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Tag: Ekiti

  • Ekiti deputy governor, Olayinka, dies at 52

    Ekiti deputy governor, Olayinka, dies at 52

    The Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Olufunmilayo Olayinka, 52, is dead. She died yesterday of cancer at the St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos.

    Apparently after the news was broken to Governor Kayode Fayemi last night at a public function in Lagos, he hurriedly left the event. Before her death yesterday there had been rumours of her death since she took ill in the last few weeks.

    A statement by the state government yesterday night confirmed the demise of the Deputy Governor. A terse statement by the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Tayo Ekundayo, reads: “The Government of Ekiti State announces with sadness but with gratitude to God, the passing of the State Deputy Governor, H.E. Mrs Olufunmilayo Adunni Olayinka, aged 52, after a tough but courageous battle with cancer.

    “She died on Saturday (yesterday) evening.”

    “Mrs Olayinka, an accomplished banker and corporate sector player, worked in the financial industry for 21 years before heeding the call of service in her home state of Ekiti when she was selected to serve on the ACN Governorship ticket in 2007. She demonstrated exemplary courage and dedicated service to Ekiti people both during the struggle to retrieve the stolen mandate and in her position as Deputy Governor.

    “She is survived by her husband and children as well as aged parents and siblings.

    “Further details shall be provided later.”

    A tested technocrat and seasoned banker, the late Mrs Olayinka (nee Famuagun) was born in Ado-Ekiti on June 20, 1960. She attended Holy Trinity Grammar School Ibadan, where she obtained her first school leaving certificate with distinction. She from there proceeded to Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo State, where she obtained her Higher School Certificate (HSC).

    The late Deputy Governor holds a Masters Degree in Public Administration and a Bachelor of Business Administration [Marketing] from Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma, United States in 1981 and 1983. She was three times winner of the Dean’s Honour roll.

    She began her banking career at First Bank of Nigeria Plc in 1986, and later worked as Relationship Manager for Corporate Accounts in Access Bank, and the now defunct Merchant Banking Corporation [MBC] and United Bank for Africa Plc.

    In August 2002, she veered into Corporate Communications and headed the Corporate Affairs Division of the United Bank for Africa. She later became Head, Brand Management and Corporate Affairs, thus leading the team responsible for delivering a compelling brand proposition and re-branding of the United Bank for Africa.

    She was also the 2nd Vice President of the Association of Corporate Managers of Banks between 2002 and 2004.

    Until her recent election as the Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, she was Head of Corporate Services, Ecobank Transatlantic Inc where she was responsible for communicating the bank’s activities to the public, among other tasks.

    She became Deputy Governor after the Elections Appeal Tribunal sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State, sacked former Governor Segun Oni of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and declared Dr Kayode Fayemi of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) as the new Governor of Ekiti State.

    This followed a flawed elections process during the 2007 gubernatorial elections, in which Oni was declared as the winner of that election. The fight to reclaim their mandate took three and a half solid years when on October 14, 2010, the ACN candidate was declared as the winner.

    Mrs Olayinka was sworn in as the substantive Deputy Governor of Ekiti State, thus becoming the second woman in history to occupy the position of Deputy Governor in the state.

  • Two held for Ekiti killing

    The police have arrested two suspects over last weekend’s shootings in Erijiyan-Ekiti, in which a man, Ayo Jeje, was killed.

    Commissioner of Police Sotonye Wakama yesterday said investigation was ongoing to uncover the masterminds of the shootings and their motives.

    Wakama said: “We have arrested two suspects, who the people said were part of those who fired shots during the mayhem. We have no evidence against them, but our investigation will show if they are culpable or not.”

     

  • Group to partner Ekiti to stem rape

    The Women Empowerment and Legal Aid (WELA) has promised to partner with the Ekiti State government in stamping out incidences of rape and the brutal violation of the dignity of innocent women in the society.

    The Chairperson of the group, Mrs. Funmi Falana, said members of the group have also resolved to support the state government in the prosecution of the five male students who allegedly raped their female colleague on campus.

    She said the group has volunteered to hold a watching brief during the trial of the suspected rapists.

    WELA said it was highly  disturbed to learn of the rape of a female student by five of her male colleagues at the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti.

    “More appalling in this instant case was that it happened in the premises of a university community which is supposed to be a citadel of learning and hallmark of leadership training,” Falana said.

    She lamented that the growing incidence of rape and sexual abuse in the country which has assumed a dangerous proportion adding that this development calls for concerted efforts for it to be curtailed.

    The group commended the authorities of the institution for sanctioning the ‘wayward and misguided students’ and the state government for charging the rape suspects to court for conspiracy and rape.

    “No doubt, the sanctions meted out to the suspects will serve as a deterrent to others”, it said.

    WELA, however, urged the government to pursue the criminal prosecution to a logical conclusion in the interest of justice and fair play.

    “The victim of the abuse deserves justice and justice in this case means that the rusticated students are duly and diligently prosecuted,” she added.

  • Society donates N8.5m microscopes to Ekiti hospitals

    The Society for Family Health (SFH) has donated microscopes and ancillary components valued at N8.5 million to 17 health facilities in Ekiti State.

    The items were given out at an event held in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, attended by the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Sola Fasubaa, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs. Folake Olomojobi.

    Also present were the Director of the Hospital Management Board, Kolawole Aina; the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Mercy Arogundade and other directors in the ministry.

    The Global Fund Malaria Coordinator for SFH in Akure Region, Mrs. Bolaji Oladejo, said Global Fund was implementing Phase 2 of the malaria eradication project in the states.

    She said the project started in August, 2011 and would end next year.

    Mrs. Oladejo hailed the Ekiti State Government for its efforts to reduce child and maternal mortality.

    She said the Global Fund, through SFH, made the donation to ensure proper malaria diagnosis through the appropriate use of microscopes.

    Mrs. Oladejo said: “As part of efforts to reduce malaria and on the premise that diagnosis should precede treatment, SFH is donating microscopes to secondary health facilities and one tertiary health facility in Ekiti.

    “The items include microscopes, methanol, microscope slide and necessary accessories.”

    Fasubaa said malaria exists in over 100 countries of the world and kills nearly 300,000 people annually.

    He said: “Availability of new tools, such as parate-based rapid diagnostic kits, which complement the standard microscopy, will make it possible to estimate accurately and provide treatment.”

  • Ekiti deputy governor on sick leave

    EKITI State Deputy Governor Funmilayo Olayinka, has proceeded on a three-month leave to attend to her health.
    The Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the State Governor, Mr Olayinka Oyebode, who disclosed this in a statement on Monday was, however, silent on the nature of her  ailment.
    The Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Tayo Ekundaayo confirmed that the deputy governor took the  leave to attend to issues relating to her health.
    “We urge all well meaning citizens of the state to remember her in their prayers,” Ekundayo said.
    Mr. Bamitale Oguntoyinbo, the former Chairman of Oye Local Government Government Area, who was recently appointed the Special Adviser in the Office of the Deputy Governor, has since been performing some duties assigned to Mrs. Olayinka’s office.

  • Why Ekiti opted for cargo airport, by Fayemi

    EKITI State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has said that the state is committed to its plan to build a cargo airport.

    When completed, he said the airport will aid transportation of agricultural products to Lagos and other big markets in the country.

    The governor, who spoke at the opening session of the Strategic Growth Forum Africa, 2013 in Cape Town, South Africa, said the main target of the state’s huge investment and partnership in agric business is to corner a sizeable portion of the Lagos food market.

    The Lagos food market is put conservatively at N3 billion per day.

    Fayemi revealed that asides the airport, which will aid movement of goods and persons, Ekiti State has also concluded plans to build an agric conditioning centre near the airport.

    Fayemi, who addressed investors, financiers and businessmen from across the continent, said the state is focusing more on cassava and rice cultivation.

    He pointed out that incentives have been provided for its crop of young commercial farmers as well as international companies in partnership with the state.

    Other areas of interests, according to him, include the extractive industries, wood processing and eco tourism.

    Stressing the state has put in place mechanism that will aid safety of investment, the governor said the state had put in place relevant laws that guarantee the safety of investment.

    He added that the return of many international development agencies to the state is a proof that the state is a good place to do business.

     

  • Ekiti church vicar sent on leave

    The Vicar–in-charge of St Paul’s Millennium Anglican Church in Odo Owa-Ekiti, Rev. Mike Ogunniyi, has been relieved of his position.

    This was a fallout of the controversy trailing the N5 million gift given to the church by Governor Kayode Fayemi during the burial of the former primate of the Anglican Church, Archbishop Abiodun Adetiloye, on January 19.

    It was gathered that the diocese also passed a vote-of-confidence in the Bishop of Ekiti West, the Most Rev. Oludare Oke “for the way he has been running the affairs of the Diocese.”

    Rev. Ogunniyi, through the Provincial Council of the church, spent the money to buy a bus for evangelism and renovate the church, despite having been directed to keep it in a special account until a more enduring need was found for the money.

    In a statement yesterday by Otunba Kunle Olasope and Prince Sola Adetule, the Emeritus and Diocesan Communicator on behalf of the Diocese, the Bishop was “directed to proceed on compulsory leave by May 31 and retire fully in August 31.”

    According to the statement, Rev. Ogunniyi has been demoted from Archdeacon to Canon, but the Odo Owa-Ekiti Church maintains its status.

    The statement said “the Bishop had nothing against the reverend”, adding that “the bus he (Ogunniyi) bought had been dedicated by the Bishop. Rev. Ogunniyi has since been using it as an official car.

    The letter dared those who threatened to approach thecourt for redress over the demotion of Rev Ogunniyi to go ahead, adding that “the church would be vindicated in the end.”

    In a telephone interview with reporters in Ado-Ekiti, Rev. Ogunniyi said he had “accepted the retirement option in good faith”.

    He urged the church members to embrace peace. Ogunniyi, 68, who admitted that the purchase of the bus generated the unrest, said he was due for retirement in 2017.

     

  • NGF: Ekiti has best website

    NGF: Ekiti has best website

    THE Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has ranked Ekiti State’s website, www.ekitistate.gov.ng, the best in the country this year.

    At its last meeting, the forum said Ekiti’s webpage clinched the first position for “its effectiveness and management”.

    The state’s 3.0 six-channel website, which came second in last year’s assessment, was applauded for its “rich content, superb visual resolution, cross compatibility with mac and windows, as well as its accessibility by major browsers”.

    Governor Kayode Fayemi hailed the state’s Information and Communication Technology (ICT) team for their efforts, noting that ICT has helped the government become more accountable.

    Fayemi said: “There is nothing the state government does today in terms of social/infrastructural development, which the public do not have access to and cannot appraise. This supports our claims on participatory government and e-governance.”

    According to the ranking, Ekiti is followed by Cross River State and Kano is third.

    Other states in the top 10 include Ogun (fourth); Oyo (fifth); Bauchi (sixth); Bayelsa (seventh); Adamawa (eighth); Abia (ninth) and Nassarawa (10th).

    The NGF’s panel of experts scored the 36 states’ websites in the following areas: technical, design, navigation, content and engagement.

    Other key points were social media, feedback mechanism, FAQ, sitemaps, links, graphics, logo, language, load time, visual and validation.

    Ekiti State’s website was scored 268; Cross Rivers 264 and Kano 252.

  • Ekiti PDP politics of desperation

    Ekiti PDP politics of desperation

    The dictionary defines propaganda as “information, ideas, or rumours deliberately spread widely to help or harm a person, group, movement, institution, nation.”

    No doubt, propaganda has become a useful tool in the hands of many, especially in politics and business and going by the definition above, it can either be a force for good or bad depending on the intention of those who use it.

    The word ‘propaganda’ originated in Rome. Back then, as it is now, it denotes the spreading of rumour, information, ideas and allegations to further one’s cause or to demonise or damage the reputation of opposing forces.

    Propaganda has always been part of politics and the corporate world. It may be surprising to some to know that its use also extends to journalists, salespeople, fake prophets, advertisers, amongst others. It is so easy to think up dirty words or images when the term “propaganda” is mentioned, but propaganda is not all about maligning people. It is used to draw attention to good causes, especially if such could be or are being attacked by malcontents or opposing forces who would stop at nothing to revile a good cause, even if it benefits them.

    Figures like Adolf Hitler and Stalin readily come to mind when bad propaganda comes to mind. Hitler was so adept at it that he turned Germans against peace-loving and innocent Jews, but even his Minister of Propaganda and successor as chancellor after he committed suicide, Joseph Goebbels, reputed for saying “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it” insisted that propaganda had to be truthful. This doesn’t mean he did not lie, but he knew that for propaganda to last, it had to have an element of truth.

    As former Lagos State Commissioner of Information Dele Alake put it at a lecture he delivered in Ondo town recently: “Blowing your trumpet without performance is pure crass propaganda; blowing your trumpet while delivering dividend of democracy is publicity” (not his exact words). If there is anyone who understands what it takes to be a government’s spokesperson in Nigeria, it is Alake. So by saying it is not propaganda if a government publicises its good works, Alake was on point, since in this clime, no one blows your trumpet for you if you do not blow it.

    From Alake’s submission, (bad) propaganda is putting something on nothing, which, of course, would be very foolhardy and wouldn’t last, as it would also be foolhardy for a political party that had seven and a half years in the saddle, but achieved almost nothing, save for cosmetic endowments and the introduction of an alien culture of thuggery.

    This, today, best describes the situation in Ekiti State where the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) had its chance for almost eight years but totally flunked it. The last was Segun Oni who flunked out, having been sacked for rigging by the Appeal Court, but still hopelessly hoping against hope with his protest against the “red biro judgement”.

    Seeing the works of the present administration in the state and knowing that it was going to be almost impossible to beat the incumbent in an election, the PDP quickly activated a propaganda cell, which mostly has made the social media its operational base. Since the youth make up a larger percentage of the voters’ register, using the social media definitely is a good move for them.

    Like all propagandists, they use persuasive allegations, messages, ideas, opinions, statements, accusations and exaggerations with the main purpose of influencing, and, if possible, manipulating, the minds and emotions of the public or of those at which they are directed.

    They try to manipulate unsuspecting indigenes to jump to illogical and baseless conclusions. Typical examples of this were the reforms carried out in the local councils. NCE holders who were stagnated in the councils and were to be redeployed to teaching were convinced by the PDP that they were to be sacked. Same goes for non-medical personnel who were drawing salaries of medical personnel at the local councils. PDP went to town with the lie that 4, 000 local government workers had been sacked by the government. When asked to produce just one sack letter, it went on lying in the face of confounding evidence. One expected that they should have responsibly evidenced their claims.

    Another of their tactic is name-calling, which is also one of the tactics of propaganda. They associate good things or personalities with negative words or images to make unsuspecting people shrink from the thought. An example of such is the newly formed party, APC which they had already nicknamed armoured personnel carrier without thinking for a second that it could backfire on them. Now that the opposition is saying the Armoured Personnel Carrier is to shoot the PDP down, one can only wonder what they’ll come up with next.

    The good thing is that more often than not, PDP’s lies have been exposed by the public and rather than responsibly admitting their miss, the party’s members shamelessly continue to insist on the lies. This is seen daily on the social media as most of their tutees and recruits, most of whom use pseudo names on the social media, insist on hugging ignorance right after they have been corrected or confronted with the truth.

    The crumbling of their house of cards (should I say house of lies) has gradually driven them to desperation. One may not want to blame them as time is not on their side and Governor Kayode Fayemi has also uncovered their political and organisational deficiencies by showing them how governance is done, but allowing desperation to take over reasoning is dangerous and not healthy for Nigeria’s democracy. It is so bad that in Ekiti there is nothing the PDP cannot come up with. Don’t be surprised if tomorrow they say “Fayemi is broke! He now drinks garri with sugar and epa” or “Fayemi has bribed Obama to support him for second term”. Don’t be shocked! It can come from them. It is nothing but sheer lack of ideas and the shock they are suffering from Fayemi’s unrivalled performance and prompt delivery of dividend of democracy.

    • Daniels writes from Ado, Ekiti State

  • 2014: Ekiti PDP leaders in supremacy battle

    2014: Ekiti PDP leaders in supremacy battle

    Ahead 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State, Assistant Editor, Dare Odufowokan, reports that the fortune of opposition People’s Democratic Party is being threatened by factional interests and endless supremacy battle.

     

    The race for the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2014 governorship election is fast gathering momentum.  A growing number of gubernatorial aspirants have stepped up very intense political activities aimed at being positioned as frontline contenders for the party’s ticket.

    In fact, so intense are the political activities daily being organised by aspirants on the platform of the PDP that the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, recently described them as unnecessary distraction to governance in the state.

    Aside Fayemi, the PDP itself is feeling the heat emanating from what has become a supremacy battle among chieftains of the party. The current factionalisation of the party with aspirants and their godfathers alike controlling splinter groups within the party, is a fallout of the ongoing struggle.

    The return of former governor Ayo Fayose to the party, last September, has contributed to the frenzied political activities in the state. Shortly after being granted a waiver by the national leadership of the PDP last year, the former governor declared his intention to vie for governorship position in 2014.

    His supporters have been painting the streets with his posters and organising rallies. His group, which has a firm control of the party leadership in the state, has also been very outspoken in criticising the Fayemi-led Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) administration in the state.

    Fayose is not alone in the race for Fayemi’s job. About a dozen of other PDP chieftains are currently oiling their political machineries to give the sitting governor a run for his money in 2014. But first, they will have to slug it out among themselves to determine who flies the party’s flag.

    Others who have already thrown their hats into the ring for the contest include Bisi Omoyeni, former deputy governor and a former Managing Director of Wema Bank Plc. His entrant into the race is still seen by many as a surprise given the manner he left his job as Fayose’s deputy some years back.

    Another former deputy governor of the state, Chief Abiodun Aluko, is also keen on getting the PDP ticket to confront Fayemi in 2014. He made his intention to contest the forthcoming governorship election in the state known at a rally in Ikere Ekiti.

    While many see Aluko’s ambition as a continuation of the frosty political relationship between him and Fayose, his former boss, the Ikere-born politician is quick to say that he is not at loggerheads with the ex-governor.

    “Fayose and I have no quarrel at all because we have been able to put the past behind us. He was personally present during my official declaration in Ikere Ekiti and he promised to work with me if I end up clinching the ticket to run as the candidate of our great party,” he said.

    But the constant clash between the supporters of these two politicians and the fact that they belong to different factions of the party puncture their claim of friendship and expose the battle for supremacy currently raging between them.

    The immediate past senator representing Ekiti North, Mr. Ayo Arise, former member of the House of Representatives, who represented Ekiti North Federal Constituency 1, Mr. Wale Aribisala, and a former senator from Ekiti South district, Mr Gbenga Aluko, are some other chieftains of the party currently jostling for the gubernatorial ticket ahead of the 2014 election.

    The race to dislodge Fayemi also has another estranged ally of Fayose’s, Yinka Akerele, Ropo Ogunbolude, who was a Special adviser to former governor, Chief Olusegun Oni, a former chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in the administration of Oni, Chief Dayo Adeyeye, and Second Republic Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Bode Olowoporoku in contention on the platform of the PDP.

    There are also very strong indications that the Minister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (rtd), may also be interested in the party’s governorship ticket.

    Although Olubolade has not signified intention to contest, sources said interest groups are daily springing up within and outside his political party across the 16 local government areas of the state to push for his emergence as the party’s candidate in the 2014 governorship race.

    Following the rumour of the minister’s ambition, the Fayose camp has been viewing Olubolade with suspicion. It would be recalled that the minister and the former governor joined forces to snatch the control of the party in the state from former governor Segun Oni’s faction.

    At PDP congress, held on March 18, 2012, the group loyal to Olubolade and Fayose polled 318 votes to produce Makanjuola Ogundipe as the chairman, defeating Akin Omole who polled 310 votes. Omole is loyal to the Oni-led faction of the party.

    The Fayose group also produced all other party executive members. Prompted by Oni and other party chieftains opposed to Fayose’s rising profile in the party, Omole declared himself as a factional chairman.

    The national leadership of the party recently recognised the Ogundipe-led executive and mandated the party in Ekiti to spare no effort in bringing the Omole group back into the recognised PDP.

    But the ongoing struggle for the gubernatorial ticket of the party may have further divided the party into splinter groups as all the aspirants and their godfathers are daily scheming on how to grab control of the party machinery in the state ahead of the 2014 election.

    Recently, the Omole group said there can be no reconciliation except the state executive is harminised. Former governor Oni, who is believed to be the pillar behind the group, made the statement.

    “There can’t be serious reconciliation without harmonisation. If they said they are reconciling, the question is, did they fight each other? What brought the disagreement was that some people felt left out from the running of the party. That is why we have to seek accommodation everywhere for those that are left out. We must accommodate everybody so we can all work together to achieve our objective of taking this party to the promised-land as quickly as possible,” Oni said

    The fear of the Oni-led faction, according to sources within the party, is that with the control of the party firmly in the hands of Fayose’s associates, it will be difficult for them to stop the imminent emergence of the former governor as the candidate of the PDP in 2014.

    But Fayose and his allies are not ready for any reconciliation that will tamper with the current leadership of the party in the state. They argue that the proposal is a calculated attempt by some people to weaken the party ahead of the governorship election.

    The former governor, while calling for caution on the part of some notable chieftains of the party,  said the Ogundipe-led state executive is open to reconciliation and ready to readmit disgruntled members back to the fold. But he was quick to add that whoever is still thinking of harmonisation should stop dreaming.

    Determined to find a way out of the current gridlock within the party, some party chieftains are now clamouring for the expansion of the State Working Committee to a 40 –member executive to accommodate the aggrieved members.

    The proponents of this new peace initiative, led by former deputy governor, Abiodun Aluko, said it will allow all factions and groups within the party to have a sense of belonging in the affairs of the party while also not tampering with the place of the current executive members.

    “In the election, someone polled 318 to defeat the main challenger who polled 310. So it will be difficult for those victorious in the congress to sideline those who lost out because the election was too close. But I want to emphasise that the present executive should be allowed to stay, but new offices can be created because the 14 –member executive is not sacrosanct, so that peace can reign,” Aluko said.

    But the state executive members would want Aluko ignored. According to them, the initiative is just another ploy to throw spanner into the wheels of the party’s determination to win the 2014 governorship election.

    “We know these people very well. They are our people and we can read them well. What they want is for us to succumb to their evil plots of either harmonisation or expansion so that latter on, they can go to court and say the composition of the state executive is not known to law. That way, they will drag the party into litigation and stall our match to victory,” a leading member of the executive said.

    With the governorship election in Ekiti fast approaching, analyst are saying unless the ongoing supremacy tussle within the PDP in the state is put to rest as quickly as possible, it may be very difficult for the party to make good its promise of returning to the government house in 2014.