The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ogun state

  • Awujale, Akarigbo hold stakeholders’ meeting on Ijebu State creation

    Awujale, Akarigbo hold stakeholders’ meeting on Ijebu State creation

    As the age-long clamour for Ijebu State intensifies, the two paramount rulers in Ogun East Senatorial District, Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba S. K. Adetona and Akarigbo of Remoland, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, will today hold a joint stakeholders’ meeting at the Aafin Awujale in Ijebu Ode.

    A statement  on behalf of Aafin Awujale, signed by the Onigegewura Akile Ijebu, Tunde Oladunjoye, said the  forum on the proposed Ijebu State would be attended by accredited representatives of the people of Old Ijebu Province, currently known as Ogun East Senatorial District in the present Ogun State.

    Read Also: Tinubu greets Okunowos on investiture as Ijebu Christian leaders

    Participants, expected to be seated by 10am, will include traditional rulers, members of National and State Assemblies from Ogun East, local government chairmen from Ogun East, opinion leaders, businessmen and women, market leaders and members of religious and community-based organisations.

  • New City University to deliver quality, affordable education

    New City University to deliver quality, affordable education

    • Ready to begin operations
    • By Tunde Adeniyi

    The promoter of the New City University, a  proposed private university in Aiyetoro, Ogun State, Mr. Akin Akingbesote has said the university is poised to deliver quality and affordable education. He expressed readiness for the commencement of operations.

    Speaking on Tuesday during the second visitation tour  of the National Universities Commission(NUC) on its campus, Akingbesote noted that between June and now when NUC officials made the first visitation,there has been 80 per cent transformation.

    He said: “The environment is now well furnished; we now have proper landscaping,we have constructed a sports centre, we have brought in equipment for the faculty of nursing, so we have transformed the campus. If we get approval,we are ready and prepared to commence operations because we have a solid and robust system in place. We are going to deliver quality, affordable and accessible education. It is going to be a great institution for students.”

    Chairman Implementation Committee for the proposed university, Prof. Ralph Akinfeleye, expressed optimism at getting approval. He said the university will be an iconic learning centre that will make significant contributions to education in the country.

    “We are so excited about the second NUC visitation. They have come for assessment. We are very optimistic because we have done the needful. Nigeria has 274 universities,we hope to be number 275 because we have done our best. This a major departure from the first visit, but today everything is fine. The NUC officials are very thorough. We hope we have done what we need to do and our university will be a university of relevance, an iconic institution, a university that will help make significant contributions to the pedagogical purity of education in Nigeria. So we are awaiting the results and we hope will pass. Once we get our licence, we will hit the ground running,” he said.

    Read Also: EFCC arrests 11 suspected currency racketeers in Rivers

    Prof. Yemi Akinseye-George, SAN, a fellow of Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, and a member of the Board of Trustees Implementation Committee for New City University, said the team from NUC confirmed that the university  scored over 70 per cent in terms of development, acquisition of educational materials, transformation.

     He praised Akinfeleye for his efforts and brilliant contributions to the university. He also hailed the founder who, he said, is driven by excellence and integrity.

    “ In every respect, they scored the university high. We congratulate students who would be the first beneficiaries of this great achievement by the founder, a man of excellence,who has succeeded in business and his career. He wants to impart that success on another generation. He wants to give back to posterity, so I congratulate the students, because they will not just learn,but acquire character, entrepreneurial capacity so that they can become better citizens.

    Our founder has given us a platform to show the world what we have to offer. On behalf of BoT, we thank you all”

    Alhaji Rasheed Mustapha, an NUC official, commended the university for the massive improvement. He lauded the promoter for  doing substantial work on observations raised during the first accreditation.

    “The promoter has done substantial work on the observations raised during the first visit.I rate him above 70 per cent because there is massive improvement,” he added.

    The NUC team also called for support for the promoter from the support staff to ensure robust service delivery.

  • Ogun student’s demise and the antics of an opportunist

    Ogun student’s demise and the antics of an opportunist

    • By Funmi Brancho

    IT is really impossible for anyone to hear the story of the alleged beating to death of a secondary school student in Ogun State without feeling outraged. The story is heartbreaking, particularly as the said student, Monday Arijo, an SS2 student of the said school, Obada Grammar School, Obada, Idi-Emi, was allegedly beaten to stupor or subjected to excessive physical rigour. The details are still sketchy and the story far from definitive, and investigations by the police will determine precisely what happened. However, distressing as the story is, it is disturbing to find that the social media hounds who often latch unto tragic events in the country to make a name for themselves are already at work, hatching conspiracy stories and seeking to throw Ogun State into utter chaos. One of these individuals, who goes by the name Adetoun on Instagram, has sought to derail this case by making spurious allegations against the person and office of the Governor of Ogun State, and it is time the security agencies invited her for questioning.

    In a series of social media posts, the said Adetoun has heaped imprecations and curses on Governor Dapo Abiodun, asking why the Ogun State Government permitted the death of a student. In the said videos, Adetoun lays grievous curses on the governor and his family while deviously praising the Ogun First Lady, claiming that the Ogun State Government tried to kill the story of the student’s murder and silence his  family with a N500,000 gift. It is utterly disturbing that this devious individual has treated the pains and agonies of the family with utter contempt in a bizarre attempt to reap social media mileage from the tragic story of a minor.

    The fact is that following the incident, the Ogun State government took every step necessary to guarantee justice in the case. Being bound by the laws of the land, Governor Dapo Abiodun did not order the lynching of the suspected teacher and principal, as Adetoun and her promoters would clearly have wanted. Social media allegations, however weighty, must be subjected to the provisions of the law. Certainly, a governor who would organize the lynching of a suspect based on a blogger’s allegations, as the social media braggart canvasses, would have created a parallel State.

    Following the incident, the Ogun State Government ordered the suspension and arrest of the teacher in question. It also issued a query to the principal of the school, Mrs. Tamrat Onaolapo, for allowing corporal punishment to be used on the pupil against the established regulations in the state, and placed her on suspension. Thereafter, it shut down  the school and set up a panel to investigate the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident, promising that anyone indicted would be made to face the full wrath of the law. The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Abeokuta, was mandated to conduct a post-mortem on the deceased to determine the cause of his death. That was not all: representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology also visited the bereaved family to offer condolences and obtain first-hand accounts of the incident for a thorough investigation. The team comprised the Director, Secondary and Higher Education Department in the Ministry, the Principals General,  Egba and Yewa Divisions; Zonal Education Officer, Imeko Afon, representatives of ANCOPPS, Ogun State President, Trade Union Congress and the Ogun State Chairman of ASSUS. The officials assured the family that thorough investigation would be launched to determine the facts surrounding the incident and that accountability would be pursued. They also gave the sum of N500,000 to the family to defray burial expenses. The officials were well received by the family.

    That was not all.  In light of the severity of the case, the Ogun Government actually sent a second delegation to the victim’s family. The delegation was led by the Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Prof. Abayomi Arigbabu. The commissioner assured the parents of the deceased that the state government would continue to monitor and hand out sanctions to teachers found administering corporal punishment to students. He told the family: “There are regulations against corporal punishment. That does not mean children will not behave well; we can actually discipline children. We can raise them to become whatever they want to be in life without resorting to corporal punishment.”

    Read Also: Tinubu: media free to access single-digit loan

    Speaking on behalf of the family, Mr. Abdullateef Oduntan noted that the family was not interested in any legal battle but expected the government to do everything within its power to ensure that such an incident did not recur anywhere within the state. In her remarks, the Special Adviser on Education to the Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Ronke Soyombo, promised that the state government would continue to support the family during and after the mourning period, and ensure that such incidents did not recur anywhere in the state.

    Adetoun and her sponsors will have their five minutes of fame but Governor Dapo Abiodun will keep fighting for justice in the case. His job is not on Instagram. As a parent who lost a dear son, he knows the pain Monday Ariyo’s parents and family are going through. It is despicable that a criminal seeking social media leverage is cashing in on the tragedy to accumulate a following and the consequent financial rewards. It is beyond vile; it is utterly demonic.

    The world over, people break the law. To say that the Ogun State governor allowed a student to die is to say that he has supernatural powers to prevent people from committing crime. He has no such powers. He can only act on the cases brought to his attention and in this case, he has taken every step prescribed by law. And inasmuch as no one is making a case for the accused teacher and principal, the laws of the land allow them to state their own side of the story as they go through the process of prosecution. They cannot be lynched.

    Ogun is known for excellence, but that does not mean that it is immune to tragic events like the present case. When things like this happen, what the government needs to do is to take steps to prevent future cases, and that is precisely what the Ogun State Government has done. The government is not defending the suspects in this case. It set up an investigative committee, cognizant of the fact that the whole world is watching events, as it were. At the same time, it is being extremely careful not to create an atmosphere in which teachers would be too scared to caution pupils or students. Conscienceless individuals raising a social media mob are a clog in the wheel of justice, and Adetoun and her ill must be cautioned before they breed chaos. Such loudmouths are known to actively nurture broken homes while pontificating as the guardians of public morality. If Adetoun’s dirty language and curses reveal anything, it is the fact that she is depraved. That is why she could equate a contribution by the Ogun State Government to defray the deceased student’s burial as a bribe given to silence his family. Her case is beyond pathetic.

    •Branco is of Sociology Department, University of Lagos, Akoka.

  • Limits of punishment

    Limits of punishment

    •Student’s death after being punished calls for stern measures against errant teachers

    It seems some teachers in our schools are yet to know how far they can go in punishing their pupils or students for whatever misdemeanour they have committed. This is the best we can deduce from the death of Monday Arijo, a student of Obada Idi-Emi High School in the Imeko Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, on October 25.

    Arijo allegedly died from complications he sustained after 162 frog-jumps and 24 strokes of the cane, administered by one of his teachers, Azamdjo Elijah.

    According to reports, the teacher had reportedly brought a dustbin to Arijo’s class with a firm instruction that the students should not break it. Arijo was said to have replied jokingly that the dustbin was bought with the students’ money. This got the teacher angry and he reported the matter to the principal, Tamrat Onaolapo, who instructed that the student be punished.

    There is nothing wrong in disciplining an errant student. The issue now is the nature of the punishment. Was it punitive or corrective? But the scope of the punishment in this case leaves too much to be desired — 24 strokes of the cane after 162 frog jumps! It is simply incredible.

    What was sadder was that the teacher and some other members of the staff of the school who were at the scene delayed in taking Arijo to the hospital for medical attention when he was behaving somehow when serving the punishment. He died 10 days later, allegedly of complications from the corporal punishment.

    Read Also: Nigeria has moved beyond you, group slams Atiku

    Ogun State Police Command spokesman, Omolola Odutola, said “The incident happened on October 15, 2024. The deceased was asked to do 162 frog jumps and was given 24 strokes of the cane.

    “He was rushed to FMC, Idi-Aba, for medical attention and he died today (October 25). The deceased body has been deposited at the Ayetoro mortuary for autopsy. An investigation is ongoing”, she added.

    Arijo’s death was only the most recent of such painful exits. Painful not just because someone has died but because a youth with a promising future has needlessly been despatched to the grave prematurely, over a broken dustbin.

    As usual in such situations, the state government has shut down the school and suspended the teacher. But the closure would only subsist for a while as the school would sooner or later be reopened. Reports say the principal has also been suspended after being queried over the incident.

    We want to believe that this sort of thing keeps recurring in some of our schools because the right things are not done before the schools are reopened after being shut over an incident like this.

    There must be a charter of relationships between teachers and students that the teachers must be made to subscribe to, and this must be scrupulously observed. Corporal punishment is banned in the state; yet, some teachers punish their students beyond permissible limits, sometimes leading to the death of pupils or students as the case may be.

    While we agree that some students canbe cantankerous, there are ways to handle them professionally and this is part of the curriculum in teacher training colleges.

    We cannot afford to be losing children in avoidable circumstances. This incident must be thoroughly investigated and culprits prosecuted.

  • Abiodun takes BP reading as Ogun begins mass screening for diabetes, hypertension Monday

    Abiodun takes BP reading as Ogun begins mass screening for diabetes, hypertension Monday

    Ogun State Government said it will commence statewide screening for diabetes and hypertension on Monday, October 28 to give residents opportunity to know their status and avert preventable non-communicable diseases.

    The Commissioner of Health, Dr. Tomi Coker, stated this at the weekend while briefing newsmen at the Health ministry conference room, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta, to announce the launch of ‘Project 10 Million – Know Your Number, Control Your Number’ in the state.

    Coker said the initiative is part of a national health promotion and awareness campaign spearheaded by the Nigeria Health Commissioners Forum (NHCF) aimed at combating the increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly hypertension and diabetes, across the country.

    She described NCDs such as hypertension and diabetes as significant health challenges in Nigeria that contribute to approximately 27 percent of all annual deaths, stressing that the risk of dying from these conditions for people between the ages of 30 and 70 is estimated at 17 percent.

    She noted that there was the urgent need for a comprehensive intervention to ascertain prevalence rate, adding that the initiative has been endorsed by the Nigeria Governors Forum(NGF) and supported by the Health Commissioners from 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    According to her, the exercise will begin on October 28 and ends November 3 nationwide and it is expected capture 10 million Nigerians with a special focus on reaching underserved communities to ensure that vulnerable populations have equitable access to essential care.

    The commissioner said the initiative will be extended to  the 236 wards across Ogun 20 Local Government Areas, assuring that the screening will be accessible at all primary, secondary, and tertiary healthcare facilities as well as in churches, mosques, parks and markets throughout the state.

    Read Also: Ministers and the figurative Roman gladiator games’ audience

    “Our goal is to ensure that every resident has the opportunity to know their numbers, take control of their health, and avert preventable non-communicable diseases, specifically diabetes and hypertension. 

    “This campaign is not only about screening; it is about saving lives through preventative care. Our objectives for Project 10 Million in Ogun State are clear:Screen a significant number of our residents for hypertension and diabetes during the campaign week, provide immediate counselling and referrals for individuals with sub-optimal results and link newly detected cases to treatment facilities for ongoing care,” she said.

    She said the campaign will also focus on increasing public awareness about the risks and management of hypertension and diabetes, enhance data collection on the prevalence of NCDs to inform health policies and planning and support the creation of hypertension and diabetes registers in the state.

    She urged all citizens of age 18 and above to take advantage of the opportunity by visiting designated facilities or outreach site during the campaign period to get screened.

    “This initiative aligns with the Nigeria Health Sector Renewal Investment Initiative and the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp) compact signed by the governors with the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. 

    “It reflects our shared commitment to improving health outcomes for all Nigerians. In Ogun State, this campaign will complement our ongoing efforts to safeguard the lives of our residents through preventative care. By working together, we can ensure a healthier future for our communities,” she added.

  • Ogun monarch Olowu loses mum

    Ogun monarch Olowu loses mum

    The Olowu of Owu Kingdom in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oba (Professor) Saka Adelola Matemilola has lost his mother.

    Alhaja Alirat Ayinke Matemilola (Née Bolaji), died in the early hours of Sunday at 81. 

    Owu Kingdom is the home town of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    The deceased is survived by seven  children – five sons, two daughters.

    Read Also: Ogundele: Why PDP is bouncing back in Ogun State

    They are Oba Matemilola; Alhaja Fatimah Adéyemí; Musa Matemilola and Hafeez Matemilola – both engineers; Mrs Mujidat Arogundade; Dr. Saheed Matemilola and Mr Soliu Matemilola.

    Confirming the death of the Matemilola’s matriarch, the son of the deceased, Soliu wrote:  “I lost my mum this morning at around 7:30am. She was with the Olowu in Abeokuta.”

    The Nation learnt that the late Alhaja Matemilola will be buried at Abari Cemetery in isalẹ Ekọ Lagos Island by 2pm

  • Journalists urge EFCC to probe ex-cooperative president

    Journalists urge EFCC to probe ex-cooperative president

    Journalists at Sun Publishing Company, whose land have been allegedly confiscated by Arobieye community leaders in Ado Odo Ota Local Government of Ogun State, have urged Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to review their petition and probe former president of Sun Cooperative Society Nigeria Ltd, Mrs Nkem Nwokocha, for alleged complicity.

    They accused the community leaders, Sulaimon Oke and Nurudeen Dada, of defying police and court orders by continuing selling the land and encouraging building on the land.

    Read Also: ‘How Nigerians can get zero collateral loans to study abroad’

    The journalists, who are members of Sun Cooperative Society Nigeria Ltd, had urged Ogun State Government to call the community leaders to order over encroachment on their land.

    They also called on the Olota of Ota, Oba Adeyemi Obalanlege, to prevail on the Baale of Arobieye community, Nurudeen Dada, to stop re-selling their land.

  • Man found dead in Ogun hotel

    Man found dead in Ogun hotel

     The Police Command in Ogun has confirmed that one Lanre Ogungbe, 32, was discovered dead in a hotel room at Soyoye in Abeokuta.

    SP Omolola Odutola, the Command’s spokesperson, confirmed in a statement on Friday in Abeokuta the incident occurred at 2 p.m. on Thursday.

    Odutola explained that a bottle of one alcoholic drink called “Lakoko” and another bottle of pesticide known as “sniper” was found beside the deceased in the hotel room.

    She stated that on Thursday at 3 p.m. the owner of Authentic Hotel on Soyoye road reported the incident to the Divisional Police Officer of Lafenwa police station.

    “He (the hotel owner) explained that around 2 p.m. of that same day, his hotel’s manager raised an alarm at the hotel and informed him about a customer later identified as Lanre Ogungbe, who had come to the hotel for a short rest.

    Read Also: Ogun NURTW joins Ekiti, Ondo, Lagos to endorse MC Oluomo for union’s president 

    “The receptionist, after noticing that the customer had not  been seen, went to check on him and discovered his lifeless body on the bed.

    “She immediately notified the manager, who then alerted the hotel owner.

    “They condoned off the scene, leaving the exhibits untouched before the complainant made a formal report of  the incident to the police,” Odutola said.

    She said police detectives reacted swiftly, and found the deceased on the bed, alongside an empty bottle of “Lakoko” and a bottle of “sniper”, suspected to have been consumed by him.

    “There were no signs of violence found on his body.

    “His remains was evacuated to General Hospital in Ijaiye for medical examination, where he was pronounced dead and his body deposited in the morgue for a post-mortem examination,” the spokesperson said.

    Odutola said thorough investigation was ongoing on the matter.(NAN)

  • No good roads in Ogun State?

    No good roads in Ogun State?

    • By Seyi Bakare

    On July 2, one of the netizens on a social media hate campaign against the Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, over Ogun roads, Hauwa Allahbura (@HauwaAllahbura), wrote on X: “Ministry of Works Budget in 2024 N480mn. Governor STEEZE Budget is about N103bn. How will Ogun State roads be fixed? We beg you steeze governor, remove some budget from your steeze and fix the roads. #Dapofixogunroads.” Predictably, the tweet garnered endless likes and re-tweets. You see, the social media is the domain of emotion, not facts, and that is why(@HauwaAllahbura can peddle such garbage. A look at the Ogun budget under reference shows that N64bn was budgeted for the Governor’s Office while the Ministry of Works got N170 billion which includes payment for carry over projects from the preceeding year.
    The N103 billion referenced by the mischief-makers was meant for the Governor’s Office, the Deputy Governor’s Office and agencies under the Governor’s Office, including the Ogun State Road Safety Advisory Council, Bureau of Public Procurement, Bureau of Pension and office of the Economic Adviser, among others. But supposing, for a moment, that N103 bn was actually allocated to the Governor’s Office, how is it less than N192bn? And just how can anyone who lays claim to literacy actually believe that such a paltry sum as N480m can be allocated to any ministry in 2024?
    And now, let’s examine #Dapofixogunroads. The kernel of the campaign is that there are no good roads anywhere in Ogun State, and that Governor Abiodun must start building roads. The first question you have to ask yourself, honesty, is whether the critics actually know anything about Ogun State. This is because in the last five years, the Abiodun administration has constructed/rehabilitated over 600 km of roads in the state. For space constraints, one can only list a few of the roads: Ijebu-Ode-Mojoda-Epe Road, Abeokuta-Siun-Interchange Road, Panseke-Adigbe Road (Abeokuta), Molusi College Road(Ijebu North), Oru-Awa Ilaporu Road (Ijebu North), Oba Erinwole Road (Sagamu), Ikola-Navy-Osi Ota Road (Ota), Ait-Raypower Road (Ota), Kemta-Somorin Road (Abeokuta), Joju-Iyana Ota Road, Fajol-American Junction-Gbonagun road, Olose Titun Vespa Road in Ifo, Baruwa road (Sagamu), Koko-Alari road (Ipokia), Iboro-Imasayi-Ayetotro road – Phase 1, Okeola Road (Imeko), Total-Itori township road, Igan-Ishanmurin-Odo Shikiti road (Ago Iwoye), Esure Road, Ijebu Imushin (Ijebu East) and Igbesa-Lusada Road. The Arepo-Journalist Estate Road, Lantoro-Elite-Idi Aba Road, Ejinrin – Idowa – Awa – Ibefun – Itokin Road, Awujale Road (Awujale, Stadium & Oke Aje) , Molipa / Asafa Isale / Ayegun / Ojofa Road In Ijebu-Ode, Asafa Oke / Fusigboye / Ojofa Street Road, Olommore-Sanni Road in Abeokuta, NNPC – MKO StadiumRoad down to Kuto bridge and IBB Boulevard, Idarika Street Road and Araromi / Sokoto Street Road are all in Ogun State, and guess who did them? A certain gentleman called Dapo Abiodun.

    Read Also: Onasanya named Ogun State HoS


    If you live around the areas covered by Iregun-Ita Osukun-Ilisa Road, Ijebu-Ode-Epe-Sagamu Benin Interchange Flyover Bridge, Ogbagba Street, Ijebu-Ode, Ilishan Market Road, Ilishan, Erunwon-Atan Road, Togburin -Agodo – Tigara, Molipa Expressway- Ibadan Garage, Ijebu Ode, Oyingbo-Olisa-Saka Ashiru-Ijebu Ode Road, Ikenne – Ilishan Ago Iwoye Road, Ijebu Ode Club Road, Ososa Road, Ajegunle Street, Sagamu and Gra Road, Ota, you would no doubt be aware that they are dividends of democracy under Dapo Abiodun. Of course, the boundaries of Ogun State isn’t determined by Twitter stupidity. Out of mischief, ignorance or political motivations, the critics have been throwing dirt at Governor Abiodun and his efforts to rehabilitate/construct roads across Ogun State. Many innocent people joined the bandwagon. After all, who doesn’t want good roads?
    But here’s the point: most of the road targeted for attacks are federal roads. A prime example is the Lagos-Sango-Ota-Abeokuta road. Some context is necessary here. Ogun has more federal roads than most of the states in Nigeria and, sadly, most of them are in a deplorable condition. To the credit of the Abiodun administration, Ogun has actually intervened in so many of these federal roads, making them motorable. Take, for instance, the breathtaking, phenomenally beautiful Epe-Ijebu-Ode road that the then President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated when he visited Ogun State. It is a federal road. Using that road (which now serves as an escape route for people travelling from Lekki, Lagos Island, etc, who want to beat the traffic along the Mainland, etc) while claiming that Governor Abiodun has not built roads in Ogun State has to be classified as a form of mental illness. The people’s governor built that legacy road because of its economic importance to Ogun State. The Sagamu Interchange is a federal road, and so is the Atan Lusada Agbara road, and many more. Abiodun it was who built these masterpieces of engineering. The Laderin train station road built by Abiodun is a federal road. But if Abiodun chooses to expend all Ogun earnings on federal roads, there would be nothing left to do any state road. That’s where the problem lies.
    It is quite unfortunate, isn’t it, that people persist in comparing Lagos to Ogun without bothering to know the federal roads in Lagos and their state. From Ikorodu to Ojota and from Ojota to Anthony Village, to Fadeyi, to Orile Iganmu, to Apongbon, and Marina, it is federal roads you are travelling on. From Berger to Seven Up and Oworonsoki, Third Mainland Bridge, to Lekki-Ajah road, the story is the same. That is also the case from Anthony to Oshodi, to Mile 2, Okokomaiko, Badagry and Osodi, down to Iyana Ipaja. Oshodi to Apapa, Tin Can Island and the Lagos-Abeokuta expressway. The point is this: just take away the federal roads from Lagos and look at the number of roads left for the Lagos State government to handle, then compare with the Ogun situation. Consider the speed with which the FG regularly takes care of its roads in Lagos, and the short shrift given to Ogun. Now imagine, just imagine, that the third mainland bridge is in a deplorable condition. Won’t it affect Lagos very badly? It is interesting that people attribute federal roads to Ogun State and want the state government to expend all its resources on them!
    To be sure, Ogun has done so much on federal roads in the past. When Prince Abiodun came on board, he and Governor Sanwo-Olu wrote a joint letter to President Buhari requesting for the concessioning of the Lagos-Abeokuta road so that they could do it, toll it and return it back to the FG at a stipulated date. But the then Works Minister, Babatunde Fashola, objected to this and even when Governor Abiodun went to Ota and declared that that if the FG did not move to site within two weeks, Ogun State government would not hesitate to do the road, Fashola spit fire, saying Ogun State should leave federal roads alone. Indeed, there are federal roads that the Abiodun government did for which it is still awaiting reimbursement from the FG to date. This is not about passing the buck: the Twitter loudmouths should know the status of the roads they are complaining about.
    Of course, the Abiodun government isn’t going to stop doing federal and state roads in the state. At the moment, five prime roads are being done per local government, as requested by the LGs themselves. The roads in a sorry state, highlighted on the social media, have been scheduled for repairs, but that should not stop a just rebuke of the FG and its ways in Ogun State. That the FG needs to do more in Ogun State cannot overstated. This is not about party politicking: it is a tradition that needs to be dismantled. If the FG approached its roads in Ogun with half the attention it gives Lagos, there would be no #Dapofixogunroads.
    Another thing: roads are generally bad during rainy season, with floods everywhere, in large part because many people build on waterways. Besides, most of the areas complained about are overflows from Lagos. Many residents work in Lagos and live in Ogun. They came to Ogun because of landlord issues, exorbitant housing, rent and land costs in Lagos, etc. Most of these people living on the fringes even see themselves as residents of Lagos. No doubt, the upsurge and overflow within a short period is affecting planning, yet these areas have not been abandoned. It was the Abiodun administration that did the roads in Arepo and Akute after years of neglect. The claim that every road in Ogun is bad is sheer bunkum. Besides, those saying Ogun is making N120bn IGR should try and find out what building a kilometer of road with good furniture costs. It is actually close to a billion.
    Governor Abiodun must engage the FG more; that’s not in doubt. But people should not vent anger uncritically. They should not serve as pawns in the hands of politicians eyeing 2027 and desperately trying to discredit a government working for the people.

    • Bakare lives in Atan, Ogun State and contributes this piece through seyibakare@outlook.com
  • Nestlé Nigeria, Ogun State collaborate on sustainable water

    Nestlé Nigeria, Ogun State collaborate on sustainable water

    To commemorate World Water Day 2024 with the theme “Water for Peace,” Nestlé Nigeria, the Ogun State Government and the Ogun-Osun Water Basin Authority organised an event to raise awareness about the importance of water conservation and responsible water management practices.

    The event which took place in Abeokuta, highlighted the role of Public-Private Partnership, (PPP) to spur collective action towards a water-secure future. Nestlé Nigeria has long been committed to sustainable water practices and has implemented various initiatives to reduce water consumption across its operations.

    Over the last three years, the company has achieved reductions of 48,898 m3 in water usage, demonstrating its dedication to sustainable water stewardship. “We are delighted to collaborate with the Ogun State Government to champion sustainable water practices on World Water Day 2024,” said Mr. Wassim Elhusseini, CEO of Nestlé Nigeria.

    Read Also: Why we did not recover $69.4 million electricity debt, by NBET

    “Water is a precious resource, and it is our collective responsibility to protect and conserve it.

    Through this collaboration, we aim to make a positive impact on the environment and the communities we serve.” The head, Corporate Communications, Public Affairs and Sustainability at Nestlé Nigeria, Victoria Uwadoka said, “We are delighted to collaborate with the Ogun State Government to champion sustainable water practices on World Water Day 2024. Nestlé is committed to taking action to protect water resources for today and for future generations.

    We have therefore implemented water-saving measures to achieve water savings of 48,898 m3 across our operations in the last three years. In addition, we engage with our local communities and other critical stakeholders on water conservation efforts. Water is a precious resource, and it is our collective responsibility to protect and conserve it.

    The World Water Day event with the Ogun State Ministry of Environment and the Ogun- Osun River Basin Development Authority is part of the ongoing collaboration to promote more sustainable water stewardship and to make a positive impact on the environment and the communities we serve.”

    In his speech at the event, the Honourable commissioner for Environment, Hon. Ola Oresanya said “the responsibility for leveraging water for peace is not solely a government role but the joint responsibility of everyone. The need for cooperation by all relevant agencies, industrial and commercial facilities, academia, investors, drillers, and individuals at all levels is the crux of today’s message.”

    “Let us recommit to unite around water and use water for peace and to lay foundations of a more stable and prosperous future. It is time to foster harmony between communities and states, communities and industries, academia, and Government among others. water must be viewed as a shared interest so that management of scarce water resources can lead to cooperation rather than conflict”.

    Nestlé Nigeria also works closely with communities closest to their operations to improve access to clean and safe water through sustainable water projects such as the construction of water infrastructure and the establishment of community boreholes. As part of the collaboration with the Ogun State Government, Nestlé Nigeria will further expand its efforts to promote sustainable water practices. The partnership will focus on raising awareness about water conservation, educating communities about responsible water usage, and implementing initiatives to improve water access and quality.