The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Abeokuta

  • Obasanjo calls for spiritual approach to anti-corruption campaign

    Obasanjo calls for spiritual approach to anti-corruption campaign

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Saturday advocated a spiritual approach to the anti-corruption crusade in Nigeria, calling on the church to wield its influence against the menace.

    Obasanjo made the call in Abeokuta at the 2017 Convention Lecture of the Victory Life Bible Church International.

    He spoke on the theme: “The Role of the Church in the Fight Against Corruption in Nigeria.”

    The former president described the church as an important and influential institution with a pivotal role in curbing and eradicating corruption in Nigeria.

    He described the anti-corruption war in Nigeria as “a fight for the soul of the nation.’’

    Obasanjo said successive governments in Nigeria had tried to contain corruption through enactment of laws and enforcement of integrity systems with a slow pace of success.

    “Legislations alone are not enough as they are often breached by those who make them and those who should implement them.

    “Our main problems are moral, ethical, attitudinal failure and disorientation.

    “The church is an institution that provides the moral and ethical standards for us as believers.

    “Man alone by himself cannot get rid of corruption from the world, he needs the assistance of God.

    “Here must come the society and the church with the spirit of God to work together to undo the harm that man has done and continue to do to the perfect work of God on earth,’’ he said.

    The elder statesman, however, stressed that the anti-corruption crusade must first be fought within the church through ridding itself of the menace before extending it to the larger society.

    “The church needs to clear its augean stable.

    “The temple of God must be cleanest to restore the holiness of the church.

    “Our present day money changers and merchants. Must be chased out of the church.

    “The pulpit must be used to teach and preach righteous and honest living.

    “To preach that one can acquire wealth without labour is not only deceitful, but also a call to corruption.

    “We must be careful in believing and celebrating every testimony of miraculous blessing otherwise we end up celeberating corruption.

    “The behaviour of some of our men of God leaves much to be desired.

    “They not only celebrate but venerate those whose sources of wealth are questionable.

    “They accept gifts (offerings) from just anybody without asking questions giving the impression that anything is acceptable in the house of God,” he said.

    He called on Christian leaders to sanitise the church for effective anti-corruption crusade.

    The former president, who recalled that the church played an important role in the development of Nigeria, noted that the nation had come to another historic juncture requiring the church to play a leading role.

    “The role must be played in praying, preaching and teaching.

    “This is a period of moral and ethical rebirth and the church as an agent of socialisation must embark on moral re-armament for the church and for the nation.

  • Be rest assured of effective registration before deadline – JAMB

    Prof . Is’haq Oloyede, the Registrar, Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB), has assured all applicants that they would be captured in the ongoing UTME registration before its expiration on April 19.

    Oloyede gave the assurance while speaking with newsmen on Monday shortly after an inspection tour of JAMB registration centres in Abeokuta.

    The JAMB registrar said about 40 per cent of the expected applicants had been registered across the 650 registration centres across the country.

    He assured all applicants that effort was being intensified to ensure effective service delivery.

    The registrar expressed concern over some registration centres that were not working according to specification of registration processes.

    Oloyede said that the current challenges being face by applicants across registration centres was due to the uncooperative attitude of some staff of registration centres.

    He explained that facilities put in place by the examination body were being underutilised.

    Oloyede said that he does not envisage any extension for the registration of Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) April 19 deadline.

    “I do not envisage any extension, let us utilise fully the time, now we have registered 40 per cent of the expected candidates as at this morning and today is just the second week that we started.

    “We still have two weeks to go; our planning was on 50,000 per day, when we started the first week, because of lack of familiarity with the technology we are using, we had problems.

    “But as at yesterday which was Sunday, they registered more than 50, 000, on Friday they registered 80,000 which means this week they are going to cover the backlog.

    “All we need is to go round, tell people to open up more avenue for students to register and tell the students to resist been extorted, there is nothing we can do other than to sensitise them, ” he said.

    The JAMB boss also said that the Mock Examination would be coming up on April 8 throughout the country.

    “It is for us to encourage students to at least practice, those of them who claimed they have not practiced before, we are doing everything to make this examination easy.

    “We are not taken a kobo from applicants, but they must pay N700 to the owner of centre where they want to take the examination, we do not own the centres,” the registrar said.

  • Flood imminent in parts of Ogun – Govt

    Flood imminent in parts of Ogun – Govt

    Ogun State Government on Wednesday warned that some parts of the state are prone to flooding this year and advised residents to adopt safety measures by desisting from indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

    The State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Bolaji Oyeleye who raised the alarm at a press briefing in Abeokuta, the State capital, said the 2017 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) indicates that Ogun State would experience “above normal rain fall”.

    Other states predicted to be affected by flooding these years, Oyeleye added,  are Sokoto, Zamfara, Niger, Kwara, Oyo and Adamawa.

    Relying on data from NiMet, he listed Ogun major cities to experience heavy rain fall this year to include Abeokuta with 242 days of 1,295mm rain fall, Ewekoro, 229 days of 2075mm and Ijebu-Ode, 245 days of 1,526mm.

    Other cities are, Ikenne with 240 days of 1,742mm, Ipokia, 247 days of 1872 days, Otta, 243 days of 1810 days and Sagamu with 240 days of 1753mm rain fall.

    According to him, NiMet prediction also revealed that extended rain fall between three to eight days is expected in the cited States.

    The Commissioner advised residents especially those living close to canals,  drainages and other flood planes to desist from obstructing water pathways with refuse.

    Oyeleye explained that there could also be a heavy release of water from the two dams –  Oyan and Ikere Gorge dams, in the State and further aggravate flooding situation.

    He disclosed that the NiMet has also predicted that many Nigerians would likely experience “above danger heat stress this year due to the combination of heat and humidity.”

    “The impact is that exposure to excessive heat for too long could cause heat stress which may, in turn, lead to several illnesses collectively called hyperthermia,” he said.

    Also, the Coordinator of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr Aremu Adebakin said the agency had started sensitising residents on likely occurrence of flooding and the need to adopt safety measures.

    Adebakin also urged people living in dilapidated buildings to renovate them or evacuate as soon as possible while others living close to river banks were asked to leave home for the period of the rainy season to avoid loss of lives and property.

    “People living in dilapidated buildings or near river banks should move and not wait for disasters to strike and expect the government to come to their aid,” he said.

  • We can’t carry burden of Policing Nigeria alone – Police

    We can’t carry burden of Policing Nigeria alone – Police

    The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Ahmed Iliyasu, on Tuesday urged indigenes and residents to get involved in the security of their lives and properties by supporting the Police to effectively police the state.

    Iliyasu said the task of policing the society should no longer be left for the Police alone to carry, adding that safety of lives and properties is the responsibility of everybody.

    The Commissioner made this known at the Police Officers Mess, Abeokuta, the Ogun State, during a seminar organised by the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in the state under the leadership of Alh. Ibrahim Olaniyan for members in Abeokuta metropolis.

    Iliyasu who was represented at the event by the Police Area Commander for Abeokuta Area Command, Mr Okon Effiong Okon, said community policing is one of the ways to prevent crime and criminality in the society.

    He lamented that many Nigerians are neither cooperative nor observant when it comes to making the society safe.

    He said in Egypt, if you ask a mere roadside trader whether she saw a man who just passed – by, the trader would say yes and also give  the direction the person went, but added that should a Police man  ask a Nigerian just the same question, he would say he saw nobody.

    The Commissioner noted that the attitude of some police officers do not help matter, saying they discourage members of the public from assisting them with useful information.

    According to him, a Police officer needed not “be a devil before he can police work.”

    He urged the PCRC members to listen to public opinion, do the job of helping the police with smile and ensure that nobody hide in their midst to cover their criminal tendencies.

  • Man, 25, remanded for allegedly robbing with toy gun

    A 25-year-old man, Oyatokun Wasiu, who alleged robbed some people of phones and money with a toy gun, was on Thursday remanded in prison on the orders of an Abeokuta Magistrates’ Court.

    The accused, whose address is unknown, is facing a three  count charge of armed robbery, impersonation and unlawful possession of Army camouflage.

    The prosecutor, Insp. Sunday Eigbejiale, told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 1 at about 5.00 p.m. behind the Railway Police Station, Lafenwa, Abeokuta.

    Eigbegiale said that the accuse, armed with a toy gun,  allegedly robbed a man, Abdullahi Ibrahim, of his Intel phone valued at N12,000 and N4,000 cash.

    He alleged that on the same day and place at about 6.20 p.m. the accused unlawfully had in his possession a pair of army camouflage and shorts.

    “The accused also impersonated a military officer by putting on an army camouflage.”

    The prosecutor said that the accused was arrested by a police officer in Lafenwa, Abeokuta.

    The offences contravened Section 1 (2),(a) of the Robbery and Firearms Act. Laws of the Federation, 2004 and Sections 109 and 430 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Ogun State, 2006.

    Magistrate Oriyomi Sofowora, who did not take the plea of the accused, ordered that the accused be remanded in prison pending his release on bail and legal advice from the State Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

    Further hearing in the case has been fixed for  April 14

  • Concrete railing crushes woman to death in Ogun

    Concrete railing crushes woman to death in Ogun

    Faulty concrete railings from a storey building that gave way, on Monday, struck a 51-year-old woman, Mrs Modupe Bankole, dead in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    Mrs Modupe, a mother of three, was relaxing on a mat she spread outside the room to take cool evening breeze when the concrete railings suddenly lost balance and collapsed on her.

    The Nation learnt that the unfortunate incident occurred last Saturday, and left other residents of the building worrying about their safety.

    A witness told The Nation that he sighted tenants packing their properties out of the building on Monday morning.

    The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning, Yetunde Dina, visited the scene to assess the situation.

    Mrs Dina said the state government would investigate the incident, adding that the ministry would also dispatch engineers to the scene and ascertain the health of the surviving part of the structure.

    Modupe’s husband, Mr Samuel Bankole, told journalists that they have been living in the affected building in the last 12 years.

    Grieving Bankole, a teacher at a private school in Lafenwa area of Abeokuta, added that he was preparing his lesson note when the incident happened.

    “My wife told me in the house that she was going to prepare food. After finishing the preparation, she came to me and took a small mat and a pillow and spread it out to take breeze. She spread it even very far away from the collapsed decking.

    “I was preparing my own note of lesson that time. I told her that when I finished writing, I will join her there. When I finished, I came out. Few children were moving up and down there until suddenly a neighbour called them and sent them on an errand.

    “My last born came back from his place of apprenticeship and even slept beside the mother. He later left to see a friend. Shortly after, I just heard the sound of the collapsed decking over my head.

    “I believed that since my wife was not directly under that thing, she was safe and I just ran outside and started shouting ‘thank you Jesus,” he said.

    According to him, his wife might have been hit by broken blocks from the fallen structure.

    Bankole said his wife died shortly after she was taken to the hospital.

  • Ogun: Soldiers, Police repel attack on Customs headquarters

    Ogun: Soldiers, Police repel attack on Customs headquarters

    • One killed, four injured

    There were pandemonium and tension in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital as dozens of soldiers and anti – riot Policemen battled to repel a mob of drivers who were rushing to the Headquarters of Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) on Quarry road, Abeokuta, to raze it.

    The armed mob were protesting the killing of a colleague, Mr Saubanna ‘Onila,’ and injuring of four others by the Operatives of NCS who opened fire on them at the Kobape stretch of the Abeokuta – Sagamu road on Wednesday.

    And as the mob marched and chanted war songs carrying the corpse of Saubanna along quarry road to dump it at the Headquarters of the NCS, but they were promptly stopped by the soldiers and Police called in to help control the situation when the enraged mob approached the facility.

    For over an hour, business activities came to an abrupt end and residents of Quarry road area and visitors scampered to different directions for safety as the security men made effort to disperse the mob.

    The Nation learnt that drivers of five vehicles, each bearing bags of rice, had taken off at the popular Kuto market, Abeokuta, and were going to Sagamu when they ran into the NCS patrol team who chased them when they refused to stop for a search.

    It was gathered that in bids to arrest the suspected smugglers, the Customs patrol team aimed at the tyres and fired them but the bullets missed a target and struck Saubanna, lost control when he slumped on behind the steering and the vehicle tumbled to a side of the road.

    It was further gathered that his colleagues rescued him and rushed him to the hospital but he died on the way and in anger, they mobilised and staged a protest march to NCS Headquarters.

    A member of the mob who declined to mention his name, said: “We load from Kuto to Sagamu. We book N5,000 on each vehicle of rice. They shot at his tyre. Mazda 626. The car somersaulted and the guy was shot at point blank.

    “We are five each loaded 25 bags in each car. They accosted us at Sowo Village along Kobape road. The man Father of four children. Out of the five cars, three escaped, while one was fully loaded.”

    Reacting, the Command’s Public Relations Officer, Usman Abubakar who with The Nation on phone, denied any shooting by the NCS Operatives.

    “One of our patrol teams went on routine patrol along Kobape, Sagamu interchange based on credible information that some smugglers were around that area so they went after the smugglers.

    “On sighting the Customs vehicle, the occupants of one of the vehicles started driving at high speed and in the process, ran into a ditch and the occupant of the vehicle got out ran away. Our men decided to tow the vehicle down to Abeokuta station.

    “There was no shoot-out with anybody, our men have no cause to shoot anybody, they are well trained and they operate according to international best practice.

    The police have been invited and the matter is under investigation by the customs and the police,” he said.

  • Again, Obasanjo says PDP is dead

    Again, Obasanjo says PDP is dead

    … Prays against similar fate befallen Nigeria

    Nigerians, particularly members and supporters of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that are still hoping for a revived PDP someday, former President Olusegun Obasanjo has a word for them.

    Obasanjo for the second time in less than three years, said the party is dead, sunk and gone, praying that the fortune of Nigeria should also not  sink – apparently like that of the PDP.

    The former Board of Trustees (BoT) of PDP reiterated his position on Friday while replying comments by former National Chairman, Alh. Ahmadu Ali, about their past relationship in government during an International Symposium titled: “Purpose and Utilitarian Values of Presidential Libraries” at the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    The event, which also include the grand opening of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, to mark the 80th birthday of the ex-President was organised by the Centre for Human Security (CHS), an arm of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL).

    The ex – President recalled that he brought Ali to lead the once powerful and largest party in Africa because of his truthfulness, saying PDP was controlling 30 out of the 36 states of the federation when Ali and him were leading it but lamented that its fortune sank when the duo left the stage.

    He noted that while Ahmadu Ali served as the National chairman of the party, he  ensured its stability and effectiveness but lamented that the party is now down and out following an intractable internal crisis.

    Obasanjo: “Ahmadu Ali is truthful and that was why I brought him to head the PDP and all went well when Ahmadu Ali was the National  chairman. We were controlling 30 out of the 36 states, when Ahmadu and I left, the fortune of the PDP began to sink.

    “Whether you believe it or not, today PDP is sunk and gone. May the fortune of Nigeria never sink like that of the PDP” with the audience responding in a thunderous “Amen.”

    And responding also to avalanche of eulogy from dignitaries – Nigerians and foreigners, during the symposium, he said the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library was established to correct one of his mistakes of the past, especially not collecting and archiving materials connected to his time during the civil war.

    He said: “somebody among the speakers said God has always given me the opportunity to correct my wrongs. I will say God has done that for me not in all cases but in most cases and this Presidential Library is actually an act of God which he has given to me to correct one of my mistakes of the past and I have said this very often.

    ” I was in the war front, it was very one significant thing in my life and in the life of Nigeria. I was military head of State, it was one significant thing in my life and in the life of Nigeria but I was not as mindful as I should have been about collecting materials that were connected with those events, the war front and civil war both on the vandals side, we called them rebels side or if you like the Biafrans side, they called us vandals, we called them rebels.

    “But we did collect something, when I was also the Military Head of State I didn’t pay much attention to collect materials, where I should have paid attention to.

    “So, by 1988, it occurred to me that these are mistakes, I looked at some of the materials we got from the war fronts, they were in very bad state of neglect so what I did was to try and micro-film what we could micro-film.

    “I also learnt a lesson, when you are in a position to keep materials and preserve them for prosterity, you should do so and I never knew there will be another opportunity, so, God created another opportunity for me to correct the mistakes of the past.

    “God is the God second chance and for some of us He is not God of second chance but God of many chances and I will be internally grateful to God for the opportunity he has given me but more importantly whatever I might achieved, I take responsibility but whatever I might achieved it would not have been possible without the people who have helped me in life to be able to achieve what I have achieved.

    “Take the Presidential Library for example if not for the members of Board of Trustees I will have fallen by the roadside and that will have been another mistake because it got to a stage that things were rough, things were rough and we are just putting heads together, it is God of many chances.”

    He urged the youths who attended the programme not to be mindful of their current position – whether poor or weak, assuring that “If he (given his poor background) could make it this far, they can also make it.”

    He advised them to share whatever ideas they have with others,  for the growth and development  of  Nigeria.

    The ex – President said having passed the kiln of life including marking time in prison without being killed by his jailers, he has nothing anymore to fear save God.

    Dignitaries who took turn to speak on the “Purpose of utilitarian Values of Presidential Library, hailed Obasanjo for establishing the OOPL, describing him as an “iconic legend.”

    Former US Ambassador to the United Nations (UN), Mr. Andrew Young, said that without Obasanjo, Africa might still be in a desperate position, adding that, “it is time for Nigeria to realise and make amendment where it’s lagging behind”.

    “There is no human being  in Africa that has experienced what Obasanjo has gone through in the last 50 years, “One thing about him is that he is the same way same person whether in New York, UN, World Bank, White House or china, he does not change. He does not give a damn whom he makes mad,” he said.

    He said Obasanjo should be celebrated, adding that  “the presidential Library will help others to understand his work.”

    Also speaking, Tracy Roosevelt, grand daughter of former US President, Franklin D Roosevelt, explained that a Presidential Library is a place, meant to bring together the memories of the past and to also bring men and women together for higher goals.

    Roosevelt said Obasanjo gave the gift of the Library to his people, to share the memories of his past with his people.

    “There are 14 presidential libraries in the United States of America  (USA), but, the first  Presidential Library in Africa was created by Obasanjo in Abeokuta,” she said.

  • God has been partial to me, says Obasanjo

    God has been partial to me, says Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has taken another critical look at his life, achievements amid daunting challenges and admitted that God has been quite “partial” to him all through.

    Obasanjo who would be 80 years old by March 5 said his narrow escape from death in prison during the regime of Late General Sanni Abacha and later becoming an elected President is an indication of God’s extra – ordinary mercy, grace, favour and partiality towards him.

    The Ebora of the Owu Kingdom who also declared that he does not deserve all the favour bestowed on him by God, spoke on Sunday at a thanksgiving service organised in his honour by the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, preparatory to his 80th birthday.

    The thanksgiving service tagged ‘Celebration of God grace at 80, held at the Treasure House of God, Agbeloba, Abeokuta.

    The ex – President said considering his humble background in a remote Ibogun Olaogun community and the illiterate parents that gave birth to him, he never knew his name could even be heard in the next village, let alone the whole of Nigeria, Africa and globally.

    He recalled that during the heady days of Abacha, three persons including him(Obasanjo)were marked for elimination while in detention, saying by providence, he was the only one that survived the death scheme.

    The other two according to him were late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Ardua and the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential election and Philanthropist, late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola – two of them died prison.

    Obasanjo however revealed that when he was being pressured to run for the office of the President upon leaving the prison, he prayed to God, consulted with Dr Nelson Mandela before his death and Arch – Bishop Desmond Tutu before making up his mind to make himself available for the office.

    He however, used the occasion to also call on the Egba traditional rulers to work for the greater unity and progress of Egbaland, saying the unity among Obas in Egba fall short of expectation.

    State.

    “Let me say most sincerely I thank all of you, and more importantly I thank Almighty God for this day and for what God has done in my life. I used to say and I mean it that God has been so partial to me by giving me so much favour that I do not deserve.

    “My Lord spiritual, Kabiyesis, if you don’t know anything at all, you just go and locate the village where I was born. There should be no one born in that village by the parents, who are my parents, stark illiterate, no road to our village where I was born and you should hear his name beyond the next village. So God has done for me, much more than I deserve and I praise God for this.”

  • Why my husband became President – Aisha

    Why my husband became President – Aisha

    Wife of Nigerian President, Mrs Aisha Buhari on Tuesday urged Nigerians to emulate her husband’s doggedness by never giving up on their cherished aspirations.

    Mrs Buhari said after several failed attempts, her husband became the nation’s president following his persistence and compassion for the masses.

    The First Lady spoke in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, during the launch of a book titled, “Buhari vs Yar’Adua: Facing the future,” written by Mr Opeyemi Soyombo, a Special Assistant on Media to Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State.

    Mrs Buhari who was represented by Amosun’s wife, Mrs Olufunso Amosun, lauded the author for documenting the legal struggles of Muhammadu Buhari regarding his election petition challenging the victory of the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in 2007.

    She said record keeping or documentation is vital to the life a people or nation, adding that without it history stands the risk being be distorted.

    The President’s wife noted that there are lots of lessons to learn from the life of her husband who contested presidential election for four consecutive times before he eventually won in 2015.

    Aisha said, “there are lots of lessons to learn from the life of President Muhammadu Buhari, most especially his doggedness and compassion for the masses. President Buhari contested presidential election consecutively four times before he eventually won in 2015.

    “His victory has paid off considering his passion to helping the masses and most importantly, the successes recorded in the anti-corruption war of his government.

    “I commend the efforts of the writer for documenting the  Presidential Election suit between the candidate of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), Gen. Muhammadu Buhari and President Umaru Yar’Adua of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2007.

    “This shows that the author has been following with keen interest elections held in the country and the petitions arising from them. In most recent shared views and writings on human and societal development, the investment made on other people gives tremendous yields; thus the facts and authenticity of the book are invaluable.”

    Also speaking at the book launch,  a retired judge of the state high court, Justice Ademola Bakre, expressed worry over Nigeria’s future.

    Bakre lamented the rot in the Nigerian judiciary and warned against interference and undue pressure in the affairs of judges in the country.

    He said the citizens should work out a better Nigeria of their dream, stressing that they must change and desist from demanding a bribe.

    Also, the author who spoke with reporters later said he was motivated to write the 179-page book to cast light on the issues of election rigging with a view to pricking the nation’s conscience to forestall rigging in the future.

    According to Soyombo, Buhari was short-changed in the 2007 presidential election and that the book canvassed measures “ensure that we have credible, free and fair elections and to ensure that the judiciary, either by design or default, would endorse electoral robbery.”

    The book was earlier reviewed by Mr Kayode Oyede of the Department of Public Private Law, Faculty of Law, Lagos State University, Ojo, Lagos.