The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ernest Nwokolo

  • Obasanjo gets ‘made in Aba’ shoes as gifts from Gov Ikpeazu

    Obasanjo gets ‘made in Aba’ shoes as gifts from Gov Ikpeazu

    • Urges patronage of local products

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, an ardent campaigner for ‘Made in Nigeria’ products, has received pairs of shoes – all  made in Aba, Abia State, as gifts from Governor Victor Okezie Ikpeazu.

    Obasanjo who sized and adorned one of them fittingly, said since the Aba made shoe was nice on his feet, it would also look good on anybody in Nigeria, Africa and the rest of the world.

    The shoes,  half a dozen of them, were presented to him on Monday evening when Governor Ikpeazu, who doubles as the Ambassador of ‘Made in Aba’ products visited the ex-President at his residence on Presidential Hilltop Estate, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    Ikpeazu who was accompanied by aides, explained to his host that “the shoes are all hand made by the boys in Aba,” saying they are also making 50,000 pairs of shoes for the Nigerian army.

    Obasanjo who lauded the Aba boys for their ingenuity and creativity, hinting that the African Export–Import Bank (AFREXIM) may soon establish an industrial park in Aba to “encourage and support made in african products.”

    He urged the Governor  to give the African Export–Import Bank (AFREXIM) team the necessary support whenever they arrived the state at later date for such industrial park project.

    The former President noted that for a nation such as ours that is battling with “recession” the ingenuity of the Aba boys is quite significant, saying “the hard options of hard work, production and trade” are what Nigeria needs now to exit the troubling hard time.

    According to him,”when we use what we make by ourselves, for ourselves, others will support and  will be willing to try and make use of what we make here.”

    He said: “Governor, I can’t thank you enough and truly I can’t thank my brothers and sisters who have decided to adorn me with these wonderful gifts enough.

    “For me, this is very significant in many ways and infact the message I want to deliver to you is the message of African Export–Import Bank (AFREXIM) who are spearheading made in Africa.

    “And they came when I was away in Colombia, but I knew they were coming for the annual African Bank meeting which was hosted in one Island in South African.

    “You talked about made in Africa products, AFREXIM Bank encourages and supports products made in Africa by Africa and for Africans.

    ” When they came they met representatives from Benue, Ebonyi and Anambra States. They also came to Ogun State and met the Governor and other officials of the State.

    “They left me a message that they have heard about Aba, it was AFREXIM Bank and the Chinese and they will want me to get in touch with you so that they can come back and pay a special visit to Aba and  establish an industrial park in Aba for the sort of things like this.

    “Indeed we need a thing like this at a time like this. If we are going to get out of our recession, we can only produce and trade to get us out of our recession.

    ” We have to get ourselves away from an easy option, there is no easy option to get out of this situation. The hard options are hard work, production and trade.

    “We have to trade internally, trade within ourselves in African and trade with the rest of the world. If the shoes that I am wearing are good for me, I believe they should be good for anybody in Nigeria, for anybody in Africa and indeed anybody in the world.

    “When we use what we make by ourselves, for ourselves, others will support and they will be willing to try and make use of what we make here.”

    And speaking with reporters later, Ikpeazu
    who expressed satisfaction with the interest shown in products from Aba by the military, disclosed that the industry where those shoes and other wears are made, worth N150bn and engaged 150,000 people already.

    The Governor said the government has established a quality control agency whose duty it is to ensure that the products meet minimum standards.

    He added that they are also working hard on packaging so that the shoes could be beautifully packaged while planning to also go into inputs like leather, tannery, provision of gum and other accessories like buckles.

    The Governor said: “we are excited that finally, the Nigerian military are now looking in the direction of some of the items that we now produce locally in order to make their uniforms and their gears.

    “And to be specific Aba is making about 50,000 pairs of shoes for the military. I intend to market made in Aba uniforms and shoes for the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) as well as as the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Police.

    “We make solid shoes and it is our hope that when we are able to produce enough for the Nigerian market, we will have conquered West Africa and Africa as well.

    “They are wonderful shoes you never can say how wonderful and beautiful they are until you try them on. I am very, very proud to be an Ambassador of made in Aba products, both dress and shoes.

    “And we think that the over 150,000 men engage in this trade in our environment will indeed launch Abia State into the world market of world class shoe producers.

    “The industry’s worth is well in excess of over N150billion but we are yet in clusters and we are trying to provide electricity, we are trying to provide common facilities so that quality control will be high up there.

    “The government has established a quality control agency whose duty is to ensure that the products meet minimum standards in terms of what they are doing.

    “We are also working hard on packaging so that the shoes can be beautifully packaged. We may also have to go into inputs like leather, tannery and provision of gum and other accessories like buckles and so on.

    “We need three essential things from the Federal government to turn Abia State into the industrial hub of the country. One is electricity, once we can be sure  of constant electricity, things will change.

    “Luckily, we hoping that the Geometric Power Plant, which is an independent power plant in Aba is come up stable between now and the next six months if that happens, we would have solved the problem of power.

    “In the interim, government is looking at providing an alternative power sources and beyond that, we are working hard on the road infrastructure which is also key to make sure we are able to move goods and services from one destination to another and customers can access Aba easily.

    “The other one is security, luckily we have held it down, nobody can pretend that you can completely wipe off crime but it is at a proportional level where business is thriving and people are coming back to do business in Aba.”

  • Amosun urges FG to accord Lagos, Ogun special status treatment

    Amosun urges FG to accord Lagos, Ogun special status treatment

    The Governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun on Wednesday said Lagos and Ogun States should be accorded special treatment by the Federal Government because of their strategic economic significance to the nation.Amosun who threw his weight behind

    Amosun who threw his weight behind the call from Lagos State that the Centre of Excellence required special status in terms of funds allocation to it, said Ogun was next to Lagos in terms of non-oil revenue of the federal government.

    The Governor made this known at the on-going 8th National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.

    According to him,  more companies have their operational base in Ogun state as the it has officially become an industrial capital of the country.

    He noted that about 423 companies with a minimum of over 2 billion investment capital are currently operating from Ogun State.

    He said: “to this end, our Administration has continued to maintain and expand on existing infrastructures while new ones are being constructed. The results of these infrastructural developments are seen in the increase in investment inflow into Ogun State.

    “We have continued to reap the benefits of our prudent financial management and re-engineered our Internal Revenue Generation drive. We have increased our IGR from the modest sum of N700 million monthly which we inherited at the beginning of our Administration in 2011, to over N6Billion per month in 2014, though, currently reduced to an average of N4.8 billion monthly due to the current economic recession in the country.

    “As of now, our State is second only to Lagos State in the ratio of the monthly Internally Generated Revenue to the monthly FAAC allocation. This has allowed us to sustain payment of workers’ salaries, while also continuing with other development projects in all other sectors of our economy.

    “According to the 2014 Ease of Doing Business Subnational rankings, our State recorded the most improvement of all the 36 states in Nigeria. This was compared to the States very poor ranking of 34th at the inception of our administration in 2011.

    “We also introduced the concept of a “One Stop Shop” to assist Investors in their interactions with the government, particularly during their early stage. I am happy to report that about 423 major companies/industries are presently operating in the State, while over 100 new significant companies have opened shop since the advent of our Administration.

    “Even in our current harsh economic climate, another 14 are currently in the process of commissioning their industries/ factories. Indeed, we hope that Mr President, President Muhammadu Buhari will help to commission some of these industries before the end of the year. Ogun State is now officially the Industrial hub of the Nation.”

  • War against blindness targets 1m Nigerians – Obasanjo

    War against blindness targets 1m Nigerians – Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Thursday revealed that his war against blindness in the next 12 months, is targetted at reaching out to one million Nigerians who are suffering from various degrees of eye problems.

    Obasanjo who made this known in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, as part of preparation for this year’s edition of his annual free eye health care, said over 25,000 persons have benefited from the free eye treatment, including surgeries since it began seven years ago.

    The ex-President who spoke through the Chief Operating Officer of the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation (OOF) programmes, Dr. Olalekan Makinde, said he extending the service to the nation’s six geo – political zones.

    This was contained in a statement by Obasanjo’s media aide, Mr. Kehinde Akinyemi, and made available to The Nation.

    “Since the programmes began in Abeokuta, we have  about 250,000 on our records as beneficiaries of the free drugs, glasses but now, we are extending our scope to cover all the six geopolitical zones.

    “The programme is under the aegis of the ‘Blindness Prevention Initiatives’ is part of the Olusegun Obasanjo Foundation (OOF) programmes and it is in its 7th edition and expected to be a nationwide exercise soon.

    “This is the 7th edition, but this year’s edition is unique in the sense that henceforth the programme will be a nationwide exercise in all the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria,and His Excellency, President Olusegun Obasanjo has given a target to reach one million Nigerians in the next one year for those who are suffering from various degree of eye problems.

    “In the past editions, we had concentrated the programme only in Abeokuta, with about 250,000 on our records as beneficiaries of the free drugs, glasses and surgeries. But, now, we are extending our scope to cover all the six geopolitical zones,” he stated.

    He urged Ogun  residents to tap into this programme by turning up between Thursday and Saturday, October 20/22 for the screening.

    “We want to create  an avenue to identify those whose cases would require surgery and those who only need drugs to correct their cases. The free surgery will now come up between 24/25 for those to be short-listed,” he added.

    The Foundation COO also hinted that exercise has been supported by the Bank of Industry (BoI) imploring other corporate bodies, philanthropists and groups to support the initiative, adding that the former president will be present on Thursday to personally receive those with    any form of eye defections.

  • Demolished shrine: Ogun Pastor recounts experience

    Demolished shrine: Ogun Pastor recounts experience

     A Pastor, Prince Adewale Fagbire,  who was alleged to have been struck dumb and motionless when he invaded his community shrine at Ketu – Ayetoro in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun state while pulling it down, has told The Nation that though the town’s traditionalists assaulted him with “charms and other fetish objects,” but was not “harmed” at all.
    Fagbire, who is a Pastor at the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) in Ayetoro area, said he actually entered the shrine, evacuated all the fetish items that were kept there and also took a position beside the entrance to it in quietness as instructed by God.
    Prince Fagbire, son of the past Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba Taiwo Fagbire, who joined his ancestors in 1981 after his 20year reign in the agrarian community, said his late father and monarch, used to take him to the said shrine occasionally when he was alive.
    Narrating his experience to The Nation and a handful of reporters, at the Office of the  Chairman, Ogun State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Bishop Tunde Akin – Akinsanya, Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, Fagbire said he elected to “remain calm and mute” during the assault and interrogation at the shrine by the traditionalists and some villagers.
    Speaking in the presence of over a dozen of Christian leaders from CAN and Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in Ogun State, said God instructed him to stay calm and not utter a word at the shrine.
    The father of two noted that his not talking or not uttering a word on the site of the shrine had nothing to with his being beaten with “charms and fetish objects” by the traditionalists as what they did had no physical or spiritual effects on him.
    According to him, it was also not true as reported in some section of the media that the priests and custodians of the shrine upon the intervention of the Alaye of Ayetoro, Oba Abdulaziz Adelakun,  treated or healed him before he  could regain his consciousness.
    “I was conscious, physically and mentally sound, during and after the incident because God was already with me. I followed the instruction of the LORD to enter the shrine and packed all the items there away. I followed God’s instruction to be quiet aa instructed by God.
    “God told me to go there (the shrine), create a scene, step aside and watch the film (the unfolding events). They struck me with charms and nothing happened to me. They know the truth, nobody treated me and I spoke when I got to the Palace of the Oba,” he said.
    Our Correspondence gathered that although the traditionalists demanded N300,000 from a church in the community where Fagbire had once preached and also N200,000 from the pastor’s family to perform sacrifices to appease the gods for his alleged sacrilege but nothing was given to them eventually.
    The church in the community incurred the wrath of the traditionalists and was attacked following the allegation that it instigated Prince Fagbire to carry out the alleged sacrilege on the shrine.
  • Police uncover scammers’ den in Ogun, arrest operator

    Police uncover scammers’ den in Ogun, arrest operator

    The Ogun State Police Command has discovered a ‘shrine’ at Pokuku village in Abeokuta North Local Government Area of the state which fraudsters use to defraud victims of their money.

    The State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Ilyasu, who led reporters to the site, said the police burst, it following a tip – off,  adding that it was christened ‘Pokuku Shrine’ by the operators until its discovery last Wednesday.

    The ‘shrine’ is housed in  a two-bedroom mud building tucked in remote parts of the  village and contained images, counterfeit foreign and local currencies and other fetish objects.

    Addressing reporters yesterday, Ilyasu said the shrine was raided by the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and that one Haruna Moshood who is said to be the ring leader of the gang – owners of the shrine was arrested while others escaped.

    “This is a house of horror where different kinds of criminal activities are taking place.

    “Following diligent and intelligent information of our special operatives, FSARS stormed this horror house and we discovered that it is a receiving end of kidnapped victims.

    “It is also a place where the suspected kidnappers dispose properties of their victims. And we were able to recover different denominations such as fake dollars and Naira.

    “By the time we arrive here, we did not see the victims and some of the suspected kidnappers escaped, but we were able to arrest one of the suspect identified as Haruna Moshood.

    “I appealed to the good citizens of Ogun State to be cautious and careful before they become a preys or fall into such hands,” Iliyasu said.

    According to the Police Commissioner, many victims must have been duped by the suspect and his accomplices.

    But 34-year-old Moshood, said he joined the gang in 2015 and that greedy people are usually their victims.

    “We always play on the greed of the victims, because they were looking for quick money. Again, we also study how wealthy, they were by telling them to bring a certain amount of money.

    “Assuming we ask a prey to go and bring N100,000 and he succeeds in bringing it, that shows he or she could bring a higher amount. That is how we operate,” he said.

  • FUNAAB: Police arraign 50 persons over violent protest

    FUNAAB: Police arraign 50 persons over violent protest

     

    Fifty students of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) were arraigned on Friday at a  magistrate court  sitting in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, for arson and destruction of properties.

    The peaceful campus of the institution and the adjoining communities had slipped into chaos last Thursday when a peaceful protest by the students turned violent.

    At least five persons – two students and three police officers, were said to have been injured when a detachment of policemen drafted to contain the highly incensed students, clashed with them.

    For over five hours, the students took to the Alabata road and Abeokuta – Ibadan road and helped by people suspected to be street urchins and miscreants, they set ablaze nine vehicles, vandalized scores of others in their trail.

    The church where FUNAAB Vice – Chancellor, Prof Olusola Oyewole is the founder and General Overseer, and located few metres away from the Headquarters of the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Police Force(NPF), was not spared of the students’ wrath.

    The church’s window panes, doors and properties were vandalized. Worshippers’ and visitors’ vehicles packed at the premises of the church were also damaged.

    On Friday, the Police arraigned 50 persons in connection with the chaos and destruction. While 43 of the accused persons were charged in suit number, MA/429c/2016, the other seven were charged in a separate case with charge number, MA/430c/2016.

    But the offences for which they were all arraigned however remained the same.

    The Students who were ferried to the court in many Police vehicles were charged with arson, taking part in an unlawful assembly, riot and malicious damage of properties including a Toyota Camry Saloon Car belonging to one Assistant Superintendent of Police,  Ariyo Adejuwon.

    They were also accused of “willfully and unlawfully set fire to Osiele Police Station, property of Nigeria Police Force” and “willfully and unlawfully destroyed or damaged louvers property of Divine Height Bible Church Kotopo, Abeokuta.”

    The Police prosecutors, Sunday Eigbejiale and Emmanuel Kayode informed the court that the offences were committed at Camp Area of Abeokuta in the Abeokuta Magistrate District.

    They also told the court that the offences are punishable under section 516(a), 443(a), 70, 71 and 451 of Criminal Code Laws of Ogun State of Nigeria, 2006.

    The accused persons however pleaded not guilty to the offences.

    Bunmi Adelabu, one of the counsel, applied for their bail before Magistrate Sofowora Oriyomi, arguing that the accused persons are presumed innocent until otherwise proven by the court.

    The prosecutors opposed the bail applications.

    Delivering her ruling on the application, Magistrate Sofowora admitted the accused persons to bail with N100, 000 each with two sureties in the like sum.

    One of the sureties, according to the Court, must be a guardian or parent of the accused person, resident in Abeokuta, depose to affidavit of means while each of them must be a regular tax payers with evidence of tax payment in the last one year.

    Magistrate Sofowora also ruled that two passport-size photograph each of the sureties and the accused person be attached to the bail bond while the addresses of the sureties should be verified by the court ordeal.

    The case was however adjourned till September 29.

  • Ogun LP sues OGSIEC over exclusion from LGs poll

    … LP is misrepresenting facts, we excluded nobody or party, says OGSIEC

    Ogun State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has  instituted a court action against the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) for allegedly denying it recognition in the forthcoming Local Governments (LGs) elections slated for October 8.

    In the suit no: NI/215/2016 filed before a state High Court sitting in Abeokuta, LP seeking an order, restraining OGSIEC and its chairperson, Alhaja Risikat Ogunfemi from conducting the planned LGs  poll.

    Also joined in the suit are the Executive Governor of Ogun state and the Attorney – General and Commissioner of Justice, Ogun  State.

    The Acting State chairman of the party, Abayomi Arabambi, who disclosed this to reporters in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, during a press briefing.

    In the originating summons deposed to by LP’s Acting State Chairman,  Mr Abayomi Arabambi, Olaposi Oginni (State Secretary) and  Abdul-Sabur Aroyeun, they prayed the court to declare that the date for the collection and submission of political party Form CF 001 and CF 002 be extended in other to accommodate their candidates.

    LP also want the court to determine whether or not, by section 221 relevant sections of Ogun state and the Election Time Table, the forthcoming local government election slated for 8th October can validly hold without given form to all interested parties.

    But reacting, an OGSIEC Commissioner, Mr Mutiu Agboke, said they have documentary evidence to shows that the electoral body has not excluded any political party from participating in the scheduled LGs elections.

    According to Agboke, the Labour party has only given a misrepresentation of facts to the public.

    “We realised that there are internal issues within three political parties, Mega People’s Party, People’s Democratic Party and Labour Party.

    “The others have been able to resolve their issues except Labour. One Olufemi Arabambi and another Segun Oloyede came to collect election materials.

    “None came back except Arabambi who came for the guidelines after we were assured that they have resolved their issues.

    “Later, Oleyede came for the bio-data form proving to be the authentic Secretary and said that they have resolved.

    Both are on record at the Commission, we have both of them. One getting the guidelines and the other getting the bio-data.

    “But we have not seen Arabambi since then so we assumed that they have actually resolved their issues,” Agboke said.

  • Bus crushes two pupils, injures others in Ogun

    Two pupils from the same parents were crushed to death at Ita-Oshin area of Abeokuta,  Ogun State, on their way to school by a commercial bus yesterday
    ‎ The driver of a Toyota Picnic commercisl bus marked LAGOS KTU 175 DZ, was said to have  lost control of the wheels and ran over the kids, killing them on the spot.
    The victims are said to be twins and aged 8 years old, but their elder brother who survived the accident, was critically injured.
    A Witness told reporters  that the remains of the pupils were evacuated to the Neuro-Pyschiatric Hospital, Aro while their brother also receiving treatment at the same hospital.
    The Witness said: “we heard a sound and we quickly rushed down before we realised that a vehicle had knocked down some pupils in school uniform.
    “We immediately stopped a taxi and took the children to the hospital and the nurses tried their best.
    ” But they later confirmed that the girls were dead while their brother is responding to treatment.”
    The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Ogun State Command, Adegoke Adetunji, who confirmed this, blame the driver for reckless driving.
    Adetunji said the driver lost control and ran over the children, urging motorists to always avoid dangerous driving and put into consideration, the safety of other road users.
    “We got the report of the accident, which happened around 8 a.m., at Ita Oshin area of Abeokuta.
    “We gathered that the Toyota Picnic bus with registration number KTU 175 DZ was coming from Sango,” he said.

  • Workers strike paralyse govt’s business in Ogun

    Indefinite strike  by civil servants paralysed government business in Ogun State on Monday as the state workers stayed at home in obedience to the directive by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNC).

    The state secretariat at Oke – Mosan looked forlorn and deserted  as the civil servants failed to resume, while school children who also returned home early as there were no  teachers to attend to them.

    At the two entrance leading to the Secretariat, representatives of the JNC were seen with public address system  asking visitors and some workers to go back home and also  ensured that compliance to the strike was total.

    The workers commenced the strike  following an alleged failure of the state government to honour the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it signed with tripartite labour unions last January.

    The reneged terms of the MOU by the state government ‎include the suspension of the dysfunctional Contributory Pension Scheme, payment of at least two months deductions out of nine and resumption of payment of gratuity that was stopped in October 2012.

    But reacting, Ogun state government said it is committed to the Workers’ Welfare and urged the  striking civil servants and doctors to return to work.

    It expressed surprise and regret at the decision of a few workers in the state civil service to embark on a strike action.