The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ado-Ekiti

  • EKHA committe chair removed over meeting with Kashamu, Falana

    …fake audio scandal rocks Ekiti assembly

    Ekiti State House of Assembly has been hit by crisis following the removal of member representing Ikole Constituency 1, Gboyega Aribisogan, as Information Committee Chairman.

    Aribisogan’s sack as House Information Committee chair and his subsequent replacement with member representing Oye Constituency 1, Samuel Omotoso, is believed to be a prelude to his recall from the Assembly.

    The embattled lawmaker was accused of holding secret meetings with Senator Buruji Kashamu, Lagos lawyer Femi Falana and other personalities perceived to be enemies of Governor Ayo Fayose.

    Aribisogan appeared before the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges chaired by member representing Ido/Osi Constituency 2, Samuel Jeje where a purported audio file capturing his (Aribisogan’s) voice was played.

    But Aribisogan described the audio tape which was played at the panel sitting to indict him as “a superimposed voice-over to tarnish his reputation.” According to him, his predicament was orchestrated by mischief makers in the Assembly.

    Speaking with reporters via a telephone chat on Wednesday shortly after appearing before the panel, Aribisogan disclosed that he was quizzed whether he met Kashamu and Falana before the controversial audio was played to him.

    While affirming his loyalty to Fayose and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Aribisogan said he has no confidence in the panel because he had already been found him guilty before its report is released.

    Aribisogan said: “The so-called audio was a superimposed voiceover to tarnish my reputation. At the panel’s sitting, there was a presentation of inaudible voiceover claiming that they recognized my voice and I discarded it as a cheap blackmail.

    “They asked me in the course of investigation whether I have met Buruji and I told them that the last time I met with Buruji was when I followed Mr. Governor and Hon. Omotoso was there too but it is unfortunate that he (Omotoso) wanted to make a political gain out of this saga.

    “Since then, I have not met Buruji as a person either secretly or openly. I have no confidence in the panel but because of the constitutional provision, I have to attend the panel to clear my name.

    “I appeared before the panel to tell them that I never met with Buruji and I never met with Falana as alleged. I am part and parcel of this government from inception and I remain a loyal part member.

    “Changing committee chairmen is a routine exercise but I suspect a foul play that the outcome of the panel is already predetermined.”

    When asked whether he has been invited by the governor on the crisis, Aribisogan said: “This is clearly an Assembly matter the governor has not invited me but I am expecting the members of the panel to go and investigate where the shenanigans are coming from.

    “The whole saga is an immolation to destroy me and put me in a political quagmire. Look at my pedigree where I am coming from before passing judgment on me.

    “Having served the government, is it possible for me to be holding meeting with Buruji and Falana and work against a government of which I am part?

    “I want to challenge the person who claimed to have recorded my voice to be bold enough to face me. The plot was executed by one man in the House to bring me down.”

    The House at its plenary on Tuesday set up the panel to probe Aribisogan over allegations of disloyalty with Speaker Kola Oluwawole likening him to the biblical Judas who betrayed Jesus Christ.

    Oluwawole said: “It touches the fundamental existence of this House. I still believe that this House is indivisible. We are ever united and strong. Every member of this house has the spirit of oneness in discharging his/her duties.

    “When I got this embarrassing news, I was highly disappointed.

    “I have absolute confidence in every member of this House. Despite the fact that Judas in the Bible betrayed Jesus, His ministry on earth was achieved.”

  • APC members hail EFCC over probe of Fayose

    APC members hail EFCC over probe of Fayose

    • Say Ekiti commonwealth must be recovered

    Leaders and members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ado-Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State have urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to ensure that all the state’s funds and assets purchased with state funds are recovered.

    The plea was made at the APC members’ monthly meeting at Ward Five in Ado Ekiti on Tuesday, where about 15 people in the ward were empowered by a chieftain of the party, Faleye Rotimi.

    Faleye, who distributed cash in aid of their businesses, said the gesture was to assist the less privileged in line with the party manifesto.

    Addressing the gathering, Ayodele said the people of the state are happy with the EFCC probe of Fayose maintaining that all illicit funds traced to the governor must be recovered.

    Ayodele said: “We APC members are happy with EFCC for investigating Fayose, what is happening to our treasury? What is happening to our funds? Fayose must face the music for the way he has been handling our funds and the arms funds diverted to his campaign.”

    Former Chairman of the State Sports Council, Ade Adetola, called for the understanding of Nigerians saying the 16 years of alleged destruction of the economy by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration cannot be rectified within two years by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Ward Chairman Olumide Ajibade said the ongoing economic recession was not caused by Buhari but “unprecedented corruption wreaked on Nigerians by the PDP government” urging Nigerians to repose their confidence in the President.

    He described the PDP administration in the state as “non-responsive and irresponsible to the welfare of Ekiti people” adding that the move to instal the people’s government led by the APC had just commenced.

    APC members in Ekiti State hailed the EFCC on the probe of Governor Ayo Fayose over alleged money laundering and purchase of some assets after assumption of office.

    Party leaders who attended the meeting include former Ekiti House of Assembly Speaker, Femi Bamisile, former House of Assembly member, Tope Olanipekun, former Commissioner for Culture, Alhaji Jinadu Ayodele, ward and local government executives.

     

  • EFCC opposes Fayose’s request for N5 billion damages

     

    Governor’s accounts remain frozen

     

     

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has urged a Federal High Court sitting in Ado Ekiti to reject Governor Ayo Fayose’s request for N5 billion damages over the freezing of his personal bank accounts at Zenith Bank.

     

    The anti-graft agency through its counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, at the resumed hearing of the suit on Friday urged the court to strike out Fayose’s further affidavit in response to its (EFCC’s) affidavit filed without leave of the court.

     

    The EFCC contended that “it is visible to the blind and audible to the deaf that the Applicant (Fayose) is extremely out of time and there is no extension of time to file a further  affidavit.

     

    Fayose had through his counsel, Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate, urged the court to award him N5 billion damages against the EFCC for freezing his two personal bank domiciled at Zenith Bank.

     

    Ozekhome, argued that the Interim Order obtained by the EFCC on June 24 and granted by Justice M.B. Idris upon which the action was based was “fundamentally irredeemably wrong.”

     

    Fayose sued the EFCC and Zenith on the freezing of his personal bank accounts following Account Numbers: 1003126654 and 9013074033 on May 24 seeking an order to de-freeze the accounts.

     

    The EFCC alleged that the accounts were used to launder funds from the former National Security Adviser (NSA), Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) for the purpose of financing Fayose’s campaign in the 2014 governorship poll in Ekiti.

     

    Ozekhome described the EFCC action of freezing or blocking Fayose’s accounts as illegal, irregular, wrongful, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void.

     

    Fayose’s counsel told the court that he had filed an Originating Summons dated 23rd June and filed the following day having 16-paragraph affidavit attached with Exhibit A, which is a letter from Zenith Bank freezing Fayose’s account.

     

    Ozekhome also told the court he also filed a further and better affidavit on September 21 which he adopted.

     

    The Senior Advocate said the N5 billion sought by the Applicant (Fayose) represent punitive, aggravated and exemplary damages for the alleged and repressive action of the EFCC.

     

    Citing many authorities, Ozekhome argued that Fayose enjoys immunity conferred on him by Section 308 of the 1999 Constitution and that Zenith Bank was not the party prescribed to be sued by Section 34(1) of EFCC Act.

     

    He argued further that the Interim Exparte Order obtained by the EFCC was not time-bound as against decided authorities that such an order is for a short time.

     

    Ozekhome said: “The name of the holder of that account was carefully but deliberately omitted so as to deceive the court leading to the suppression of material evidence that would have guided the court in granting or refusing or refusing the order.”

     

    Responding, EFCC counsel  Oyedepo, opposed Ozekhome’s submissions on grounds that Order 22 Rule 5 of the Federal High Court was violated by the defence.

     

    Oyedepo said coming up with such an application amounted to an ambush as the prosecution was not availed the opportunity of reacting to new issues being raised,.

     

    He said: “Applicant herein has brazenly ignored Order 22 Rule 5 by not filing reply on point of law. My prayer therefore is that your lordship discountenance all the submissions which were read out in printed form but never filed in court.

     

    “I submit that because it is going to be a dangerous precedent if your lordship act or give any legal consideration to new issues raised as it is given to affect our constitutional right to fair hearing.

     

    “No party must be ambushed before the court; majority of the new issues raised under the guise of reply on point of law are such that if the 1st Respondent has been given requisite opportunity would have filed further and better counter affidavit to place on oath such as the issue of suppression of fact before Justice M.B. Idris.”

     

    Justice Taiwo Taiwo adjourned the case to November 7 for further hearing to entertain the reply of the Respondents.

     

    The judge adjourned the case after he refused to grant Oyedepo’s request for a cost of N200,000 against the Applicant (Fayose).

     

     

  • Herdsman gets two years sentence for grazing

    Herdsman gets two years sentence for grazing

    A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ado-Ekiti has sentenced one Ali Haruna to two years imprisonment for taking his cows for grazing in a farmland in Ado-Ekiti and destroying crops.

    The Magistrate, Idowu Ayenimo, in his judgement, said the accused was arraigned in his court on Jan 22, 2016 over a two-count charge of willful and unlawful damage of farm crops at Ago Aduloju in Ado-Ekiti.

    The 18-year-old Haruna was confirmed by the four prosecuting witnesses to have been caught in the midnight grazing his cow in the farm belonging to Abdulahi Yaho and Bello Mohammed.

    The cash crops said to have destroyed by the cows in the farm included cassava, maize, okro and pepper, all valued at N3 million.

    In his defence, the defendant had told the court that the owner of the cows lived in Ilorin, Kwara.

    The magistrate said that the court did not believe Haruna’s defence as it was not credible.

    He held that the Police prosecutor, Mr Olasunkanmi Bankole, had proved his case beyond reasonable doubt.

    He thereby convicted the defendant as charged without option of fine.

    The magistrate ordered that sentence should run concurrently, explaining that the term was minimal because the offence was committed before the Grazing Law was promulgated in the state.

    The defence counsel, Mr Chris Omokhafe, had prayed the court to be liberal in the dispensation of justice, saying that he was a first offender.

  • Fayose warns teachers against huge bank loans

    Fayose warns teachers against huge bank loans

     

    Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose has warned teachers against enslaving themselves with huge bank loans which would leave them with little or no salary at the end of each month.

     

    He expressed regrets that taking so many bank loans at the same time has impoverished many teachers, dampened their morale and affected their service delivery.

     

    Fayose promised to carry out reforms that would solve the perpetual problem of over-deduction of salary of workers through the biometric payment system introduced to block loopholes being used to siphon the state’s lean resources.

     

    The governor who spoke on Friday during an interactive session with primary and secondary school teachers at Ola Oluwa Muslim Grammar School, Ado Ekiti on Friday also donated 400 laptops to Accounting Officers operating in the state and Local Government levels.

     

    The donation of the laptops was to facilitate the collation of vouchers of teachers before onward transmission to the Accountant General’s office for payment.
    Fayose warned that the teachers should not be oblivious of the fact that a popular loan called ‘sharp-sharp’ introduced by one of the commercial banks is fast becoming a burden rather than benefit.

    He said: “Workers need to be careful with these loans from commercial banks, especially the one called sharp-sharp. Many are facing serious challenges caused by over-deduction by banks and when they have problems they will be blaming the government.

    “I am not really happy with the idea of workers going home empty handed after the payment of salary because some had taken too many loans and they are left with nothing after receiving their salaries.

    “That was why I had instructed the Local Government accounting officers to crosscheck vouchers prepared with the ones collated by bursar of each school, so that all errors can be detected before reaching the Accountant General.

    “And to those who had fallen victims of over-deduction, we will address it through the ongoing reforms. Though, we have no mandate to interfere with what you do with your banks, but being a passionate person and friend of the teachers, I have directed the Accountant General to bring the managers of those banks to me, so that all these complaints can be addressed.”

    According to him, he was aware that problems arising from over deduction of salaries were rampant at the local level, promising to strengthen the system via decentralization of pay points to really abate the noticeable bottlenecks.

    He said though not all the accounting officers will get the laptop computers in the first trench of the distribution, promising to make up in the next round while training will also follow appropriately.

     

     

  • Tears as Fayose’s bulldozers demolish houses in Ekiti

    Tears as Fayose’s bulldozers demolish houses in Ekiti

    Some house owners in Okesa area of Ado Ekiti were in tears Thursday evening as government bulldozers commenced demolition of more structures in the area to accommodate an outer road for the ongoing flyover project.

    The demolition exercise which was personally supervised by Governor Ayo Fayose started at about 4.30 pm and continued till dusk reducing the buildings to rubbles.

    The governor who sported a white T-shirt had his convoy parked by the roadside while the demolition was going on.

    The exercise started at Fajuyi area where structures including the fence and security post of the State High Court complex, Cathedral Church of Emmanuel (Anglican Communion) were marked for demolition.

    Those who wept said it was inconceivable to see their ‘ancient’ buildings reduced to rubbles within minutes

    The affected buildings including many shops in the Police Officers’ Wives Association (POWA) Shopping Complex had earlier been marked for demolition weeks before the exercise commenced.

    The two bulldozers kept roaring and busy with demolition until rains started at about 5.40 pm which temporarily halted the exercise. The exercise continued after the rain ceased till it became too dark to continue.

    Many of the landlords and house owners had started removing their roofing sheets and other over the weekend till Wednesday afternoon after entreaties to convince the government to halt the demolition failed.

    Some of the residents staged a peaceful protest Thursday last week claiming that they had no alternative place to go and that government reneged on the initial agreement of 15 meter setback and came out with a new benchmark of 30 meters to the main road.

    The protesters said “the demolition will render many old people living and trading in the buildings homeless and turn them to refugees in their home land.”

    Some of the affected landlords were grumbling that it was unfair that they were not paid compensation by the government. Others who had extended structures to their original buildings were among those who were not compensated.

    One of the landlords whose demolished building had six shops complained that the compensation if N500, 000 given him was too small.

    It was also learnt that some of the demolished shops had been leased for many years to Igbo traders who had been displaced by the demolition.

    The demolition was supposed to have commenced on September 12 but it was halted because it fell on the Eid el Kabir day.

    The exercise which will extend to Ojumose area of the city is expected to continue Friday.

  • Ado-Ekiti residents groan over potholes

    Ado-Ekiti residents groan over potholes

    Some residents of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, have called on Governor Ayo Fayose to rehabilitate many roads in the state capital.

    They said the roads are becoming impassable as a result of potholes.

    The affected roads, according to them, serve as alternative routes following the ongoing flyover project on Fajuyi-Okesa area.

    They added that the condition of the roads has led to an increment in fares charged by taxi drivers, tricycle operators and commercial motorcyclists.

    Since the flyover project began about four months ago, motorists, motorcyclists and commuters make use of other roads to get to their destinations.

    The residents complained that they spent longer time than it used to be as a result of the potholes.

    Those going to Adebayo and other areas along Iworoko Road from Old Garage and Okesa now pass through Dallimore Street. Those going to Secretariat Road, New Iyin Road up to Basiri go through Ilawe Road and GRA.

    But some residents, who spoke with The Nation yesterday, called on the government to rehabilitate the link roads, which have been abandoned since the beginning of work on the flyover.

    Some of the affected roads include Oke Ila (in front of St. Andrews Anglican Church), Ajibade Lane (near St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral), Okutagbokutalori area of Okeyinmi and Mary Hills Road.

    Others are Kajola, very close to Oluyemi Kayode Stadium, Ajowa Market Road, Moferere-Agric Olope Road, Odo-Ado in front of St. Paul’s Anglican Church and Rosebud-Ori Apata Road.

    A resident, Dupe Esan, said: “These roads are in bad condition and we don’t know the reason why the government abandoned them. As they are doing the flyover, all these alternative routes also require urgent attention and we want them to repair them.”

    Tobi Afolayan said: “Since the Okesa-Fajuyi has been blocked, there is much pressure on these inner roads and many of them are in deplorable condition. Government must block all these loopholes because the effect is being felt on our vehicles.

    “The roads also require the attention government is paying to the flyover, because if they go worse, we may not have any place to pass again. Help us tell our governor to fill these potholes because the rains are here.”

     

  • Fayose to demolish more houses for flyover project

    Fayose to demolish more houses for flyover project

    Ekiti Ambassadors deplore ‘poor governance’

    AN interest group based in Ekiti State, the Ekiti Ambassadors, has expressed regret that the state hitherto regarded as land of people of integrity, virtue and honour has become a laughing stock for alleged poor governance and misplacement of priorities.

    It said events in the state had brought shame to Ekiti and made its people to be regarded as third-class citizens in Nigeria and other parts of the world.

    Addressing a news conference in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, yesterday, its President, Owoola Daramola, said the trend in Ekiti must be reversed as the 2018 governorship election draws nearer.

    Daramola, who was supported by other members of the body’s executive committee, said “people are suffering and don’t need grandiose projects, such as a flyover being constructed by the Ayo Fayose administration”.

    He contended that majority of Ekiti citizens need good jobs, and not a flyover being constructed when civil servants are owed five-month arrears of salaries.

    Daramola said the search for the right person to occupy the governorship seat must begin now, saying Ekiti people need “a man of integrity, virtue and honour, an honest man of wisdom, with strength of character and passionate about Ekiti development”.

    He said: “We need somebody, who is conversant with the politico-economic history, who will revert and reverse the sad story of Ekiti land. We need somebody that is part of the system, who understands the people, who knows how and what the people feels.

    “Somebody who has investment and interest at home; somebody who will make Ekiti a place of envy and honour. We need somebody that will lay the foundation of future political-economic leadership, growing, nurturing and maintaining it for generations yet unborn.

    “Our position is that the head of the next administration would be someone with ties with us in Ekiti; someone that understands what we feel and what we need; someone that shares the same cultural and traditional ties with us; someone genuinely dedicated and devoted to serving the public.”

    The Ekiti Ambassadors boss said the group would work with some non-governmental and civil society organisations to begin massive enlightenment of voters to make the right choice and desist from collecting rice, salt, money and other forms of inducement from politicians.

    Daramola added: “Ekiti has become a laughing stock in the comity of states in Nigeria and to the outside world. Political parties must put their house in order and go back to the grassroots to rebuild their structures.”

     

  • Four World Bank officials drown in Ekiti

    Four World Bank officials drown in Ekiti

    Disaster struck in Ekiti State Wednesday evening when four members of a World Bank assessment team on assignment drowned at Egbe Dam located in Egbe Ekiti in Gbonyin Local Government.

    Among the four who died in the incident was a son of a contractor to the World Bank whose father was one of the survivors. They were said to have commenced work at the site on Tuesday before tragedy struck on Wednesday.

    The incident which three other members of the team survived had thrown the serene community into mourning.

    Sources told our reporter on Thursday that the team members came from Development Dams and Irrigation Scheme in Kaduna State to carry out an assessment of the dam which had long been overdue for turnaround maintenance.

    Their boat was said to have capsized while they were sailing from one end of the dam to the other. Sources revealed that the small boat which could conveniently take four persons was overloaded with seven on board.

    According to the sources, the four victims who died in the incident did not wear life jackets while the three others who wore survived the disaster.

    The bodies of the victims were recovered by local fishermen mobilized to the scheme by Gbonyin Local Government Council Chairman, Mrs. Sade Akinrinmola.

    The council boss told reporters on telephone that he had contacted the community’s monarch, the Owa Egbe, Oba Ayodele Ige Olokesusi, on the tragic incident.

    Describing the incident as “unfortunate”, Mrs. Akinrinmola disclosed that the bodies of the victims have been deposited at the General Hospital, Ode Ekiti, headquarters of the council area.

    She said: “We immediately mobilised a rescue team and an ambulance and those wearing life jackets were rescued. The rescued people were the ones who told us that others were in the water. Their bodies were later retrieved by the local fishermen.

    “We believe that they (the victims) were there based on some of the proposals we had written on the dam and how it could be put to use and we believe that the World Bank had started work on the river based on the calls.”

    Police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi confirmed the incident which he said was still under investigation.

    Adeyemi said: “They must have come from the Federal Ministry because dams are owned by the Federal Government. It is true that their boat capsized, four of them died while three survived.”

  • Ado-Ekiti… rituals, rituals everywhere

    Ado-Ekiti… rituals, rituals everywhere

    Residents of Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital and nearby Ikere Ekiti, are alarmed by the increasing trend of rituals that dot strategic junctions in the two communities. ODUNAYO OGUNMOLA examines the trend and its health implications 

    Although nobody knew the time they were placed, they are gradually becoming a regular feature in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital where they now dot the major junctions and public places.

    Residents of the city are concerned about the preponderance of rituals and fetish objects in the city, many of which are affecting the city’s beauty.

    The scary ritual objects include  animals such as goats, sheep, pigs, cats, monkeys, tortoise and various species of fish complemented with kola nuts, bitter kola, garden eggs and walnuts.

    Parts of animals such as heads, legs and intestines are common sights at those ritual spots where  eggs, palm oil; alligator pepper, cooked soup and salt, among others, are kept in the pots.

    Also birds of various sizes are killed as objects of sacrifice and placed at various junctions. Such birds include doves, pigeons, fowls, guinea fowls, bats and partridge, among others.

    Favourable spots for rituals in Ado-Ekiti are roundabouts, junctions, bus stops, markets, school gates, garbage dumps, mountain side and drainage.

    Neighbourhoods of Ado-Ekiti that have turned ritual havens include Odo Ado Main Roundabout near St. Paul’s Anglican Church; Moferere Junction very close to Oba Adejugbe Hospital; Oke Oke Oriomi Junction near Old Governor’s Office; Ijigbo Roundabout; NTA Road-House of Assembly interchange; Oke Ila-Afao Road Roundabout and Irona Junction.

    Southwest Report investigation also revealed that smaller road junctions in new sites and developing areas such as Ajebamidele, Fabian, Olujoda, Olorunda, Olorunsogo, Omisanjana, Egbewa, Ilawe Road are also being used as ritual sites.

    The situation is the same in nearby Ikere Ekiti where some locations in the community are also used to display rituals. Such locations include Odo Oja Roundabout and Moshood Road/Ise Road Junction near State Hospital.

    The ritual spots in the two communities already constitute health hazards to residents as the environment becomes malodorous as a result of  putrid smell oozing from the sacrifices.

    In places not located in the centre of the town such as Moferere Junction, strange birds such as vultures do feed on the sacrifices while dogs and pigs feast on the rituals in places located in the city centre.

    In the run-up to the 2014 governorship election and last year’s general elections, rituals in Ado-Ekiti were common place as residents believed that ‘desperate’ politicians and their supporters were those who carried out the rituals.

    A resident who would not want to be named for security reasons said: “You know our politicians are desperate. They are suspected to be the ones who carry out the rituals in Ado during the election period because they want to win at all costs.

    “Many of them believe that for them to win; they must carry out sacrifices to appease the gods in their favour. I know what I am saying; some politicians do it personally by themselves while others carry out sacrifices by proxies.”

    Apart from politicians, suspects in the Ekiti ritual bazaar include civil servants seeking promotion and favour, contractors  who are desperate to win contracts, Internet fraudsters popularly known as Yahoo Boys and barren couples looking for children, among others.

    Apparently concerned on the development, the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, sometime last year, summoned some stakeholders to a meeting in his palace to express his concern on the way and manner rituals are carried out in his domain.

    A resident of Odo Ado, Lekan Ajimuda said residents of the area have become accustomed to sights of sacrifices dropped by anonymous individuals for various reasons.

    He said: “We are used to seeing fetish objects in our area; they are usually dropped at odd hours when people are asleep by people who seek one favour or the other. The irony of it all is that you see fresh sacrifices placed beside the ones seen at a spot the previous day.

    “But it will surprise you to discover that people behind this profess one religion or the other and they also participate actively in their religions and are also involved in voodoo practise.”

    Another resident, Femi Olofinniyi, is surprised that people still believe in sacrifices in the 21st Century despite the advances made in science and technology. He added that  hard work and divine favour can earn one what one wants.

    Olofinniyi said: “It is very unfortunate that our people are still hooked to these ancient beliefs despite that we are in the era of modernity.

    “They should know that all those things belong to the ancient era and are exercises in futility. This is so because I have never seen the positive effect of rituals on our society.”

    Tunde Dada  called on security agents, especially policemen on night patrols, to arrest residents who deface Ado-Ekiti with rituals, which he described as “the ugly side of an otherwise beautiful town.”

    He said: “Ado-Ekiti has become a big city that has witnessed rapid expansion; playing host to people from all parts of the country and beyond. The aesthetic beauty of the city must be maintained.

    “The previous government performed well in the area of urban renewal even as the current administration is also trying within the limit of resources available to it. Something drastic must be done to prevent people from defacing the city with fetish objects.

    “I call on security agencies, especially the police and local hunters who usually carry out night patrols, to arrest anybody seen carrying out rituals in the night because their action is having adverse effect on the environment.

    “The rituals are fouling our environment, thereby constituting health hazards. Government must arrest the situation because the lives of the people are at stake.”

    Commissioner for Environment, Bisi Kolawole, who expressed concern on the development, said the action is having a negative impact on the environment, saying anybody caught would be prosecuted.

    He said: “We are aware of the development. We are worried about it because it affects the environment and anybody that contravenes our environmental laws will be punished, no matter how highly placed; because nobody is above the law.”