The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ado-Ekiti

  • Epidemic looms as refuse takes over Ado-Ekiti

    Heaps of refuse have taken over Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, raising fears of an epidemic outbreak.

    Residents are calling on the government to clear the rubbish which they claim is hazardous to health.

    It is a common sight in Ado-Ekiti to see people covering their nostrils with handkerchiefs or their hands while passing through the affected areas.

    Areas worse-hit include Ijigbo, Post Office Roundabout, Erekesan Market, Okutagbokutalori, Okeyinmi, Basiri, Adebayo, Odo Ado and Oke Ila.

    The new Governor’s Office is not spared, as refuse is gradually taking over the rear of the complex.

    It was learnt the situation is worsened by the non-payment of September 2014 and September 2015 salaries of street sweepers and refuse collectors by the State Waste Management Board.

    Street sweepers and refuse collectors were paid N10,000 monthly during the Kayode Fayemi administration but Governor Ayo Fayose slashed their salaries to N5,900 on assumption of office.

    To compound the problem, many residents empty their human waste in the drains. Areas such as Okesa, Odo Ado, Oke Ila, Okeyinmi, Atikankan and Irona are affected.

    A resident, Mrs. Margaret Odole, criticised the government for failing to clear the rubbish.

    She said: “We can no longer open our windows because of the odour. We are afraid of epidemic. Please, help us to appeal to the governor to save us from an outbreak of cholera and airborne diseases.”

    A pharmaceutical shop owner at Adebayo, Clement Olabisi, complained of inadequate waste bins which, he said, was responsible for the indiscriminate dumping of waste by residents.

    He said: “Besides, these waste bins are too far. One needs to trek long to get to the bin serving this area. This is why people, at nights, drop their waste on the median.

    A resident of Federal Polytechnic Road, who pleaded not to be named, said there was no refuse bin in the area “and what we do is to drop our waste at the round-about”.

    “This is an eyesore and does not portray us as a people concerned about their health. The governor should make available more waste bins for people to use.”

    Some street sweepers lamented that they were left out in the payment of outstanding salaries from the N9.6 billion bailout the governor collected from the Federal Government.

    They said: “We have sent some of our superiors to the Commissioner for Environment, Bisi Kolawole, but they alleged the commissioner  chased them out of his office.

    “We are hungry. Our children are being embarrassed in school for non-payment of fees. We owe many people as a result of buying foodstuff on credit. We are ready to work but you don’t expect us to do so on empty stomachs. We are waiting for our banks to alert us.’’

    Kolawole, however, said although the volume of refuse had increased, “we make sure the refuse is evacuated everyday”.

    He denied chasing the sweepers’ representatives out of his office, adding that he met with them two days ago on efforts being made by the government to pay them.

    Kolawole said: “The allocation the government received in September was not enough to pay salary. So the governor is waiting for the October allocation to add to it for the payment of September salary of civil servants.”

    The commissioner said the governor applied for additional N20 billion bailout to capture those being owed in September last year.

  • Eight-day prayer today in Ado Ekiti

    Eight-day prayer today in Ado Ekiti

    The lyasuna of Ado-Ekiti Central Mosque in Ekiti State, Alhaja Seliatu Ajike Oluwatuyi, is dead.

    She died on October 5 and was buried the same day according to Islamic rites. She was 95.

    The late Alhaja Seliatu  was a devout Muslim, a community leader and a renowned trans-regional foodstuff trader, who shuttled between the North and the Southwest.

    She is survived by children, including Mr. Kola Oluwatuyi, a retired director in the Presidency, Abuja.

    The eighth day prayer comes up today at her home, 44, Idolofin Street, Ado-Ekiti, at 10am.

  • Prosperous Royal Hotel offers nightlife in Ado-Ekiti

    Prosperous Royal Hotel offers nightlife in Ado-Ekiti

    Prosperous Royal Hotel and Resort Centre which recently berthed in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State said it is bent on positively turning around night life in the city. According to the chief executive officer of the hotel, Mr.  Abiodun Isinkaiye, residents of Ado are more attuned to nightlife now than before. He said: “Nightlife in this city has improved greatly. This is because before, everyone would have gone to sleep from around 8pm. But now, many people in Ado stay beyond 10, and 11pm enjoying themselves here before they go home. We have also provided a well secured environment such that people who come here for fun or lodging do not have any fear of insecurity for themselves and their properties. Truth is, you cannot enter Ado Ekiti around 10pm or12 am and say you don’t have a place to stay because our doors are open at such times and we have a well secured environment. So, nightlife in Ekiti has now improved so much like that of Lagos and Ibadan.”

    According to him, the hotel has about 162 staff strength owing to its multi-departments nature, including gardeners, cleaners, waters/waitress, trained security men, and cooks among others.

    The major challenge has been the tax regime, which Isinkaiye pleaded with the Ekiti State Governor Ayodele Fayose to implement with a human face. In addition, he appealed to Fayose to sustain the peace that has now returned to the state to enable private business operators thrive more.

    “Governor Ayodele Fayose, has been helping in terms of providing adequate security for the state so we haven’t been faced with serious security challenges,” he said

    “On government policies it has been a bit challenging, especially in the area of tax but we have been surmounting the challenges. The thing is that paying tax wouldn’t be a problem once the business environment as provided by the government, remains conducive. During those days of political turmoil in the state, our businesses were terribly affected such that payment of taxation became a serious challenge. But we thank God that orderliness and peace has returned through the instrumentality of the governor,” Isinkaiye added.

    However, the acceptance of the hotel by the host community was not a smooth sail, he said.

    “On the part of the community,” he recalled, “this business came to them as a strange one because they haven’t got a full scale hospitality management like it in this part of the country. But as time goes on, they began to gradually accept us. Though it has been challenging to be accepted by many in the society, now they have been reaping the benefits of our business here. Their house rents, because of this hotel, has appreciated. Their landed property has also appreciated as many are now building houses around this hotel. When we came here newly, a plot of land was being sold for around N1 million but now it has increased to two, three and even four million.”

  • Prosperous Royal Hotel offers nightlife in Ado-Ekiti

    Prosperous Royal Hotel offers nightlife in Ado-Ekiti

    Prosperous Royal Hotel and Resort Centre which recently berthed in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State said it is bent on positively turning aroung night life in the city. According to the chief executive officer of the hotel, Mr.  AbiodunIsinkaiye, residents of Ado are more attuned to nightlife now than before. He said: “Nightlife in this city has improved greatly. This is because before, everyone would have gone to sleep from around 8pm. But now, many people in Ado stay beyond 10, and 11pm enjoying themselves here before they go home. We have also provided a well secured environment such that people who come here for fun or lodging do not have any fear of insecurity for themselves and their properties. Truth is, you cannot enter Ado Ekiti around 10pm or12 am and say you don’t have a place to stay because our doors are open at such times and we have a well secured environment. So, nightlife in Ekiti has now improved so much like that of Lagos and Ibadan.”

    According to him, the hotel has about 162 staff strength owing to its multi-departments nature, including gardeners, cleaners, waters/waitress, trained security men, and cooks among others.

    The major challenge has been the tax regime, whichIsinkaiye pleaded with the Ekiti State Governor AyodeleFayose to implement with a human face. In addition, he appealed to Fayose to sustain the peace that has now returned to the state to enable private business operators thrive more.

    “Governor AyodeleFayose, has been helping in terms of providing adequate security for the state so we haven’t been faced with serious security challenges,” he said

    “On government policies it has been a bit challenging, especially in the area of tax but we have been surmounting the challenges. The thing is that paying tax wouldn’t be a problem once the business environment as provided by the government, remains conducive. During those days of political turmoil in the state, our businesses were terribly affected such that payment of taxation became a serious challenge. But we thank God that orderliness and peace has returned through the instrumentality of the governor,” Isinkaiye added.

    However, the acceptance of the hotel by the host community was not a smooth sail, he said.

    “On the part of the community,” he recalled, “this business came to them as a strange one because they haven’t got a full scale hospitality management like it in this part of the country. But as time goes on, they began to gradually accept us. Though it has been challenging to be accepted by many in the society, now they have been reaping the benefits of our business here. Their house rents, because of this hotel, has appreciated. Their landed property has also appreciated as many are now building houses around this hotel. When we came here newly, a plot of land was being sold for around N1 million but now it has increased to two, three and even four million.”

  • Five private hospitals closed in Ekiti

    Five private hospitals closed in Ekiti

    The Ekiti State Ministry of Health has shut five private hospitals for not complying with the government’s operational guidelines.

    The hospitals are Devine Citadel Hospital, Ado-Ekiti; Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Maternity and Hospital, Emure-Ekiti; Emmanuel Medical Clinic, Emure- Ekiti; Lexical Clinic, Ise-Ekiti and JOA Medical Centre, Ado-Ekiti.

    The Director, Hospital Services and Training, Dr. Kola Adu, who led the ministry’s monitoring team, said any hospital found wanting would be face the law.

    Adu said the clinics were shut for operating in an unhygienic environment, using unqualified and inadequate personnel as well as non-registration of their facilities and failure to renew their operational licences.

    He cautioned patients against patronising unlicenced private clinics and warned other private health facilities to properly register and renew their operational licences, saying that the government would punish erring proprietors.

    [news_box style=”3″ display=”tag” link_target=”_blank” tag=”Ekiti, Fayose” count=”4″ show_more=”on” show_more_type=”link”]

  • Three feared dead in Ado-Ekiti

    Three feared dead in Ado-Ekiti

    Three persons were reportedly killed yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, in a clash between drivers and Hausa traders.

    The clash paralysed traffic, commercial and social activities in the town for about eight hours.

    Fifteen shops were set ablaze and many vehicles damaged.

    The property destroyed belonged mainly to butchers and Hausa traders, who  launched counter-attacks against the drivers.

    The number of victims could not be ascertained as they were rushed to various hospitals by policemen and  sympathisers.

    Sources claimed that three persons died and an unspecified number injured but police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi said only four persons were injured.

    The police spokesperson said two units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) were deployed in the trouble spots.

    The clash was fierce in areas, such as Atikankan (which has the highest concentration of Hausa in Ado-Ekiti), Old Garage, Ijigbo, Isato, Igbehin and Erekesan Market.

    Businesses were paralysed in places, such as Irona, Okesa, Okeyinmi and Ajilosun.

    Two of the victims reportedly died at Atikankan, where the violence spread to later in the day.

    A cameraman working for a Lagos television station, CORE TV, Sunday Adigun, was injured by hoodlums, who smashed his camera.

    Hoodlums had a field day as they looted shops, carting away money and goods.

    The hoodlums were armed with guns, bottles, charms, machetes, cudgels, knives, petrol and matches.

    Smoke from burning shops billowed into the sky.

    Banks, shops, motor parks, markets and other commercial outlets were shut.

    Sources said the mayhem followed the alleged robbing of a commercial driver’s wife.

     It was gathered that  N36,000 was snatched from the woman on Sunday night.

     The culprit allegedly escaped through Sabo, which has a high concentration of  Hausa.

    Cases of bag snatching and robbery are commonplace in the Old Garage-Ijigbo axis.

    Unconfirmed reports also claimed that the driver’s wife was raped.

     It was learnt that the drivers launched a manhunt for the culprit.

    The drivers stormed the houses of the Hausa, who also launched counter-attacks.

    Ijigbo, Mugbagba, Oja Oba,  New Garage and Old Garage were turned to a war zone.

    The bureaux de change operated by the Hausa were attacked with cash both in local and foreign currencies stolen by hoodlums.

    Heaps of destroyed items, such as onions, pepper, tomatoes, dried fish were burnt with their relics littering the ground.

    The Commissioner of Police, Etop John James, led a team of policemen in 15 patrol vehicles to bring the situation under control.

    James’ presence brought normalcy to the scene where he was present but clashes continued in other areas.

    Armed policemen stood guard at  various flashpoints.

  • Three feared dead in Ado-Ekiti

    Three persons were reportedly killed yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, in a clash between drivers and Hausa traders.

    The clash paralysed traffic, commercial and social activities in the town for about eight hours.

    Fifteen shops were set ablaze and many vehicles damaged.

    The property destroyed belonged mainly to butchers and Hausa traders, who  launched counter-attacks against the drivers.

    The number of victims could not be ascertained as they were rushed to various hospitals by policemen and  sympathisers.

    Sources claimed that three persons died and an unspecified number injured but police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi said only four persons were injured.

    The police spokesperson said two units of Police Mobile Force (PMF) were deployed in the trouble spots.

    The clash was fierce in areas, such as Atikankan (which has the highest concentration of Hausa in Ado-Ekiti), Old Garage, Ijigbo, Isato, Igbehin and Erekesan Market.

    Businesses were paralysed in places, such as Irona, Okesa, Okeyinmi and Ajilosun.

    Two of the victims reportedly died at Atikankan, where the violence spread to later in the day.

    A cameraman working for a Lagos television station, CORE TV, Sunday Adigun, was injured by hoodlums, who smashed his camera.

    Hoodlums had a field day as they looted shops, carting away money and goods.

    The hoodlums were armed with guns, bottles, charms, machetes, cudgels, knives, petrol and matches.

    Smoke from burning shops billowed into the sky.

    Banks, shops, motor parks, markets and other commercial outlets were shut.

    Sources said the mayhem followed the alleged robbing of a commercial driver’s wife.

     It was gathered that  N36,000 was snatched from the woman on Sunday night.

     The culprit allegedly escaped through Sabo, which has a high concentration of  Hausa.

    Cases of bag snatching and robbery are commonplace in the Old Garage-Ijigbo axis.

    Unconfirmed reports also claimed that the driver’s wife was raped.

     It was learnt that the drivers launched a manhunt for the culprit.

    The drivers stormed the houses of the Hausa, who also launched counter-attacks.

    Ijigbo, Mugbagba, Oja Oba,  New Garage and Old Garage were turned to a war zone.

    The bureaux de change operated by the Hausa were attacked with cash both in local and foreign currencies stolen by hoodlums.

    Heaps of destroyed items, such as onions, pepper, tomatoes, dried fish were burnt with their relics littering the ground.

    The Commissioner of Police, Etop John James, led a team of policemen in 15 patrol vehicles to bring the situation under control.

    James’ presence brought normalcy to the scene where he was present but clashes continued in other areas.

    Armed policemen stood guard at  various flashpoints.

  • Fayose stages roadshow in Ado-Ekiti

    Fayose stages roadshow in Ado-Ekiti

    EKITI State Governor Ayodele Fayose yesterday staged a massive roadshow with his supporters and members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to celebrate his victory at the Supreme Court.

    The governor, government officials, senior party members and supporters moved in a convoy of vehicles round the city amid singing, dancing and trumpeting.

    Before the governor came out to celebrate his victory, many of his supporters had converged on major bus stations and junctions, congratulating one another for yet another victory.

    Others who could not hide their joy headed for the Government House where another victory party was going on.

    Commercial drivers and motorcylists were ecstatic, driving dangerously and  performing stunts with their vehicles and bikes.

    There were band stands at junctions entertaining the people, who enjoyed themselves despite the searing heat.

    The crowd grew as the motorcade snaked through traffic snarls in places, such as Ijigbo-Matthew Roundabout, Old Garage, Okeyinmi, Ojumose, Okesa before the victory party terminated at the Government House.

    Addressing the crowd at Ijigbo-Matthew Roundabout, the governor, in white buba and sokoto, appealed to his political opponents to forgive him for whatever wrongs he had committed.

    “I want our people to embrace peace, there is no need for tension in the state, whoever I might have offended, I want you to forgive me because Ekiti is one and we should join hands to make the state great,” Fayose said.

    In a statement which he signed, the governor urged his opponents to sheathe their swords in the interest of the state.

    The governor appealed to the opposition to allow peace reign in the state.

    Fayose said: “I want to sincerely appreciate Ekiti people for their resilience and love for me. I am formally dedicating this victory to God and to them.

    “Having voted for me 10 months ago, and confirming the victory by the subsequent elections in the last few weeks, they have shown that they are unequivocal about their choice and their determination to protect and defend that mandate.

    “To my opponents, I plead with you to sheathe your sword and join me in the development of Ekiti State.

    “If truly our struggle is about service to our state, it is time to come together and channel our resources towards the development of the state.

    “I am irrevocably committed to the protection of all, including the opposition in the state.

    “Nobody is infallible, and I am not a perfect being. The only one that is perfect is God, but He, in His infinite mercy, has made me the governor of Ekiti State today.

    “I have a term and tenure; there will be another opportunity for Ekiti people to decide who governs them.”

    The PDP described the judgment as a triumph of democracy and the rule of law.

    The party said the ruling was a testimony that the judiciary is still the last hope of the common man having sustained the wishes and aspirations of the people

    The National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, in a statement yesterday congratulated Fayose and the people for their doggedness.

    The party urged the governor to be magnanimous in victory while using his mandate to deliver good governance in line with the PDP’s manifesto and vision of the founding fathers.

    The PDP restated its resolve to continue to support the governor and the people and vowed to resist any form of political intimidation or blackmail aimed at destabilising the state.

  • Robbers attack Ado-Ekiti estate

    •Residents held hostage for three hours

    Some residents of Adekunle Fajuyi Estate on Ilawe Road in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, were robbed by a seven-man gang, which attacked at least six homes.

    The robbers carted away cash, electronics, jewelry, laptops, iPads, phones and other valuables after operating unhindered for about three hours.

    They were said to have arrived the estate at midnight on motorcycles and headed for the Green Roof Section, where they divided themselves into small groups.

    The chairman of the landlords association, Ayo Orebe, said dogs barked endlessly before the arrival of the robbers, which was a sign that something sinister was about to happen.

    Orebe said: “It was at 12:30 am that one of the victims, a young man, rushed to my place.

    “He said the robbers broke into his apartment.  He said he would have put up a fight but they put a gun on his son.

    “Immediately we called the police and in fairness to them they were in the estate in 10 minutes.

    “But I think the fact that they were blaring their sirens put the thieves on guard because the police searched everywhere in the area before they left but they did not see any of the robbers.

    “Five other residents, including a player with Ekiti United Football Club, came to report that they were robbed.

    “They said the robbers took away their phones, laptops, computers, and lots of money, among others.

    “The victims said they threatened to shoot their children, if they failed to produce their belongings.”

    Police spokesman Alberto Adeyemi said officers responded promptly to the distress call and succeeded in securing the estate till daybreak.

  • Buhari’s rally shuts down Ado-Ekiti

    Buhari’s rally shuts down Ado-Ekiti

    For several hours yesterday, Ado- Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, stood still for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari as his campaign train hit the, town ahead of the February 14 election.

    It was the party’s first major outing in the state since it lost the June governorship election to the PDP.

    Traffic stretched over several kilometres while hundreds of thousands of party faithful walked long distances to be part of the huge crowd  at the Ekiti Parapo Square,venue of the rally.

    Shouts of ‘Sai Buhari’ filled the air as the people weaved their way to the square where the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate in  last year’s  governorship election and House of Representatives member, Opeyemi Bamidele, and his political family, Ekiti Bibiire Coalition,formally returned to the APC.

    His entry to the square sparked a deafening ovation from the crowd.

    And so was the introduction of several PDP chieftains in the state who defected to the APC.

    They included former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Mr. Sola Ajigbolamu; former Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Otitoju and former House of Assembly member, Mr. Amogunniyi Fadare, all of whom were received by the party’s national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun.

    Security was tight, the weather cool and the atmosphere tension free despite earlier threat by Governor Ayo Fayose to hold a rally of his party,PDP, also yesterday.

    The APC had warned him not to provoke violence by his plan.

    With popular fuji musician, Saheed Osupa, supplying music, the crowd had fun dancing, singing and waving.

    They hailed the leaders as they found their way into the arena one after the other.

    Gen. Buhari, Chief Odigie-Oyegun and other national leaders drove into the arena in a bus atop of which sat Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State and former Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi.

    Other APC  front liners  at the rally  were  the National Leader, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Segun Oni; former Interim National Chairman of the party, Chief Bisi Akande; former Ekiti State Governor, Otunba Adeniyi Adebayo; Deputy Chairman of the party’s National Convention Committee, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje; Senate Minority Leader, Senator George Akume; Deputy Director General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora; former Ekiti Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu.

    Fayemi said the huge crowd was a clear sign that Ekiti remains firmly in the progressive camp.

    “The mystery of June 21 shall not stand on February 14, the day of the presidential poll,” he said and commended the people for trooping out in defiance of threats by the PDP-led government in the state.

    Buhari told the cheering crowd that their collective dream of a future where corruption, unemployment and insecurity would have no place would soon be realised.

    The presidential flag bearer urged Nigerians to go to the polls on election day and vote APC to make the change possible.

    “It is time to send PDP packing; we will make sure that unemployment is tackled. We will take care of our youth, majority of whom are unemployed,” he said.

    “Insecurity and corruption will receive our attention, we will reposition the education sector by employing qualified teachers as well as prioritising mining and agriculture to generate more employment for our people.” National Leader Asiwaju Tinubu said Buhari’s election as President would change the fortunes of Nigeria.

    Tinubu said the Buhari-led presidency means liberation for the youths, stressing that “the Nigerian youths cannot afford to continue with this government of fake policies and fake ideas.”

    The former Lagos governor deplored  the  death-wish advert placed by  Governor Fayose against Buhari  and declared that Nigeria is in dire need of someone with  Buhari’s wisdom to manage the affairs of the country.

    Tinubu recalled that when economic recession hit the United States, the country turned to an old man in the late Ronald Reagan, who deployed his wisdom and experience to take his country out of the doldrums.

    He paid tributes to the 19 APC members of the Ekiti House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin, for standing firm against the impunity of the Fayose administration

    The APC leader deplored a situation in which seven PDP lawmakers passed the 2015 Appropriation Bill into Law in Ekiti Assembly urging the people to reject the rascality being witnessed in the state. Tinubu also explained that Buhari has come to rescue Nigeria from the abyss of economic recession, insecurity and political instability, which Jonathan has failed to address.

    Tinubu said: “They (PDP) have no wisdom to lead Nigeria; this is common sense revolution, jobs, education and empowerment. Go and pick your voter cards and don’t sell your tomorrow.

    “They cannot change the date (of the election); it is our right to vote.”

    Tinubu also used the occasion to welcome Bamidele saying: “We have forgiven Opeyemi Bamidele; he is now back home. He is no longer in the party of, Labourers.”

    Speaking in his capacity as the APC Southwest Coordinator of the Presidential Campaign, Osun Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, urged the people to “change President Goodluck Jonathan with their votes” and replace him with Buhari.

    Aregbesola, who spoke in Yoruba, said Buhari represents the light that would drive the PDP darkness away.

    He said: “The Yoruba race will not embark on an unprofitable venture and all the Yoruba cannot follow these evil people. We must liberate ourselves from this bad government and we must be part of the good government to be led by Buhari.

    “The accursed one has been threatening that we will not come to Ekiti, who owns Ekiti? We own Ekiti, the APC owns Ekiti.

    “When we take over government from February, my friend knows that he will be sent parking. He is dancing the dance of shame all around; tell him that the game is up for him.”

    Mamora, who represented the APC Presidential Campaign Director General, Governor Chibuike Amaechi of Rivers State, said Nigerians are going to enthrone righteousness on the ticket that will give them restoration. Vice presidential candidate, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, urged Ekiti voters not to allow any “electoral magic” to repeat itself in the state. He promised that Buhari would stop corruption.

    His words: “Gen. Buhari will stop corruption and that is why they are afraid of him. It’s time for change in Nigeria. On February 14, take your cards and go to voting centers and stay there until your votes are counted.”

    Oyegun also deplored Fayose’s death wish advert.