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Tag: Abeokuta

  • Nigeria’s rising stars shine at 2025 CAA U18/U20 African Championships in Abeokuta

    Nigeria’s rising stars shine at 2025 CAA U18/U20 African Championships in Abeokuta

    The 2025 Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) U18/U20 African Championships opened in Abeokuta with a strong showing from Nigeria’s emerging athletics talents.

    The five-day continental event, held from July 16 to 20 at the MKO Abiola Stadium, brought together athletes from about 40 African countries and kicked off with promising results for Team Nigeria—particularly for three standout athletes from the MTN CHAMPS initiative.

    Lucy Nwankwo, Toheebat Jimoh, and Eno Ezekiel—all MVPs from Season 1 and 2 of the MTN CHAMPS grassroots athletics competition—delivered medal-winning performances in the U20 sprint events.

    Nwankwo clocked a new personal best of 11.88s to win her women’s 100m heat, while Ezekiel ran a blistering 45.83s to clinch silver in the men’s 400m, despite being a late replacement.

    Jimoh secured bronze in the women’s 400m, also with a personal best of 53.00s, fulfilling a dream of representing Nigeria on the international stage.

    All three athletes are products of the MoC Academy, having been scouted through the MTN CHAMPS platform developed by MTN in partnership with Making of Champions (MoC).

    Their rapid rise—from being discovered at grassroots competitions to winning medals on the continental stage—highlights the growing impact of structured youth development in Nigerian athletics.

    The trio were among ten MTN CHAMPS athletes who competed at the 2024 National Sports Festival, winning medals and solidifying their status as some of the country’s most promising prospects.

    Nigeria’s 92-athlete delegation, comprising 51 men and 41 women, is participating across both the U18 and U20 categories. For many, including Nwankwo, Jimoh, and Ezekiel, this marks their first time donning national colours in international competition.

    Their achievements underscore the importance of sustained investment in grassroots sports and reflect the potential of initiatives like MTN CHAMPS in shaping the future of Nigerian athletics.

  • Podcaster cum OAP Precious weds in Abeokuta

    Podcaster cum OAP Precious weds in Abeokuta

    A young and talented podcaster cum voiceover artist, Precious Chukwu has explained how she met and married her dream man.

    In a recent chat, Precious – now Mrs. Achudume – expressed certainty about her choice saying, “I personally received words from God that he was the one.”

    Continuing, the former Rhema FM’s OAP said: “I also received confirmations from my spiritual parents and family, and I’m convinced that I made the right decision.”

    Married to a pastor, David Lawrence Achudume, who doubles as the son of a famous pastor, Apostle Lawrence Achudume of the Victory Life Bible Church, Precious described Pastor David as kind, loving, and a fine man who loves God, highlighting the qualities that drew her to him.

    For the groom cum husband, the journey to marriage began with a divine revelation.

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    He said: “From the first time I met her, I knew she was the one. God told me she was the one, and I was blessed to find that she possessed all the qualities I admired – confidence, a beautiful voice, and stunning beauty. However, it was her heart of gold and lovable nature that truly captured my heart.”

    The wedding ceremony, which was held recently, had the trappings of dignitaries that included Bishop Funke Felix-Adejumo of Agape Christian Ministries Worldwide, wife of the ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Mrs Bola Obasanjo, Reverend Tunde Bakare, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Umo Eno, ex-Governor Udom Emmanuel, Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun represented by the Head of Service, Kehinde Onasanya, and Bishop Francis Wale Oke.

    Others include Rock FM boss, Niran Malaolu, Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation GM, Mrs. Toyin Sogbesan, Sweet FM GM, Eddy Aina, ex-Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Lagos State, Mrs. Funke Fadugba, Chairman NUJ, Ogun State represented by Secretary, Bunmi Adigun, and Secretary of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations Ogun State, Chapter, Mr Kunle Olayeni.

  • Work to begin on Abeokuta-Ota road, says Ogun govt

    Work to begin on Abeokuta-Ota road, says Ogun govt

    Reconstruction of the 61-kilometre Sango-Ifo-Abeokuta Expressway in Ogun State is soon to commence.

    Contract for the job is one of the  40   okayed  by the state Executive Council

    Out of the 40 roads, 21  will be handled by the state government in conjunction with the Federal Government while the remaining 19  are solely by the state.

    Works and Infrastructure Commissioner Ade Akinsanya made this known at a news conference in Abeokuta yesterday. He listed Alagbole – Ajunwon, Akute – Ajunwon, Toyin Hakuris Road in Ifo II state Constituency in Ogun Central;   Oke – Erinja – Erinja Road in Ogun West and Awokoya Road in Ijebu Ode,  Ogun East as some of the roads.

    Akinsanya, who was flanked by Governor Dapo Abiodun’s Special Adviser  on Information and Strategy, explained that the decision to  reconstruct the roads was to ease the  hardship being experienced by motorists and other residents of the state.

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    The commissioner said that palliative work was ongoing on the  Sango – Ota – Atan – down to Owode Idiroko axis of the highway pending when the construction company that won the contract in April would move to site.

    The Nation gathered from a source that the reconstruction of the road would be carried out ‘’simultaneously in five gangs’’ to ensure its early completion.

    Asked if the state government had gotten the Federal Government’s transfer paper to commence the work, he replied: There is a presidential directive empowering states interested in fixing federal roads to go ahead. We have to go ahead with that road because of its importance and the pains being experienced by our people and motorists daily.

     ‘’There is an extract of  the Federal Executive Council (FEC)  meeting on the transfer of such roads and as such we cannot keep waiting.’’ 

    Governor Abiodun  had last week lamented that  the state was  facing  ‘’stiff opposition from some federal officials on the transfer(of roads), which forced the government to formally award the contract (for the 61-kilometre Sango-Ifo-Abeokuta Expressway), with or without the necessary transfer papers.’’

  • Nilayo Sports hook FEBBS Premium Water for Abeokuta 10km race

    Nilayo Sports hook FEBBS Premium Water for Abeokuta 10km race

    To ensure that runners in this year’s Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10 km race are well hydrated, organisers of the race, Nilayo Sports Limited  has signed a partnership deal with FEBBS Premium water as official suppliers of water at the event.

    In an impressive signing ceremony held at Nilayo’s Corporate Headquarters at Magodo Estate, Lagos both companies announced that the deal which will be for an initial two years is subject to renewal.

    Making a presentation of what the company intends doing at the marathon, the Brand Manager of FEBBS Premium water, Tosin Kayode explained that her company decided to be part of the race in order to enhance the hydration experience at the marathon positing that their unique approach and premium quality dedication will set them apart from previous hydration partners.

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    She also announced that the company will on the day of the marathon, mobilize enthusiastic volunteers who will be cheering on runners to create a positive and motivating environment while they’ll also produce live music booths at key hydration points to keep the energy of runner’s high even as she stated that there will also be obstacle games aimed at making spectators have a fun filled day as the race last.

    ”Apart from ensuring proper *hydration* of runners, we plan to have music booths at key hydration points. There will also be interactive games like water balcony challenge where participants must carry a bottle of water while navigating an obstacle course and those who complete the game could win prizes such as branded water bottles and hydration packs.

    ”FEBBS Water will also collaborate with local artists to create water themed- murals or installations along the race route offering visual entertainment and photo opportunities for participants and spectators leveraging on the company’s block chain technology.”

    The Brand Manager further explained that the company will also provide customized branding opportunities such as personalized water bottles featuring the logo of the event and motivational messages on health and safety measures.

    In his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Olasegun Dada noted that FEBBS is out to help make the marathon a memorable one just as he expressed confidence that the partnership will change the face of athletes’ hydration during long distance races in the country

    Speaking at the occasion, an excited Managing Director of Nilayo Sports Limited, Chief Bukola Olopade described the company as an organisation that’s well equipped with humane strategy on how to hydrate people.

    ” I’m highly excited that we’re going into partnership with a company that’s humane and equipped with a strategy on how to hydrate the people and I believe that this relationship will drive growth and improve the business of our partners.

    Olopade while stating that Nilayo Sports thrives on changing the live styles of the people and having relationship that can create sustainability expressed hope that the partnership will achieve its objectives.

     “At Nilayo Sports, we insist on relationships that can create sustainability and improve the business of our partners and am happy that the feedback we’re getting from our automotive partners, FMCG’s and financial institutions is that when they partner with us, things improve and I hope the same thing will be applicable in this particular partnership,“ he concluded.

  •  Abeokuta set for trade fair

     Abeokuta set for trade fair

    A few days to the beginning of 13th Gateway International Trade Fair, excitement has continued to build across Southwest geopolitical zone, as stakeholders get prepared to storm Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, for the much awaited yearly event.

    The trade fair, which holds from April 19 to 29 at M.K.O. Abiola International Trade Fair Complex, Abeokuta, will also feature increased exhibitors and product offering, as well as a more effective transportation system to ease movement of visitors to the Trade Fair Complex.

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    Preparations are underway to welcome participants to the trade fair, according to the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Industry, Oluyemisi Somorin-Dawodu, while speaking to reporters on the trade fair with the theme: “Achieving Economic Prosperity through Business Connection, Trade and Investment.”

    She said this year’s trade fair is more than just the exhibition of products, as a lot of other economic and trade-related activities have been lined up to make the experience more worthwhile for participants, who will be coming from far and near.

  • Abeokuta-Ota road to become world-class, says Ogun govt

    Abeokuta-Ota road to become world-class, says Ogun govt

    • State hails Fed Govt for transfer

    The Ogun State government yesterday declared its readiness to take over the construction of the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road from the Federal Government and transform it into a world-class carriageway. 

    The road, which runs through Lagos and Ogun states, has been in a deplorable condition for years, resulting in untold hardship for motorists, especially residents of Ogun State. 

    The Dapo Abiodun administration has been providing palliatives on the road since 2019. 

    The Ogun State governor’s efforts, in conjunction with his Lagos State counterpart, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, were not complemented by former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

    But Abiodun’s unrelenting efforts finally yielded fruit on Monday when the Federal Government announced its approval for the Ogun State government to embark on the reconstruction of the dilapidated road and toll it.

    Works Minister David Umahi spoke on the current Federal Government’s position after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Aso Villa on Monday in Abuja.

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    “On the permission to build federal roads, when such requests are made, we give approval within 24 hours. But then, there are conditions to be met. They have to use the Federal Ministry of Works standard designs,” he said.

    Lauding Federal Government’s gesture while hailing Governor Abiodun for his resilience in pursuing the approval, Ogun State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Ade Akinsanya, expressed the state’s readiness to take on the project and end the many years of suffering of its people.

    Akinsanya, who recalled that the efforts to get Federal Government’s approval started immediately Abiodun assumed office in 2019, said the decision to allow Ogun State to take over the project was a memorable development to the people of the state and other users of the road.

    He said: “Severally, Governor Abiodun and Governor Jide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State wrote the Presidency and the Federal Works Ministry seeking the handover of, among other roads, the Lagos-Sango-Ota-Abeokuta road, Ikorodu-Ogijo-Sagamu road and Sagamu-Ijebu-Ode-Benin road.

    “But the response then was that all the roads were under contracts. So, nothing happened. But our governor, determined to see an end to the hardship being experienced by our people, did not give up until he was able to seal the deal on Sunday.”

    The commissioner explained that the length of the road is about 70 kilometres with Ogun having 61 kilometres and Lagos State nine kilometres.

    Akinsanya said even while waiting for the approval, the Abiodun administration kept doing all it could to make the road passable for motorists.

    “Ogun State has been rehabilitating the road since 2019. We kept doing palliative works because the governor is always concerned about the sufferings being experienced by the people. He remained concerned about the deplorable state of the road till he got what he wanted from the Federal Government. 

    “With the transfer done now, we are happy and ready to immediately take over the project and turn around the fortunes of the road. It’s what we’ve been looking for, praying for, since we came on board. We will take over immediately, subject to paper works between us and the Federal Ministry of Works,” he said.

  • Organisers  fine-tune  preps for Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10KM Race

    Organisers  fine-tune  preps for Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10KM Race

    Organizers of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10KM Race, Nilayo Sports Management Limited , have toured the routes for the race in company of sponsors and other stakeholders ahead of the 3rd edition of the event fixed for  September 9th .

    The inspection team converged on MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto  on Tuesday before moving to Oloke junction (Iyana Oloke).

    The first port of call  was the Oloke junction which connects the Government Residential Area, Ibara with several other suburbs .It’s also popular within students of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic as it is the closest landmark to the citadel of learning as well as other populated areas.

    The Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10KM Race will  expectedly  flag off at the Oloke junction .

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    Organisers further said that he Race will have its first water point at Oluwo  junction, another multifarious axis, runners will then proceed to the 2.5Kilomtres mark,    opposite the popular Domino’s Pizza building.

    Kilometre 3 is the usually busy Omida market where residents, market men and women are known to be enthusiastic about the race, they will be on watching and cheering the runners.

    They will then proceed to the iconic and colourful Sapon Flyover, before heading to Itoko, Adatan round about, and then the finish line at the palace of the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo.

    According to the Project Manager of Nilayo Sports Management Limited , Seyi Johnson, mechanisms have been put in place to ensure a seamless road race is achieved.

    “The Ogun State government under His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun has provided the enabling environment, the government is also playing a pivotal role so we are very good to go,” he said.”The sponsors are enthusiastic too and we as a brand that is known for top notch events will once again do what we know how to do best.”

    He explained that the race is in the itinerary of the 80th  birthday celebration of the Alake and paramount ruler of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, recall that the soon-to-be octogenarian had given the race royal blessings when the organizers paid a visit to his palace.

    It is expected that traditional rulers from every region of the State will be on ground to felicitate the highly revered Monarch.

    Abeokuta residents and commuters who are also looking forward to the race would also be alerted as per alternative routes while the race lasts.

  • Burglars lay siege in Abeokuta, loot five shops in predawn attack

    Burglars lay siege in Abeokuta, loot five shops in predawn attack

    People suspected to be robbers and burglars allegedly looted no fewer than five locked-up shops in predawn attacks on Wednesday at different locations in Abeokuta and environs, carting away bags of rice, cartons of noddles, kegs of vegetable oil among others.

    The burgers who were believed to operate with vehicle and filing machine, allegedly removed padlocks and any facility used in securing the shops to gain entrance. 

    According to eyewitness, areas said to have been stormed by the suspected robbers on Wednesday included Ilugun Itoko, Obantoko, Fajol, Oloruntedo and one other. 

    It was gathered that at Ilugun Itoko community, Ajangboun Road via Kenta idi-aba Housing Estate, one of the victims; Mrs. Funmi Olunuwo was said to have lost close half a million naira worth of food stuffs and other items to the raiders who broke into her shop and looted the wares in the early hours of Wednesday. 

    Mrs. Olunowo, who lamented that she has just spent less than a month in the neighbourhood as food items dealer, having relocated to Ogun from Lagos, told The Nation that a preliminary inventory showed that four bags of rice (50kg each), four cartons of noddles, four kegs of Grand vegetable oil (3 litres each), four kegs Kings vegetable oil( 2 litres each), two kegs of Kings vegetable oil (5 litres each) and five kegs of Palm oil (5 litres each) were stolen by the burglars. 

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    Also carted away are yet to be ascertained unspecified litres of two kegs of Kings vegetable oil, Emperor vegetable oil, noddles among others. 

    Three days earlier on Monday night specifically, 

    Three days before the incident, the burglars were said to have raided tailor and hair dressers’ shops 25 metres away from Mrs Olunowo’s food stuffs shop, and carted away power generating set, hair dryer, work tools and other items. 

    Residents who gathered round this morning to sympathise with the Olunowo over the looting of their shop, confirmed that the burglars have been on the prowl in the area, having raided two shops where similar food items are sold with one belonging to an Igbo trader.

    While reacting to the incident, the husband of the trader, Prince Olunowo said they just moved to the area from Ilupeju in Lagos State, describing the incident as shocking and frightening. 

    He said: “This is very very shocking and disheartening. It shows the area is not secured for business. Even in all our years in Lagos we had four shops in a row, yet we never had such incidents of burglary. I am completely disturbed.”

    The Divisional Crime Officer (name withheld) who came to the scene of the incident after the case was reported at the Kemta Divisional Police Headquarters, advised shop owners to urgently engage the services of vigilante to guard the area at night, while also assuring that his men will be patrolling the neighbourhoods often. 

    Earlier in the last three weeks, over 10 shops have been burgled in similar circumstances, forcing residents of Abeokuta and shop owners in Ogun State to live in palpable fear as prowling burglars set themselves loose, attacking locked- up shops, looting food stuffs and carting them away with vehicle(s). 

    Areas affected included Laderin and Adebayo Sawmill. A resident informed that at Adebayo Sawmill, also around Idi- Aba along OGTV Road a week ago, four shops were looted by burglars who spent hours unhindered to cart away long span roofing sheets and other building materials. 

    The Nation contacted the police spokesperson in the state, SP Omolola Odutola, for reaction but she had yet to respond.

  • Man jailed four months for sending pornographic pictures

    THE Federal High Court in Abeokuta, Ogun State on Thursday sentenced a man, Ahmed Oladimeji, to four years imprisonment for sending pornographic and indecent pictures via a computer.

    Justice Ibrahim Watilat convicted Oladimeji on a one-count amended charge bordering on the offence, following a plea bargain deal with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

    The offence is contrary to Section 24 (1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention Etc) Act, 2015, and punishable under Section 24(1)(b) of the Act.

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    Apart from the four months jail term, the convict was also ordered to restititue sums in foreign currency to victims of his fraudulent acts.

    The court equally ordered the forfeiture of all items recovered from him during investigation to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

    These include one Toshiba Laptop, one IPhone 6 and one Tecno KA phone.

  • Police arrest pipeline ‘vandals’ in Ogun

    The Ogun State Police Command has arrested two suspects – Tunde Ramoni, 45, and Yinka Olufowobi, 33, – for alleged vandalisation of petroleum products pipelines.

    The suspects were arrested by policemen attached to the Redeemed Camp Police Divisional headquarters last Thursday during a routine patrol on Simawa Road in Sagamu.

    Police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi, announced this on Tuesday in a statement in Abeokuta, the state capital.

    He said the suspects were sighted in a blue Toyota Camry car with registration number (Lagos) RC862AAA laden with petroleum product hidden in sacks.

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    Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said when the suspects sighted the police, they attempted to escape but the officers chased and apprehended them.

    The police spokesman added that when interrogated, the suspects confessed that they were coming from Oloparun Village via Ogijo where they got the product from vandalised pipeline.

    They also claimed getting the product in collaboration with accomplices in Ilara area of Ogijo.

    Police Commissioner Bashir Makama directed that the suspects be transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) for further investigation.