The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Lekan Balogun

  • Ibadan Obas-in-Council congratulates Makinde

    The avalanche of congratulatory messages being poured on the Oyo State Governor-elect, Mr Seyi Makinde continued on Thursday with the latest of such coming from the Ibadan Obas-in-Council in which the new governor was admonished to walk his talk in terms of electoral promises.

    Rising from their meeting which held at Mapo Hall, Ibadan, the Obas-in-Council consisting the promoted members of Olubadan-in-Council and the promoted Baales in Ibadanland, they rejoiced with Makinde over his victory at the polls held across the state last Saturday.

    Makinde of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) defeated his closest rival, Mr Adebayo Adelabu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election, a development that has elicited jubilation across the state.

    In a message signed by the Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba (Dr.) Lekan Balogun, on behalf of the Council, the governor-elect was asked to run an all-inclusive government that would reflect the combined efforts of the forces that saw him through the excruciating election.

    According to the Ibadan Obas, “We are happy for the governor-elect that at last, the Almighty creator crowned his efforts of many years back with this victory. We enjoin him to be magnanimous in victory, seeing the entire state as his constituency without any form of discrimination.

    Read Also: Makinde: my victory was like Agbekoya revolt

    “We equally note his utterances since he was declared winner of the election and we are happy to observe his continuous emphasis on socio-economic development of the state and we can only urge him not to leave any stone unturned to bring his dream into reality.”

    Asking the residents of the state to give the incoming government their maximum cooperation towards reaping dividends of democracy, the monarchs maintained that “it is only under a conducive environment devoid of brigandage and all forms of security threat that any government can perform optimally.

    “The pockets of violence recorded during or after the last Saturday’s elections coupled with the rumours of killing of different people in the state did not portray the state in a good light. We urge our people to please shun violence and desist from rumour mongering which are only capable of creating unnecessary tension in the state.”

    While praying for a successful tenure for the governor-elect, they urged the residents of the state to always remember him in their prayers, saying, “our leaders need our prayers at all times so as to succeed because it is in their success that the subjects can find peace and joy”.

  • Ibadan Masquerade: Olubadan, Ibadan kings disagree on directive

    The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji and members of the Olubadan -In- Council, turned obas have disagreed on the order of the Olubadan barring the masquerades from dancing in any of the High Chiefs residence in this years Egungun festival.

    The Olubadan, in a statement suspended the visit of egungun to any of the High Chiefs, citing security reasons for his action.

    But, in a counter move, the concerned high chiefs-turned beaded kings had kicked against the Olubadan instruction, describing it as arbitrary use of power and an attempt to fight tradition.

    In a statement signed by the Otun Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Lekan Balogun, on behalf of others after their meeting on Monday, the kings insisted that they would resist the order and host masqueraders in their various homes. They also described security reason given by the monarch as phantom.

    The statement said, “Our attention has been drawn to the directive by our referred father, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adetunji, that the usual annual masquerade dance in our residences would not hold this year due to a phantom security threat, a directive we reject in its entirety.

    “As far as we are concerned, the directive was arbitrary use of power and authority, we won’t take it. Our father (Olubadan) wants to distort and destroy the tradition and wants to use us to fight tradition, but, we won’t succumb to his antics. The same Olubadan solicited for the hosting of the Egungun authority from the late Oba Odugade Odulana when he was about five steps away from his present position and his request was granted.

    Read Also: Olubadan stops chiefs’ masqurade dance

    “We therefore tend to ask him that of what benefits would his outrageous order be to him?  Except for extraneous reason as we just pointed out, how can one explain that security would be threatened only when the masqueraders come to dance in our residences and not when they went to his palace?

    “As the members of Olubadan-in-Council, we were not part of the decision and we won’t take it and the Egungun authority will not likely take it. It was our resolve that the Olubadan is trying to use everything to fight the government, because the government has among its responsibilities the protection of the people’s tradition, but, we will not allow ourselves to be used to either fight the government or the tradition.”

    However,  the Aare Alagbaa of Ibadan land, Chief Ojetunde Asoleke, has said that masqueraders in Ibadan will obey the directive of the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Adetunji, which barred them from visiting any of the high chiefs whose elevation to kingship status generated controversies and court actions.

    Speaking during the visits of the masqueraders to the monarch palace, Asoleke said they would abide by whatever the king directed.

    He said, “Whatever the Olubadan said is what we are solidly behind. Olubadan gave us the order that we should not go to any of the High Chiefs to dance and we are not going there because Olubadan is the head of all traditional worshippers in Ibadanland, be it Egungun, Sango, Oya, Obatala, Osun or whatever. And being the head, he has the right to tell us what is proper to do, and whoever that does otherwise will be punished by the Olubadan himself.”

    In a message through his Personal Assistant and Director, Media and Public Affairs, Adeola Oloko to the visiting masqueraders, the Olubadan enjoined them to observe a peaceful festival devoid of violence.

    He said, “It is God in His infinite mercy that has preserved all of us to witness this year’s festival. The festival is to celebrate the best of our cultures and traditions. Therefore the Kabiyesi is telling everyone in Ibadan to celebrate in peace. There should be no use of dangerous weapons as law enforcement agents are not going to take kindly to it, and Kabiyesi is not going to come between the law enforcement agents and the thugs if anyone is arrested. Therefore, we should celebrate in peace and joy.”

  • Ibadan twins kidnap: Olubadan visits king Balogun

    …Ladoja sympathises with parents

     

    The Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Saliu Akanmu Adetunji, Aje Ogungunniso 1 has paid sympathy visit to Oba Lekan Balogun, whose twins were abducted last week by yet to be identified kidnappers in Ibadan.

    Observers see the visit as a welcome development, even though both the Olubadan and Oba Lekan Balogun had disagreement on the recent review of the 1957 Declaration on Olubadan Chieftaincy Laws by the state government.

    Oba Adetunji assured that the perpetrators of the dastardly act would soon be brought to justice, and urged Oba Lekan Balogun to be patient as God would bring the kidnapped twins back home.

    Represented by the younger brother to the Olubadan, 80 year old Ambali Adetunji, the first class monarch described the incident as wicked and ungodly.

    Also, in the delegation was the Personal Assistant and Director of Media and Public affairs to the Olubadan, Mr Adeola Oloko.

    The royal father further charged the police and other security agencies in the state to intensify efforts to ensure that the criminals were tracked down and be made to face the wrath of the law .

    Also, High Chief Senator Rashidi Ladoja has expressed the hope that the kidnapped twins would soon be brought back home to re-unite with their parents.

    It was learnt yesterday that High Chief Ladoja in a telephone conversation sympathised with Oba Lekan Balogun on the kidnap of his twins.

    When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to Ladoja, Alhaji Lanre Latinwo said High Chief Ladoja has been away from Ibadan since last Thursday.

    “It is possible High Chief Ladoja may have called him (Oba Balogun) on phone to sympathise with him .But am not aware if he sent any delegation. All I know is that he has been away from Ibadan since last week Thursday and he is likely to be back today”, he said.

    The twins were kidnapped in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital last week.

    Sources informed that the kidnappers have communicated the parents, demanding N100 million ransoms.

    The Oyo State Police Command has said officers of the command have been alerted and that all machineries have been deployed to ensure that the victims were rescued from the kidnappers.

    The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, SP Adekunle Ajisebutu, urged the public to be patient, assuring that the children would be rescued in no distant time.

    He said the command was deeply concerned about the plight of the parents but appealed for patience from the public, assuring that the command was working hard to record a breakthrough on the incident. “We are doing everything to get the innocent children rescued safely, ” he said.

    When asked about how the command was preventing a recurrence, Ajisebutu explained that measures put in place include aggressive patrol, raiding of criminal hide-outs and gathering up-to-date intelligence which has led to the arrest of many criminals and recovery of stolen items.

    He added: ”Search for the abducted children is being intensified. We are not resting on our oars. We are hopeful that the victims will be rescued alive soon by God’s Grace and with the support of the public.

    He urged members of the public to volunteer unsecured information that can help the police in recording a breakthrough on the incident.

    Meanwhile, a family source confirmed to The Nation yesterday that the kidnappers have reduced the ransom to N40 million. The source reinforced the earlier appeal to the abductors to release the little children.

  • Kidnappers reject Otun Olubadan’s N5m offer

    The Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, yesterday pleaded with the kidnappers of his twin children to release them.

    He appealed to them to bear with him as he does not have the N100 million ransom (later reduced to N40m) being demanded.

    Oba Balogun said he was able to offer them N5 million which was rejected.

    “The kidnappers should please bear with me and return my kids, I am ready to do anything that will make them happy,” he told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    “I don’t want to endanger the life of my kids and I am not out to fight them because there is no reason for that,” Balogun said. Gunmen on Thursday, kidnapped the five-year-old twins of Balogun from his Akobo residence in Ibadan.

    The mother of the kids was said to have been hospitalised since she received the news of the kidnap with doctors battling to save her life.

    The Oyo Police Public Relations Officer, Mr Adekunle Ajisebutu,  said the Oyo State Police Command was doing everything possible to rescue the kidnapped children unhurt and arrest the culprits.

    “The Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Odude, has consequently directed the command’s anti-kidnapping squad and other special outfits to organise a manhunt for the suspects and rescue the victims safely.

    “We assure the parents and the public that we will succeed in this task,” Ajisebutu said.

     

  • Ajimobi inaugurates CBN projects at technical varsity

    Ajimobi inaugurates CBN projects at technical varsity

    Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State  on Tuesday in Ibadan inaugurated  an e-library and  administrative block built by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)  at the Technical University (TechU) in Ibadan.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports  that the  university  located on the Ibadan-Lagos expressway is an initiative of  the Oyo State Government.

    Speaking at  the inauguration, Ajimobi expressed  appreciation to the board and management of CBN for the donation, promising that the facilities would be put  to good use.

    The governor said the institution will offer  degree programmes  of international standard through collaboration with relevant global institutions.

    “Our vision is to be a world-class institution for technical studies that are anchored on entrepreneurial practices, innovation and commitment to international best practices.

    “We plan to produce exceptional graduates who are not only socially conscious but technically competent enough to turn around the fortunes of the state and Nigeria,’’ he said.

    He stated that no government could  single-handedly bear  the huge responsibilities of providing qualitative education.

    The governor  said  partnership in repositioning the education  sector  in the state was desirable and appreciated.

    The CBN governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele,  said  that the country  was experiencing acute shortage of high quality and world class educational institutions.

    Emefiele, who was represented by Mr Adebayo Adelabu, CBN Deputy Governor, Operations,  said that this  shortage informed the surge in the number of Nigerian students going abroad to seek quality education.

    “This has implications for the demand for foreign exchange and supply of qualified personnel to support the productive capacity of the country.

    “Our primary mandate at CBN includes maintenance of price and exchange rate stability, functional and stable financial system, effective payment system and credible currency.

    “We have a responsibility for development financing through regular intervention in critical sectors of the economy of which education is one to bridge the manpower and infrastructural deficits accumulated over time,’’ he said.

    He urged the beneficiaries, including staff and students of the university,  to make use of the buildings and derive the full benefits for which the project was intended.

    “I want to take this opportunity to express the hope that the university management will adopt the necessary maintenance culture to keep the buildings and equipment  for many years.

    “Government cannot fund education alone. The private sector equally has very important roles to play.

    “Tertiary institutions are supposed to be the drivers of research and innovation relevant to industry and commerce,’’ he said.

    The Pro-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Oyewusi Ibidapo-Obe, on his part,  described  the e-library as  one of the best in  the world.

    “We intend to work very hard to ensure that the minimum achievement of any student must be second class lower.

    “We are going to run the university as a scheme of 12 programmes,’’ he said.

    The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi,  and the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Saliu Adetunji,  in their  remarks, commended  the governor for establishing the university.

    While Adeyemi said that the governor had  planted a legacy that would linger for many years, Adetunji, who was represented by High Chief Lekan Balogun, described  the institution as  a great innovation.

  • Ajimobi accuses highly placed individuals of shielding criminals

    Ajimobi accuses highly placed individuals of shielding criminals

    The Governor of Oyo state, Abiola Ajimobi has accused  highly placed individuals of shielding criminals in the society.

    To mitigate rising crime in the communities within the state, the governor advised eminent persons including traditional rulers, captains of industry and politicians in the state not to shadow or spare any criminal in the state.

    Ajimobi said instead of shadowing or sparing them for personal or selfish reasons, they should expose them (criminals) in the interest of the state and the general public to rid the state of criminal activities.

    Represented by his deputy, Chief Moses Alake Adeyemo, the governor said this known on Monday in Ibadan, the state capital during the inauguration of the state Eminent Persons Forum at the Police Headquarters in Eleyele, Ibadan.

    According to him, most of the eminent persons not only in the state are the one who usually pick their phones to call security agencies to release their men for personal reasons.

    He urged them not to continue with the act in the interest of the state.

    Ajimobi said: “As traditional rulers, politicians, captains of industry, professionals we know who are criminals, it is the eminent persons that usually call the security agencies to release criminals. Please let us expose them.

    “Also, let us protect the welfare of the police. In some circumstances, they also have to save their lives.

    “It is the responsibility of all of us, all of us have responsibility to expose those criminals we know.

    “When you talk about the developed countries, it is not the police that go after criminals, it is the technology, let us make emphasis on modern technology, we can also have traditional ways of exposing criminals so that things can also work.”

    He then assured the police of the continued support of the state government in a bid to tackle crimes in the state.

    “I want to assure you that Oyo state government will continue to support the police so that we can have peace in the state, there is no any other job for the government than to protect the lives and property in the state, we are ready to continue to get the state secured.

    “I am appealing to the eminent persons to support the state also, you are aware we have a security trust fund, government cannot do it alone, let us make sure we are security conscious,”the governor said.

    The State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Samuel Adegbuyi told the gathering  that the forum was in line with the directive of the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim to state police commands to constitute Eminent Persons Forum in their respective states across the federation.

     

    The Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, Professor Idowu Olayinka who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor Administration, Professor Emilolorun Ayelari called for an improved welfare package for  police officers, adding that the current accommodation for police men is very poor and dehumanising .

    Others who spoke at the forum included traditional rulers and chiefs lauded the initiative and pledged their support.

    In attendance at the meeting included , the Otun Olubadan, High Chief Lekan Balogun and High Chief Eddy Oyewole who led the Olubadan-in-Council, Baale of Ekotede Chief Taiwo Ayorinde leader of Igbo community in the state, Dr Alex Anozie and Chief Olapade Agoro among others.

    Others included representatives of religious groups, Igbo General Assembly, Hausa and Fulani communities, traditional rulers, market women, farmers association among others.