The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southwest

  • NOA, NACA partner to strengthen HIV prevention

    NOA, NACA partner to strengthen HIV prevention

    In a significant stride towards combating HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, National Orientation Agency (NOA) and National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA) have solidified their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

    The partnership aims to bolster HIV prevention efforts, reduce mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and eliminate stigma against individuals living with HIV across the country.

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    NOA, renowned for its extensive grassroots communication network spanning 774 local governments, joins forces with NACA’s specialised expertise in HIV response. Together, they plan to launch comprehensive public awareness campaigns utilising diverse channels such as radio, television social media, town halls and community engagements. These initiatives are designed to ensure the inclusive and widespread dissemination of crucial information.

    Key components of the collaboration include the training of state directors and health desk officers across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.

  • Ekiti Council boss wins UK award

    Ekiti Council boss wins UK award

    The Chairman of Ajoni Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of Ekiti State, Prince Michael Ogungbemi, has been shortlisted for the prestigious African Community Heroes’ Award in the United Kingdom.

    This was contained in a letter dated March 16, 2025 signed by Global Skills Hub, United Kingdom, Africa Heroes’ Project, Country Director, Dr. Honey Olawale, and addressed to Ogungbemi.

    The prestigious award, according to the organisers, is geared towards celebrating outstanding grassroots African leaders, who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to integrity, professional excellence, community development and national transformation.

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    The letter said: “We have decided to honour the proclaimed Africa heroes while they are still alive. We will also present a proclamation certificate to the verified recipients. We are mobilising national and international media platforms to report this event.

  • Lagos signs MoU with firm to expand water supply infrastructure

    Lagos signs MoU with firm to expand water supply infrastructure

    Lagos State Government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an international consortium company, Belstar and ENKA, for the rehabilitation and expansion of water supply infrastructure across the state.

    Speaking after the signing in Alausa, Ikeja, yesterday, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the collaboration aimed to address critical water infrastructure challenges.

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    “This project entails construction, rehabilitation and installation of water treatment facilities, as well as distribution networks to provide reliable and sustainable water supply to underserved communities,” he said.

    Wahab said the initiative would include establishment of new waterworks to ease distribution challenges, noting that the state government would ensure full compliance with all relevant regulations, including social and safety standards.

    He said the project was divided into two components: the Brownfield, which involved the rehabilitation of existing waterworks, and the Greenfield, which covered the construction of entirely new facilities in various parts of the state.

  • Fajuyi’s eldest son accuses wife of plotting to seize dad’s property

    Fajuyi’s eldest son accuses wife of plotting to seize dad’s property

    Mr Donald Fajuyi, the 76-year-old eldest son of the late Lt-Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, former military governor of the defunct Western Region, has accused his wife, Lanre, of attempting to take over his father’s properties.

    In a chat with our reporter in Ado-Ekiti, Fajuyi, a lawyer, said his wife believed she was entitled to his properties simply because she was his wife and he was the only surviving child of the late military governor.

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    He denied demolishing the late military governor’s house at Fajuyi Lane in Ado-Ekiti and rebuilt by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, explaining that the house that was demolished was a different property, which was inherited by him after the family shared his late father’s properties in 2014.

    He said: “Adekunle Fajuyi house is the family home, which was rebuilt, courtesy of Asiwaju Tinubu. This is where my late father lived and it is not demolished or sold. The one that was demolished is the house my late father bought the land, which was still at foundation level when the coup of January 1966 occurred and he had to rush down to Lagos in response to the coup.

    “Subsequently, he became Governor of the Old Western Region. Upon assuming office, he instructed that the construction going on at his house on Textile Road, Ado-Ekiti be stopped. My father said as a public officer, he didn’t want people to say he was using public funds to finance his private building.

  • IBEDC consumers threaten to migrate to other DISCOS

    IBEDC consumers threaten to migrate to other DISCOS

    Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) consumers have threatened to migrate to other energy distribution companies if IBEDC does not improve on its services.

    The consumers complained of purchasing transformers by themselves, kits for IBEDC workers, arbitrarily billings, customer abuses, lack of pre-paid meters, disregard to capping, among other issues.

    Speaking with reporters yesterday in Ota at the opening day of a three- day FCCPC/Electricity Consumer Forum organised by the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, in conjunction with Sango/Ota Community Development Committee (SACDC), Ado Ota, Ogun State, the consumers said they were tired of the lackadaisical attitude of IBEDC workers towards their customers.

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    Addressing reporters, the Chairman of the Zonal Community Development Committee for Ado Odo Ota, Prince Olatunji Onaolapo, said the community had bought up to 200 transformers ‘’because when a new one is needed or replacement is needed, IBEDC will just leave the communities to their fate.

    “In Itele axis, the communities have purchased more than 80 transformers, including communities in Ado Ota. In all, we have purchased up to 200 transformers because this area is still developing.”

    He said members of the community were coughing out between N4million and N5million for each transformer in the past, ‘’but now the price is much higher.

  • Dockworkers protest at Lagos ports as maritime police assure calm

    Dockworkers protest at Lagos ports as maritime police assure calm

    Tensions flared at Lagos ports on Monday as scores of dockworkers staged a peaceful protest against alleged interference in the forthcoming branch elections of the Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN), even as maritime police personnel maintained security across the ports.

    The protest, which began at the first gate of Tin Can Island Port, extended through critical access points including the TICT second gate and the Apapa Port gate, before culminating at the MWUN headquarters on Osho Drive, Olodi-Apapa.

    Chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with inscriptions such as “Say No to Injustices,” “We Want to Choose Our Leaders by Ourselves,” “No to Sentiments from Past Leaders (MWUN),” “Tony, Stay Away from Our Union Election,” and “We Don’t Want Terminal Operators to Interfere in Our Union Activities,” the protesters voiced their anger at alleged attempts to manipulate the electoral process.

    They accused terminal operators and a former President General of the union, Tony Nted, of seeking to influence the elections in favour of a preferred candidate.

    The workers alleged that Nted was orchestrating moves to install a candidate from ENL Consortium—the same terminal from which the outgoing branch president emerged.

    The demonstration remained peaceful as security operatives closely monitored activities to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

    “We are saying it loud and clear: we want to choose our leaders by ourselves,” said a protesting dockworker who identified himself as Ibrahim.

    “Tony Nted should stay away from our elections. We want justice, we want fairness, and we want to follow the constitution of our union.”

    The dockworkers insist that leadership within the Dockworkers Branch must be rotational, as stipulated in the union’s constitution, to ensure fairness and inclusivity across all terminals operating within the ports.

    They recalled that the immediate past President General, Comrade Adewale Adeyanju, had laid down a blueprint to guarantee a peaceful and transparent electoral process; an arrangement they fear is now under threat.

    “Comrade Adewale Adeyanju gave us a structure for a peaceful election. Now, Tony wants to impose someone on us. That is not what we signed up for. The union belongs to the workers, not to one man or a terminal,” another protesting worker, who declined to provide his name, said.

    Amid the growing unrest, the Maritime Police Command moved swiftly to douse tensions, assuring port users and stakeholders that the situation remains under control.

     Personnel were deployed across strategic points to maintain law and order, prevent disruption to economic activities, and safeguard critical infrastructure.

    The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of the Maritime Police Command, FHQ Annexe, Lagos, Musa Yusuf Garba, appealed for calm among all parties involved.

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    “We appeal to all parties involved to exercise restraint and seek amicable resolutions through dialogue and other peaceful means,” AIG Garba said.

    He reassured stakeholders and other port users to go about their daily activities, noting that the command will continue to monitor the situation closely to prevent any breakdown of law and order.

    For further information or to report any incidents, the Maritime Police Command advised the public to reach out through its Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Adebayo Rasheed, via 07045004639.

    The MWUN, founded in 1996, remains a formidable force within Nigeria’s maritime sector, representing thousands of dockworkers, seafarers, and shipping and port workers. Its elections traditionally draw significant attention both within the sector and among wider labour circles, underscoring the high stakes surrounding the current unrest.

    As of press time, neither the MWUN leadership nor the terminal operators had officially responded to the dockworkers’ allegations.

  • Alaafin of Oyo urged to foster unity among Yoruba Obas

    Alaafin of Oyo urged to foster unity among Yoruba Obas

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade, has been urged to extend a hand of fellowship to other traditional rulers across Yorubaland to promote cultural heritage and drive regional development.

    The call was made by the National Old Students Association of Baptist High School, Saki, during a visit to the monarch to congratulate him on his ascension to the throne.

    The delegation was led by the association’s national president, Deacon Sola Togunde.

    Oba Owoade, an alumnus of Baptist High School, Saki, hailed the visit, which was facilitated by his 1992 classmates.

    During the meeting, a member of the delegation, Afolayan, appealed to the Alaafin not to forget his alma mater, acknowledging the school’s role in shaping his leadership qualities.

    In his response, Oba Owoade expressed deep appreciation for the visit and lauded the school for instilling moral and academic discipline in him.

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    He noted that without the school’s firm guidance, he might have taken a different path. The monarch pledged to remain committed to the growth of the institution and promised to honour invitations from the association.

    The visit also featured prayers offered by Reverend Sijuade Okunade, an alumnus and ordained pastor at Gloria Baptist Church, Saki, who prayed for divine strength and wisdom for the Alaafin.

    The highlight of the occasion was the presentation of gifts to Oba Owoade, including a royal staff and a large hide hand fan.

    Other members of the delegation included Prince Remi Adegbola (General Secretary), Dr. Jare Adegbola (3rd Vice-President), Mr. S. A. Adeniji (Financial Secretary), Deacon E. O. Ogundiran (Auditor), among others.

  • Maiden Oba Olateru-Olagbegi Lawn Tennis Championship concludes

    Maiden Oba Olateru-Olagbegi Lawn Tennis Championship concludes

    The maiden edition of Oba Olateru-Olagbegi Lawn Tennis Championship, on Saturday, 26th April, 2025 held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    The tournament was organised in honour of Sir Olateru-Olagbegi II, a first republic monarch, a nationalist and passionate sportsman from Owo, Ondo State.

    The championship, which took place at the Ibadan Recreation Club premises, celebrated the sporting legacy of the late king, who was an avid enthusiast of tennis, billiards, golf, and other sports throughout his lifetime. It also served as a platform to promote discipline, sportsmanship, and unity among young talents.

    Speaking at the event, son of the late monarch, Prince Adegoke Olateru-Olagbegi, thanked everyone involved in bringing the championship to life. 

    Reflecting on his father’s legacy, Prince Olateru-Olagbegi said, “Growing up, I believed my father would live forever. His passage devastated me. I have always dreamed of something that would immortalize him, hence the beginning of the Sir Olateru-Olagbegi KBE Tennis Championships.”

    He described his father as “an enigma, a philanthropist, and a sports lover par excellence” who used sports, especially tennis and billiards, as avenues for networking, friendship, and maintaining his spirits during challenging times.

    President, Ibadan Recreation Club, Mr. Olaitan Akinola, commended the initiative, describing it as a remarkable tribute to a figure who embodied royalty, modernity, and sportsmanship. 

    “Sir Olateru-Olagbegi was not just a monarch; he was a symbol of excellence both in leadership and personal pursuits. Celebrating him through a sport he loved deeply is not only fitting but inspiring.”

    The Special Adviser on Media to Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, Hon. Alabi, said the event was more than just a tennis competition. 

    “It is a celebration of legacy, a symbol of royalty and cultural heritage. Sir Olateru-Olagbegi’s life reminds us that sports are powerful tools for unity, discipline, and human development.”

    Also present at the championship were notable dignitaries including the Ajia Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oloye Abiola Iyiola, who represented the Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.

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    Oloye Iyiola said: “Sports have always been a great unifier across tribes and communities. Honouring an icon like Sir Olateru-Olagbegi through this tournament is a step toward preserving cultural heritage while fostering unity among our youth.”

    Oba Adekunle Adebowale, who represented the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II), added that “Sport, especially tennis, mirrors the discipline, strategy, and grace required in leadership. Sir Olateru-Olagbegi epitomized all these traits, and it is fitting that he is remembered in this way.”

    A member of the Board of Trustees of Ibadan Recreation Club, Obi Alakija also emphasized the importance of sustaining the championship as an annual tradition. 

    “It is not just about playing tennis. It’s about inspiring generations to come, reminding them of the virtues of excellence, friendship, and service,” he said.

    Born in 1910, Sir Olateru-Olagbegi ascended the throne of Owo in 1941 and led the kingdom through a transformative era marked by growth, modernisation, and an unwavering commitment to education and development. As a nationalist, he played an active role in Nigeria’s journey to independence, attending constitutional conferences in London alongside Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

    His passion for sports was legendary, building extensive sports facilities within his palace and sponsoring major tournaments across Nigeria. He was a patron of prestigious clubs such as the Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Island Club, and Yoruba Tennis Club, and partnered with notable figures like Sir Mobolaji Bank Anthony, Dr. Olusola Saraki, Chief Molade Okoya-Thomas, and others to promote sports development in Nigeria.

  • Foundation empowers residents

    Foundation empowers residents

    The Oluseun Adeboyejo Foundation has empowered no fewer than 800 residents of Emure Ekiti, with the aim of supporting the initiatives of Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji.

    The empowerment event, which took place on Friday, focused on assisting various groups within the community, including youths, students, market women, artisans, okada riders and farmers.

    The beneficiaries received cash gifts, scholarships, motorcycle helmets, reflective jackets, clippers, barbing aprons, farming equipment, and other tools for barbing.

    In his address, the Minister of Youth, Olawande Wisdom, urged the beneficiaries to use the empowerment resources to foster self-reliance.

    Represented by the Commissioner for Youth Development in Ekiti State, Gold Adesola Adedayo, the Minister praised the foundation for its support to the state government.

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    Olawande also noted  Governor Oyebanji’s commitment to reducing unemployment while he called for more support for the Governor.

    The Minister further called on well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the philanthropic efforts of the foundation.

    During the distribution of items, the convener of the foundation, Oluseun Adeboyejo, stressed that the initiative was intended to alleviate hardship and support the governance of Governor Oyebanji.

    He noted that while the government is doing its best, Adeboyejo emphasized that it could not meet all the needs of the people, making it crucial for citizens to support the administration.

    “The administration of Governor Oyebanji has done well for the people, but it is important that we also support the government because it can’t do everything. Empowering farmers, market women, and youths in tertiary institutions will go a long way in helping society grow and ease hardship,” Adeboyejo said.

    Mrs. Evelyn Adeboyejo, supporting her husband’s statement, added that the empowerment initiative would help reduce unemployment and combat crimes and criminal activities often linked to joblessness.

    The event was attended by several notable figures, including the representative of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ekiti State, Hon. Segun Dipe; the Public Relations Officer of the APC; all APC ward leaders in the community; chiefs; market leaders; youth; and student leaders.

  • Two dead, six injured in Oyo-Ogbomoso road accident

    Two dead, six injured in Oyo-Ogbomoso road accident

    Two people have lost their lives, while six also sustained various degrees of injuries as a result of a lone road accident that occurred along the Oyo-Ogbomoso road.

    The Nation gathered that the accident involved a commercial Nissan car which reportedly ran into rocks placed as barricades by a construction company near Ipeba area.

    The accident, which occurred around 7:00 am, claimed the lives of the driver and a female passenger whose identities have not been revealed.

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    It was learnt that officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) from the Oolo Unit responded promptly to the emergency.

    The injured victims have been taken to Bowen University Teaching Hospital for medical attention.

    The remains of the deceased were deposited at the morgue of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) Teaching Hospital.