Tag: makes case

The Onijanikin of Ijanikin, a Lagos suburb, Oba Momodu Afolabi Ashafa has sought the establishment of a general hospital in his domain. He also wants the state government to establish a library and open up the roads to accelerate the economic growth of his subjects.

Oba Ashafa spoke at his 40th coronation anniversary which was held at the Anglican Primary School, Oto, Ijanikin last Saturday.

He said: “It will be my greatest joy if government gives us a general hospital. The two general hospitals around us – at Badagry and Igando – are far away from us and we sometimes have a problem taking patients there especially during emergency.  We also want government to construct the road from Market to Odan Era to further boost the economy of this area. We have lots of business potentials here, but they can only be realised if government gives us more social amenities.”

He thanked God, but added that his four-decade-old sojourn on the throne had been challenging. He recounted that he was given the Staff of Office the day the Lagos-Badagry Expressway was commissioned.

“My struggles in my early years to obtain qualitative education made me lay more emphasis on the establishment of highly comprehensive educational institutions for my people. I did not hesitate to donate 200 acres of land for the establishment of Federal Government College, Ijanikin and also the establishment of the Lagos State Secondary School. Now, we need a library to complement all these,” he said.

He appreciated the support of his subjects and commended Governor Babatunde Fashola on his various developmental strides in the state, especially on the ongoing six-lane Mile 2-Badagry Expressway project.

President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has urged developing nations to emphasise on technical and vocational education as a tool for accelerated industrial development and growth.

The business mogul spoke at the Global Education First Initiative Anniversary and Learning for All Round Table held in New York, the United States.

He said tht developing nations need a paradigm shift in their educational system to spur technological development.

Dangote said the time had come for developing economies, especially those in Africa, to focus on vocational/technical education to provide requisite skills for driving the quest for industrial development.

He said the same strategy was used by the Koreans and the Asian Tigers (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea and Taiwan) to effectively transform from backwardness to frontline economies.

The global businessman noted that since it worked in several countries, African countries only need a strong drive to make it work.

Dangote identified women as powerful aspects of the population and called for the increased involvement of the girl-child in education.

According to him, the right education can have a dramatic impact on women’s productivity.

Africa’s richest man also called for the training of youths who, as the future leaders, need to have the skills that would equip them for their leadership roles.

On the activities of his group of industries in promoting quality leadership, the renowned businessman said Dangote Group sponsors young people from Africa to the World Economic Forum meetings to expose them to the art of leadership from leading global businessmen and statesmen.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has advocated the active participation of Women in the democratic process of the country.

Speaking at the first memorial lecture in memory of Dr. Abel Guobadia, organised by the Women Health and Research Centre in Benin City yesterday, Oshiomhole said: “Women are more loyal voters than the men. We must make conscious efforts to encourage our women to participate, not by asking men to give them a chance because nobody gives anyone a chance. They must struggle to find a place to engage.”

“The challenge is basically for INEC and the Federal Government to create a truly friendly environment where politics would be a battle of ideas, of brains, not of brawns, so that clean intelligent women can afford, on the basis of a well-defined platform, engage the men as to who has the clearer ideas about the developmental options and therefore create a basis for competition,” he noted.

Governor Oshiomhole spoke of the need for girl-child education, saying: “In Edo State, the girl- child has access to education; though there are difficulties. For us to fasten the pace of development and make the right level of investment that will deliver not only on the girl-child education, but also to create opportunities for those who have been so educated, then we do need to revisit the way in which our natural income is being distributed and managed.