Bolaji Shotunde (Secretary International Affairs).

Others are Paul Anavhe Jr. (Treasurer) and Ahmed Kabir (Secretary , Professional Development and Library).

Dr. Abiola Fasina, the Chief Medical Officer of Lagos Multi Specialist Hospital, R-Jolad has impressed on medical practitioners the need to improve on the use of point-of-care ultrasound in hospitals.

He spoke at the 2021 pre-conference workshop of the Annual General Meeting and Scientiûc Conference of the Nigerian Thoracic Society (NTS) themed “Pulmonary Care: The Patient, the practice and the pandemic” at the weekend.

According to Fasina, supporting a Computerized Tomography scan (CT scan) or a Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan (MRI scan) can be particularly challenging for hospitals due to the cost of the initial equipment investment combined with infrastructural issues including maintenance and repair requirements. Hence the call for scale-up of diagnostics ultrasound and x-ray capacity in particular. She pointed out that Point-of-care Ultrasound (POCUS) has long been employed in resource-limited settings and has led to improvements in clinical decision making.

“Access to diagnostic imaging to improve clinical decision making remains a challenge in resource-limited settings such as Nigeria. The WHO has advocated for expanded global access to ultrasound teaching and technology for health providers as two-thirds of the world’s population currently has no access to imaging technologies. Therefore, expanding access to ultrasound and speciûcally, Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) in the hands of clinicians at the bedside, is of primary importance to help doctors manage patients better and decrease the incidence of medical mistakes. Lung POCUS shined during the COVID-19 pandemic and helped manage acute and critically ill patients better,” she said.

Pressed furthermore, she noted that the purchase and maintenance costs of ultrasound machines are relatively inexpensive compared to CT and MRI and are becoming more portable and affordable. However, support is needed at all levels and from key decision-makers to support the purchase of machines and the training of clinicians in the various POCUS modalities to serve Nigerians better at their time of medical need.

Ogun State governor, Dapo Abiodun, yesterday, assured that the Ilaro-Owode Road under construction would be completed and inaugurated in May 2022.

The governor, who stated this at the grand finale of 2021 Orona Ilaro celebration held at the Olu of Ilaro Palace, equally said that he had ordered work should be expedited on the road to meet the completion deadline.

Abiodun added that the Ministry of Works and Infrastructure had also been given directive to carry out palliative work on the Papalanto-Ilaro road.

“Work on the 100 kilometer Sagamu interchange-Papalanto-Ilaro road which has been handed over to Alhaji Aliko Dangote to reconstruct through the government’s tax credit programme will soon commence. The design is ready and the contractor should move to site soon. We will continue to improve our PPP programme to identify necessary funding options for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of major roads in our dear State”, he stated.

The governor further said work was going on steadily on Atan-Lusada-Agbara road which leads to the heart of Ogun industrial estate in Agbara.

He mentioned Imasayi-Igan Okoto-Ayetoro road, Oke Ola and Ago-Oshoffa roads as well as Oke Afa Road and Bridge at Agosasa, as some of the major roads being rehabilitated in Ogun West

Abiodun, however, noted that it was imperative for the people to live in peace, stressing that for peaceful and egalitarian society, greater caution, mutual respect and healthy co-existence are expected from the people.

Abiodun reitrated that his administration is proud to identify with the people of Ilaro and Yewaland, adding that the Oronna Ilaro Festival has grown beyond celebration, but a convergence to reflect the collective aspiration to internalise the economic, historical and spiritual antecedents, and unity of the past heroes and leave a better legacy for the coming generations.

In his remarks, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Dr. Toyin Taiwo, said the event provides an opportunity for cross fertilization of ideas for development as well as a platform to preserve cultural heritage which has invariably impacted on the development of Ilaro and it’s environs.

Chairman, Senate Committee on Finance, Senator Adeola Olamilekan Adeola, maintained that the festival was an avenue for bringing sons and daughters of the town to work on its development, saying  the renovation of the State Hospital in the town was an indication that the governor was ready to give all parts of the state a sense of belonging.

The Olu of Ilaro and paramount Ruler of Yewaland, Oba Kehinde Olugbenle noted that the senatorial district has been abandoned and dejected in the past as projects were started, but not completed.

A pan-Yoruba group, Ilana Omo Oodua, has severed its relationship with Professor Adebanji Akintoye over what it described as difference in vision.

Otunba Shade Olatunji, speaking on behalf of the group during a press conference in Lagos described as sad, the decision to separate the main body of Ilana Omo Oodua from its Alana, Professor Akintoye.

According to her, while the group still respects Professor Akintoye, it would be difficult to work with him because the vision of Ilana Omo Oodua is at variance with that of Akintoye.

She said while the group is apolitical, the professor was tilting toward politics. “But unknown to us, somewhere along the line, he went back to his first love, politics and politics played the one Nigeria way. This started to manifest as a desire to be the father of all Yoruba self-determination groups which included those hedging their bets, those out to line their pockets, outright politicians out to use Ilana as a political structure, and most dangerous of all, political jobbers out to destroy Ilana.”

Olatunji explained that, while several allegations were leveled against Akintoye, the group defended him but “the avalanche of accusations got to a stage that we had to adopt the strategy of least said but soonest mended.”

She also disclosed that while the Ilana structure was under bombardment, the group warned Professor Akintoye that it would not allow him endanger the struggle for a Yoruba nation but Akintoye wouldn’t listen. “He instead started telling us that he installed us and can remove us.

“We cannot allow Prof Banji Akintoye to truncate the dreams of millions of people. So as of today, 18 November 2021, Ilana Omo oodua is stepping aside from Prof Banji Akintoye, freeing him to become the father and supreme commander of the Amalgamated self-determination groups.”

Chairman of DSTV/MultiChoice Nigeria and Odofin of Ikorodu, Dewunmi Ogunsanya, and Dr. Tajudeen Bawa-Allah, the pioneer Dean of the School of Transport, Lagos State University, have emerged as winners of the prestigious Ikorodu-Oga Development Association (IKODASS) community service awards in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the community and their respective fields of endeavor.

While Ogunsanya bagged the 2021 IKODASS Merit Award, eighty year old Bawa-Allah was honoured with the associations’ Lifetime Outstanding Award.  They were presented with the award yesterday at the grand finale of the 30th Ikorodu-Oga carnival held at the palace of the Ayangbure of Ikorodu, Oba Adewale Shotobi.

The event which had in attendance traditional rulers, captains of industries, political office holders, chiefs and Baales, among several other prominent guests, was chaired by Chief Adesegun Moshood Bello-Olusanya. Speaking at the event, he urged the leaders and people of Ikorodu to be prepared to deal with the challenges that usually come with development.

“These developments are rapid, but they come with challenges as well. The population growth seems to have tampered with some of our cultural and traditional values. My people, let us rise up to the challenges by networking for the greater good of Ikorodu,” he said.

Rotimi Erogbogbo, the chairman of IKODASS, in his own speech, appreciated sons and daughters of the town for always willing to contribute to the development of Ikorodu, and urged them to do more. “Doubtless, today is the tomorrow our forefathers spoke about years ago. Today is the fulfillment of the vision they saw when they dreamt of Ikorodu becoming headquarters. They saw Ikorodu in full bloom with growth and development. Today, our sons and daughters are leading lights in various sectors. The future is here because the opportunities in our land are limitless. What we are waiting for is you; the shift in your mindset,” he said.

Oba Shotobi described the awardees as worthy ambassadors of the town and eulogized them for their immense contributions to the development of Ikorodu.

A Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress in Ondo State, Olugbenga Falaiye, has said he is contesting for the House of Representatives to represent Akure North/Akure South federal constituency to create a landmark in the lives of the people and total political landscape of Akure.

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, had last week declared the Akure North/Akure South seat vacant following the demise of Hon Adedayo Omolafe popularly known as Expensive.

Hon Omolafe died in August and has since been buried.Falaiye who spoke in an interview in Akure dismissed insinuations that the outcome of the Anambra State governorship election would determine the Akure by-election.

He said Akure people knew the contestants and those capable of delivering dividends of democracy.

His words, “Every politics is local. The people know those contesting. They know the best candidate and what each candidate can offer. They know their pedigree. I do not think what played out in Anambra will influence votes in Akure. I want to believe Akure people will speak because they know who will represent them well. They will vote who they believe deserve to represent them.

“The party is Supreme and we have credible leaders in the Ondo APC. In their wisdom, if they decide to opt for a consensus candidate, they will bring in someone the general public will accept. They will not bring an individual the people do not know. The choice of a candidate goes a long way for the party. The party has to bring who the people accept. Whatever decision the leaders take should be okay to everyone.”

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State has called for restraint over the reactions to the leaked #Endsars Panel Report.

The party, which noted the flurry of comments, innuendos, conjectures and suggestions, advised the public to wait for the authentic report submitted to the state government.

Lagos APC, in a statement by its publicity secretary, Seye Oladejo, said while some of the comments have come from well-meaning Nigerians who sought closure to the unfortunate incident of the endsars protest by ensuring justice for the victims and preventing a re-occurrence, others have literally written their own report to suit a pre-determined purpose.

He said it is distasteful that commentators have based their utter condemnation on a leaked report, which has led to some of the content being disputed by some members of the panel.

He added that it is the height of irresponsibility and inhumanity to seek political gains from our collective trauma as a nation.

Oladejo recalled the commendable leadership role of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu during the crisis by identifying with and addressing the demands of the protesters.

He also recalled that the Lagos State government was the first to set up a panel of enquiry to unravel the mystery behind the incident.

Oladejo pointed out that the panel, during its sittings, enjoyed the unhindered support of the government to successfully carry out its assignment.

He said the role of the state government in standing with people at the trying moment and keeping faith by publicly receiving its report is no doubt commendable.

Oladejo stressed: “The setting up of a committee to prepare a white paper is also in line with keeping faith.

“The intention of those behind the leaked report should be condemned by all and sundry as it  constitutes another attempt to unleash further mystery on the state.

The wife of a renowned Ifa priest, Chief Yemi Elebuibon, Priestess Osunbukola Elebuibon on Friday urged Governor Adegboyega Oyetola to promote traditionalists in order to generate more revenue for Osun State.

Elebuibon made the appeal while making thanksgiving sacrifices and prayer to the Osun Osogbo goddess for the stoppage of the spate of insecurity in Nigeria.

She said: “I call on the state government to increase support towards the traditionalists in the state by supporting various festivals, which is not only a religious rite but also a means of generating revenue for the government.

“I also urge other religious adherents to emulate the tolerant nature of traditionalists in the state to foster harmonious co-existence and, in the interest of socio-economic development of the state.”