The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southwest

  • Makinde celebrates Chief Imam of Ibadanland at 90

    Makinde celebrates Chief Imam of Ibadanland at 90

    Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde has celebrated the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheik Abdulganiyy Agbotomokekere, on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

    He felicitated the renowned Islamic cleric for witnessing the landmark age, lauding him for making a great impact on Islam, Ibadanland, Oyo State and humanity.

    The governor, in a statement yesterday, described Sheik Agbotomokekere, who is also the Grand Imam of Oyo State and Grand Patron of League of Imams and Alfas of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, as a patriot and God-fearing leader, who has continued to be a blessing to Oyo State.

    He said: “Today, I celebrate our Baba, His Eminence Sheik Agbotomokekere, the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, as he turns 90.

    Read Also: Makinde makes appointment into LG service commission, Muslim Pilgrim Welfare Board

    “Baba has been an exemplary religious leader, with a great sense of patriotism and commitment to the development of Oyo State.

    “I celebrate his impactful life, which has seen him continue to make great mark on Islam, Ibadanland and Oyo State.

    “As he joins the rank of the nonagenarians, my prayer is that may Allah SWT grant him more years and good health to lead the people and make more impact on humanity.”

  • Lagos begins medium-term strategy review

    Lagos begins medium-term strategy review

    Lagos State Government has begun the roll-over of its Medium-Term Sector Strategy (MTSS) for the 2026–2028 planning cycle, reaffirming its commitment to strategic governance and sustainable development.

    Speaking at the opening of the MTSS Roll-Over workshop held at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) building in Ikeja, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs Olayinka Ojo, described MTSS as a key framework for aligning government policies with the Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP) 2052.

    Read Also: Lagos community gets free health outreach from Hacey, Access Bank

    “The vision of our state, under the dynamic leadership of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is to build Africa’s model megacity, a global economic and financial hub that is safe, secure, functional and productive,” she said.

    Mrs Ojo said achieving the vision required planning, effective resource allocation and disciplined execution of public initiatives.

    She said MTSS served as a guide for Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to design and implement projects that were well-prioritised, properly-cost and capable of delivering real impact for Lagos residents.

  • Agege youths laud Rep at 60

    Agege youths laud Rep at 60

    A group, ‘Great Agege Youths’, has urged House of Representatives member, Dr. Wale Ahmed, to sustain the tempo of his legislative performance in the Lower Chamber of the National Assembly.

    They congratulated the lawmaker from Agege Federal Constituency on the occasion of his 60th birthday, urging him to continue to plough back to the area.

    Read Also: Agege LG: Abiola embraces party decision, backs Obasa’s Son

    To mark the birthday at the weekend, a book written by Ahmed titled: ‘Political Parties, Ideology and Good Governance’, was virtually launched in Lagos.

    Agege youths said Ahmed had not forgotten his roots, adding that he had been carrying the constituency along in his legislative, oversight and empowerment programmes.

  • Mayflower to mark 70th anniversary

    Mayflower to mark 70th anniversary

    Old Students of Mayflower School, Ikenne, Ogun State are planning big for the school’s 70th anniversary next January.

    This was disclosed by the President of Mayflower Old Students’ Association (MOSA), Otunba Wale Abdul, during the inauguration of Events Planning Committee in Ikenne.

    He said this was in view of the impactful contributions of Mayflower School, Ikenne to national development.

    According to him, the late Dr. Tai Solarin and his wife, Sheila, through the initiative, gave humanity a priceless gift designed to positively impact the world.

    Read Also: Fed Govt upgrades TASUED to varsity

    Abdul noted that this could be seen from the high pedestal achieved by old students of the school globally.

    The chairperson of the Planning Committee, Mrs Kemi Soname, assured stakeholders of a grand and impactful outing.

    She said this was in view of the fact that the anniversary was not a mere anniversary, but also a generational event.

    Other committee members include Tayo Matiluko (Vice Chairman), Ibukun Akintola (Secretary), Jumoke Oyenuga, Gbenga Bankole, Bisi Bello, Sherifat Balogun, Ademola Adeniran and Kolawole Hassan.

    Mrs Soname said sub-committees for medical and publicity fund raising would be inaugurated soon.

  • Yoruba community in Enugu awards scholarship to 30 students

    Yoruba community in Enugu awards scholarship to 30 students

    The Yoruba Community in Enugu State, has awarded scholarship to 30 indigenes of the Southwest geo-political zone in the Enugu State.

    This was disclosed during the formal presentation of the cabinet members of the newly crowned Oba of the Yoruba community in Enugu State, Engr. Isiaka Salmon in Enugu.

    Speaking at the event, Isiaka explained that the scholarship was as a result of the community’s desire to contribute to educational development of the country.

    Read Also: FG suspends bilateral education scholarships for five years

     “I came to Enugu as a youth corp member in 2007. This our scholarship by the special grace of God, we are targeting more than 30 students and today we presented admission letters to some of them. They are going to polytechnic in Kwara State and Gateway College of Education in Osun State. So, others are still coming and it will be a continuous exercise,” he said.

    Salmon, a computer engineer and lecturer with expertise in system/cyber security and information technology, was unanimously endorsed as the leader of the Yoruba community in Enugu after a rigorous selection process.

  • Gani Adams to celebrate 55th birthday with less privileged

    Gani Adams to celebrate 55th birthday with less privileged

    The Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yoruba, Iba Gani Adams, has disclosed that his 55th birthday will be celebrated among the inmates of some orphanages, old people’s homes and schools for the physically-challenged.

     Adams made this disclosure on Wednesday, April 30, during a private ceremony held at his Lagos residence to mark his 55th birthday.

    The ceremony, which had clerics offering prayers to God for preserving Adams to witness another year, had family and close associates in attendance.

    Read Also: Fubara, Daniel, Bode George, Olubolade, Gani Adams, others for Freedom Online’s 6th yearly lecture Thursday

    The prayers kicked off a seven-day programme of activities to mark the birthday, while the climax of the celebration is scheduled for Sunday, May 11, 2025,

    “During the seven days, we would be visiting children homes, orphanages, motherless babies’ homes, school for the physically-challenged and homes for the elderly, all across Lagos State. The essence is to enable us make some donations and show love to the leas-privileged in the society,” Adams said.

  • Firdaus prayer for late Madam Simiat Mogaji holds tomorrow

    Firdaus prayer for late Madam Simiat Mogaji holds tomorrow

    The eight day Firdaus prayer for the late Madam Simiat Ajoke Mogaji will hold tomorrow, a statement issued by the family has said.

    The statement signed by one of the children of the deceased, Mr. Shamsideen Mogaji said the prayer will be held tomorrow in the Alagbado area of Lagos State.

    Read Also: Oluwo’s wife Firdaus: My husband is very, very romantic

    The statement read in part: ”With gratitude and total submission to the will of Allah, the entire Mogaji family hereby announces the passing of our beloved mother and grandmother, Alhaja Simiat Ajike Omotayo Mogaji, who departed this earth on Sunday, April 27, 2025. She has since been laid to rest on Monday, April 28, 2025, in accordance with Islamic rites.

    ”The Firdau prayer will be held on Monday, May 5, 2025, at Lakers Event Centre, Old Ota Road, Joke-Ayo Bus Stop, AIT Road, Alagbado, Lagos State. She is survived by her husband, children, and grandchildren.”

    ”We pray to Allah SWT to forgive her shortcomings, have mercy on her soul, and grant her Al-Jannat al-Firdaus.”

  • RTEAN kicks against recognition of illegal motorcycle operators’ union in Lagos

    RTEAN kicks against recognition of illegal motorcycle operators’ union in Lagos

    An appeal has been made to the Lagos State Government not to recognize any other transport union, apart from the two existing recognized unions, namely the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria and the National Union of Road Transport Workers.

    The appeal was made by the Lagos State Chairman of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria, RTEAN, Alhaji Shamsideen Ajala, while briefing newsmen in Lagos.

    He said that RTEAN was registered as a transport union in 1978 and listed among recognized trade unions by the federal government.

    According to him, RTEAN was also recognized among the two transport unions in Lagos State by the government white paper of June 29th, 2004, ditto by another letter written by the Lagos State Ministry of Transportation dated January 10th, 2022.

    Read Also: RTEAN moves to reduce road crashes

    Ajala said that given the above, the state government also allowed ‘Okada’ unions that operated in the state to be under RTEAN or NURTW.

    He stated that it would be wrong for the state government now to allow the purported Motorcycle Operators Union of Nigeria, MOUN, to operate in Lagos without affiliation with any of the two existing recognized transport unions in the state.

    Ajala noted that the plan by the MOUN to operate in Lagos without affiliation to either RTEAN or NURTW would contradict the state law on transportation.

  • Ex-commissioner lauds Aiyedatiwa over Akure-Idanre road dualisation

    Ex-commissioner lauds Aiyedatiwa over Akure-Idanre road dualisation

    The immediate past Commissioner for Water Resources in Ondo State, Hon. Sunday Akinwalire, has described last week’s flag-off of the dualisation of 10-kilometre Akure-Idanre road by Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, as a bold decision aimed at relieving Idanre cocoa farmers of the burden of transporting their farm produce.

    A statement issued on Saturday by Akinwalire, an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain from Idanre area of the state, said farmers in Idanre cherished the new lease of life, as the Aiyedatiwa administration had not only embarked on access roads to communities bearing cocoa farms, but had also assisted farmers in the state through regular supply of farm inputs.

    The statement reads: “All our farmers, traders and entrepreneurs are solidly behind the governor in his massive transformation of grassroots communities in Ondo State, most especially the cocoa hub of Idanre where its farmers have all the while been constrained gaining easy access to urban communities to sell their produce.

    “By flagging off the dualisation project of the Akure-Idanre road last week, Governor Aiyedatiwa had brightened the hope of our cocoa farmers and other farmers and traders alike, of improved sales.

    Read Also: Aiyedatiwa approves renovation of technical colleges, secondary schools

    “Besides, Mr. Governor has done a lot to rehabilitate and construct where necessary, link roads to the farms; apart from assisting our farmers with various grants and farm inputs,” the former commissioner lauded.

    He added that the tourism potentials in the iconic Idanre Hills in the area could be fully harnessed once visitors are able to gain easy access to the ancient town, noting that the governor’s multi-pronged vision for the state in transforming the rural areas deserves commendation.

    According to him, the masses have begun to feel the ‘Our EASE’ agenda of the governor in initiating sectoral infrastructural projects covering road networks, education, health, urban renewal, industrial development, water supply, electricity projects, and others.

    He noted that while he was in the saddle last year as commissioner, the governor approved an expanded water scheme to supply potable water to several communities in the Ondo Cenral Senatorial District, of which Idanre communities are beneficiaries.

  • How I reduced Ondo domestic debt to N12bn, by Aiyedatiwa

    How I reduced Ondo domestic debt to N12bn, by Aiyedatiwa

    Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa of Ondo State has said that his administration accomplished reduction of domestic debt by an unprecedented 82.6 percent within one year by implementing sweeping cost-control measures.

     Governor Aiyedatiwa said he achieved the feat without halting public services or sacrificing workers’ welfare.

     Data from the Debt Management Office (DMO) on states’ debt comparison between 2023 and 2024 showed Ondo State at the top in reducing domestic debt from N74bn in 2023 to N12bn in 2024, a difference of N61billion and a percentage of 82.6.

    Aiyedatiwa said the reduction was not merely statistic but a reflection of deliberate policy choices, strong leadership, and responsible governance.

    Speaking through his Chief Press Secretary, Ebenezer Adeniyan, Aiyedatiwa said the development has made significant on the economy of the state and restored investors’ and residents’ confidence in his administration.

    Read Also: I am committed to doing things appropriately, says Aiyedatiwa

     “This outstanding achievement is attributed to the strategic economic reforms and financial prudence of Governor Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa’s administration since its inception.

     “Since coming into office in December 2023, Governor Aiyedatiwa has made a top priority payment of backlog of salaries, gratuities and contractual obligations owed by the state government.

     “In the first quarter of 2024 alone, Ondo State recorded a 77 percent domestic debt reduction, amounting to ₦55.11 billion. The state’s debt profile dropped from ₦71.5 billion in December 2023 to just ₦16.4 billion by March 2024. This feat placed Ondo second only to Jigawa State in terms of domestic debt reduction during the period under review.

     “With this achievement, Ondo State stands out as a model for fiscal discipline, financial resilience, and strategic planning in Nigeria’s public sector.”