The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southwest

Joy as Lagos rebuilds Oyingbo market

After years of yearning for a modern market, traders at Oyingbo Market in Lagos Mainland Local Government Area of Lagos State have expressed their joy and gratitude to Governor Babatunde Fashola (SAN) for rebuilding the market.

The traders adorned in their colourful dresses during the inauguration of the market by Governor Fashola, who they praised for his development programmes.

Oyingbo Market was established in the 1920s. Then, it was a depot for agricultural produce. The development around Ebute-Metta, Oyingbo and the Lagos Mainland have had positive impact on the market; making it grow bigger not only in size but also in the volume of goods available in the market.

In the 1930s, traders around Apapa Road were moved to the current location to further boost the size of the market, even as meat and livestock were among the goods available for customers. As a major commercial centre, it attracted customers’ patronage from every part of Nigeria.

Ever since, there have been attempts to re-build the market which was constructed with wood, has been gutted by fire several times.

Successive administrations had made efforts to rebuild the market without any success.

In 1991, the then Chairman of Lagos Island Local Government Area, Mr Babatunde Larinde demolished the market in a bid to rebuild it through partnership with the private sector. He invited the late business Mogul Chief M. K.O. Abiola to lay the foundation of the new market. Chief Abiola had promised to help attract the attention of the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) to raise the needed funds for the project.

However, during his campaigns as the governorship candidate of the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the leader of the market, Alhaja Bashirat Balogun, appealed to Mr. Fashola to assist in rebuilding the market when voted into power.

The Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Dr Kadiri Hamzat recalled that Oyingbo Market has existed for a long period of time, adding that in spite of its tremendous growth and expansion over the years, it remained mostly at the level of underdevelopment.

“Growing far beyond the plans available, Oyingbo Market needed to be renovated or rebuilt in line with current realities.

“The local government’s estimated that rebuilding the market will cost NI00 million.

“This failed to deliver a first-class market that the city can be proud of. Several strategies were evolved until Governor Fashola decided on the best strategy. The contract for rebuilding the market was finally awarded to Messrs Palmyra Construction Nigeria Limited. It was built on a 504 square meters land,’’ he said.

The Commissioner added that the market has all the features of a modern market that meets international standards.

In her remarks, the Iyaloja of Oyingbo Market, Alhaja Balogun commended Governor Fashola for his excellent performance in the state in the past eight years in the areas of infrastructure development, saying the Governor had, within his tenure, lifted Lagos to become a reference point for other state.

•Governor Fashola commissioning the new Oyingbo market

Commissioning the market, Governor Fashola said he made a promise to rebuild it in 2007 during his electioneering campaigns, adding that he had fulfilled his promise by delivering the project.

The governor further said that out of the 633 open shops in the market, 618 would be allocated to the original owners who were displaced when the market was gutted by fire and had to be rebuilt.

According to him, with the new market in place, the state government expected that roadside trading would end in Oyingbo as they could not use the market for their business.

“You all know I am not seeking any political office this time, but I cannot forget that some of you voted for me. I am here today to keep my word,’’ he said. The governor urged the traders to continue to vote to for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for more development.

The market comprises four floor, a car park that can contain 150 cars, 622 lock-up shops, type one and 102 lock-up shops type two; industrial borehole, water treatment plant, cold room, sewage treatment plant, ground and overhead water tanks,1,000KVA transformers, closed-circuit monitor and 134 toilets facilities.

April 1, 2015
Again, rainstorm destroys homes in Ibadan

A three-hour rainfall accompanied by heavy storm descended on Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Tuesday, last week destroying in the process, several residential buildings, business premises and electricity poles in many parts of the city. OSEHEYE OKWUOFU reports.

After waiting for several months for the rains to come, residents of Ibadan, the Oyo State capital had the first rain of the year on Tuesday last week, but it was a bitter-sweet experience for many of them.

While the rain water and cool breeze tempered the excessively hot weather and provided free water for many households without pipe-borne water, the accompanying rainstorm damaged many buildings and public property.

At the end of the three-hour heavy downpour, many houses were left with no roof, having been blown away by the strong wind, while many electricity poles were either broken or uprooted, leaving many households without public electricity supply.

As was the case few year ago,in the city. Many residential buildings were badly affected by the wind that accompanied the downpour. Quite a number of concrete electric poles and cables were brought down and smashed into shreds on the roads, causing damage to shops and business places nearby.

Apart from the damage to electricity poles and cables belonging to the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), the power company in charge of distribution of electricity to the city of Ibadan and environs, many fish ponds and farmlands were flooded by the storm water in some areas, causing heavy losses to the owners running into hundreds of thousands of naira.

In most of the areas visited by The Nation, nothing had been done to repair the damage since the unfortunate incident, except few areas where electricity has been restored.

At Omi-Adio and Apata areas of the city where the damage was much, electricity had been restored in some places while other areas were still in darkness.

At Ido town, many buildings whose roof tops were blown off were still without any roofing while electricity poles and cables were still lying on the roads. The situation was the same at Iyana-Ido area, especially after the railway crossing with most of the residents without electricity.

In Ibadan South West Local Government where the rainstorm also left its traces, few residential buildings affected by the storm remained unattended to while others have been repaired by their owners. At Odo-Ona and Ago-Tailor areas of the city, it was tales of woe from the affected residents. They complained of blackout even as they await officials of the power company to replace the damaged electricity installations.

A farmer who lives in one of the affected buildings Mr Monday Iyasele said “We have been waiting for the officials of the power company to come and repair this light. In fact, we have lodged complaint and we hope they will do something soon to restore our light.

“We don’t have the money to buy poles, cable and other materials. And that is why you see the cables and poles still lying on the roads. Maybe they wanted us to contribute money to get the materials, but I can tell you that we don’t have that kind of money. They collect money for the electricity and it is their responsibility to repair these damaged equipment. Financially, some are incapacitated even to replace their roofing sheets damaged by the rainstorm.

“We can’t replace the roofing sheets because we don’t have the money to do so. It takes a lot of money to replace them and since the money is not there we have no choice than to bear the consequence of what happened. If there is rain now, everywhere will be full of water as a result of leakages, and we must cope with it because we don’t have any choice. We pray that God will one day provide the money to fix it”.

Even traders, welders, and shop owners who depend on electricity claimed their businesses have suffered a major setback since the downpour. Mr Wasiu Adebayo who owns a welder’s workshop at Omi-Adio described the blackout as unbearable.

Other residents affected by the rainstorm are still groaning as they are yet to recover from the loss, while the power distribution company is still battling to replace the damaged electric poles and cables.

Although, electricity supply has been restored to some strategic areas of the city, some residents yet to receive supply have been using private electricians to fix some of the damaged equipment.

Some complained about the conduct of the power company officials who they alleged were not alive to their responsibility.

They wondered why it would take the power distribution company more than two weeks to restore light to the affected areas.

Speaking on the damage to electric poles and cables, a school teacher at Iyana Ido, Mr Kingsley Oke lamented that since the rainstorm caused damage to power installations the workers of the power distribution company have not visited to assess the damage and proffer immediate solution.

However, the management of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) has pleaded with the affected residents, assuring them that electricity would soon be restored.

The Public Relations Officer of IBEDC, Mr Frank William who spoke with The Nation said” we are working very hard to restore power to the affected areas. Our men are on the field working to ensure that we replace all the damaged installations. We plead that our customers affected by the rainstorm should exercise patience, everything will soon be normalised .”

April 1, 2015
Council distributes gas cylinders to residents

Mindful of the negative impacts which unchecked environmental degradation have had on our environment, governments and groups the world over have come to terms with the need to prevent or mitigate their effects for a safer world. One of the means through which man harms the environment is through felling of trees for charcoal for cooking.

A United Nations’ Conference on the Human Environment notes that “a time has come in history when we must shape our actions throughout the world with a more prudent care for their environmental consequences. Through ignorance or indifference, we can do massive and irreversible harm to the earthly environment on which our life and well-being depend.

“Conversely, through fuller knowledge and wiser action, we can achieve for ourselves and our posterity a better life in keeping with human needs and hopes…”

Efforts are therefore being made by government to find ways of mitigating or preventing actions that would have uncomplimentary impacts on the environment and the well-being of mankind.

This may have informed the Lagos State Government’s efforts towards ensuring cleaner and safer environment through the Eko Gas initiative through which it makes available portable gas cylinders to residents of the state.

Determined to ensure that residents embrace the use of cooking gas as against charcoal, the state government makes the facility available to all the local government areas for distribution.

•Samples of the Eko Gas cylinders

Recently, it was the turn of Oriade Local Council Development Area where the Eko Gas cylinders were distributed to residents of the council.

Speaking at the occasion, the Executive Secretary of the council, Hon. Bola Badmus-Olujobi noted that the programme was initiated and launched by Governor Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) to promote a cleaner and healthier environment for residents of the state.

On the benefits derivable from the cooking gas cylinder, she said: “The liquefied cooking gas cylinder has lots of advantages over the traditional systems of cooking such as firewood, coal and electricity. It is cheaper, cooks faster, safer, portable, healthier and cleaner.

“In view of its effectiveness and efficiency, it has been adopted by developed and developing countries the world over. There is no gainsaying that Lagos State Government, being a pace-setter in matters concerning the welfare of its citizens, has equally adopted and is promoting the use of the liquefied cooking gas cylinder by the residents at the grassroots.”

She urged beneficiaries to use the cooking gas cylinders as instructed by the manufacturers, saying “you have no need to ignorantly abandon, sell or rent them out to your disadvantage”.

Also speaking, the representative of the Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr Adeniyi Steven said there was the need to create awareness on the benefits of the use of cooking gas.

He also said the use of cooking gas will reduce the heat that emit from kerosene stoves, even as he added that it will also ensure healthy living condition as our kitchens where meals are prepared will be clean enough; it will reduce soot and carbon emissions and general air pollution.

He further said: “Scientists have also indicated that cooking gas has no adverse impact on the environment compared with the traditional energy sources such as fuel wood and coal. With the use of kerosene, women and children are directly exposed to pollution.”

Noting that it requires rigorous sensitisation for people to key into the campaign on clean environment, Mr Steven said “educating Nigerians on the need to switch to this clean and abundant energy service is very necessary for Nigerians, especially women to adopt the cooking gas as their energy service for all their domestic energy needs.

He further said with the use of cooking gas, there would be less attack on the environment. He, however, expressed his confidence that with “government’s efforts towards cleaner environment, we are sure that adequate sensitisation on the need for people to adopt cooking gas as suitable alternative source of energy for domestic use will be sustained. Fears on the part of some landlords concerning the use of cooking gas are unfounded as most often, fire outbreaks are as a result of improper installation.”

High points of the event were demonstration by Mr Steven on how to assemble the cylinder for use and for safety and distribution of the cooking gas cylinders to beneficiaries.

April 1, 2015
Ladoja calls for cancellation of polls

The national leader and governorship candidate of Accord , Sen Rashidi Ladoja has called for the cancellation of Saturday’s presidential and national assembly election in the state on the ground of what he described as ‘electoral irregularities”.

Ladoja had earlier had a meeting in his Bodija residence, Ibadan with the Minister of State for Federal Capital Territory, Oloye Jumoke Akinjide?, the State Governorship candidate of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Sen Teslim Folarin, his Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Engr Seyi Makinde, deputy governorship candidate of Labour Party, Alh Sarafadeen Alli, former deputy governor of the state, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja and Sen Ayo Adeseun.

The Accord national leader while addressing journalist after their visit, said the Saturday election in Oyo State was the worst conducted in the history of the state, stressing that the party rejects the result and should be cancelled.

“INEC really messed the polls up, most of the problems came form the Permanent Voters Card that were distributed over the night on Friday. INEC said accreditation will start by 8am but mostof the polling centres got the the voting units lately, some came around 10am, while most of the officials arrived in other places around 1pm.

“?In some places, election materials got to the voting units lately, while in some places after accreditation ballot papers were not available for voting. For instance in Ido local government, the voting papers got there around 7pm in the night,and the counting was done late into the night and no lightening was provided by INEC. The problem also shifted to the polling units to the collation centres were the results were different from the once announced at the collation centres to the other” Ladoja said

According to him, there were many discrepancies by the agents of the opposition parties, as the security men on ground were not adequate.

The Accord leader said the election in the state was either pre-determined to fail or pre-designed to favour the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidates in the state.

He went further that:” I wonder why INEC didn’t redeploy Amb Rufus Akeju from this state after all the protest and with what he caused in Osun State. He is not capable to conduct credible election”

Ladoja warned that if all the anomalies pointed out is not addressed before the April 11 polls, the party will resolved to seek self help by protecting their votes with all means possible.

Commenting on the meetings he earlier had with Akinjide, Folarin, Makinde and others, he said:” They all came to my house to seek my advice on what happened during the Saturday polls. They share similar views with me on it and they also came to the conclusion that the election should ?be cancelled”

He dispelled the rumour of the possibilities of teeming up with the opposition parties in the state to dislodge APC.

April 1, 2015
Ekiti election: Not a walkover for Jonathan

Last Saturday’s election in Ekiti State was a much closer contest between the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), unlike the situation in June, last year few months during the gubernatorial election reports SEUN AKIOYE.

Not a few Nigerians expected the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in Ekiti state to be violent even though there will be no gubernatorial elections there on April 11, 2015. This position was further reinforced when several studies and independent analysis posited the state as one of the flashpoints for violence.

The stakes in Ekiti are high. The governor, Ayodele Fayose, only five months ago rode to power on the back of his acclaimed local populism and provincial credentials. In the election that brought him to Oke Ayoba Government House, he won by a landslide. Thus, he was expected to also help deliver the state to his political party the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in similar manner.

•Jonathan

Also, in the build up to the election, Governor Fayose has been most vociferous in his campaign for the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan. While many would describe his method as “devilish” and unconventional, Fayose insisted he had no regrets for his unabashed support for the president.

It was this scenario that set the mood for the Presidential election in Ekiti state. On Thursday, 26th March, 2015, Fayose in rounding off his campaign to the Ekiti people boasted on the Ekiti state radio that the election would be a landslide for the PDP. That sentiment was also shared by top members of the party.

However, around the state, there were ominous sign that the election would not be a walk over for the ruling party. The sign around the different local governments visited by The Nation revealed that the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) would not be railroaded as suggested by the governor. Former governor of the state, Otunba Niyi Adebayo told The Nation in Iyin on the eve of the election that the party was more prepared than the ruling party in sensitization of the voters.

He said: “We are more than prepared; we have done everything possible, we have campaigned, we have gone round the state, much more than the people we are contesting against, we have educated the voters, our level of preparedness is very high. We honestly believe that given a level playing field, we have no doubt that the APC should win all the elections here in Ekiti.”

The aggressive campaign by the APC towards Saturday’s presidential election could serve several purposes but chief among that is to reconnect with the people and restore the confidence lost during the gubernatorial election. That may also have been the reason why even though the party lost all the 16 local governments to the PDP, it was not with the landslide the ruling party expected, the APC came in a respectable second position in the elections.

Election generally peaceful, despite fracas

Despite the threat of violence, residents of the state came out early for accreditation in many of the local governments monitored by The Nation. The general conduct of the election was also peaceful, but there was always the threat of violence and disruptions. Early in the morning, former governor Dr. Kayode Fayemi had set up a command post in his home in Isan Ekiti. Around 10: am, he received a report about a shooting in Ikere Ekiti by persons associated with the Deputy Governor. Dr. Olubunmi Olusola- Ereka.

But Special Assistant to the governor on Public Communication and New Media, Mr. Lere Olayinka denied that the Deputy Governor was implicated in the shooting. But investigations conducted by The Nation at the trouble spot in Ikere-Ekiti revealed that the victim was taken from Ikere General Hospital to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital in Ado Ekiti.

A doctor who preferred anonymity said: “The man was brought to the hospital around 1: pm, he was shot in the back. We have treated him and he is in a stable condition,” he said. Apart from Ikere, there were pockets of violence in some wards and local governments especially in Gboyin where hoodlums disrupted voting in five polling units.

In the state capital, there were no reports of violence or electoral malpractice and the same pattern was replicated in many of the local government. Former Governor Fayemi told The Nation that despite pockets of violence, the election should be smooth.

But even though voting was concluded early in many of the polling stations, results did not come into the INEC collation center until Sunday morning. The Nation correspondent who spent the night at INEC headquarters reports that at the Registration Area Centers (RAC), results were being collated into the early morning.

Journalists were not the only parties interested in getting the results early, members of Governor Fayose’s media team were also on the prowl in many of the RAC to collate results on Saturday night. One of the aides who spoke to The Nation said it was to prevent any fraudulent activities regarding the final results.

Not a walk over

•Buhari

When the results began to come in, many were surprised at the showing of the APC. For instance, in Ifelodun Irepodun local government, the home of APC chieftain Niyi Adebayo and former Labour party gubernatorial candidate, Opeyemi Bamidele and incumbent governor, Fayose, the PDP defeated the APC by just 3,425 votes. This should be a surprise because of the strong presence of Gov. Fayose.

Another surprising outcome is from Emure local government where the difference is 1,469 votes. Even more unanticipated is Ilejemeje local government where the PDP led by a mere 799 votes. But the PDP had a field day in Ikere and Ado Ekiti where the PDP trounced the APC 14,091 to 7,990 and 25,411 to 14, 414 in Ikere and Ado Ekiti respectively. The Ikere case is hardly surprising since the deputy governor is said to be “on ground”. But some APC sympathizers claimed that the shooting in the area may have had an effect on the outcome.

However, there were cases of electoral fraud in some wards as reported by the collating officers. For instance in Moba, hoodlums came to seven polling stations in Osan with guns and attacked the Electoral officers. The election was cancelled in seven units.

In Oye local government, there was a case of over voting in unit 11, ward 11. The number of accredited voters was 299 but the number of recorded votes was 403. In Ikere, the collating officer declined to write a report on the violence claiming it happened before the election. “There was no report of any incident and the celebrated incident happened in ward 6 unit 2 before the election began,” he said.

In Emure, ward 6, unit 6, there was a case of over voting, where 188 was accredited 191 votes recorded. Also there was attack by hoodlums who kicked the ballot boxes forcing the votes to be cancelled.

Also in Gboyin, five polling units were cancelled in Aiyesogba when hoodlums attacked midway into the election. In Ekiti East, there was a case of over voting in two polling units in ward 6, with the number of accredited voters being 262 and votes recorded 269.

There was however a moment of tension when the collating officer for Ijero local government, Francis Adebayo came late to the collating center claiming that he almost lost his life to some overzealous security officials. Adebayo came to INEC without the original white result sheet claiming the Electoral Officer in charge of Ijero had seized it.

According to some of the witnesses, trouble began when Polling Unit officers began to protest over unpaid allowances causing commotion. Adebayo, who returned with the duplicate result sheet, said he barely escaped with his life when security officers refused to provide him security to return to Ado Ekiti.

However, the returning officer for the PDP in Ijero, Retd General Joseph Ayeni disputed Adebayo’s claim. “There was no commotion in Ijero but a disagreement. Every security officer wanted a copy of the result, nobody even touched the collating officer,” he said.

The returning officer of the APC and former chairman of the local government, Hon. Ojo Atibioke corroborated Ayeni’s position. “There was no fighting and it is unfortunate that the collating officer was saying he was almost gunned down. Trouble began when the security officers began to demand for duplicate copies of the report, but there was no fighting,” he said.

However, the Resident Electoral Commission (REC) in Ekiti, Sam Olumekun gave a pass mark on the conduct of the election describing it as “successful and a wonderful exercise.” On the pockets of violence, he said they were not sufficient enough to affect the outcome of the election. He also said INEC is about to retrieve the white result sheet from the electoral officer.

April 1, 2015
Oyo opposition are paperweight, says APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State has said the dismissal outing of opposition parties in the state has shown them as paperweight parties.

The party, in a statement in Ibadan yesterday by its state Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, thanked the people for keeping faith with the party as demonstrated by the victory in last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

It added that the voting pattern of the last elections clearly showed their belief and support for the APC-led administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi as well as their political sophistication.

“Besides, the outcome of the elections has shown that the people will never again fall for the bait of propaganda, deceit, falsehood, character assassination and reactionary politics for which the leading opposition parties’ candidates are known.

“Now that the people of Oyo State have, again shown, their preference for the APC, we strongly advise the followers of Teslim Folarin (PDP), Rashidi Ladoja (Accord) and Adebayo Alao-Akala (LP) to review their stance and jump out of the turbulent ship in order not to sink with them.”

The APC said the showing of the LP in some parts of Ogbomoso attests to the party’s position that the ex-governor is a local champion.

“With the outcome of the election, Ladoja and his Accord Party should, by now, resign to fate that the people have finally rejected them.

“Again, the people of Oyo State and supporters of the Accord should realise that it is not in their best interest to support the party which neither has root nor foundation capable of protecting their interest at the state and national levels,’’ it said.

The party appealed to the people to embrace the broom revolution sweeping across the country, particularly in the Southwest, by supporting the APC and its candidate, Abiola Ajimobi, for the April 11 Governorship and House of Assembly elections.

April 1, 2015
12 years after, Ajimobi signs School of Hygiene Bill into law

A bill to upgrade the Oyo State School of Hygiene in Ibadan to a full fledged college of Health Science and Technology has been signed into law by Governor Abiola Ajimobi.The bill which had been in the making since 2003 has been swept under the carpet and abandoned by previous administrations in the state. But last year, Senator Ajimobi sent it to the State House of Assembly where it was passed by the lawmakers in November and was signed into law shortly after by the governor.

But recently, the state governor,Senator Abiola Ajimobi sponsored the bill to the state house of assembly and it was passed by the lawmakers in November 2014, while the governor signed it into law barely two weeks ago.

Speaking on the development, the Provost of the college, Mr Siji Ganiyu lauded the lawmakers and Governor Ajimobi for the initiative, stressing that what the past administrations in the state could not achieve in the last 20 years, the present administration has done it within year.

According to him, the implication of this new development for the College is that it will now be fully accredited by the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE).

Ganiyu also stated that it will give the state additional manpower to ensure a healthy environmental delivery.

“Since Governor Ajimobi came on board he has transformed the school tremendously, our facilities has been upgraded to meet up with international standards. We have six courses before but now we have nine and we are still planning on introducing two move in the 2015/2016 session.

“The courses offered now include ; public health nurding, environmental health technology, pharmacy technicians, community health extention workers, junior community health extention workers, health information management, food hygiene and health assistants. “He said

Listing some of the present administration achievements in the school, the provost said some of them include; “creation of additional staff offices and 54-bed-spaces hostel for students usage. Re-connection of school water system with the state water corporation, production and distribution of first ever student code of conduct handbook. Provision of additional books and journals in the school library. Beautification and landscaping of the school premises.

Others are;”procurement of two additional 18 seaters departmental buses. Employment of six additional temporary lecturers and restoration of peace and tranquility on campus”

Ganiyu also disclosed that the student’s performance has been encouraging, adding that it has increased from 50 per cent to 100 per cent.

He said:” In one or two courses, the student’s performances were a bit above 50 per cent, while in the majority, the performances ranges between 85 per cent and100 per cent.

April 1, 2015
‘Warn your children against violence’

The Southwest Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria, Archbishop Magnus Atilade has called on parents to warn their children against any form of violence activity before, during and after the Presidential election.

Atilade made this called at an Intercessory Prayers For Peace in Nigeria organized by Christian Association of Nigeria in collaboration with Coalition of Christian NGO’s held last Wednesday at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

The prayer meeting tagged: “Let God arise brought together hundreds of Christian faithful from different denominations which feature thanksgiving service, prophetic ministration and chain prayer sessions for peaceful conduct of the 2015 election.

According to him, parents should caution their children or ward against any form of violence activities during the 2015 election because God himself would arise and over power them and cancel their entire plan.

Atilade noted that the election should not be a do or die affair and anybody should allow himself to be used by politician bags to cause mayhem or bloodshed.

He said “Don’t allow your children to be used as agent of violence and destruction because God himself would arise and over power them and cancel their entire plan. We have seen the promise land and the promise land is that there would be peace in Nigeria.

He appealed to the federal government to deploy all the security agents of government across the country especially to flash point areas for peace during the elections.

Although he asserted that soldiers should not mount polling stations or deploy to suppress or intimate voters, Atilade said soldiers should be up and running in the discharged of their duty to protect lives and properties.

He continued “Military should be on red alert during the election and anyone that is caught perpetrating violence should be duty accosted. We stand for peace and hate perpetrators of evil in our land. All we are saying is that we don’t want army to be use to suppress voters but to maintain peace and orderliness which is their constitutional responsibility”

In his words, the state Chairman of CAN, Apostle Alex Bamgbola task Christians to continue to pray for peace as the election approaches because God has promise to answer our prayer when we pray to him in faith

He said “God has a plan for our nation and the devil has its own plan too. Thank God for given us Christ Jesus with whom we have our victory. It is only in peace that we can do anything we want to do. It is only in peace that God can bless us. God is not the author of confusion. God bless the people who bless him, we thank him for what he has done.

April 1, 2015
Bloody day in Owo as robbers kill bank manager, others

Three months after armed robbers unleashed terror on Ikare-Akoko in Ondo State killing no fewer than 20 persons during a bank robbery, another major town in the state has by men of the underworld.

A seven-member armed robbery gang struck in the ancient town of Owo last Thursday raiding four commercial banks and carting away an unspecified large amount of money. They also killed many people.

Among the victims were a bank manager and his deputy who were felled by the robbers’ bullets.

The dare devil armed robbers reportedly used dynamite to shatter the security doors to penetrate the banks to perpetrate their dastardly act.

It was learnt that the branch manager of a first generation bank in the town and his assistant were killed during the robbery operation.

Eye witness said the two officials failed to “co-operate” with the robbers when they stormed their bank.

The robbers, according to findings seized the town at about 4.00pm and shot sporadically into the air till they got to the heart of the town where they robbed the commercial banks.

Findings also revealed that the armed robbers carted away an undisclosed amount of money from the banks, while many workers sustained injuries.

It was also gathered from unconfirmed sources that some residents of the town were shot dead, while others sustained serious injuries.

The incident however caused pandemonium in the town as many residents who read political meanings to the incident protested round the town after the incident.

A source alleged that the Police officers who witnessed the robbery did not challenge the armed robbers while the operation lasted.

A resident of the town who spoke on condition of anonymity hinted that the armed robbers entered the town through the Owo-Abuja highway and moved straight to the heart of the town

where major commercial banks are located.

It was gathered that the armed robbers escaped arrest despite the presence of Police officers at the scene of the incident.

The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Ondo State Police command, Mr Wole Ogodo who confirmed the incident said policemen had been deployed to the town to enforce orderliness.

While condemning the incident, some residents of the town blamed the police for shying away from their responsibilities in resisting the robbers.

April 1, 2015
Royal rumble in Ikere-Ekiti

In Ikere, the second largest town in Ekiti State, the presence of two traditional rulers- Ogoga and Olukere is causing some disquiet within the royal circle as the two Obas engage in a supremacy battle. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports.

With an estimated population of about 100, 000 residents, Ikere-Ekiti, the second largest town in Ekiti State is home to two traditional ruler, Ogoga and Olukere, both of whom are laying claim to supremacy over the other.

The development, which is almost as old as the town is causing concern within the royal circle following the none presentation of a staff of office to the Olukere Oba Ganiyu Obasoyin by the state government seven months after he ascended the throne of his forefathers.

Oba Obasoyin wants the staff of office from the government to seal his claim to being a tradition ruler in the town and enable him enjoy the salary and other perks of office, while the Regent of Ikere, Princess Ayooye Adegboye, who is standing in for the Ogoga following the death of her father, the immediate past Ogoga of Ikere, Oba Adegoke Adegboye, would have none of this, insisting that the Olukere is not a king known to the town.

Strategically located in the southern part of the state, and in between two big capital cities of Akure, Ondo State and Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State, Ikere-Ekiti is the home town of some prominent Yoruba sons and daughter, including world famous singer, songwriter and record producer, Sade Adu; eminent lawyer and former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) who holds the title of Mayegun of Ikere, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN); world renowned poet and literary giant, Prof. Niyi Osundare; Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone 6, Mr. Tunde Ogunsakin, just to mention a few.

The issue of traditional institution in the community has been one of the most controversial, with the Ogoga acknowledged as the paramount ruler while the Olukere is regarded in history as the first royal institution in the town.

Records since the colonial days favour the Ogoga as the recognized traditional ruler of Ikere while traditional history and local folklore favour the Olukere as the founder of the community.

While the palace of the Ogoga is located in Uro area of the town, that of the Olukere is situated in Odo-Oja and the two locations are a walking distance from each other.

The last Ogoga, Oba Samuel Adegoke Adegboye, passed on in August last year and no person has been appointed and installed to replace him.

In the meantime, a daughter of his, Princess Ayooye Adegboye-Oyinlola, was appointed Regent by the state government pending the ascension to the throne of a new Ogoga.

Shortly before Adegboye joined his ancestors after reigning for 43 years, a new Olukere, Oba Ganiyu Ayodele Obasoyin was installed by the kingmakers traditionally charged with the responsibility of selecting the Olukere.

Before Obasoyin ascended the throne , his predecessor, Oba Olufemi Ijasan fought a bitter supremacy battle with the Ogoga which became a celebrated court case in a bid to assert the importance of the Olukere stool.

This was because the Olukere was not recognized by successive governments and was not given a seat among the Council of Traditional Rulers in the state.

But Obasoyin insisted that Ogoga is a “tenant” in Ikere while he (the Olukere) is the “landlord” adding that “a tenant cannot claim supremacy over the landlord.”

Shortly after Obasoyin was selected and installed as the new Olukere, he wrote a letter to the state government to commence the process for his coronation and presentation of a staff of office.

But the response of the state government, according to him, was that before his coronation could be performed and a staff of office handed to him, a new Ogoga must be installed.

Obasoyin believed that the installation of a new Ogoga should not delay his own coronation as history shows that the two traditional rulers existed side-by-side in Ikere and the demise of the late Ogoga

should not constitute a hindrance to his receipt of the staff of office.

The Olukere therefore called on Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose to present him with his staff of office seven months after being installed as king.

Obasoyin said the appeal became necessary as the community was getting ready for the Osooro Festival which marks the commencement of the planting season in the community.

He explained that the tradition of the town demands that the traditional ruler should be the first person in the community to plant before others hence the need to ensure his coronation and presentation

of the staff of office.

Obasoyin said since coronation of a traditional ruler can only be performed by the government, Fayose should intervene and remove the bottlenecks delaying his coronation for him to occupy his rightful

place among brother Obas in the state.

The Olukere said he had written to the government on the matter but was told by the officials of Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs that his coronation is being delayed by the non-installation of a new Ogoga of Ikere.

But Obasoyin disclosed that he had written to the government that his coronation should not be delayed by the non-installation of a new Ogoga maintaining that the Olukere stool had existed before that of the Ogoga.

He regretted that the delay of his coronation had denied him of many privileges including payment of his salaries and allowances as an Oba adding that the last Olukere who reigned for 19 years was also denied the perks of office.

The monarch appealed to his subjects who are growing impatient with the seven-month delay of his coronation to remain calm and be law-abiding and cooperate with the state government to resolve the matter.

His words: “I have sent a memo to the Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs and I am surprised that they asked us to wait until a new Ogoga is installed. The last Olukere was on the throne for 19 years and no dime was paid to him either as salaries or allowances.

“If you go to the Ekiti State Government website and click on Ekiti history, it was clearly stated that we have two Obas in Ikere and the two are on the payroll of the government.

“I have not been paid a dime by the state government because my coronation has not been performed. I believe the delay is being caused by fifth columnists trying to create disaffection in the community.

“I am appealing to Governor Fayose because we know he believes in justice, equity and fair play and we urge him to accede to our request as soon as possible so that I can perform my duties to the best of my ability so that peace will reign in Ikere.

“Coronation cannot be done secretly it has to be done openly for everybody to see. It is a function to be performed by the government and we have written to the government and it is being delayed based on a letter from the Ministry (Bureau) of Chieftaincy Affairs.

“I have written back to the government that my coronation should not be delayed by (the non-installation of) Ogoga. We have been in Ikere before Ogoga.

“A tenant cannot claim supremacy over the landlord. I have written back to the Council of Obas and cited facts to substantiate our claims that I am the traditional ruler for Ikere and I am expecting a reply.

“Unfortunately, the townsmen and women are not happy but I am appealing for peace and calm from them. We have a government which believes in justice, equity and fair play led by Governor Fayose. I have been speaking to my people to remain calm until government grants our request.

Demanding the same recognition accorded the Ogoga, the Olukere said: “It has been stated expressly and clearly in the historical books that the Olukere had been an Oba in Ikere before the advent of the Ogoga.

“At the demise of every Olukere, there is always an interregnum of three months. The Olukere has a traditional council, the kingmakers and his own chiefs responsible for selection and installation of the Olukere just like the Ogoga.

“If you go the Ekiti State website and click on Ikere-Ekiti history, it is clearly stated there that we have two Obas in Ikere and the two are on the payroll of the government even though I have not been paid

a dime by the state government because I had not been installed.

“The delay is caused by fifth columnists trying to create disaffection in the community. The last Olukere was on the throne for 19 years and nothing was paid to him either as salaries or allowances.”

On the effect of his delayed coronation, Obasoyin said”: It has been affecting the functions of my office so much but as the founder of Ikere, we have to source for funds to perform traditional festivals and other issues that involve money.

“The last Olosunta Festival cost us N5 million and the Osooro Festival also involves spending money due to the fact that government has not been giving us money, it has affected us.

“We are appealing to the governor because he believes in justice, fair play and equity and we urge him to accede to our request as soon as possible so that we can perform our duties to the best of our ability so that peace can reign in Ikere.

“The 5 per cent of the allocation coming from the Federation Account to the traditional council of the town goes to the local government chieftaincy account and the local government council disburses the money as stipulated.

“But the issue of Ikere is not the same because the Ogoga-in-Council has created a special account into which the money is paid.”

None of the officials working at the Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs was ready to offer explanation on what is causing the delay when The Nation sought the government position on the issue saying they must get the approval from the Head of Service before granting any press interview.

When The Nation checked the Ekiti State Government website, it corroborated the view expressed by the Olukere in staking his claim for the staff of office and a seat in the State Council of Traditional

Rulers. It reads: “Welcome to the true story of a people whose existence defines unity and their nickname, “Ekiti Parapo”, echoes it proudly. Welcome to the only city ruled by two kings. Ikere-Ekiti, a wonderland wallowing in an admixture of profound civilization and tenacious cultural learning”.

According to the website: “The first Olukere came from Ile-Ife and founded Ikere, much later, the first Ogoga, a hunter, left his base in Benin and came to Ikere on a hunting spree. Reaching

Ikere, he went and stayed with the Olukere at his palace. As time passed by, the number of people bringing cases to the Olukere for settlement started increasing by the day until it reached a point when he could not do everything alone.

“He then asked Ogoga to go and stay at Iro to attend to the people on his behalf while he, the Olukere would continue with other traditional assignments. The Ogoga started carrying out the job assigned to him until he eventually attained the position of authority.

“As ordained by tradition, Ogoga and Olukere usually meet once a year during the Olosunta Festival. That day, Olukere wears his crown while the Ogoga merely wears a cap. Today, both Ogoga and Olukere are, in the best interest of the people, generally seen as the head. And both are on the government payroll”.

Though history tends to support the Olukere’s claim, members of the Ogoga dynasty have refuted this claim describing him as a “traditional priest” and maintaining that the Olukere was never a traditional ruler in the community.

The Regent, Princess Ayooye who spoke with The Nation at the Ogoga Royal Palace said there are plethora of documents to show that the Ogoga is not only the recognized Oba but also the paramount ruler of Ikere and its environs.

She explained that the letter written by the Olukere to the State Council of Traditional Rulers not only embarrassed the community but also angered traditional rulers in the state.

The Regent said the members of the Ogoga Royal Dynasty would have reacted to the claims of the Olukere but were prevailed upon to keep quiet by eminent sons and daughters of the community.

She said: “From the ages past, the Ogoga had been the paramount ruler of the Ikere Kingdom and the Olukere is just a worshipper of the Olosunta deity and he is a minor chief.

“Reading from the Intelligence Report, you cannot be telling the prescribed authority that installed you that you want to become a king. The Olukere had never attended the meeting of the Pelupelu (the sixteen foremost kings in Ekiti).

“The Ogoga appointed him and the Ogoga is the prescribed authority. All the Kabiyesis, the Iwarefa Mefa, the Are Iyin, they know where they belong.

“None of his forbears went to the Pelupelu meetings, he is the priest of the Olosunta deity and he is not the king. For example, if there are issues to resolve, they always bring it to the Ogoga Palace and only very serious ones are taken to the Police.

“My brother, Olukere is not a King, we know only of one Oba in Ikere, we are peace-loving people. It is during the celebration of the Ijero Festival that the Olukere comes out and people used to come from overseas to witness it.

“The Olukere has a room that he stays in this palace during the festival and they will host all the wives of the palace. The Ogoga will come out and the Olukere will come out.

“The two of them will face the direction of the Olosunta Hill and they will pray for the peace, progress and development of the community.

“No member of his dynasty had been crowned as king, he should go and look for the Intelligence Report, nobody calls him “Kabiyesi”.

“How many people in his lineage was ever crowned, let his people enlighten him. I wonder, in what way will he become king?”

The Regent obliged our reporter a copy of the “Intelligence Report (Ikere District) written between 1928 and 1935 by Mr. M.T. Bovell-Jones, the Assistant District Officer, Ado-Ekiti and the issue of Olukere could be found on Page 43.

Another document is an official statement that emanated from the Governor’s Office Ado-Ekiti during the reign of Ijasan as the Olukere.

It reads: “The Olukere chieftaincy is a chieftaincy to which Part 1 of the existing Chiefs Edict does not apply. Hence the Ogoga of Ikere will continue to be the prescribed authority in respect of this chieftaincy and in respect of all other minor chieftaincies in Ikere.

“Government, has, therefore directed Engr. Olufemi Ijasan who has been parading himself as the Olukere to stop doing so forthwith and therefore vacate the official residence of the Olukere immediately.

“In effect, the appointment of a new Olukere should commence de novo in line with the custom and tradition of Ikere.”

When asked about the Osooro Festival Obasoyin was referring to as one of the traditional festivals performed by the Olukere, Ayooye said performance of such festivals is the responsibility of the Olukere as the “chief Priest” of the kingdom.

Ayooye said: “He (the Olukere) is the chief priest and the Osooro is one of the festivals he performs to ensure the fertility of the land.

Let him quote the name of his father or ancestors that had been king before him.”

On the history of Ikere having two kings on the payroll of the government, the Regent admitted that she had not visited the state government website to read the content but said defiantly that “anybody can write whatever he likes on the website”.

She concluded: “Ogoga is the paramount ruler and chairman of the traditional council in Ikere. I have been paid the allowance in the local government and I am paying my chiefs here.

“We are going to correct the anomaly that is written on the Ekiti State Government website. To favour him, he can go and write what he likes. Ogoga has been the paramount ruler of Ikere for ages.”

The Olori Omoowa who is the head of the princes and princesses of Ikere Kingdom, Chief M. Adegboye Akapinsa, conducted our reporter round the inner recesses of the Ogoga Palace and showed him a room known as the Owa Ifa.

The Olori Omoowa and another palace official demonstrated how the Ogoga used to receive the homage of the Olukere as one of the rite of the Owa Ijero.

Akapinsa claimed that the Owa Ifa is the room in which the Olukere stays after receiving blessings from the Ogoga.

He said: “This is the Owa Ifa, the room which the Olukere stays after receiving blessings from the Ogoga. He (the Olukere) is the only one entering the place once in a year and he come out in the day.

“Olukere Adebusuyi was the last person to come here, nobody installed Ijasan as the Olukere.”

As the controversy continues to rage, it is expected that the state government would find a lasting solution to it and stop the rumblings in the royal circle in Ikere-Ekiti.

March 25, 2015