The Nation Newspaper

Tag: monarch

  • Ekiti community rejects ‘Fayose-imposed’ monarch

    •Regent: official car withdrawn from me at gunpoint

    Residents of Orin Odo-Ekiti in Ikole Local Government Area have urged the state government not to recognise Oba Adebisi Ogunjobi as their monarch.

    They accused former Governor Ayo Fayose of imposing Oba Ogunjobi as the Olorin without traditional rites performed on him and without following due process.

    Led by the Regent of Orin Odo, Princess Oluwakemi Ogundana-Ajisafe, the community’s residents spoke yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, during a visit to Deputy Governor Bisi Egbeyemi.

    They urged the government to stop Ogunjobi from parading himself as the Olorin for peace to reign.

    Describing the way Fayose allegedly imposed his preferred candidate on the community as “bizarre, unconventional and strange to tradition,” Princess Ogundana-Ajisafe said the kingmakers and other stakeholders were not carried along in the installation of the monarch.

    Read also: Demolition: ‘Fayose turned us to refugees in our land’

    She alleged that the former governor ordered that the two candidates contesting for the royal stool be blindfolded and also ordered chiefs to line up behind their choice as king.

    The regent regretted that Fayose allegedly used soldiers and other security agents to harass chiefs and community leaders in a bid to impose his preferred candidate as monarch.

    Besides, the Regent told Egbeyemi that the official Ford car used by his father and immediate past Olorin of Orin Odo, Oba William Abiodun Ajisafe, was taken away from her at gunpoint by agents of the former governor.

    She added that she sought Fayose’s permission before travelling to the United States of America (U.S.A) in 2015 after succeeding her father.

    Princess Ogundana-Ajisafe said the community was invaded on the alleged order of the former governor with many of the chiefs arrested.

    She said: “Fayose wanted to use my father’s staff of office to install his preferred person as the Olorin, but it is the name of my father that is inscribed on the staff of office.

     

     

     

  • Ikorodu won’t betray you, monarch tells Sanwo-Olu

    The Ayangburen of Ikorodu, Oba Kabiru Shotobi, has assured the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and his running mate, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, that his people will not betray them in their quest for the leadership of Lagos State.

    The monarch, whose people welcomed Sanwo-Olu and his team with music, dance and jubilation on Monday when the APC candidate visited the palace for a consultative meeting, said Ikorodu residents would vote for APC.

    Other monarchs in Ikorodu Division, who were at the palace of the paramount ruler, unanimously endorsed and pledged their support for the Sanwo-Olu and Hazmat ticket in next year’s election.

    On behalf of the monarchs, Oba Shotobi urged Sanwo-Olu to make provision for more infrastructure and improvement of social services in Ikorodu, if elected.

    He said: “The people of Ikorodu are behind you, but we want you to take the state to a greater height…

    “We don’t have to sweat so much because I know the two of you personally and I know that you understand what our needs are in Ikorodu Division. Ikorodu is one of the five divisions of Lagos. Existing infrastructure need to be expanded to accommodate increasing population and we need new ones. We want improvement in our public schools and health facilities, among others.”

    A political leader, Olorunfunmi Bashorun, promised the APC massive votes from Ikorodu.

    He said the division is an APC domain and the leadership had started the groundwork to return a huge margin for Sanwo-Olu.

    Sanwo-Olu promised the monarchs that he would run an all-inclusive government.

    He said: “I came here to seek guidance and prayers from our royal fathers. I am happy I have received your blessings. I am happy with the warm welcome you gave me and my running mate, Dr. Hamzat, who is my friend and brother. The kabiyesi has listed what our people in Ikorodu want government to do.

    “Let me assure the Ayangburen and our royal fathers from Ikorodu Division that we will do what you asked for and much more. We know the importance of Ikorodu and we will work to develop every part of Lagos. I appreciate your support and the prayers offered to me and my deputy. Our primary aim is to take Lagos to a greater height.”

     

     

  • Monarch to Christians:be steadfast

    A monarch in Ekiti State Evangelist Olugbenga Adetiloye has urged Christians to be steadfast in the midst of persecution and pains, stressing there would be great reward from God.

    The Olugbole of Igbole-Ekiti spoke at the 10th year Anniversary of Face of God Evangelical Ministry (FOGEM) at Odole Street Ile-Oluji, Ondo State with the theme “Sudden Good Change”.

    Oba Adetiloye said a Christian without excellent spirit cannot foster sudden positive change that would lead to better transformation.

    He noted it was the excellent spirit upon Joseph in a strange land  that paved way for Joseph to be made a prime Minister.

    According to him: “An excellent spirit like righteousness that produces it, does not always pay quickly but it does eventually and when it does finally pay, it more than makes up for seeming sluggishness.

    ‘An excellent spirit is built by habitual life of doing things well, it is a life of doing things big or little, strategic or inconsequential, publicly or privately in a way it should be done”.

    General Overseer of the church Prophet Samuel Omoniyi described the journey so far as hectic but appreciated God for the success recorded in the past 10 years.

    According to him, he was not interested initially in answering the call of God but caved in escape the wrath of God, stressing His faithfulness had been sustaining the ministry.

    Chairman of the occasion, Oluwasijibomi Akindiose, a member of Ondo State House of Assembly, urged Christian to put their trust in God.

    He charged them not to be deterred even when things look impossible but learn to praise God always.

  • Monarch seeks empowerment of cocoa farmers

    The Oloni of Eti-Oni, Oba Dokun Thompson, has made a strong case for the economic empowerment of farmers in the cocoa industry.

    Speaking during a forum of food and agric writers in Lagos, the Monarch said cocoa was a key export commodity central to the realisation of the Federal Government’s targets towards sustainable development.

    He said improving the lives of stakeholders working in cocoa production ultimately will have a positive impact on the industry.

    He said cocoa farmers lacked access to financial capital, land and labour, apart from not getting insurance for their farms, which at times suffered from droughts or bush fire.

    Recent flooding on cocoa plantations, according to him, killed off flowers and small pods, and prevented farmers from working on their farms.

    He explained that heavy rains that poured on the farms made streams to overflow and flowers and pods in their early stages of growth got destroyed.

    He said: “The flood is affecting everybody, particularly this year; even in Eti-Oni, it affected farms. We are in the rain forest so, definitely heavy rain will always affect us.”

    He urged financial institutions to tailor their products and services to meet the particular needs of farmers, stressing the need for multi-stakeholder collaboration to upscale the sharing of proven best practices in sustainable cocoa production among smallholder rice farmers.

    On Eti-Oni, Oba Thompson, said  was home to Nigeria’s oldest Cocoa plantation and the birthplace of the crop in the Southwest. “The Cocoa crop was introduced into Eti-Oni in 1896 by Gureje-Thompson and it was from here that Cocoa spread to neighbouring towns and other parts of the region where it later became the economic mainstay of Western Nigeria.

    He also announced that this year’s Eti-Oni cocoa festival is scheduled for between December 2 and 9 at Gureje Square, Eti-Oni, Osun State.

    The cocoa festival, according to him, is an initiative of the Eti-Oni Development Group with an objective to create a renaissance in the industry and build bridges between production and consumption to achieve sustainability. The other goal, he said, is to transform the rural community of Eti-Oni into a sustainable model smart town in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (UN 2030 SDGs) through cocoa trade.

    The cocoa festival, he explained, will attract local and international exhibitors, who will showcase primary and secondary products. It will also feature awards. The awards will be given to individuals, corporate organisations or government agencies or programmes in recognition of outstanding contribution to cocoa development.

    The award categories  will include:    value chain development – policy formulation and execution;    cocoa sustainability advocacy;    environmentally friendly practices;    development of women in cocoa;    commercial bank and cocoa promotion;   cocoa renaissance in Nigeria;  life-time personal contribution to cocoa development in Nigeria; social impact initiatives -(individual or corporate organisation), ingenious research development in cocoa; creative farmers training model; innovative agriculture development programme; TV broadcast coverage on cocoa; news print/online coverage on cocoa; ICT company and cocoa development and sustainable tourism.

     

     

     

     

  • Monarch provides free medical services for residents

    The Baale of Masewele Community in Mushin, Lagos State, High Chief John Kupolokun, in collaboration with professional medical personnel and Students; Medical Association of the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has organised a one-day compulsory free medical services for the members of Mushin community.

    Commenting on the event immediately after the exercise, the Baale’s said: The objective of the exercise was to meet the health needs of members of the community. As a royal father, It is part of my responsibilities to take care of people at the grassroots.

    He said: “We are collaborating with medical professionals and student medical association of the Lagos Teaching Hospital (LUTH) to provide free medical services for them. Another of the objectives of the gesture was to cushion the effects of high cost of procuring drugs and treatment.”

    He, however, noted that the students’ medical association has sponsors who provided them with finance, drugs, equipment and eye-glasses. Participants were screened for sugar level, high blood pressure, eye defects, given free eye-glasses, free drugs, cancer of the breast test and general medical examination.

    The venue of the event was the Eko Boys’ High School premises Idi-Oro, Mushin.

     

  • Monarch urges politicians to fulfil promises

    The Olota of Ota, Oba (Prof) Adeyemi Abdulkabir Obalanlege has advised politicians to always fufill their electoral promises when they get to power.

    He lamented that politicians forgot and neglect their electoral pledges when they get to powers.

    The Kabiyesi made this advice at his palace when Ogun State Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate Hon. Oladipupo Ladi Adebutu with the Party’s chieftains paid homage to his Palace in Ota, the suburb of Ogun State.

    He said: “I am not a monarch. I am not a politician campaigning for any politicians, but mine is just to advise you, ‘political leaders’ to always remember your promises made to electorates before voted you into power.

    “Most of you forgot the promises even total neglect or abandoned the people that voted you when you get to power, which absolutely not good.”

    While presenting the candidate to Olota, former Commissioner of Works in Ogun State and PDP’s senatorial candidate in 2015 elections,  Waliu Olayiwola Taiwo, stressed the need to support a Remo man to pilot the affairs of the state. He emphasised that Ijebu and Remo governors have always remembered Ado-Odo/Ota in their administration, citing the first governor of the state, the late Chief Olabisi Onabanjo and former Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel’s regimes as case studies.

    Taiwo assured the Olota that his Adebutu would surpass the achievement of past governors and ease the sufferings of Ado-Odo/Ota indigenes and dwellers.

    He added that he should be held responsible, if Adebutu fails to delivered his campaign promises.

    The lawmaker representing Ikenne/ Shagamu/Remo North Federal constituencies in the hallowed chamber, Adebutu, during his address apologised to the Olota of Ota for not visiting him earlier. He lamented the maginalisation of Ogun West and promised to ensure that neglect becomes a thing of the past in Ogun West.

    He said: “I went through the pains and agony of Ado-Odo/Ota residents during one of my trips to Atan/Agbara where i spent more than three hours instead of the normal an hour drive”. He lamented.

    Adebutu, however, assured residents of Ado-Odo/Ota of immediate infrastructural development as soon as his government comes on board in 2019. He further assured that Ado-Odo/Ota would be a prime target for infrastructural development.

    When asked the crisis currently rocking the PDP by Newsmen after the meeting, Hon. Ladi Adebutu said that his party had everything under control.

    He announced a renowned Islamic singer, Alhaja Jemeelat Opeyemi Alagbe an indigene of Ado-Odo as his running mate.

    The Muslim gospel singer, who also goes by the appellation, Omo Sheu, is also the Ameeratu Shuarah of Owode Yewa.

  • Police arrest monarch for alleged N15.5m land fraud

    The Ogun State Police Command has arrested the Baale of Ferowa village in Ifo Local Government, Chief Muyideen Folorunso, in connection with an alleged N15.5million land deal.

    Folorunso’s arrest followed a petition by the management of Jaxmat Homes and Properties after it had approached the traditional ruler for the purchase of 23 acres of land at a negotiated sum of 15.5 million.

    The management said the monarch began to resell the same land to others, whereas he had received payment from the company.

    It was learnt that the traditional ruler allegedly sold 17 of the 23 acres of land to people before the company became aware.

    Police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi, who confirmed this in a statement, said the Bureau of Public Complaints Unit of the command had investigated the case and arrested the suspect.

    He alleged that the monarch admitted collecting N15.5million from the company after showing them the land.

    According to the spokesman, the suspect claimed to have resold the land when he needed money for his coronation.

    Police Commissioner Ahmed Iliyasu has directed that the suspect be investigated and arraigned in accordance with the anti-land grabbing laws of Ogun State.

  • Monarch seeks cooperation between executive, legislature

    The king of Egbe land, His Royal Majesty Oba Ashimiyu Lasisi the Dada Otta Kudaki Obalufon I, has called for synergy between the legislative and executive arms of government.

    He said it would end disunity between the two arms of government.

    The traditional ruler made the remark when the legislative arm of Egbe-Idimu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) visited him in his palace.

    Lasisi, who was the pioneer executive chairman of the council, said there must be cordial relationship among the legislature and executives.

    He said: “Legislators are the people’s mouthpiece while the executives are the executors of people’s needs. Whatever the legislators want is what the executive should work on not that the executive will impose its opinions on the legislators and indirectly to the people.

    “At local government level, the Executive Chairman has to carry the councilors along in every decision making, councilors are representatives of their wards and they shouldn’t be taking for granted. They are the political mobilisers, they are closer to the people than the chairman, so they just have to be carrying along.”

    The former council boss advised the councilors to always support the  chairman in fulfilling his campaign promises.

    The leader of the Legislative arm, Hon. Taiwo Lasisi, said the visit was to seek advice and partnership.

    “This visit is part of our annual overnight functions, we intend to seek advices from our royal fathers, seek partnership with company’s major stakeholders within our locality and also inspect all completed and ongoing projects carried out by our council,” he said.

  • Akeredolu’s wife, monarch, others for breast cancer walk

    Ondo State Governor’s wife, Mrs Betty Anyanwu – Akeredolu, Elegushi of Ikaate Kingdom, Oba Saheed Elegushi, Popular Nollywood Actress, Ngozi Nwosu amongst several other dignitaries will tomorrow hold a jog to create awareness against the menace of breast cancer amongst African women with the theme: Let us Beat Breast Cancer Together

    The event, powered by Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN) kicks off at 7am at Admiralty Roundabout, Lekki,  will terminate at Leisure Sports Park situated in Ikate Elegushi in the commercial city of Lagos.

    The JOG, according to a statement made available to News Men on Thursday by BRECAN, is being organized to commemorate the month of October, recognized by World Health Organization (WHO) as the Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

    BRECAN, founded by Mrs Akeredolu in 1997, host its yearly JOG FOR LIFE event since 1998 and this tradition continues till this date.

    Several dignitaries including Governors, First Ladies, Ministers, Captains of Industry, Top Religion Leaders, First Class Traditional Rulers, Entertainers and other dignitaries have participated in the previous JOGFORLIFE event in the last 20 years.

    The JOGFORLIFE event will feature an American Flag Football exhibition match facilitated by two teams in the newly flagged off Shitsuke Flag Football league in Nigeria called The TROGONS and The GIDRONS.

    The GIDRONS and friends will be playing for Team BRECAN and The TROGONS will be representing Team Elegushi.

    The event will also feature free health Services such as Blood Pressure examination, Cancer Screening, HIV Test and other activities such asParticipants and members of the public willing to grace the event are enjoined to put on sports wares with colour pink.

  • Govt, monarch advise residents on tree planting

    Lagos State government and a monarch have advised residents to cultivate the habit of tree planting, in order to mitigate the impact of climate change.

    Speaking at a Tree Planting campaign to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Oba Tijani Akinloye, the Ojomu of Ajiranland, on the throne, at the weekend, the General Manager, Lagos State Parks and Garden (LASPARK), Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, said tree planting would mitigate the impact of climate change.

    Adebiyi-Abiola, represented by the Head, Local Government Parks and Garden Management, Halima Adeniji, stressed that it was an offence to fell trees in any part of the state without seeking government’s permission, as such act would attract sanction.

    She said 100 trees had been brought from LASPARK to be planted in Eti-Osa, as part of the tree planting to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the monarch on the throne.

    Oba Akinloye said population growth had resulted in increasing pressure on land for housing and business premises, with environmental implication such as deforestation, wetland reclamation, flooding, among others.

    He said Eti-Osa, which was one of the wetland regions, due to rapid urbanisation, had lost most of its wetland, leading to flooding and erosion, adding that to reduce the effect of flooding, tree planting had become one of the mitigating measures.

    “Today, we only see buildings, cars, large signboards, roads and concretes, instead of trees, beautiful flowers, parks and gardens. We are used to having polished lifestyles which has no benefits to the ecological system. The risks to our health and well-being by removing trees from the environment are far higher. The benefits that urban trees bring cannot be quantified.

    “Besides its capacity to reduce urban temperatures, it can also absorb pollution of all kinds of particles, chemical and even noise from the environment. Tree planting remains the cheapest mitigating option and the world’s second largest most effective means of absorbing excess carbon-dioxide from the atmosphere, thereby, cleansing the air and protecting the environment against flooding and coastal erosion,” the monarch said.

    He hailed the government for planting trees and celebrating tree planting campaign every July 14.