The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southwest

  • No room for criminals

    No room for criminals

    In Ogun State crime rate has dropped palpably. In the last quarter of the year, particularly in the month of December, there were no reports of violent crimes – bank robbery, murder, car snatching, shoplifting burglary, highway robbery among others.

    And save pocket of cases of assault and stealing and kidnapping of former Primate of the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Dr Jasper Peter Akinola, Ogun State may be said to have enjoyed crime – free December.

    Akinola who is the immediate past Head of the Anglican Church and also ex – President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) was kidnapped along with his daughter and driver last December 24 opposite the entrance of the Peter Akinola Foundation Centre for Youth Industrial Training at kilometer 10 near Obada – Oko along Abeokuta-Lagos Expressway around 3pm but the Police rescued them unscathed seven hours later .

    Even the Bankers’ Committee in the state acknowledged that the waves of crimes have subsided significantly during their end-of-year Dinner and Awards’ night in Abeokuta compared to what obtained in previous years where banks operating in Ijebuland, Sagamu and Ilaro area of the state literary closed shops for weeks while GTBank locked its Ijebu – Ode branch for almost a year.

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) branch Controller, Abeokuta, Mr Adewale Joawo, who acknowledged this, said the resolve of the State government and the security agencies regarding provision of adequate security within the state and the “resultant reduction in the crime rate,” had afforded the banks the enabling environment to carry out their mandate uninterrupted.

    Joawo then  urged the Governor, Senator  Ibikunle Amosun to “sustain the effort” while the Bankers’ Committee conferred an Award of Excellence on the Commissioner of Police in Ogun, Mr Ikemefuna Okoye, for efficient policing of the state.

    Explaining the reduction or drop in crime rate in the state in the last one year, particularly during the yuletide, the Police Public Relations Officer in Ogun, Mr Olumuyiwa Adejobi, ascribed the development to the commitment of the Police leadership and the management in the state coupled with the help of the state government in providing logistics support.

    Adejobi said: “Crime rate usually goes up every December but what we have in Ogun State now is far better off than what we had last year. It is far, far better off and it is what people can see because save petty crimes such assault and stealing which one cannot ordinarily eradicate in its entirety, there is no record violent crime either bank robbery, robbery, even the ATM robbery attempt at the premises of Crescent University was foiled, one person was arrested, the only major one was the kidnapping of the Rev.(Dr) Jasper Peter Akinola but he was later rescued along with his daughter and driver.

    That is another example to let you know that the crime rate had not gone up here.

    “Things that have helped us to keep the crime rate quite low is the leadership of the police in the state – the Commissioner, Ikemefuna Okoye and the management team, are accessible, intelligent and full of initiatives, they think of things and make sure we have adequate  security arrangement in the state.

    “The leadership qualities they have, they have been able to penetrate all strata of the society starting from other security agencies.

    “The CP heads the monthly security forum including the state’s traffic agency where they brainstorm on effective policing of the state. He relates well with members of the society, the CP believes in community policing, he goes to the grassroots to meet the village heads and by this, people have come to see the police as accessible people.

    “It has corrected the erroneous impression that the police are hostile people, people feel more comfortable relating with the Police. This is boosting our robust intelligence driven policing. People now see giving police vital information as part of their civic responsibility. It is this information giving by the public that helped the rescue efforts on Dr Akinola.

    “Police relate with the state government for effective use of equipment and facilities, deploy and supervise men to man strategic places for desired result.

    The Police Public Relations department programmes sensitizing and educating the public on the right step to take to either prevent crime or fight it are also working.”    On the kidnapped and rescued former Primate of the Anglican Church, Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), told The Nation that passers-by alerted the police few minutes after the kidnapping act was carried out, adding that the police are still searching for the suspects and the vehicle belonging to Akinola.

    Adejobi said:” Passersby alerted us about five minutes after the crime, the caller said Baba has been kidnapped now, now. In fact I may say I was the first to be contacted. It is not up to five minutes the Baba and the vehicle were taken away that a call came. The information started spreading, everybody including the Commissioner of police moved to ensure that Baba is rescued alive.

    “ I know that the target of the suspects will be the border so, I quickly  informed the people at the border, I told Federal SARS, I told the state SARS, I notified the  FIIB at the border, DPO in Idi Iroko, DPO in Imeko and  Area Commander in Ilaro.

    “These are the places where you have border towns, I told them what was happening. A man on his own came and gave us information about the details of the vehicle.

    “Fortunately for the Police, when they (suspects) got to a point they started firing, the police now concluded that they were the suspects but the police were mindful of the fact that Baba might be inside the vehicle and should the police fire, it could turn out to be fatal and useless rescue operation.

    “Maybe the suspects thought the road was not safe and of course, their informants on bike they planted along the way had notified them the Police were everywhere, that was how they decided to abandon Baba between one police point and another, we knew they were moving towards the border, they abandoned the driver and daughter in another location.

    “We believed they may not have crossed the vehicle to neighbouring country of Republic of Benin because of the tight security mounted around the area. Whatever be the case we are still looking for the vehicle. Our operation discovered Baba and picked him. They started moving and later another team discovered. Baba’s daughter and the driver and brought them to Abeokuta.”

  • Itoikin: A town where it’s a taboo to keep goats as domestic animal

    Itoikin: A town where it’s a taboo to keep goats as domestic animal

    Itoikin is a town in Ijebu, Ogun State, like many other Yoruba towns. Its people are believed to have been established by some early settlers from the descendants of Oduduwa.

    According to the traditional ruler, the Alade-Ebute of Itoikin, Chief John Bamitale Ogunnoiki, one man named Digbe, believed to be one of the many sons of Oduduwa, had journeyed from Ile-Ife and after passing many towns finally settled in the place that is today known as Itoikin, with his wives and children and all the other people that travelled with him. Later, other people journeyed to Itoikin and settled down there with him.

    Digbe became the head of the settlement and since then, his descendants have been ruling the town with other chiefs.

    The current council of chiefs presiding over the affairs of the town along with their Kabiyesi, Chief Ogunnoiki includes Olori-Itun Adugbo, Isale-Ijebu, Chief Muibi Ajayi, Olori-Itun of Ago-Ekiti, Chief Duro Isaac Odusanya and the Community Development Association (CDA) Chairman, Mr. Francis Adeoye among others.

    At the early time, the people of Itoikin were predominantly farmers, hunters and fishermen. With development, they took up commerce and are believed to be doing well in their businesses.

    Prior to the construction of the Lagos/Ibadan/Benin expressway, the road that passed through Itoikin, from Lagos through Ikorodu, Ijebu-Ode, Ore to Benin and the far East, used to be very busy.

    Trailer drivers and passengers travelling to Benin and the east would stop over in Itoikin to re-fuel, eat and rest or pass the night, before continuing their journey. But today the expressway and that of Lekki/Epe have taken the shine off Itoikin as vehicular and passenger’s traffic have been drastically reduced.

    What is not known to many people is the fact that Itoikin, has its mystics, tourist potentials. The presence of goats is a common sight in most Yoruba towns, particularly the villages. But the same cannot be said of Itoikin.

    Itoikin is one town in Yorubaland where keeping of goats as domestic animal is a taboo. According to the traditional ruler of the town, in the olden days, the people of the town, like other Yoruba towns, were keeping goats.

    Kabiyesi Ogunnoki said that their fore-fathers came back from the farm much earlier than they normally do, to find the goats walking about on their hind legs like human beings. He said the people were so terrified as such happenings have never been heard of nor seen anywhere before then. He said that the reigning Kabiyesi, after divinations, ordered all goats in the town to be killed. The Kabiyesi also outlawed keeping goats in the homes. He said that since then, it has become a taboo for anyone to keep goats as domestic animals and nobody today dared to go against what has become a tradition in the town.

    Chief Ogunnoiki also said that the main river in the town, River Itoikin, over which a bridge is constructed to link Ajegunle to the town, is not an ordinary river. In the early days, the only way of crossing to the other side is the river to the other side. He said, it is also a taboo for anyone who is not a true son of the town to attempt to swim to and fro across the river as such a person would drown in the middle of the river.

    According to him, the god in the river does not frown at people swimming by its bank or those on a trip to swim across in order to continue with their journey. He said that it is an affront to the god for any body to swim defiantly to and fro the river. He said that in the early days, a lot of people had lost their lives in an attempt to test the potency of the god. Kabiyesi Ogunnoiki said that the myth of the river is a household story, particularly across Ijebuland and that in the resent day nobody dared to come to test the potency of the river again.

    He further disclosed that nobody has ever been known to throw a stone across the river. Such stones, according to him, always drop in the middle of the river. “Even if a catapult is used, the stone will still come back to drop in the middle of the river without crossing to the other side”, he insisted, stressing that the myth is also well known in the land.

    He said that the deity, Aaye lives in the river, while its shrine is situated by the riverside.

    The deity, Aaye is revered by every son and daughter of Itoikin, including the non-indigenes.

    Chief Ogunnoikin said that the deity. Aaye, has been the protector of the town and is known to have ward off a lot of evil things from the town and its people.

    He said that before any bad thing happens to the town, the deity would come out of the water and take any human form that pleases her, sometimes with a baby strapped behind her back and mingle with the people.

    Chief Ogunnoiki said that from amongst the people the deity comes across, she would chose somebody and send that person to the head of the town to inform him about the looming danger and what precipitations to be made and what is to be used to make the sacrifice in other to ward off the evil thing from the town.

    He said that woes would fall upon anybody given such message to deliver but failed to deliver it to the traditional ruler of the town. He said that similar thing awaits any traditional head that fails to offer sacrifices to ward off any looming bad thing as directed by Aaye.

    Aaye, according to Chief Ogunnoiki, is worshipped every second day after the Christmas by the people of the town. On that day, there will be cooking and eating and drinking and merry making in every home in Itoikin. He said that the Agemo cult would bring out the masquerade who would dance round the town three times, making precipitation and offering prayers around the town for the prosperity of the town.

    Chief Ogunoiki, lamented the unconcerned attitude of the leadership of the council area for not seeing the tourist potential in the town “except when it is me to collect taxes from the market men and women”.

    He challenged the leadership of the LCDA to take up the task of promoting the celebration of the deity so that the tourist potentials of the town could be exposed to the world, thereby bringing prosperity and development to the town.

     

  • ‘Reinstate our son in-law as Deji of Akure’

    ‘Reinstate our son in-law as Deji of Akure’

    The family of Olori Bolanle, the late wife of the deposed Deji of Akure, Oluwadare Adepoju Adesina has urged the Ondo State government and the Akure Council of Chiefs to consider the reinstatement appeal of the deposed monarch.

    Olori Bolanle was alleged to have been battered by the deposed monarch on May 30, 2010. The action was said to have infuriated the public and led the state government to remove him from the throne on June 10, 2010. He was subsequently banished to the neighbouring kingdom of Owo and he later left the country for the United Kingdom where he has been residing since.

    Adesina had last week written a letter to the state government and the town’s Council of Chiefs pleading for reinstatement following the death of the Deji of Akure, Oba Adebiyi Adesida on December 1.

    Already, the new Regent of Akure, Princess Adetutu Adesida-Dike has been installed to occupy the stool vacated by his father, late Oba Adesida.

    The family of High Chief Ojumu Fadeyi of Owo, where the late Olori Bolanle hailed from in a statement in Akure, the state capital at the weekend said both families have since reconciled and viewed the incident of 2010 as having been blown out of proportion.

    According to the statement, signed by the Head of the family, Chief Akinola Fadeyi and its secretary, Mr. Olanrewaju Fadeyi, the family said it was aware of the letter written to the state government by Adesina and agreed with the content pleading for his reinstatement as the Deji of Akure.

    It reads:”We have read the said letter from the print media and we have also heard the comments on the letter from the public domain, particularly media discourse on same. We are particularly touched by the frank, honest and humble content of the said letter. We are more touched by the gestures of forgiveness, godliness and love extended to our daughter even in her death and the dignity with which her memory has been treated by her husband.

    “Our family has considered all the issues that ensued before, during and after the deposition  and banishment of our in-law, Oba Oluwadare Adepoju Adesina, and we, by this forum (as we had done on many occasions before), appeal to Governor Olusegun Mimiko and the people of Akure to please consider the appeal of our in-law”.

    The family also recounted the efforts made by Bolanle to prevent the punishment given to her husband over the incident by making frantic pleas to the government over the issue in 2010.

    “We have since reconciled our differences and it is our belief that rescinding the orders of deposition and banishment would be more in tandem with the wishes of our late daughter,  Olori Bolanle Adesina (nee Fadeyi), who practically went about pleading with all that mattered for her husband’s reinstatement before her death.

    “It is our belief that reinstating our in-law to his position as the Deji of Akure will be a rare honour done to our family and the memory of our late daughter.

    “While we appreciate all those who stood by us throughout our season of challenges, we however call on all those seeking to benefit from this apparent matrimonial disagreement to remember that they too have families and children.

    “As a result of our commitment to the content of this document, our family has resolved to further write to His Excellency, the Governor of Ondo State, Akure Council of Chiefs, Akure Community Leaders and all other stakeholders and, where necessary, visit them to further buttress our points”, the statement read.

     

  • NGO lifts women group in Ondo

    NGO lifts women group in Ondo

    Better days are ahead for womenfolk in Ondo State as a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Nigeria Women Empowerment and Poverty Eradication Initiative (NIWEPEI) has empowered women groups in the state with the disbursement of a loan totaling N17.5 million.

    NIWEPEI is an organisation dedicated to assisting women groups in the country in the area of self-reliance, economic integration, cooperation and growth.

    At the ceremony, the group’s coordinator, Olasupo Olakunori said the NGO has taken it as a responsibility to partner with Nigerian women particularly in Ondo State in the area of economic empowerment for poverty eradication and self-reliance.

    He said the decision to collaborate has yielded a fruitful result with the disbursement of the fund.

    Besides, he said the Ondo State Cooperative Women Alliance (ONCOWA) has disbursed about N13 million to about 60 women groups in Akure.

    He commended some beneficiaries of the phase one of the programme for their impressive performance on a similar loan disbursed on September 14 this year. The Coordinator also commended the Oredegbe Micro-finance Bank for assisting in creation of jobs, small scale business and development of human resources.

    Olakunori thanked the state president of NIWEPEI, Mrs. Bosede Oyewole and the government for providing enabling environment for the project to succeed.

    He urged President Goodluck Jonathan to allow the office of the New Partnership for Africa Development (NEPAD) to oversee NGOs across the country.

     

  • Administrative stalemate in Ondo local govts

    Local government, the third tier of government after Federal and State governments is going through trying time in Ondo State.

    As the government closest to the grassroots where the bulk of the populace reside, the constitution designed the local government to be independent of the other tiers but that has regrettably not been the case for some time now in the Sunshine state as the councils administration are more or less being run by the state government through state appointed caretaker chairmen.

    Not too long ago, the State House of Assembly again extended the tenure of caretaker chairmen in all the 18 local government areas of the state for another six months. The lawmakers gave the directive at their plenary sitting in Akure, the state capital.

    This is the fourth time the tenure of the caretaker chairmen would be extended by the assembly since the inception of the Dr Olusegun Mimiko administration.

    The Labour Party (LP) administration in the state has not conducted local government election in the almost five years due to protracted legal battle.

    The decision of Governor Mimiko on the legal tussle attracted scathing criticisms from observers who have roundly condemned the extension that has completely stalled developments in the councils.

    During the administration of late Dr. Olusegun Agagu, there was complete autonomy for local government chairmen to develop at their own pace as there was no interference from any quarters.

    The local government councils had executive chairmen, unlike in the past five years when council administrators have remained figure heads taking order from above.

    Gone are the days when council chairmen executed laudable projects even to the extent of tarring some kilometers of roads and met up with many other obligations with their meagre monthly allocations.

    Local Government elections have been on hold in the state following the suit filed in 2009 by the Association of Local Government Chairmen of Nigeria (ALGON) then headed by the former Chairman, Akure South Local Government Chairman, Mr Adedayo Omolafe against the state government.

    Mimiko dissolved the then Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) structure in the local government shortly after his victory at the Appeal Court, Benin, Edo State on February 23, 2009 which forced the council chairmen to seek legal redress which is still pending more than four years after.

    The present caretaker chairmen in the 18 local governments are mere stooges in the local councils, as they cannot take decisions on their own because they are tied to the apron of the State Executive Council hence the slow pace of development in the towns and villages.

    Apart from this, there is no peace among the workers of the local government councils under the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE).

    The problem was the fall-out of its recent election won by Mr Bunmi Eniayewun who has not been allowed to resume work since, thereby paralysing all activities in NULGE and the local government councils.

    It was alleged that the state government was interested in the said election, but failed to have its candidate emerge, hence the crack in the rank of the local government workers.

    This led to the formation of a splinter group ‘Association of Local Government Workers (AOLW) led by Mr Isaac Fasina that eventually pulled out of its parent Union, NULGE.

    All the aggrieved members who were against the emergence of the new NULGE boss refused to pay their check off dues being used to run the affairs of the association.

    Unfortunately, Eniayewu and some top officials at the local government councils are on interdiction for about seven months now instead of the constitutional three months over allegation of fraud in the local government councils.

    This according to sources was the fall out of the screening exercise conducted in the local councils by the state government which eventually led to the disengagement of over 10,000 described as ‘ghost workers’

    When The Nation visited NULGE secretariat, opposite Ilesa Garage, Akure, the whole building was desolate, tables and chairs were dusty, an indication of long holidays.

    The embattled chairman, Eniayewu in a chat urged the appropriate body to come out with its findings on the probe to bail him out of his present predicament stressing that he was not guilty of the allegation leveled against him.

    He denied committing any fraud, lamenting that the interdiction placed on him should not be more than three months, but now going to seven months when he has been placed on half month salary without committing any offence.

    Many observers who spoke with our reporter decried the situation at the local government councils in the state, stressing that reasonable number of local government have not received their salaries in the past three or four months.

    According to them, the on-going Christmas and New Year festive period will be bleak for majority of council workers in the state.

     

  • All went well in Osun, but Aregbesola wants FG to activate emergency control centre

    All went well in Osun, but Aregbesola wants FG to activate emergency control centre

    Osun in the South West geo-political zone of the country remains a very peaceful and secured state. In 2013 there were no significant crime related events. However, there were a few cases of armed robbery, rape, arson and violent community clashes across the state.

    The state carved out of old Oyo State under the military administration of Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida on August 27, 1991, is reputed to be among the most secured and peaceful states in the country. Over the years, Osun had not recorded calamitous event strong enough to be put it negatively on the national or world map.

    Early this year, the state government distributed 100 patrol pick vans to all the security agencies in the state, including the state Police Command, State Security Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, the Nigerian Immigration Service and Nigeria Customs Service to beef up security in the state. Before the distribution of these vans, the state government had procured about seven Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) and a helicopter for surveillance of the hide out of the criminals from the top. Possibly, all these provision could have reduced the criminal activities of the men of the underworld.

    The previous year, 2012, there were series of armed robbery attacks on banks in Osogbo, Ejigbo, Iwo, Ilesa, Ile-Ife and Ikirun as well as armed attack on a bureau de change at Sabo area of Osogbo, the state capital. There were also kidnappings of notable residents of the state, including a major beer distributor, Alhaji Raufu Olaiya, who spent about two weeks with his captors and later released after paying a huge ransom. So also was another major liquour distributor, Mr. Idowu Obembe, who was unlucky to have died even after his family had paid the ransom.

    During a robbery attack on a new generation bank at Osogbo,  a police man was killed when the robbers, who had earlier successfully robbed a bureau de change at Sabo area were charting a way out of town ran into a bullion van and staff of the bank doing a cash movement in front of the bank. The wife of the state House of Assembly Speaker, Muibat Salaam, in 2012 was kidnapped in Ejigbo, her husband home town while returning from her shop. She was found a week in the bush somewhere in a village in Ogun State when she was discovered in the midst of the kidnappers by a curious palm wine tapper.

    Also in 2012 there was an attack on bank at Gbongan, where the son of the Olufi of Gbongan narrowly escaped being killed by the robbers. But in 2013, all the robbery incidents recorded were mostly low profile. There were many incidents of reported and unreported burglaries, rape of minors, suicide, arsons and kidnaps. Prominent among these was the abduction of the 80 year old Ilesa-based industrialist, Chief Mrs. Yinka Obaleye, popularly known as Yinka Oba Foam. Her driver was killed while trying to beat the kidnappers. The industrialist spent about one week in the den of the kidnappers before she eventually regained freedom.

    In 2013, there were a number of communal clashes. There was one between Ido-Osun in Egbedore Local Government and Ede, where two persons reportedly lost their lives. The two communities were fighting over the land where the multi billion naira ultra modern proposed M.K.O. Abiola International Airport is being sited by the Rauf Arergbesola administration.

    Also, Oba Oke and Oba Ile are still fighting over boundary  matter. No fewer than five people have been reported killed while a chief in one of the communities is still missing. In Ilase Ijesa in Obokun Local Government Area, palace of Onilase, Oba Adesina Alobijuwon, was burnt and the 80 year old blind monarch strangled and left to die helplessly in the inferno.

    The paramount ruler of Ijesaland, Owa Adimula, Oba Adekunle Aromolaran, at a point cried out about the security situation in his domain. He disclosed that no fewer than 70 motorcycles known as Okada are being snatched on a monthly and in some cases owners killed in the area.

    Governor Rauf Aregbesola is crying to the Federal Government to activate an Emergency Control Centre it has built in the state. He said he had tried to no avail to make the FG do something positive about the centre  no avail, saying it has refused to activate it in of spite all the appeals by the state government. He stated that though, the state government has its own Security Code, but without the Federal Government Security Code (112) working, that of the state cannot be made to work. He said: “We have appealed to the Federal Government to let us work together to activate the short code 112, so that our people can easily contact us in time of need, but this has proved fruitless. We are ready to take over all the financial requirements to get the centre operational but the Federal Government should come to the aid of the people of Osun to guarantee full security of our people.  We have our own security code, but without the Federal Government’s functioning, we cannot get our own to work.”

  • Kingmakers flee Ondo community over attempt to install new monarch

    Commercial activities at Idoani community in Ose Local Government of Ondo State was paralysed last weekend following an alleged attack on traders by some suspected hoodlums.

    Shops and stalls were forcefully locked at the main ‘Oja Oba’ market in attempt to install a new monarch which is being ruled by a regent since three years ago.

    Besides, majority of the kingmakers have fled the town following alleged attacks on their houses by these suspected hoodlums.

    The kingmakers accused some honourary chiefs led by one Chief Timothy Akinbode and a former Regent who is also a former member Ondo State House Assembly, Princess Asake Olubitan (nee Falade) as those behind the attacks.

    They alleged that the duo wanted to force them to install one of the candidates jostling for the stool, Prince Agunloye Falade, who is from Sadibo lineage and also an elder brother to the former lawmaker as the new Alani of Idoani.

    It will be recalled that the battle for the stool have been persisting since 2010 between three lineages; Ologbosere, Sadibo and Owusi all from Obasunloye ruling house.

    Already, six candidates are battling for the stool and they are Prince (Major-General) Olufemi Olutoye (rtd), from Ologbosere Lineage, Prince Adeniran Adebiyi, Prince Agunloye Falade and Prince Ademola Falade from Sadibo lineage. Others are Prince Ademola Atewogboye and Prince Samuel Aladesunkanmi from Owusi lineage.

    It was gathered that it took the intervention of some military personnel who are indigenes of the community who came home for Christmas and New Year celebration before normalcy was returned.

    A kingmaker who spoke from hiding with The Nation, High Chief Gideon Adelana, the Ashewa of Idoani alleged that they wanted to kidnap him but he escaped from his abductors’ hands.

    Adelana, who revealed his ordeal, said, “they wanted to kidnap me so that I will be forced to crown their candidate, who is Prince Agunloye Falade as the new Alani of Idoani. I saw some five men led by one Akinremi Obado popularly known as Uri ordering me that Chief Akinbode, who is a honourary chief wanted my presence in a meeting. Immediately, I responded that I will not attend a meeting that I did not receive its circular.

    “When I detected that their plans was to kidnap me, I told them that I have agreed to follow them to the meeting but they should allow me to take my bath. I escaped through another door in my house. When they could not find me, they mobilised themselves and destroyed my house. My wife reported this to the police but up till now, the police have not come to our rescue.

    “What we are demanding from the Sadibo lineage is that they should allow us to follow the due process. We are still waiting for the council chairman to fix a date for the selection, we have written a letter to him.  They can’t impose an Oba on us when we have six candidates jostling for the seat from the three lineages. They were even saying there is nothing like Kingmakers in Idoani and if there is nothing of such, why are they after us?

    Another kingmaker, High Chief Sunday Oludosi said the hoodlums have prevented him from entering his house by dropping some leaves in the front of his house which according to him was against the custom of their land.

    Akinbode when contacted denied the allegation that he was behind the violent attacks. According to him: “it was the princes that met last Friday and made a decision that a new king must be installed. It was during that meeting they ordered that the market should be closed. It was the youths who trooped out to stop the traders from operating.

    “The fact is that General Olutoye is behind the delay of the selection of new Alani of Idoani. Majority of the kingmakers have compromised. They are backing Olutoye and also delaying the selection of the new king. We are meeting on this issue without delay”.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO)at the state Police Command, Akure, Wole Ogodo said he has not been briefed on the crisis.

     

  • NDDC warns contractors against shoddy jobs

    The commissioner representing Ondo State on the Board of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mr Amuwa Benson has pledged the determination of the interventionist agency to complete all on-going projects  in the state.

    Benson made the pledge at a reception organised by his friends and political associates in Ilaje Local Government to mark his appointment by the Federal Government.

    Benson said all projects embarked upon by his predecessors would be given attention to for the benefit of the communities.

    The commissioner promised to operate an open door administration and execute projects that would enhance the social and economic lives of the people in the region.

    Benson explained that 90 per cent of the projects of the commission that would come to the state would be cited in the mandate area during his tenure.

    He called on stakeholders to always remember him in prayer and make useful suggestions that would aid his performance.

    Benson said the era in which contractors disappear after collecting mobilisation fees for the jobs awarded to them had gone forever, warning that any contractor who does so will be dealt with accordingly. He also warned contractors handling the commission’s projects to avoid shoddy jobs.

    The former chairman of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Okitipupa who was full of praises at the occasion, promised to review cases of abandoned projects and address them accordingly.

    He said he would soon embark on familiarisation tour of the coastal area of the state particularly the oil producing communities in other to identify their problems.

    While thanking Governor Olusegun Mimiko and President Goodluck Jonathan for his appointment, Amuwa, however promised to justify the confidence reposed in him by the state government.

    He said: “I am here to serve you all. I am here to work for the development of this region. I want to leave NDDC in the state and the coastal area better than I met them through life impacting programmes and projects.

    “ I want to make my impact felt by all of you and that is why I am soliciting for your support. A tree cannot make a forest. I will operate an open door policy and make the completion of all ongoing projects of the commission in this state as directed by President Goodluck Jonathan, my priority”.

    The Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Frederick Akinruntan, the Olubo of Obenla, Oba Kolawole Ikuesan, the Odoka of Ogbaro, Oba Olufemi Ogbaro, Primate Samuel Ayodele of Zion Church, Igbokoda and other dignitaries who spoke at the occasion described Benson’s appointment as divine.

    They advised him to learn from the mistakes of some of his predecessors and make the welfare of his peoples priority as promised.

     

  • Ondo lawmaker offers scholarship to indigent boy

    Ondo lawmaker offers scholarship to indigent boy

    Apparently worried by the plights of many indigent children, a member of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon. Olatunji Dairo has stressed the need for well-meaning Nigerians to always assist the less-privileged.

    This, he said would rid the society of social vices being perpetrated by indigent youths.

    Dairo spoke with reporters in Akure, the state capital while offering scholarship to Master Timilehin Folorunsho, a 12 year-old apprentice generator repairer with no formal basic education

    The lawmaker explained that he was moved to help Timilehin, who he saw walking the street of Oluwatuyi in Akure one day seemingly with nowhere to go and when he asked why he was not in school, the boy explained he had no parents again. He accompanied him to where he lives with his grandmother and from there the story that would change his life for good began.

    Dairo, who is also the chief whip of the House of the Assembly, explained that “I told him (Timilehin) it is possible he would be one of the greatest engineers the country will produce in the future and he agreed.

    “Because of this development, he was taken to the Nursery and Primary School to start his education. I am happy that the boy is doing well academically. I have been responsible for the boy school fees, feeding and other necessities”.

    He pointed out that if well-meaning Nigerians could emulate such gesture, the society would be better off.

    Timilehim is now in primary one at Height Nursery and Primary School, Akure, with the lawmaker promising to sponsor his education to university level.

    The proprietress of the school, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Adewumi affirmed that the boy is doing well as he concentrates more on his studies.

    The kid, Timilehin expressed gratitude to the lawmaker while his grandmother, Mrs. Aduke Folorunsho said she could not afford to send the boy to school as his father died when he was an infant. The Septuagenarian woman thanked the lawmaker for the good gesture.

     

  • Commissioner challenges resource persons on impact assessment

    Commissioner challenges resource persons on impact assessment

    Ondo State Commissioner for Community Development and Cooperative Services, Mr. Clement Faboyede has challenged over 90 resource persons who are to carry out impact assessment on the projects executed by the state government through the ministry to be proactive and carry out the job with high sense of responsibility.

    Faboyede, who gave the charge while addressing the resource persons during a seminar organised for them on impact assessment of the projects of the ministry in the last four years said the assessment was in the interest of sustainable development of state.

    He pointed out that data collected during the assignment will be useful in the task of transforming the entire state, as it will enable the government to know the challenges facing the projects and proffer solution to them before executing more of such developmental projects that will improve the living status of the residents of the state.

    His words: “Thank God, some of our change agents are here, Ministry’s Supervising Officials and the other external experts to measure the level of impact of our projects on the people especially in the grassroots where our projects were built based on the demand of the people. After their findings, they will come up with recommendations and advice on how it has affected the community either generally or individually.

    “We want to use this medium to encourage all of you to carry out your duties diligently so as to get the accurate results. I hereby appeal to the residents of the communities to cooperate with our people to get the correct feedback and data that would help in taking Ondo State to the next level of development.

    “Data collection and assessment is the work of the technocrat but we the politicians make use of these assessments for the progress of the state, the more Mr. Governor has this information the more he will develop the state to attract more developmental partner”.

    Faboyede enumerated the achievements of Dr Olusegun Mimiko through the Ministry of Community Development and Cooperative Services and appreciated God for the remarkable achievements recorded over a period of four years in about 600 communities spread across the state.

    While educating the participants on the 3 ‘Is’ initiative of the ministry, the Permanent Secretary Mrs. Funmilayo Osundolire said the state government has done greatly in the area of infrastructure and institution adding that industry which the third ‘I’ stood for will be embarked on soon.

    According to her, Change agents will move round to ask question on the homogeneous raw materials in those community where micro industry which is the third ‘I’ would be established to make the state the commercial hub of South West and Nigeria.

    “Before now, developmental projects were being imposed on the people. Often times, what they needed was different from what was being given to them. But today, the reverse is the case. The Mimiko-led administration brought in new innovation whereby change agents were engaged by the ministry to interact with the people and carry out need assessment thereby knowing their project priorities before government execute it for them,” she said.

    Mrs.Osundolire said impact assessment is important to have interface with the grassroots people and consolidate on the good works of government in those areas which she said will go a long way to check rural-urban drift.

    Some of the consultants to the project drawn from different organisations include, Mr. Dele Akinyemi, Mr. Justin Okwuofu from Programme Coordinator PRO-NATURA Int’l (Nigeria).

    Some of them who spoke at the occasion pointed out that impact assessment is one of the aspects of development that government needed to pay quality attention to for sustainable development and all encompassing participation for the purpose of considerable progress in the society.

    One of the resource persons Taiwo Omojola said that the training had opened his eyes to proper data collection and filling of questionnaires by their potential target audience and that they would help those who did not know how to read and write for the purpose of precision.