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Tag: Chief

  • Olubadan, others praise council chief

    Olubadan, others praise council chief

    Joy is n the air for a former State Secretary of the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) in Oyo State, Hon. Wasiu Olatubosun, who bagged a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degree in Mass Communication last weekend.

    Olatubosun, who is the current Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Ibadan North West Local Government, obtained a PhD in Mass Communication at Babcock University, Ilisan-Remo, Ogun State, at the weekend.

    He was appointed to the same position in August, 2011 by Governor Abiola Ajimobi following the party’s victory in the election. Olatunbosun was so deeply involved in political activities that his announcement of completing the academic programme left many in shock. They wondered how he managed to combine intense political activities with rigorous academic research, particularly the political campaign of the last year election in which he served as the Chairman, Contact and Mobilisation Committee of the Abiola Ajimobi Campaign Organisation.

    The surprise led to an outpouring of congratulatory messages for the graduand since announcement of the completion of the academic programme last month.

    At the convocation ground at the weekend, the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji, hailed Olatubosun, saying he showed the capacity to excel in whatever he lays his hands on.

    The monarch, who was represented by the Osi Balogun Olubadan, High Chief Tajudeen Ajibola, said: “We are very proud of him. Despite the tight schedule he has, he still found time to go through this course. It s marvelous. We are proud of him. I wish him more successes. I pray he becomes a professor.

    “My advice to others is that people should not think that they are old or that because they are in positions, they cannot study again. If Olatubosun can find time in spite of the tigh schedule, rigorous electioneering campaign and others, nobody has excuse not to study more. It is a very hard task. I want people to emulate him. It is never too late.”

    Also eulogizing the politician for obtaining the highest degree while serving in a political office and mobilising the grassroots political machinery, the Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Chief Akin Oke, said Olatubosun deserves commendation for the new feat.

    His words: “It is gratifying that a man like Ogbeni Wasiu Olatubosun who is known for his passion, commitment and hard work, has made it in the field of academics while still contributing his quota well in politics and public administration. He is our pride in the APC and we congratulate him on this enviable achievement.”

    After obtaining Bachelor of Education degree in Language Arts at the University of Ibadan in 1994, Olatubosun obtained an M. A. In Communication and Language Arts in the same university in 2002 after which he obtained M. Sc. Mass Communication at the University of Lagos in 2007.

    Olatubosun had worked as News Editor at the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) from 1996 to 97 and as Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication, Olabisi Onabanjo University before being appointed as the Chairman, Ibadan North West Local Government since 2011.

     

  • Council chief seeks workers’ co-operation

    The Sole Administrator of Apapa Iganmu Local Council Development Area, Mr. Olumide Olayomi has sought the support of the council’s management and staff.
    He made the appeal in during his maiden meeting with workers at the council’s secretariat in Ijora, even as he urged them to be alive to their responsibilities and to always lead by example. According to him, his mission was to move the council forward in terms of provision of essential facilities that would make life better for residents. He enjoined the workers to co-operate with him in order to achieve the council’s objectives.
    While urging them to be committed to their duties in the face of the onerous task ahead, he said: “I need your co-operation and that of the entire staff to make life better for the entire council. I think we can win together.”
    The council chief later proceeded on a familiarisation tour of the council; visiting the Ojora of Ijora/Badiya, Oba Fatai Aromire.
    The Head of Administration of the council, Mr Nurudeen, thanked the council chief for his advice, promising that the management team and the entire staff will co-operate with him in order to make his tenure a rewarding one.

  • I trade in stolen phones, claims NURTW chief Elewure

    I trade in stolen phones, claims NURTW chief Elewure

    Rapid Response Squad (RS) operatives have arrested a National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) leader, Kazeem Bamidele, for allegedly buying over 4,256 stolen phones.

    Bamidele aka Elewure, vice chairman of Ajegunle NURTW, reportedly told the RRS that he received an average of 38 “clean” phones weekly from over 52 persons, who specialise in pick pocketing and one-chance operations across the state.

    Bamidele, 42, was arrested after RRS Intelligence team caught two suspected stolen phones users in Kogi State.

    The suspects were tracked to Kogi and arrested in connection with an abduction and robbery in Lagos.

    The team discovered that Elewure sold two BlackBerry Z10 and CAT phones collected from robbery and kidnap victims by the suspects.

    Elewure was traced to his shop at Boundary Market in Ajegunle where he was arrested; five phones were recovered from him.

    Elewure was quoted by RRS as saying: “I have over 52 boys who sell clean stolen mobile phones to me. On the average, I receive 38 ‘clean’ phones in a week. I have been in the business for more than two years.

    “Boundary Market in Ajegunle, where I have office and shop, is where they sell the phones to me and that is where the buyers equally get them. I know they are stolen phones. Nearly every guy in Ajegunle is involved in this kind of runs.

    “I buy Infinix Hot 2 at N10,000 and sell N12,000; Blackberry Z30 at N20,000 and sell at N22,000; Infinix Hot Note at N15,000 and sell at N17,000 and Samsung Galaxy X3 at N11,000 and sell at N14,000. I don’t buy iPhone because of its locking system”.

    “Some of the phones traced to Elewure were that of high profile members of the society as well as celebrities,” RRS said.

    The suspect, the RRS said, had provided information that would lead to the arrest of his ‘boys’, adding that most of the robbers lodge in hotels.

    It was gathered that the RRS have impounded two commercial Danfo buses used for robbery and one chance operations.

    Police spokesperson, Dolapo Badmos, a Superintendent (SP), said investigation was progressing, adding that the case has been transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

  • A dinner for PF chief

    A dinner for PF chief

    The Prison Fellowship International held a dinner to welcome its International President and Chief Executive Officer Frank Lofaro at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja. Funds were raised for the association’s programmes, reports NNEKA NWANERI

    Though it was meant to be a dinner for the visiting International President of the  Prison Fellowship of Nigeria Frank Lofaro, it turned out to be a fund raiser for prisons’ inmates.

    The event, which held at the Lagos Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, was way off the normal merry making in many ways. Noticeable was the aura around the hall. People, instead of being in a relaxed mood looked too business minded. Not only this, their dresses depicted a business dinner outfit rather than the normal get-together. Lofaro was visiting the country for the first time. Perhaps it was because it was a working visit that made the host not to take cognisance of making the event elaborate.

    Lafaro was not alone. He was in company of other directors of the association. They were also joined by some executives and members of the country’s chapter of the body, who came to welcome their ‘August’ visitors.

    Ace flutist, Tee Mac, set the tune of the event with a rendition of the National Anthem with his flute, thus kicking off the event.

    President, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Dr Rotimi Oladele, spoke on the need to care for prisoners, saying it should be the priority of every society that desires for peace and progress.

    Oladele, who is the Communication Director of PF Nigeria, said the group was established to stop or reduce the number of people who go to prisons, adding that the body ensures that by the time the inmates are released, they would have become better people than they were before imprisonment.

    “We are here to refine their mindset and get them back on track,” he said. He called on all to assist them by donating generously to PFN’s programmes.

    Chairman, Board of Trustees, PFN, Mrs Dorcas Din, who welcomed the executives of the global body to the country, listed the objectives of the organisation, which include teaching inmates societal values and some trades, in order to be useful to themselves and the society when they are discharged.

    PF Nigeria Executive Director, Mr Benson Iwuagwu, said there was the need to remove the stigma often associated with ex-convicts.

    There were testimonies from some ex-convicts. One of them said she learnt fashion designing during her incaceration.

    Comptroller-General of Prisons, who was represented by his deputy, Chuks Afujue, disclosed that the prisons are congested.

    He called for care and nurture for ex-convicts for them not to go astray.

    Afujue lauded the PFN’s initiative,  calling for support for the association.

  • Ex-PENGASSAN chief suggests alternative to strike

    Former President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Dr. Louis Brown Ogbeifun has advised labour leaders to de-emphasise strike as a means of dispute resolution.

    Ogbeifun urged parties to industrial relations to always strive to fulfil their fiduciary duties and responsibilities to avoid conflicts.

    He advised that where dispute arises, parties should resolve workplace conflict using alternative dispute resolution mechanisms instead of lockouts and industrial actions.

    “The alternatives to lockouts and strikes are litigation, arbitration, conciliation, mediation, among others.

    Ogbeifun, who is the president of the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators (ICMC), spoke in Abuja, at a three-day workshop on “new blueprint on conflict prevention, resolution and management.”

    The event was organised by the National Commission for Colleges of Education, in collaboration with the Ethics Resource Centre, Nigeria and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

    In his paper: “Mediation and arbitration skills for effective prevention and resolution of conflicts in a season of charge and resource scarcity,” Ogbeifun argued that change is inevitable in the life of an organisation wishing to survive.

    He said in time of change, leaders, while keeping their eyes on the desired outcome, should effectively manage the change measures to ensure minimal pains to those being led.

    “No matter the difficult nature of change, leaders from both divides are expected to make difficult decisions. They should be able to have equilibrium between emotions, actions and decisions.

    “They should be able to combine emotional intelligence skills with ethical values to achieve targets, maintain face with constituents, remain hope carriers and stress pacifiers to those whom the change would impact.

    “To the followers, they should see change as proposed improvements through a set of strategies instituted to modify the ways things are done and move the organisation away from internal and external processes for a better performance,” Ogbeifun said.

    Founding Chairman, Exam Ethics Marshals International (EEMI) Ike Onyechere contended that the country requires industrial peace at the moment to enable it successfully manage conflict situations resulting from changes in the economy.

    He said the economic reality requires that the Federal Government evolves mechanisms to shore up its revenue base, including “enhancing tax receipts, fees and internally generated revenues.”

    Onyechere, who urged all to support the Federal Government’s anti-corruption efforts, urged stakeholders in industrial relation to always seek amicable ways of resolving disputes.

  • History and a chief challenge to Buhari

    A few years ago, a former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, looked at history with disdain. He translated the disdain into policy.

    Barely a month ago, two key figures in our history were remembered. They were Sir Ahmadu Bello, who was the Sardauna of Sokoto, and Chief Festus Samuel Okotie-Eboh. The cerebral events took place in the north and south respectively.

    The one was the premier of northern Nigeria in the First Republic and the other was a finance minister in the same republic in the Tafawa Balewa government.

    During that Okotie-Eboh event, three-in-one minister, Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN), showed how our students no longer studied history. He noted that the students who studied abroad, especially in the United States, knew foreign histories more than ours. For instance, they know who Abraham Lincoln was and when he became president.

    An elder pitched in recently. He is the respectable J.O.S. Ayomike, a historian and chairman of the Itsekiri Leaders of Thought. He called for the return of history to the curriculum of schools. He made the call when he was honoured with an Exceptional Lifetime Achievement Award to mark the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Federal Government College, Warri, Delta State.

    Hear him: “I use this occasion to make a call close to my heart. It has bothered many Nigerians that history, as a formal discipline, is no longer taught in our schools up to tertiary level.”

    To demonstrate his fidelity to the past, he presented a gift of history books to the famous college.

    Chief Ayomike’s gifts, which also included several other books, were emblematic of the value of the past. We cannot know who we are without knowing who we were.

    It is ironic that Chief Obasanjo who turned our schools against history has been under the spell of history all his life. Was that not why he fought some partisans over the Owu leadership? Was that not why he wanted to reign as civilian president after his time as military leader? Was that not why he wrote books, especially a historical book about the Nigerian civil war?

    If we neglect the past, we lose the future. That was Chief Ayomike’s point. It is high time the lawmakers and the new president returned us to studying our history.

  • APC chief beheaded in Rivers ahead of rerun

    APC chief beheaded in Rivers ahead of rerun

     •Wife, son also killed  

    •Police chief sad

    •APC condemns barbaric act

    Two weeks to the March 19 legislative rerun in Rivers State, masked gunmen at 9 pm on Saturday, beheaded a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Franklin Obi, and killed his wife and 18-year-old son, Bestman.

    The gunmen took away the head of Franklin. After shooting him dead, they severed his head and disappeared.

    The killings took place at Omoku, headquarters of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government, hometown of the state Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah.

    In Omoku last month, 25 persons were killed, with many of them beheaded.

    Until his murder at his home on Rutachi Street in Omoku, Obi was the APC’s chairman of Ward 4, the same ward with Obuah.

    Police Commissioner Musa Kimo, yesterday, visited the deceased’s family. Kimo described the incident as sad, while the stateAPC, through its Publicity Secretary, Chris Finebone, condemned the barbaric act.

    It was learnt some persons in the neighbourhood saw the masked gunmen before the murder, but failed to report to the police or raise the alarm.

    A 16-year-old daughter of the deceased, Victory, who was in a room with his elder brother, Bestman, saw her dad beheaded through an opening.

    Victory said after killing his parents, the gunmen came into the room and ordered them to leave the room. But she said the killers, annoyed by Bestman’s sluggishness, shot him dead at close range.

    APC said: “The killing of our Franklin Obi on Saturday night was shocking, to say the least. It goes to support what we know that the PDP members have been responsible for all the killings in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni Local Government.

    “Make your deductions: the late Franklin Obi was the APC’s Ward 4 chairman. He managed and moderated the Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni APC’s meeting last Thursday in Omoku and by Saturday he was killed and beheaded, with the wife and son also killed.”

    The police chief regretted  that some people saw the masked gunmen, but failed to report to the police.

    He urged the people to always inform the police, whenever they notice any suspicious movement.

    Kimo said: “I am here in Omoku this time on a sad note. It is sad in the sense that we are bereaved. The governor (Nyesom Wike), some security officers and I were in Omoku two weeks ago in search of peace. Unfortunately, violence has continued to pervade, dovetailing into kidnappings and murders.

    “On Saturday night, precisely 2100 hours, Mr. Franklin Obi, APC chairman, Ward 4, Omoku, the wife and son were murdered in their house. This is bad. This is a sin and unacceptable.

    “I am here to commiserate with the family and to re-strategise and put measures in place to forestall future recurrence.”

    The police commissioner said the police would ensure that those behind the dastardly act were arrested and prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others.

    Kimo said investigations were on into killings in Omoku, including the murder of Franklin Obi, his wife and son.

    The police chief also visited the Oba (Eze Ogba) of Ogbaland, Sir Chukumela Nnam Obi II, at Omoku.

    The first class monarch, who was sad at the shocking killings in Omoku and other parts of Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, declared that the killers who did not want him and his people to have peace, would never know peace.

  • Bank chief buried

    The remains of a Nigerian banker, Daniel Orogun, who died in Liberia on Januray 24, was on Friday interred at the Ikoyi Vaults in Lagos.

    Orogun, who was Managing Director (MD) of Guarantee Trust Bank (GTB) in Liberia, was said to have drowned in a Liberia river during a boat cruise with his widow, three children and a customer, George Kailondo who invited them and three others to dinner.

    But Orogun’s family is claiming that he was murdered.

    It has called on the Federal Government to intervene in the matter and ensure that justice is done.

    Its spokesperson, Pastor Felix Orogun, described as untrue, reports that the deceased was celebrating his wedding anniversary when he fell into the river and drowned.

    The family, he said, took time to investigate the death of his younger brother, adding that it was a clear case of murder.

    “It is not true that my brother was celebrating his wedding anniversary when he drowned in the water. Besides, my brother was a very good swimmer and there was no way he would have drowned in that water which is calmer than the Lagos lagoon,” he said.

  • Council chief relives attack on Shoprite complex

    The suspended Chairman of Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr Henry Baro, yesterday recounted the incident that led to the destruction of Effurun Shoprite Mall by rampaging youths.

    He condemned the destruction, which he blamed on the miscreants who hijacked the peaceful protest for their personal gains.

    The police command, in a statement at the weekend, blamed the attack on the suspended chairman.

    The statement reads: “Preliminary enquiry revealed that Henry Baron, the suspended chairman of Uvwie Local Government Area, had an altercation with a naval rating identified simply as Ma’arafu at the shopping mall. Baron invited his community’s youths, who invaded the shopping mall and attacked anyone on sight.”

    But Baro said some youths came to his rescue when he was being molested by the plain-cloth officers.

    The embattled local government chairman said he was attempting to resolve an issue with a fleeing trailer driver, who hit his vehicle, when the plain clothes intervened.

    According to him, an argument occurred, escalating into the altercation.

    Baro said some youths tried to rescue him after the ratings molested him, adding that the peaceful protest was hijacked by miscreants.

    He said: “One of the Naval ratings crossed over to meet me where I was sorting out issues with a fleeing trailer driver, who hit my Toyota Venza car at Niger Cat on Army Barracks Road but was held up by traffic grid at the Effurun Roundabout…”

  • Council chief advises residents on environment

    Council chief advises residents on environment

    The Executive Secretary Ikeja Local Government Area, Mr. Adekunle Dally-Adeokun has said that one of the priorities of the council is ensuring that residents’ well–being is guaranteed.

    Mr Dally-Adeokun, who spoke when he led other officials of the council to inspect residents’ level of compliance with the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in the council, said the council is determined to sustain the level of cleanliness among residents.

    He maintained that the residents would be sensitised to the importance of keeping clean environment, which, in turn, would enhance their health.

    As a demonstration of the council’s commitment to healthy environment, the council chief and some council officials monitored the exercise in areas such as Afariogun, Seriki Aro-Avenue, Jacob Banjoko, Ajasa and Ogunmade streets and their environs. All are in Ward E of the council where he urged residents to observe the monthly clean-up exercise which, he said, will improve their health.

    During the exercise, the council chief called on the residents to co-operate with the council in its efforts to rid the area of waste, so as to promote healthy environment.

    Mr. Dally-Adeokun, who said strict enforcement of environmental laws in Lagos State and the council, would go a long way in keeping the state in general and its capital in particular clean, expressed his dissatisfaction over nonchalant attitudes of some residents towards the environment. He said incessant dumping of waste in unauthorised places would endanger people’s health and bring about environmental degradation.

    At Ajasa Street near Jacob Banjoko Street, Mr. Dally-Adeokun described an abandoned building filled with waste as danger to both the residents and the environment, even as he advised the council’s Head of Department on Environment to ensure that the owner of the building clears the garbage so that the environment will be dirt-free at all times.

    He said: ‘‘We are in Ward E  which is the largest and very close to Obafemi Awolowo Way. It is also very close to the council headquarter. It must, therefore, be clean at all times. We are not happy with what we met on ground. It makes someone doubt if this is Ikeja Local Government Area which is the capital of the state?

    “We give them one week to get rid of all garbage in the drainage. We will soon visit here to check the level of compliance to the directive.

    “We are planning one-on-one discussion with CDAs and CDCs on how best to handle the sanitation exercise since the council cannot do it alone.”

    Also speaking, Permanent Secretary, Special Duties and Inter-Governmental Relations, Dr. (Mrs) Ibironke Sodeinde thanked the council chief for his exemplary leadership, urging that during environmental sanitation exercises, residents should participate actively in order to ensure neat environment. She also advised them not to block water channels with waste, noting that she would work towards ensuring that residents of various communities have attitudinal change to the environment.

    She expressed her indignation over residents’ indifferent attitude to proper waste disposal. She said indiscriminate dumping of garbage in water channels by some residents would have devastating effects on residents’ well-being.

    The Head of Environmental Services and Waste Management Department, Mr. Kolawale Ajanaku said efforts were being made to sensitise residents to the need to keep their surroundings clean always.