The Nation Newspaper

Category: Southwest

  • Ekiti deputy speaker, panel chair incur Fayose’s wrath

    Ekiti State House of Assembly Deputy Speaker Olusegun Adewumi and Information Committee Chairman Gboyega Aribisogan may have run into trouble for allegedly meeting with those perceived as an enemies of Governor Ayo Fayose, it was learnt yesterday.

    They were accused of meeting with Senator Buruji Kashamu,  former Ekiti State Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Secretary Temitope Aluko,  Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters, Senator Babafemi Ojudu, activist, lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and a new entrant into Ekiti All Progressives Congress (APC) Yinka Akerele last Saturday in Lagos.

    Adewumi, who represents Ekiti West Constituency I, was said to have been impeached on Fayose’s alleged order at plenary and replaced with Ekundayo Akinleye representing Ijero Constituency

    Aribisogan, who represents Ikole Constituency I, was said to have been suspended at the session.

    The plenary was yet to hold by noon  when reporters visited the assembly, but the lawmakers led by Speaker Kola Oluwawole, were said to be meeting with Fayose at press time.

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti is polarised. The faction loyal to Fayose has Gboyega Oguntuase as chairman; the other faction loyal to Kashamu is led by Williams Ajayi.

    Fayose and Kashamu, who used to be allies are now battling for PDP soul in the Southwest.

    Adewumi could not be reached for comment but Aribisogan denied being suspended.

    Aribisogan, who spoke on phone, claimed that he was in Abuja. He said he had not committed any offence to warrant suspension.

    Speaker Oluwawole debunked insinuations of a leadership crisis in the Assembly, saying whatever might have happened at plenary was a “family affair.”

    Oluwawole said: “Nothing of such happened. I am not aware of any impeachment or suspension plot. The Deputy Speaker is still there as my deputy.

  • Ooni, Ilare families reunite

    Ooni, Ilare families reunite

    The Ooni Ilare and Ogbooru Adimula families of Ile-Ife have appealed to their members to always treasure their root and promote unity among their descendants.

    The head of the family, Lawrence Adekoyejo, urged family members to always uphold the pristine traditions and customs of the family that have defined its existence for a long time.

    The family is one of the prominent royal houses that produced past Oonis. Although members of the family have scattered over the Yoruba land, they still meet regularly to discuss issues of common interest.

    Adekoyejo, who spoke with reporters shortly after the meeting, said the royal house prays for the peace of its members who have migrated to other parts of Yoruba land to form kingdoms.

    He said the progenitors of the Head of Ajah Community, Tajudeen Elemoro, the Head of Okokomaiko, Chief Adewale, the Olowa of Ojowa/Elefon, Tajudeen Adebowale; the Alahun of Oke-Ahun Community migrated from Ile-Ife to the various locations to establish traditional governance.

    Praising the Alahun of Oke-Ahun, Efon-Alaaye, Jacob Adelowo for attending the meeting, he said his progenitor, Alahun Mohamoye, led his people from Ile-Ife to Oke-Ahun, where his descendants have grown in leaps and bounds.

    He added: “We share the same culture. For instance, if a mother gives birth to a male child, the woman will not eat oil and pepper for nine days. Similarly, the eating of mushroom (Isun Ogogo) is forbidden. It was believed they were saved by mushroom when their enemies were pursuing them.

    According to historical account, as their enemies were pursuing them, mushrooms sprang up on the path, creating confusion for their enemies. Because the path was covered by mushrooms, their pursuers were not able to identify the direction they ran to, forcing them to turn back, thinking that nobody passed through the path.

    He recalled that the legendary Ahun warrior and progenitor, who fought many battles, led the people to their present abode.

  • UNICEF, media join forces against malnutrition

    UNICEF, media join forces against malnutrition

    Nigeria is battling with several problems, among which is child malnutrition. The future of her children is being threatened by malnutrition; a silent killer which is decimating them in millions annually. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports that the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the media have just launched a campaign to tackle the menace.

    This is not the best of time for infants in Nigeria. They are exposed to disease, sanitation problems, environmental deterioration, hunger; all triggered by insurgency, in the Northeast, militancy in the Niger Delta, kidnapping in almost all states of the federation and other social ills afflicting the society.

    Malnutrition has become a threat to the survival of the Nigerian child but a campaign has just been launched by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the media to tackle the menace.

    Concern for the survival of the Nigerian child and how to find solution to the threat posed by malnutrition was the focus of a Media Dialogue organised by the UNICEF, a specialised agency of the United Nations which has welfare of children as its major mandate, for reporters in the Southwest.

    The media practitioners, who came from print, electronic, social and online platforms brainstormed with stakeholders such as officials of the UNICEF, health professionals, caregivers, policy makers and beneficiaries of the agency’s intervention where issues bordering on malnutrition were dissected.

    The UNICEF recognises the media as an important vehicle of advocacy and a strong partner to propagate the message of best nutrition practices to boost child health through editorials, documentaries, features, informed commentaries; special reports, interviews with policy makers, community workers and mothers.

    The forum reached a  consensus that malnutrition is a general problem which is not peculiar to any region in Nigeria; as virtually all the six geo-political zones are battling with the problem. As it affects children of the poor, malnutrition also afflicts children of the rich, which many would find incredible.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, whose opening remarks was delivered by the Head, Child Rights Information Bureau, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, Mrs. Rose Madu, described the problem as one that is common.

    He urged journalists to use their platforms to educate policy makers so that the right budgetary allocations are made and funds released on time to tackle the challenges of malnutrition.

    The minister, who revealed that similar forums had been held in Sokoto, Calabar, Kano and Owerri said bringing journalists together was an important step towards battling the scourge because of their roles as nation-builders.

    According to him, statistics has shown that malnutrition has become a huge threat to children both in the North and in the South; hence the need for all Nigerians to join hands with the government to save the future of the younger generation.

    UNICEF Communication Specialist in Abuja, Mr. Geoffrey Njoku, said the problem of malnutrition required urgency because of the increasing infant mortality rate attributed to it.

    He expressed shock at the findings made during a similar media dialogue held in Owerri, where it was discovered that a good number of infants in Imo State are suffering from malnutrition.

    Njoku said: “I was at the Owerri dialogue and I was shocked at the level of malnutrition of children in Imo State. In the Southwest as well, we have issues of malnutrition and Nigerians expect that reports coming out of here would help address these issues.

    “The use of social media has helped tremendously because both the Senate and the House of Representatives are talking about it; so it had become a national issue.”

    Njoku revealed that 22 per cent of children under five years in the Southwest zone have stunted growth, saying it was erroneous to believe that malnutrition only affects the northern part of the country.

    Quoting a 2013 survey, Njoku stressed that studies revealed that malnutrition was prevalent among children of the rich in the Southwest under the age of five, adding that research also showed that 13 per cent of children born to rich families also suffer malnutrition.

    Giving an overview of Nutrition Intervention in Nigeria, Dr. Chris Isokpunwu, of the Federal Ministry of Health said there was need to give children balanced diet at infancy before much damage is done.

    Represented by Mrs. Omotayo Ogunbunmi, Isokpunwu noted that “nutrition has a powerful influence on the child’s growth, development and productive life.”

    Quoting statistics from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey, Isokpunwu revealed that Nigeria has the highest number of stunted children under the age of five in sub-Sahara Africa and second highest in the world with 37 per cent of all children stunted, 18 per cent wasting and 29 per cent underweight.

    According to him, the infant mortality rate was 69 in every 1,000 live births while only 17 per cent were exclusively breastfed.

    In her presentation, UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Mrs. Ada Ezeogu, revealed that 50 per cent of infants in Nigeria die as a result of malnutrition, even as she advocated exclusive breastfeeding for children from age zero to six months.

    Refering to the data prepared by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Mrs. Ezeogu also urged women not to deny babies in the age bracket breast milk on grounds that their breasts would sag.

    She said the infant mortality rate could be reduced through adequate nutrition, adding that exclusive breastfeeding would boost mental capacity of babies and would help Nigerian children to become adults with great intellect in future.

    Mrs. Ezeogu explained that babies did not need water when they were being fed exclusively with breast milk because 80 per cent of breast milk contained water while the remaining 20 per cent contained the needed nutrients for babies’ optimal growth.

    She said: “Every child should be exclusively breast fed for the first six months. Breastfeeding lowers the risk of chronic conditions later in life such as obesity, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes; childhood asthma and childhood leukaemia.

    “Breastfed infants do better on intelligence and behaviour test than formula-fed babies.”

    At the dialogue, some children who were hitherto malnourished but had overcome the scourge after the intervention of UNICEF field officers in their respective localities were presented.

    Hassan and Hussein are promising twin boys who were deprived of the opportunity of enjoying breastfeeding by the death of their mother.

    Health workers diagnosed them of acute malnutrition in August last year at their Gaa Ayegbade Settlement in Ibarapa East Local Government Area of Oyo State.

    Six months after the children were fed on soya-based enriched complementary food and guide corn; babies who could hardly sit are now walking and eating other foods

    “That they are alive today is a miracle; they did not develop well, they were only feeding on infant formula,” said their grandmother, Hawawu Musa.

    Abigail Babarinde, at the age of one, was unable to sit or walk but respite came her way when she was referred for treatment and her mother commenced feeding her with soya-based enriched complementary food prepared at Oyo State Nutritional Rehabilitation Centre, Oni and Sons Children Hospital.

    Her mother, 21-year-old Aminat Babarinde, told reporters at the forum that she breastfed the baby for one month, claiming that the baby refused to be fed on breast milk.

    She explained that Abigail’s rejection of breast milk affected her growth but she was taken to Eruwa General Hospital where the child was referred to a nutritionist who administered special diet on her.

    The story of Abigail, Hassan and Hussein who looked lively during the forum, was a testimony to efforts of nutrition officers to prevent children from having stunted growth.

    In her presentation, a Nutrition Officer in Oyo State Ministry of Health, Dr. Khadijat Alarape, explained that 13.2 per cent of children in the state are underweight; a percentage which she said was a significant decline from the previous 17.7 per cent few years ago.

  • Ambode harps on planning for grassroots development

    Ambode harps on planning for grassroots development

    Governor Akinwunmi Ambode has said the role of local government planners in the physical and economic development of the grassroots areas cannot be overlooked.

    He also saidthe local government system in Nigeria needs reconfiguration for effective physical development, especially in the area of financing.

    Governor Ambode spoke at the public presentation of a book Purpose-driven Plan: A 10-year Epe Local Government Development Plan, 2015-2025 at the Remi Tinubu Hall, Yaba Local Council Development Area Secretariat, Panti Lagos.

    Represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Primary Health care, Dr Owolabi O. Onanuga, Governor Ambode noted that the local governments as agents of grassroots development have been discovered to play the main roles of linking popular participation; legitimacy and democratic governance.

    He stressed the need for every local government to have qualified planners in their planning department. He congratulated Adebola Benjamin Adeyemi on his efforts to bring the importance of planning in the local governments to the front burner, so that people would understand that the issue of planning­- whether physical or economic-does not begin and end at the state or federal levels of governance.

    In his welcome speech, the Director of Planning and Chairman Lagos State Conference of Local Government Planners, Mr. Olalere Olanrewaju said Mr Adeyemi’s book on local government planning couldn’t have come at a better time than now that the state government has shown commitment to the development of the grassroots where majority of the people live.

    He said the author had demonstrated sincere dedication to the need for local governments to key into the state government’s cardinal development plans such as economic, infrastructural, environmental, revenue enhancement and social development.

    Mr. Olanrewaju affirmed that “data analysis and collection management is not only for major effective planning but also a means for effective revenue generation for efficient, adequate and proper planning which have been the fortune of Epe Local Government Area whose revenue generation base was N2.8 million between January and June last  year.

    ”Subsequent to production and implementation of the data analysed by Planner Bola Adeyemi, Epe Local Government is now generating N11 million for the corresponding period-January to June this year.

    “This was achieved by the singular efforts of Planner Bola Adeyemi and his team…who is now the Director of Planning and Head of Administration of Oriade Local Council Development Area.”

    Reviewing the book, the Director of Planning and Head of Administration Ijede Local Council Development Area, Mr Adewunmi Ogunbambi noted that development planning is a burning issue.

    “At this point,” he said, “when we intend to move Lagos forward, governance is shifting to the local governments.”

    Continuing, he said: “It is auspicious that a book of this nature is being presented now. As the immediate past president and forerunner of Conference of Local Government Planners, his efforts to integrate the state and local government systems cannot be overlooked.

    “Even though the author had risen to the post of Head of Administration in a local government, his passion and zeal for planning is still burning.”

    Mr. Ogunbambi stressed that only few books have been written on development at the local government level, especially one dedicated to the development of a specific local government-Epe.

    He noted that the author might have written the book in order to bring to the fore its objectives which include a more realistic government growth in internally generated revenue, to tilt capital investment funds towards government key priority areas and to improve fiscal discipline. He described the book as “a compact handy and detailed compendium of statistics of the local government.

    The book is a very useful handbook and it’s recommended for the executive and management of local governments, students, researchers and prospective investors in Epe.”

    He congratulated the author on his tenacity in writing a book that articulates the current benchmark of the local government.

  • Journalists urged on fair reportage

    Journalists urged on fair reportage

    Journalists have been advised to be fair to all politicians irrespective of their party affiliations.

    Stakeholders gave the advice at the lecture held to mark the first anniversary of an online news medium, Paragon News and the 40th birthday of an Executive Member of the Oyo State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ademola Babalola in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

    According to the stakeholders, which included security agents, politicians and media practitioners, with fair reporting, politicians would not complain of bias.

    In the lecture entitled: “What Roles for the Media Ahead of 2019 Elections”, the guest lecturer, Mr. Femi Babalola, advised the media to live up to their expectation as the Fourth Estate of the Realm by engaging in a more serious investigative reporting on the antecedents of would-be leaders.

    Babalola, the Chairman, Pentagon Engineering and Jogor Events Centre, regretted the prostrate state of the economy and the lurking social crisis, saying these should be of concern to journalists. He emphasised that the media have a duty to ensure that the economic crisis does not degenerate to a social crisis.

    ‘’At the setting in of a social crisis, we will return to the state of nature where both life and property would no longer be safe or guaranteed as a result of widespread anarchy that will result therefrom.

    “As I said earlier, both economic and social stability are functions of diligent governance and adept leadership. So, be focused right away; giving your power of command and control as journalists. This is to guide this great nation to right political choice in 2019. That patriotic role, dear pen pushers, begins right away,’’ Babalola added.

    A former Editor-In-Chief of Nigerian Tribune, Mr. Felix Adenaike, urged the political class not to be complacent thinking that voters are robots, stressing: ‘’this is the reason as media professionals, we should always put them on their toes by making sure that we are duly involved in setting agenda for good governance, accountability and probity as demanded of us in the Section 22 of the Constitution. This lecture is timely and should be emulated by all media professionals.’’

    Ogun State Commissioner for Information, Toye Arulogun, chided some journalists for their penchant for blackmail and publication of unfounded rumours to bring down people in government, adding that the era of investigative and responsible journalism was gone. He added that “the development called to question the sincerity of the media in entrenching good governance, probity and accountability in the country riddled with graft and corrupt practices’’.

    In his keynote address, the Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Sam Dam Adegbuyi, who was represented by Samson Olawoyin, a Superintendent of Police (SP), assured the media professionals of protection, especially during election campaigns, adding that “the media are our critical partner in progress.’’

    A journalist, Mr. Kehinde Akinyemi, urged journalists not to be partisan in their political reporting, saying they should give each political party equal time to share its goals and the strategies for reaching them.

    He said: ’’Media do, indeed, have a certain level of social responsibility to avoid incendiary language or biased reporting that incites antagonism or conflict.

    ‘’Reporters must also avoid reporting on rumours and seek out new and diverse voices for their stories whenever possible. They should also embrace the need to sometimes expurgate inaccurate or potentially inflammatory language from political statements or speeches and be aware of the words they use in stories.”

    A former Minister of Sports, who was the Father of the Day, Prof Taoheed Adedoja and an Abuja-based Managing Director of Westfield Global Construction Limited, Alhaji Wasiu Adebisi, who chaired the event, challenged the leadership of the NUJ on the need to ensure enforceable regulatory standards for the social media practitioners to checkmate incidence of partiality and unhealthy fictitious stories occasionally published as ‘truths’. Adedoja called for caution, transparency and public engagement with the rise of new media.

    Other dignitaries at the event were a lawmaker in the state, Fatai Shina Adeniyi; a former NUJ National President, Mr. Lanre Ogundipe; Mr. Yomi Layinka, the Special Adviser on Media to Governor Abiola Ajimobi represented by a Senior Special Assistant, Mr. Akin Oyedele; a former NUJ Chairman, Mr. Gbenga Ayoade; the Vice-Chairman, a former Secretary, Prince Segun Adeyemo and Mr. Samson Tunde Abiodun.

    Others were members of the League of Veteran Journalists, Lagelu Grammar School Old Boys, representatives of Oyo State Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN), National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), online media practitioners, officials of Union Bank, Federal Mortage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), BayseOne Hotel and Fidelity Bank, among others.

  • Remembering Chief Morohundiya, 25 years after

    Remembering Chief Morohundiya, 25 years after

    Last September 13, on the 10th anniversary of the death of my younger brother, Michael Ekpeme Ahonaruogho, I decided once again to pay tribute to my  late principal, Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya, whose 25th remembrance came up last Saturday.

    Records show that Chief Bola Ige (SAN) and later his amiable wife, the late Justice Atinuke Ige worked with the late Chief Morohundiya at Ibadan in the Law Offices of Durosaro and Morohundiya.

    Some other lawyers who passed through the late Chief Morohundiya’s Chambers in Lagos included Justice Olulade Oladapo Obadina,  Justice Oye Iyanda, Justice Niyi Adebajo (rtd.); Mr. J. O. Omole (former Chief Registrar of the High Court of Lagos State), Chief Adewale Gbeleyi, Chief Olu Akintunde, Chief Abimbola Awosika, Mr. Sola  Olatunbosun, Chief Akinlabi Kuponiyi (former Speaker of Osun State House of Assembly), Chief Michael Olunwa, Mr. S. A. Afolabi, Mrs. Joke Opeyokun, Mr. Andrew Bamidele Chukwuemeka (ABC) Ogbogbo, Mrs. Bisi Awonuga, Ms. Eniola Olatunji Makanjuola, Mr. Akin Olatunji, Mrs. Christine Awoloto, Yemisi Wilton-Waddel, Mrs. Ayodele Ayobolu, Mr. Olakunle Morohundiya, Mr. Akin Edward Falade, Chief Richard Oma Ahonaruogho and Mr. Victor Aigbogun.

    To live in the hearts of those who love you, is to live forever. Even though some of the lawyers who passed through the law chambers of the late Chief Morohundiya have passed on, those of us alive will continue to cherish his fond memory.

    In the circumstances, one can  imagine those whose biographies would be incomplete without the name of the late Chief Morohundiya as having touched their lives.

    Recently, while on holidays in the United Kingdom, Victor Aigbogun  visited me and narrated how, upon getting married in Nigeria, his wife wanted him to move over to the United Kingdom. Having a successful law practice in Nigeria, he was reluctant to take the plunge. He was not willing to subject himself to doing menial jobs in the United Kingdom.

    He sat and passed the qualifying examination which enabled him to practice in the United Kingdom and then it was time to go job hunting. He applied to a law firm and submitted his curriculum vitae wherein he made reference to having worked with thew late Chief Morohundiya while in Nigeria. He was invited by Mr. Roderick Palling Bouldi who happened to have known the late Chief Morohundiya several years ago in London. That was all Victor Aigbogun needed to be employed in the United Kingdom–the name of Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya.

    So, as we remember the late Chief Samuel Morohundiya of Gray’s Inn on the 25th anniversary of his death, let us be assured that good people do not die. They rest from the earthly labours in the Lord.

    I join your wife and pillar of support, Chief Christiana Ayodele Morohundiya; your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, the Morohundiya dynasty at home and in the Diaspora, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), the First Baptist Church, Ikeja, the First Baptist Church,, Idikan, Ibadan, the Nigerian Baptist Convention, The Boys Scout Movement of Nigeria, the Nigerian Red Cross, the Morohundiya Foundation for Legal Development of the Faculty of Law of the University of Ibadan in remembering a good man –the late Chief Samuel Olasupo Morohundiya.

    Sleep  on my beloved boss and mentor, the late Chief Morohundiya – Member Distinguished Body of Benchers, Maiyegun of Ikeja, Bamofin of Ibadan land, Bada Olubadan of Ibadan land, first Chairman and Patron of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch and many others.

    *Chief Ahonaruogho, a legal practitioner, writes from Lagos.

  • Free surgery for Ogun community

    No fewer than 27 persons in Ijebu land, Ogun State, have benefited from free general and orthopaedic surgeries carried out by experts under the aegis of Steno Memorial Foundation.

    The beneficiaries included two women who had lumps extracted from their breasts, men suffering from hernia and two others who received corrective surgeries for fractured leg and hip joint.

    Experts from Nigeria and abroad including Dr Aigbokhaewo Osagie (Consultant, Orthopaedic Surgeon,Nigeria), Dr Shobode Mutaleeb Ayodele (Abroad) among others, volunteered their services and facilities to the foundation to execute the month-long free surgery procedure at the St. Michael-Israel Specialist Hospital, Ijebu-Ode.

    Dr  Olufemi Sanni, an England-based Psychiatrist, who runs Steno Memorial Foundation, told Southwest Report that 27 persons  have undergone surgical operations.

    Sanni said he was also planning to build a theatre for operations as well as primary health care centre in Nigeria for free treatment of children of age five and below. He added that since inception in 2011,  over 2,500 people had benefited from its health programmes.

  • Lagos community gets kits for indigent pupils

    Ponle Golden Lions Club, Ipaja, Lagos has a vision for the indigent pupils and out-of-school children in the seedy Ipaja area of Lagos.

    Lion (Prince) Adeyemi Aderemi, revealed this after his official presentation to the public as the President of the Ponle Golden Club penultimate Saturday by the District Governor, Waheed Kadiri, at the Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    The colourful event was chaired by Senator Gbenga Kaka.

    The four-year-old Club, Aderemi said, would take improvement of the condition of school pupils in Ipaja seriously, even as he said that in the next one year, efforts would be made to complement the efforts of the state and local governments to improve education standard.

  • Lawmaker partners NHIS, NGO on health care delivery

    Lawmaker partners NHIS, NGO on health care delivery

    Mindful of the United Nations (UN) stance that access to quality and affordable health care will solve most of health challenges confronting humankind, especially those dwelling at the rural areas, the member representing Ilaje Constituency 1 in the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr. Abayomi Akinruntan, has provided quality health care services for members of his constituency.

    The gesture was in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). It was aimed at giving medical support to the people.

    Also involved in the collaboration is Equitable Health Access Initiative (EHAI), a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

    To this end, the representatives of the NGO and the NHIS in Ondo State had visited two out of the 18 health centres in the constituency in preparation for the commencement of the health insurance scheme.

    The two health centres visited were Ilowo Comprehensive Health Centre located on the riverside communities which serves the people residing at the riverside, and Ugbonla Basic Health Centre in Ugbonla.

    The team observed that the health centre in Ilowo community, which was built some years ago by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to provide quality health care to the people  and being managed by the Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) on contract basis, was in a terrible shape.

    During the visit, the two members of staff on duty, who took the team round the facility, decried the level of neglect by OSOPADEC. They urged the state government to show more interest in the maintenance of the health centre.

    One of the workers said: “All the equipment here are obsolete as a result of which we can’t treat patients. I have been working here for over 10 years. This place was serving the people of the riverside area but since three years now, we’ve not been getting support again from OSOPADEC that is managing the facility.

    “The only thing we get is our salaries; no equipment, no drugs and the staff quarter is dilapidated. We now refer our patients from here to the upland in Ugbonla Basic Health Centre or Igbokoda General Hospital. It has not been easy for members of staff here.”

    However, the condition was somewhat better at the Ugbonla Basic Health Centre as the place had just been renovated by Consolidated Oil Company, (Conoil).

    The Head Nurse, who took the team round the health centre, appreciated the regular support of the local government, adding that even though they are still experiencing some challenges, with time they will overcome them.

    Speaking at the palace of Olugbo of Ugbo, Oba Fredrick Obateru Akinruntan, the lawmaker said he had decided to bring relief to his constituents after realising the challenges they face in accessing affordable and quality health care.

    His words: “Our people, especially in the riverside area, face a lot of problems before they access quality health care in their communities. It’s expensive and not easy moving pregnant women and emergency cases with boat or canoe from the riverside to the upland.

    “I realised the need for urgent intervention on their health facility in the riverside area and I have decided to take it upon myself to foot the bill of delivering quality health care for my people; not minding the harsh economic situation. This tour was for us to assess the level of readiness of the centres to provide such services.”

    Responding, the NHIS Director in Ondo State, Mr. Simon Adeniji, commended the lawmaker for giving them a platform to deliver the Federal Government’s initiative to the people of Ilaje Constituency 1.

    He said the aim of the NHIS was to ensure that communities, especially those at the rural areas, have direct access to quality health care across the country at no or low cost, adding that the purpose of their visit was to assess the infrastructure at the health centres and strategise on how to deliver good and quality health care to the people.

    The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of EHAI, Dr Akinmurele Timothy, admitted that Mr. Akinruntan has done a noble thing by caring about the welfare of his people. He added that only those who have their people in mind will decide to bear the cost which he put at N800 monthly per person.

    After the inspection of the facilities, the team visited the Olugbo of Ugbo land.

    The monarch said the state of the health centres in Ilaje is worrisome, even as he called on the state government to intervene for the benefit of people living in the riverside areas. He promised to collaborate with the team in achieving their goal of delivering better health care to his people.

     

  • Ekiti community aglow at Yam Festival

    Ekiti community aglow at Yam Festival

    The cultural heritage of Ikere Ekiti was on display as the people of the community joined their monarch, the Ogoga, Oba Samuel Adejimi Adu Alagbado, to celebrate this year’s New Yam Festival known locally as Odun Ijesu. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA reports.

    Ikere Ekiti, a town which prides itself as the gateway to Ekiti land celebrated this year’s New Yam Festival with pomp and ceremony. It was the first to be celebrated since the new Ogoga, Oba Samuel Adejimi Adu Alagbado, Agirilala Ogbenuotesoro II ascended the throne.

    Since time the ancient time, the festival known in local parlance as Odun Ijesu had been celebrated but this year’s edition was taken to a higher pedestal as it was marked elaborately.

    Oba Adu and his subjects had every reason to roll out the drums because his reign has witnessed the construction of a modern palace built by the Ogoga himself, an administrative building and the new palace gate.

    Apart from the new yams rolled out at the festival which was a harbinger of agricultural fecundity of the community, the monarch, his chiefs and other residents, turned the event into a carnival.

    The Ogoga wore a highly embroidered Aso Oke and a gleaming white crown. He sat regally on his throne placed at the entrance of the main palace building with his wife, Olori Olufunmilola Ololade sitting in front of him.

    •Some crowns worn by the Ogoga on display at the event.
    •Some crowns worn by the Ogoga on display at the event.

    The various crowns worn by the Ogoga were displayed at the festival and guests and indigenes alike admired them.

    Crowd control became taxing at the event as the security men and women deployed to the palace were seemingly overwhelmed by the huge crowd that attended the event.

    The major feature of the ceremony was the homage paid by the traditional chiefs led by the iwarefas, the oloris (palace queens), the ibedos (age grade groups), traditional hunters, iyalojas, iyalajes (market women), the Oyopejus (Ikere indigenes who have their roots in Oyo) and members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) serving in the community.

    The oloris, who decorated themselves with royal beads, stole the show with their dexterous dance steps to which the Ogoga applauded. Their performance also drew a thunderous applause from the crowd.

    Non-indigenes including the Ebira, Igbo, Urhobo and Idoma who had taken up residency and earn their livelihood in Ikere took their turns to pay homage to the Ogoga who waved his irukere (horsetail) to acknowledge their reverence.

    Dignitaries at the festival were led by Governor Ayo Fayose who was represented by the Deputy Governor Dr. Kolapo Olusola who is an indigene. deputy governor’s wife, Mrs. Janet Olusola; Chairman, Ikere Local Government Area, Ola Alonge; member representing Ikere Constituency 1 in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Wale Ayeni; House of Assembly member representing Ikere Constituency 11, Sunday Akinniyi; Provost, College of Education, Ikere, Dr. Mojisola Oyarekua; Deputy Provost, Dr. Olu Atunramu and Registrar, Gbenga Ojo.

    The dignitaries including the deputy governor, the council chairman and the two Assembly members also took turns to pay homage to the Ogoga.

    One of the local hunters who paid homage to the king said: “This Kabiyesi is a harbinger of good things in Ikere. He should be celebrated by all his subjects.” The hunters’ homage ended with a staccato of gun shots.

    Delivering the welcome address, the Odolofin of Ikere, Chief James Ayodele Alonge, said the festival was aimed at fostering unity and love among Ikere indigenes and other residents; saying the festival “is in no way connected with idol worshipping.”

    He said: “This is our culture; it is in no way connected with idol worshipping which scares our Christian brothers and sisters. It is used to thank God that a little piece of yam that was put in the soil became a big yam ready for eating.

    “A new dawn is here, what the architect of modern Ikere, Agirilala did is now manifesting in his son, Agirilala II. He is the paramount ruler and prescribed authority of this kingdom.

    “All of us must co-operate with this progressive Oba to make Ikere take its pride of place in Ekiti land. New Yam festival is done in nearly all locations in Ekiti State. A little piece of yam that was planted by people and watered by God became big.”

    Delivering his speech, the Ogoga, Oba Adu who described the Ikere people as ariremako (people who don’t reject good things), expressed gratitude to his subjects for their co-operation since he mounted the ancient throne.

    •Cross-section of Ikere traditional chiefs at the event.
    •Cross-section of Ikere traditional chiefs at the event.

    The traditional ruler said the development witnessed in the town in the last one year of his reign was made possible by peace enjoyed by all. He urged them to always live in harmony to facilitate more development.

    The Ogoga said: “By this time last year, we celebrated Odun Ijesu and God has given us another opportunity to celebrate this year’s edition.

    “I acknowledge the unflinching support of the governor and his deputy. I also want to thank all the chiefs for their support and co-operation which has made us to achieve what we have achieved so far.

    “I thank all sons and daughters of Ikere; I appreciate your support and prayers. Let us join hands together to lift Ikere to greater heights because we don’t have another town we can call our own.

    “We have a lot of projects at hand; our city hall and roads are there and by the grace of God we must accomplish them. I also want to appeal to you all that we should support our council chairman to execute these projects.

    “Let us love one another, let us support one another because we are all brothers and sisters. Development of Ikere is our common project which we must pursue with all vigour because we don’t have another place other than Ikere.”

    Going down memory lane during an interaction with reporters after the programme, the Odolofin, Chief Alonge revealed that Ikere was founded in the 11th Century and had evolved to a big melting pot of people from various backgrounds within and outside Ekiti State.

    He said: “Ikere came into existence in the 11th Century and at a stage, we had a legend called Olosunta and we were worshiping him because he came into this town but was later betrayed and driven out of the town.

    “The wrong done to him brought about epidemic and the Ifa Oracle instructed us to appease him every year. After the appeasement was done, there was rain and all the crops planted flourished and bountiful harvest was recorded.

    “The New Yam Festival is one of the ways we celebrated the fertility of our land and to appreciate God for blessing our efforts in the last planting season.

    “So, our message to the people of Ikere is to join hands with the Agirilala II to develop this town. We have begun to see progress in this town; our Oba must be encouraged by others to key in to his dream for the development of our community.”