The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southwest

  • Sanwo-Olu urges NYSC members to drive community development 

    Sanwo-Olu urges NYSC members to drive community development 

    Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has urged National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members to engage in community development projects and contribute meaningfully to society during their service year. 

    Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 2024 Batch ‘C’ Stream 2 orientation camp in Iyana-Ipaja, Lagos, the Sanwo-Olu emphasised the need for corps members to apply the skills and lessons acquired during their three-week training to address local challenges. 

    “As you bid farewell to the orientation camp and venture into the field, remember that the road ahead is full of challenges and possibilities. You must embrace the realities of communal living,” Sanwo-Olu said. 

    Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mrs. Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu, the governor described the orientation camp as a microcosm of Lagos State, a diverse hub of cultures, languages, and traditions. 

    Read Also: Offering didn’t buy our first aircraft, God bought it – Bishop David Oyedepo

    “You have adapted to a new environment, networked with compatriots from diverse backgrounds, and developed new skills. This experience has instilled a deep sense of unity that transcends ethnic, cultural, and regional boundaries,”

    Sanwo-Olu also urged Lagos residents to support corps members in making their service year productive and fulfilling. 

    Lagos State NYSC Coordinator, Christiana Salmwang commended the corps members for their discipline, humility, and patriotism, noting their commitment to various workshops, seminars, and skill acquisition programmes. 

    “Notably, the Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) programme has equipped them with entrepreneurial skills for self-reliance, given the realities of the job market.” she said.

  • UI committed to supporting professional growth, development of staff, says VC

    UI committed to supporting professional growth, development of staff, says VC

    The vice-chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Kayode Adebowale, has said the University is committed to supporting the professional growth and development of its staff.

    He spoke at the opening of a two-day orientation and training programme organised by the Registry for newly appointed members of staff (Academic and Non-Teaching).

    Professor Adebowale assured the participants that the University will provide opportunities for training, mentorship, and career advancement and ensure that they are provided with the tools needed to excel in their roles.

    He enjoined the newly recruited staff to be intentional about dispensing value in their operational bases.

    The Vice-Chancellor urged them not to settle for mediocrity, to eschew complacency, build loyalty to the system, and see themselves soar in unprecedented ways.

    Read Also: Offering didn’t buy our first aircraft, God bought it – Bishop David Oyedepo

    Professor Adebowale said the University values collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking and urged the participants to allow those qualities to reflect in their work.

    He appealed to the participants to work with the University administration to create a working environment that is stimulating, inclusive, and supportive of all students.

    He reminded the participants that the University of Ibadan was built on the foundation of academic excellence, innovation, and community service.

    He said the University was dedicated to providing transformative education that prepares students to succeed in an ever-changing world.

    Professor Adebowale said that the staff need to play a vital role in advancing the course of institutional existence and shaping the minds and characters of the students thus consequently impacting the lives of the students, the future of the University, and the broader society.

    The Registrar, Ganiyu Saliu said the training programme was organised to induct newly appointed staff into the culture, traditions, and practices of the University saying that such a programme would enable such astute and cerebral persons to contribute meaningfully to the development of the society.

    He appreciated the University management for approving the training programme.

  • 97-member LOC to plan Alaafin Owoade’s coronation

    97-member LOC to plan Alaafin Owoade’s coronation

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, yesterday announced the setting up of a 97-man Local Organising Committee (LOC) for his coronation.

    It will be inaugurated tomorrow according to a statement by the monarch.

    The committee is to be chaired by a former Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) commissioner, Kunle Ogunmola.

    The statement, signed by the monarch’s Chief of Staff (CoS), Rotimi Osuntola, said: “The inaugural meeting of committee members will hold tomorrow, Wednesday, February 12, at the Alaafin’s palace in Oyo.”

    The committee, according to the statement, comprises distinguished individuals committed to ensuring a seamless and befitting coronation.

    The Nation reports that the state government, through the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Otunba Ademola Ojo, had in the previous week inaugurated a-25 member committee in his office in Ibadan.

    Osuntola said LOC would collaborate with the committee set up by Governor Seyi Makinde to facilitate the effective planning and execution of the historic event.

    The CoS said: “This momentous occasion aims to unite Yorubaland, encouraging the participation of stakeholders from within and beyond the region. The ultimate goal is to deliver an all-inclusive, epoch-making, grand and hitch-free coronation that proudly showcases the rich Yoruba cultural heritage to the world.

    The committee includes Kunle Ogunmola, chairman; Owoade Adediwura, vice chairman; Owoade Olayide; Owoade Ayoade;

    Read Also: Coronation: Alaafin sets up 97-member local organising committee

    Owoade Tolani; Owoade Taiwo; Azees Fatimo (nee Owoade); Rotimi Osuntola; Archbishop Ayo Ladigbolu; Monsurat Sunmonu; Victor Adeleke; State House Chief of Protocol, Aso Rock, Abuja; High Chief Asimiyu Atanda (Agbaakin); High Chief Lamidi Wale (Basaamu); High Chief Samuel Olu Odurinde (Alajagba); High Chief Mukaila Afonja (Baba Iyaji); High Chief Isiaka Tella (Ona ‘Sokun);

    High Chief Ganiyu Ajiboye (Oloja of Ago Oja); High Chief Ademola Oyediran (Alaguo);

    High Chief Taiwo Olabanji (Baale Onigbanla of Gbanla); Barejiroro Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland 2 (Rep of Aare Gani Adams);

    Gbenga Eko (Rep of Aare Gani Adams) and Senator Akintunde Yunus.

    Others include Akeem Adeyemi (Skimeh), member of House of Reps; Gbenga Oyekola, member of Oyo State House of Assembly (OYSHA); Olorunpoto Rahaman and others

  • Lagos Assembly raises seven-man panel to investigate N24b Light-Up project

    Lagos Assembly raises seven-man panel to investigate N24b Light-Up project

    Lagos State House of Assembly has called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to speed up the implementation of the Light-Up project.

    The house has set up a seven-member ad hoc committee to investigate the N24b Light-Up project initiated by the state government.

    The project aims to deploy street-lighting infrastructure across the state.

    Olumoh Saad representing Ajeromi Ifelodun Constituency 1, who presented the issue during plenary session yesterday under Matter of Urgent Public Importance, expressed concern about the poorly lit streets in Lagos.

    The lawmaker urged the governor to expedite the award of contracts for the streetlights project, as outlined in the 2025 budget.

    Read Also: Rethinking the Lagos Assembly impasse

    He implored the governor to direct the Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources to ensure existing streetlights are functional, as budgetary provisions have been made for their maintenance.

    He also called on local government chairmen to fulfil their constitutional duty by providing streetlights on local government roads.

    Olumoh emphasised the urgency of the matter, citing the negative impact of poorly lit streets on security and welfare, while highlighting the need to explore alternative energy sources such as solar power, which has been successfully implemented on the Third Mainland Bridge by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

    He said:” Lagosians are complaining that since the streetlights are not functioning, we need to be up and running and do something about it. We are also mindful of the fact that we need to explore other alternatives for sourcing energy, especially on this streetlight issue.”

  • House announces standing committee chairmen

    House announces standing committee chairmen

    Lagos State House of Assembly has announced the chairmen of its standing committees.

    Speaker Mojisola Meranda made the announcement during yesterday’s plenary session.

    The newly appointed committee chairmen are: Temitope Adewale (Business and Rules Committee);  Richard Kasumu (Legislative Compliance Committee); Setonji David (Ethics, Protocol and Privileges Committee); Surajudeen Tijani (House Services Committee) and Stephen Ogundipe (Information, Strategy and Security Committee).

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    The announcement was made after the House dissolved its standing committees and set up a selection committee to choose new committee members.

  • UCH power outage: UI College of Medicine students protest

    UCH power outage: UI College of Medicine students protest

    • Adelabu brokers peace between UCH, IBEDC

    Students of the University of Ibadan College of Medicine yesterday stormed the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, protesting the prolonged power outage at the hospital.

    The students expressed their grievances, saying they were tired of the over 100-day power outage at UCH.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Minister of Power, Chief Bayo Adelabu, and Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) management were at UCH over the lingering power outage during the protest.

    The students displayed placards with inscriptions such as “We are tired of 100 days of darkness; Save UCH” among others.

    They insisted the minister must bring solutions to the outage, which, they said, had been disrupting their academic and clinical activities.

    The Student Union President, Bolaji Aweda, said the union demanded immediate restoration of power to UCH.

    According to him, the students also demanded that the 50 per cent waiver the government promised to tertiary health care facilities be implemented.

    Read Also: UCH denies report of patients bringing generators, inverters to hospital

    They also requested an urgent reformation of the health sector, among others.

    The minister said the government and the UCH management team would look into the real issues and causes of the power outage.

    He promised to proffer a permanent solution to the situation, saying the institution would soon be reconnected by IBEDC.

    NAN recalls IBEDC disconnected UCH from the national grid on October 27 last year due to accumulated debts.

  • We will never be part of Ijebu State, Ondo monarchs vow

    We will never be part of Ijebu State, Ondo monarchs vow

    The Ilaje Council of Obas in Ilaje Local Government of Ondo State has vowed never to be part of the proposed Ijebu State.

    It said it would not also be part of any other state being proposed in the east and west of Ilaje land.

    The monarchs said Ilaje shall remain one and indivisible entity, with no part excised, except by creation of more local governments or administrative units within the same state.

    This was contained in a communiqué after a meeting of Ilaje Obas, held at Igbokoda and signed by its Chairman, Oba Olusegun Williams Akinyomi, the Amapetu of Mahin.

    Read Also: Group hails Abiodun, Daniel, others on ‘Ijebu State’

    The communiqué called on Ondo State Government and Federal Government to ensure security of Ilaje people and advised officials, including security agencies making false territorial claims for Ogun State, to desist from creating unwarranted crises in the area.

    It said attempts to extend Ijebu or Ogun State authority to Irokun had been rejected by Irokun Obas.

  • Group kicks as Osun community declares eight-hour curfew for seven days

    Group kicks as Osun community declares eight-hour curfew for seven days

    A coalition of civil society, Dialogue 365, has kicked as the Ogunsua of Modakeke, Oba Joseph Toriola, has declared an eight-hour curfew in his domain for seven days for Oro ritual.

    Oba Toriola had in a public announcement on radio stations in Osun State declared that the curfew began last Saturday and would end on Friday.

    The announcement in Yoruba language said: “There will be an Oro ritual in Modakeke and there will be a curfew for seven days between 10pm and 6am. 

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    “It has started and it will run for seven days in Modakeke, Akoraye. Residents of the community should take note and inform strangers that nobody should go out between the hours of 10pm and 6am.

    ‘’The announcer is committee in charge of Oro festival in Modakeke, which is authenticated by the king, Ogunsua Modakeke, Oba Joseph Toriola.”

  • Amotekun rescues five kidnapped victims in Ondo

    Amotekun rescues five kidnapped victims in Ondo

    • 75-year-old grandmother gang-raped

    Operatives of Ondo State Security Network code-named Amotekun Corps have rescued five persons, who were among the 18 passengers kidnapped last week on the Akure-Benin Highway.

    They also arrested some of the suspected kidnappers, including three herders, who allegedly gang-raped a 75-year-old grandmother at Ifira Akoko.

    Commander of Ondo Amotekun, Akogun Adetunji Adeleye, said security operatives were working to tackle influx of bandits into the state.

    Read Also: Amotekun rescues five kidnapped victims in Ondo

    He linked the influx of bandits to the recent increase in the number of kidnap cases in the state.

    Adeleye said the farmers abducted near Akure Airport last weekend would be rescued unhurt.

    The rescued victims said they took water without food during the five days they spent in the kidnappers’ den.

    The septuagenarian said her assailants held her neck and dragged her to the bush for about 20 minutes before removing her clothes to rape her.

    Adeleye said the suspects would be arraigned after investigation.

  • ACAOSA ‘87 set intensifies plans for second reunion meeting

    ACAOSA ‘87 set intensifies plans for second reunion meeting

    Anwar-Ul-Islam College Agege Old Students Association (Class of ‘87 A’Level) has intensified plans for its second reunion meeting billed to hold on February 22.

    The reunion committee of the body headed by Rasheed Kolade on Sunday held a virtual meeting where most of the arrangements were concluded for the event slated for R and A Hotels in Ikeja.

    At the well-attended meeting, which lasted about 90 minutes, the committee was delighted to have completed over 85 per cent of what to be done.

    Read Also: Oloto, Suenu Royal families hold second reunion

    “We wanted to do this earlier, but due to some logistics, we moved it to February 22 and I am happy we are on course.

    “My committee members have been amazing, just as we also enjoy the support of our EXCO led by Yinka Ogundimu.

    “This time, we expect the event to be an upgrade of the first reunion,” Kolade said.

    He added that as part of plans to make the event special, members are to come to the forthcoming event with their spouses.

    EXCO President of ACAOSA 87 set, A’ Levels, Ogundimu, a former Lagos House of Assembly member,  said yesterday that he was impressed with the progress made so far by the reunion body.

    “They started work just this year and we are in a stage of just completing the entire preparations.

    “The EXCO has absolute confidence in the planning committee and we are happy with their work, just as we also appreciate the inputs of our colleagues in diaspora. Some of them join our virtual meetings and they have been contributing their quota,” Ogundimu said.