The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Agodi

  • Give us a female deputy governor in 2019, Ajimobi’s wife begs

    Wife of the Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi on Wednesday made case for a woman becoming the deputy governor of the state in the 2019 general election.

    Mrs Ajimobi who recounted that virtually all the states in the Southwest have at one time or the other had a female deputy governor, noted that Oyo state is matured enough and blessed with capable women who can perform at the level more than the men.

    She made the appeal while addressing journalist at her Agodi office after distributing gift items to ten orphanage homes in Ibadan as parts of event line up to commemorate her 59thbirthday.

    Some of the item distributed include bags of rice, toiletries, cartons of biscuits, fruit juice, cash gifts among others.

    Asked on her views about on the call for more women in politics, the governors wife noted that women may not be able to achieve much without the support of their husbands and as such appealed to men across the state to support and encourage their women to take up political offices, particularly at the forthcoming local government elections, expressing confidence in the ability of the women in the state to deliver.

    She said, “This is something that has been bothering me for a while. And I think in my own little way I have encouraged women particularly the women in APC to come out and join politics but I want to use this opportunity to appeal to our husbands to give us the opportunity to prove ourselves. We are women and as the bible says, we should be submissive to our husbands after Christ. They are our head and the head of our different homes but because we believed in them, we need their approval to do anything. I just want them to encourage us because if we do not get their support, there is nothing any woman out there can do.

    “So, our men, particularly in Oyo state, please encourage your women, let them prove themselves, I know they can do it. And they can do it very well. Give us the opportunity, even at the local government level, let us prove ourselves that we can manage the local governments, let us have more women in the Oyo state House of Assembly. Let us at least have a woman in the House of Representative in Abuja, I know we have a female Senator, let us have two or more.

    “I also want to use this opportunity to appeal to my husband, the Executive Governor of Oyo state to give us a woman as a deputy governor in Oyo state. Other states have done it. Lagos state has done it continuously, Ekiti has done it, Osun has done it, Ogun has done it, Oyo state too can do it. Your Excellency sir, let us prove ourselves, we can do it better than the men.”

     

  • Man in court over failure to repay loan

    A 70-year-old man, Alhaji Yaya Ayinde, was on Wednesday arraigned before an Idi-Ogungun Customary Court at Agodi, Ibadan, for failing to repay a loan of N10,000 he used to buy Sallah ram.

    The plaintiff, Mrs Alice Opaleye, told the court that Ayinde also bought Ankara cloth valued N3,500 from her for the festival.

    Narrating her relationship with the defendant, Opaleye told the court that she employed Ayinde, who was a friend to her late husband, as her personal driver some years back.

    “Initially, I asked him to assist me look for a driver, but he begged me to give him the job, which I agreed and he drove me for nine months.

    “It was in the course of working with me that he borrowed the money and bought the cloth with a promise to pay back soonest.

    “Later, he stopped working with me and refused to pay the debt despite several appeals made to him about the money.”

    On whether she had other relationship with the defendant apart from driving her, the plaintiff said, “He was a close friend to my late husband and use to visit me after my husband’s demise.

    “In fact I used to cook and care for him throughout the period that I hired him as my personal driver.”

    In his defence, Ayinde admitted owing the debt and promised to pay the plaintiff.

    He implored the court to plead with her to give him more time within which to pay back the loan.

    Ayinde also said the woman was his friend’s wife, however, claimed that she had not paid him for the nine months he worked as her driver.

    He admitted that the plaintiff fed him for the nine months, but denied ever having illicit affair with her.

    “I prayed the court to beg her for me because she has threatened to deal with me and cannot overlook her threat.

    “She is powerful spiritually and do not want to die now, I promise to pay the debt before the end of May if the court allows me, “Ayinde pleaded.

    The President of the court, Chief Mukaila Balogun, in his ruling, gave the defendant a grace of 20 days to pay the debt.

    Balogun pleaded with both parties to embrace peace and refrain from anything that could lead to breakdown of law and order.

     

     

  • Court dissolves 10-year-old marriage over husband’s drunkenness

    An Idi-Ogungun Customary Court, Agodi, Ibadan in Oyo State,  on Wednesday dissolved a 10-year-old marriage between Shina Ismaila and Olaremi Ismaila over  Shina’s  drunkenness.

    The president of the court, Chief Mukaila Balogun, and the court’s assessors, Ganiyu Alao and Aare Samotu, in their unanimous decision dissolved the marriage.
    The court also ruled that the first two children should be in the custody of the defendant while the last child should be with the plaintiff.
    The court also ruled that the defendant should be paying N3,500  to the plaintiff  as  monthly allowance for the upkeep of the child in her custody.
    Earlier, the 28-year-old housewife, Olaremi, had told the court that her husband, Shina, was a stunt-drunkard and was always beating her whenever she refused to clean his mess after vomiting.
    Olaremi alleged that her husband was also a gambler and never took care of her and their three children.
    “I dare not advise him against gambling nor cautioned him over his excessive drinking habit; in fact, he hardly listens to his parents’ advice.
    “The worse thing is that he steals my money to gamble whenever he is broke and has ruined my business.
    “ I regret marrying him and I pray the court to separate us before he ruins my entire life,’’ she pleaded.
    The complainant, Olaremi, also prayed the court to grant her the custody of the children.
    Ismaila, a bricklayer, did not oppose the request of his estranged wife but denied beating her.

    He said that his wife that was fond of cursing him whenever they had misunderstandings.
    He also objected to Oluremi’s plea that she should have the custody of the three children produced by the marriage.

     

    He said that Oluremi did not have the means of livelihood to cater for the wellbeing of the children.

     

  • Mortuary attendant remanded in prison for stealing human skull

    Mortuary attendant remanded in prison for stealing human skull

    A 57-year old mortuary attendant, Mr Muritala Raimi, has been remanded in Agodi, Ibadan prison for allegedly stealing a human skull from the mortuary of the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

    An Iyaganku Magistrate Court in Ibadan remanded Raimi after he failed to meet his bail conditions.

    The accused was arraigned on a two-count charge of stealing and misconduct.

    Though the court granted him bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in the like sum and one of the sureties must be a member of the family, Raimi could not meet his bail conditions.

    He was arrested after allegedly decapitating the remains of an unknown deceased.

    Raimi, it was learnt, concealed the decapitated head in a bag but was caught on his way out. He allegedly tried to escape after realizing the game was up but was arrested by the police.

    The accused was taken to Yemetu Police Station, Ibadan.

    When he appeared before Magistrate Akanni Monsurat in court 4, Raimi pleaded ‘not guilty’ to the two-count charge.

    The charge sheet read in part: “That you Muritala Raimi, aged 57, on the 15th March, 2017 at about 05: 30pm at UCH Ibadan in Ibadan magisterial district did steal human skull inside UCH mortuary and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 3 of the criminal code cap 38 vol. 11 laws of Oyo State of Nigeria”.

    “That you Muritala Raimi on the same date, place in the aforementioned magisterial district did misconduct with regard to corpse by decapitating a corpse deposited at UCH mortuary and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under section 242 of the criminal code cap 38, vol. 11 laws of Oyo State”.

    Hearing was adjourned to May 15, 2017.

  • Wife pours boiling water on hubby’s manhood in Ibadan

    Adeyinka Adelakun, a middle aged public school teacher in Ibadan, on Thursday narrated how his wife, kafayat, poured boiling water on his manhood which seriously injured him.

    Adelakun had approached an Idi-Ogungun Customary Court at Agodi in Ibadan seeking the dissolution of his three-year-old marriage to his wife on grounds of threat to life and constant fighting.

    He also prayed the court to allow him have in his custody the two-year –old child of the marriage so that he could effectively take care of the child.

    According to the plaintiff, kafayat is in the habit of fighting him and threatening him whenever they have domestic issues to resolve.

    “On Feb 27, 2016, she started her trouble as usual and I decided to call her mother on phone to caution her, but kafayat brought a kettle of hot water from the kitchen and poured it on my genitals and chest.

    “The pain was too much, I was rushed to hospital due to the severe injuries I sustained and I stayed in the hospital for months.

    “Even I cannot use my injured manhood for any sexual act till now because it has not healed and I decided to quit the marriage to avoid untimely death.

    “Am afraid of living with a woman that wanted to finish my manhood because she may do more harm if allow her in my life, “ he said.

    Adelakun presented pictures of his injured genitals as exhibits to prove his case and the court admitted the pictures.

    In her defense, Kafayat admitted the allegation, but said that it was not intentional and that the hot water mistakenly poured on her husband when he wanted to beat her.

    The defendant told the court that she was arrested because of the incident and the matter was resolved later.

    Kafayat did not agree with the dissolution, saying she still loved her husband in spite of ill-treatment and lack of care from the plaintiff.

    The Court President, Chief Mukaila Balogun, and two assessors, Aare Samotu and Ganiyu Alao, in their unanimous decision, dissolved the marriage.

    Balogun said the opinion of the court was that there was no more love between the couple and the parties should go their separate ways to avoid more trouble.

    The court further directed that the only child of the union should be in the custody of her mother and ordered the plaintiff to pay N4, 000 as monthly allowance for the upkeep of the child.

    “The plaintiff should also pay N12, 000 and N5, 000 to the defendant to rent a new apartment and to pack her belongings respectively, “the court ruled.

     

  • Life returns to Agodi gardens

    Life returns to Agodi gardens

    Thirty-four years after a devastating flood swept through Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State destroying the popular Agodi Gardens among others, the tourist centre in the heart of the ancient city is gradually coming back to life following a N1 billion redevelopment programme initiated by the Governor Abiola Ajimobi administration. BISI OLADELE reports on the new Agodi Gardens.

    It was the place to be in Ibadan in the 70s and 80s to catch your fun and enjoy a family outing. Second only to the popular University of Ibadan Zoological Garden, Agodi Gardens, Ibadan is a city recreational centre that any family or fun-seeking tourist would want to patronise.

    Tucked in the heart of the Oyo State capital, the garden is located at the foot of Mokola Hill, backing the State government secretariat, Agodi and the western part of the expansive Agodi Government Reserved Area (GRA) which houses both the seat of the state government, Governor’s Lodge and a prestigious housing estate.

    While all these border Agodi Gardens on the eastern part, the recreational centre borders a lake, hilltop Premier Hotel and Cultural Centre on the west. The first teaching hospital in Nigeria, the University College Hospital (UCH) borders the centre on the southern part to give it an elitist and sophisticated environment.

    Sprawling on a 35-hectre landed facility, the garden which was established as a biological and relaxation centre to provide recreational as well as educational services for inhabitants and visitors in 1967, lost its glory as a foremost tourist centre, particularly following its destruction by the infamous 1980 flood disaster dubbed Omiyale by locals, that swept through the ancient city.

    The flood swept away most of the Gardens’ wild animals, exotic and vintage plants and most importantly its beauty leaving the people with little or nothing to look up to at the centre. Expectedly, tourists have stayed away ever since, especially in the face of little or no government effort to revive the centre. But things are beginning to change thanks to the efforts of the current administration in the state.

    Agodi Gardens has witnessed a rebirth from the Governor Abiola Ajimobi-led administration. With an investment of over N500 million from a budgeted N1 billion already sunk into the new Agodi Gardens, fun seekers, lovers of nature and animals will heave a sigh of relief on visiting the redeveloped centre when it hopefully opens to the public next month.

    At inception, Agodi Gardens was a reference/meeting point for botanists, zoologists, environmentalists, naturalists and users of herbs in the trado-medicinal trade. It served as a gene pool and biodiversity complex as well as amusement park for both young and old for over two decades before the flood disaster.

    “It was initially a forest reserve with thick plantation. But the government later started the animal world known as Agodi Zoological Garden. The biological aspect of it included medicinal plants garden as well as a botanical garden and some rare trees. Only few of such species of trees were left in the country,” said the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Dr Bunmi Babalola.

    Successive flood disasters and years of government neglect reduced the centre to nothing but a play ground of dangerous reptiles and such animals, making the task of resuscitation a herculean one for the Ajimobi administration.

    On assumption of office, Babalola said:”We saw that face lifting will not work there. To achieve our goal, we had to totally redevelop the garden. To ensure safety of our people there, we employed local hunters to remove all dangerous animals in the lake.”

    The garden now boasts of a modern theme park and zoological garden with plan to develop two other phases that will see the growth of a medicinal plants section and a truly modern zoological section.

    Explaining government’s big plan for the multi-million Naira recreation centre, the state Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Mrs Adetutu Adeyemi-Akhigbe, said: “The Governor Abiola Ajimobi administration established the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Hitherto, they were just departments under Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. When the ministry was established, we thought it fit that a place like Agodi Gardens should come to this ministry and the proposal was granted by the governor. So, we were able to start this project. We call it Redevelopment and Rehabilitation of Agodi Gardens.

    “The project is in three phases. We wanted a theme park, where people can just relax. We believe that it will contribute to the good health of the people and with minimal distortion to the original architecture of the place. At every stage of this project, we are always doing Environmental Assessment Impact (EAI). So, no single tree was removed, if not necessary. There was individual tree tagging. That is why the project is going slowly. That place is like a buffer zone which absorbs extra carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide that contribute to depletion of the ozone layer.

    “We made it such that each phase will independently operate on its own.  So, the first phase consists of the walkways, swimming pools, water slides, children play ground, see-through fence, parking lot, dredging of the lake and creation of artificial lake, channelisation of the various streams, landscaping, restaurants, toilets and bathrooms, bridges and electrification. Cables have been laid for the entire project in this first phase. There is borehole channelised to the various points.”

    The commissioner explained that government’s goal for the first phase is “to create a place in Ibadan that can easily provide leisure, accommodation, relaxation and entertainment for the family in the same place in a healthy environment.”

    She emphasized that clean environment, fresh air and access to natural environment mark out the centre, adding that they would improve quality of life of tourists.

    Adeyemi-Akhigbe disclosed that about N1 billion was budgeted for the project but that what has been spent so far is already more than half of the amount.

    She said: “We projected over N1 billion for the entire project. But as the project was evolving, new ideas were coming up.”

    The first phase, which is over 90 percent complete, is expected to be commissioned next month.

    The second phase, according to the commissioner, will feature a health farm that will involve partnership with Chinese and Indians who have reached a good stage in herbal medicine. Chalets for lodging and a modern event centre with a different entrance will also be constructed on the garden.

    Her words: “In the second phase, we want to have a health farm. This is a natural health farm where they won’t use orthodox drugs. It is a Medicinal plants garden. On this, we want to bring in the Chinese and Indians. They are bringing their own knowledge of these medicinal plants having been on them for years. They have acquired standardization of the products. So, our herbal medical practitioners will benefit immensely from them. They will see how herbal infusion can be brought into orthodox practice.

    “It will also feature chalets for lodging. It will also have an event centre. They won’t be coming through the garden. We may also have a small golf course there.”

    The third phase, according to the commissioner, will be mainly a zoological garden. “We are thinking of having friendly animals such as tortoise and peacock walking around in the garden to strengthen the natural view of the garden.” She said.

    The project is expected to generate about N1 billion yearly as well as create about 1000 direct and indirect jobs when it comes up full swing.

    As the flagship of the ministry’s projects, Agodi Gardens is expected to pull most of the tourists and fun seekers in the city and also provide easy access to other such centres in the Oyo state capital. From its central location, the garden is about four kilometres to the historic Captain Bower’s Tower, three kilometers to the University of Ibadan, and two kilometers to the current centre of trading buzz, Heritage/Cocoa Mall. It is also only about one and a half kilometers to the proposed Olubadan palace.

    When inaugurated, Agodi Gardens, as a modern resort, will add more glamour and value to the city with its surging population.