The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ogun state

  • Winners emerge at Maths contest

    Ten-year-old Madumere Rejoice Ngozi, has won The Ultimate Mathematics Ambassador (TUMA) competition, which held in Ota, Ogun State.

    Ngozi, a pupil of Giant Stride Nursery and Primary School, Ifo, competed with over 1,200 pupils from 408 schools in Ogun and other neighbouring states.

    With a staggering 93 per cent, Ngozi beat nine-year-old Enwere Kingsley Ikenna of Cuddly Kids School and 10-year-old Oyindamola Olawale Hann of Vickstell International School, Ikorodu, who both emerged first and second runners up.

    She was presented with cash prize of N500, 000 and a plaque. Her teacher, Mr Moses Issa, went home with N150, 000 and a plaque and her school was given a laptop, printer, textbooks and a plaque.

    Kingsley received N300, 000 and a plaque. His teacher Kehinde Mukadaz was presented with N100, 000 and a plaque; while the school was given a laptop, textbooks and a plaque. Third place Olawale was handed N200, 000 and a plaque, her teacher Mr Edeh Anayo Samuel got N75, 000 and a plaque while her school got a printer, textbooks and a plaque.

    Others who emerged fourth to 10th positions were presented with N50, 000 cash prize and N25,000.00 for their teachers.  Contestants between 11th and 15th positions went home with prizes.

    The Ambassadors Schools, organiser of the event, said TUMA was borne to address children’s phobia for mathematics.

    Ambassadors Schools Chairman Samson Yomi Osewa, said: “We know that many children today have phobia for mathematics. This school has excelled in mathematics competitions, especially national competition.  We are, therefore, grateful that these organisers have sown into our lives. We, then, decided that for our social responsibility, we should run mathematics competition in primary school to prepare pupils ahead of their secondary education. This, we believe,  will remove the phobia for mathematics.

    Osewa recalled that during TUMA’s maiden edition, the highest marks scored was 63. Nonetheless, he is happy that it skyrocketed to 93 per cent this year, with more schools participating.

    Osewa said the school, as the organiser, has been magnanimous by ensuring that 50 of the participants are encouraged via gift presentation.

    “We give prizes to as many as the top 50 that participated in the competition to encourage them. Anybody who does not get a prize will not want to come again; that is why we decided that let everyone get something modest for their effort, including their teachers. It will also encourage pupils to study harder in mathematics.”

    Earlier, guest speaker and a professor of Chemistry, Odebunmi Ezekiel, described Mathematics as the bedrock of national development. He lamented that students’ performance in mathematics had gone down.

    He said: “The major reason why performance in mathematics has gone down is phobia. This can be caused by learning environment, which doesn’t encourage the teaching and learning of mathematics. The teacher factor is another reason. Some of the mathematics teachers are themselves not students of mathematics; they are just doing it without loving the subject. Some of them who know it don’t know how to teach it in a way that students will understand.

    ‘’The last one is the fact that many of the textbooks we have in the market are not reader-friendly at all because of the way they present the concept and the type of questions they ask the students.”

  • Osinbajo to Ogun people: Come out to vote, ignore threats of mayhem

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on Wednesday revealed that the Presidency had received security report that some people in position of authority in Ogun state were threatening fire and brimstone during and after the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections scheduled for March 9 in the state.

    Osinbajo, however, urged the people to discountenance such threats, saying it is only the Federal government that is saddled with the exclusive preserve to provide security for the protection of lives and property.

    The Vice -President who addressed thousands of traders at Kuto, Itoku, Lafenwa and Panseke markets – all in Abeokuta, separately in a mega rally for APC,  further assured that nobody would be able to breach the peace or cause problem as there are adequate security arrangement to ensure the safety of everybody.

    Osinbajo urged the traders to come out en masse to cast their ballots for the All Progressives Congress Governorship candidate in the state, Prince Dapo Abiodun.

    “We will do all humanly possible within the ambit of the law to provide adequate security for all and sundry on and after the coming Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the state.

    So, don’t panic as we are up to the task ahead.

    “The coming Governorship election in Ogun state is very crucial and we should all come out and vote.

    “And you are to cast your votes for Prince Dapo Abiodun as the Ogun state governor. Also, vote for all House of Assembly candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the election.

    “By and large, ensure your votes are counted in your presence before you leave the polling booths.

    Don’t let us turn our back at the APC, because it is the only party that can take us to the next level. And we should not cast our votes for any other party than the APC,” Osinbajo advised.

    Similarly, former governor and leader of the party, Aremo Olusegun Osoba, enjoined the people to cast their votes for Abiodun as the next governor.

    Osoba said the Vice-President who represented the President for the rally, brought good tidings for the state to express appreciation for the electoral victory of the President Muhammadu Buhari/Osinbajo joint ticket in the Saturday, February 23, 2019 polls.

    Also, Dapo  Abiodun who was flanked by his running mate, Engr. Noimot Salako-Oyedele and the Lagos West Senator, Solomon Adeola, appealed to the people to support him to emerge victorious on Saturday.

    “We won’t promise what we would not do. But with your support during the polls, victory is sure for us in the APC.

    “Come out and cast your votes for the APC. Your votes are to make Ogun state greater,”  Abiodun said.

  • PDP senatorial candidate, Amusan, 50,000 supporters back APC’s Abiodun

    Former House of Representatives member and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State on Wednesday formally announced his defection from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress(APC).
    Amusan, who represented Abeokuta North, Obafemi Owode and Odeda Federal Constituency for eight years on the platform of PDP, said he is leaving former party for the ruling APC with over 50,000 thousand supporters he has been nurturing in the last 19 years.
    The property magnate, who was also the senatorial candidate of PDP in the last National Assembly election  for Ogun Central, told reporters during a press briefing  in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital that his defection would further boost the chances of Prince Dapo Abiodun succeeding Governor Ibikunle Amosun.
    Amusan said he knows the capacity of Abiodun as a successful entrepreneur and business man, saying he is the type of man the Gateway state required now to run the affairs of the state, urging his supporters and Ogun people to cast their ballot for the APC governorship hopeful.
    He also called on the electorate to support the candidacy of Abiodun and desist from the habit of making unnecessary demand from those who signify interest to serve, saying such attitude would scare away people with genuine desire to serve.

  • Man kills 99-year-old aunt in Ogun

    The Police in Ogun State have arrested a 29-year-old man Owolabi Adewale for killing his aunt Ebunola Aroboto, 99.

    The suspect was said to have butchered the woman at Maraisa Lane Igan road Ago-Iwoye, after suspecting she was responsible for his spiritual problems.

    According to the police, the incident occurred on Monday.

    Police spokesman Abimbola Oyeyemi, a Deputy Superintendent (DSP) said Adewale claimed the deceased usually used her magic powers to change lottery numbers whenever he was sure of winning.

    “His arrest followed a distress call received by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Ago-Iwoye Division Ade Adedoyin, a Chief Superintendent (CSP) that a middle aged man has butchered his aunty Ebunola Aroboto to death at Maraisa Lane Igan road Ago-Iwoye.

    “On receiving the distress call, the DPO quickly led his detectives to the scene where the suspect was promptly arrested and the cutlass which he used to wreak the havoc recovered.

    Read Also: Ogun pensioners to work for APC’s victory

    “The suspect admitted killing the old woman with matchet claiming that he has an inclination that the woman was responsible for most of his spiritual problems.

    “He stated he was a regular player of Baba Ijebu lotto and that whenever he was sure of wining, the deceased who was his father elder sister, will use her supernatural power to change the wining number.

    “The body of the deceased has been deposited at Ijebu-Ode general hospital mortuary for post mortem examination.

    “The Commissioner of Police Ahmed Iliyasu has directed the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) State Criminal investigation and intelligence Department (SCIID) Wale Abass to take over the case and see to diligent prosecution of the suspect,” said Oyeyemi.

     

  • Workers boo, shame Amosun over hostile policies

    Angry workers in their thousands repeatedly booed Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, calling him names on Tuesday for alleged hostile disposition towards their colleagues in the state.

    Amosun, who hurriedly adjourned his meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Com. Ayuba Wabba and other affiliate unions, rushed out of the Governor’s Office on being notified the irate workers had already hit the road and were advancing speedily to storm Oke – Mosan.

    But his escape was not quick enough as the workers, who had taken over the IBB Boulevard leading to the Oke – Mosan Governor’s Office sighted him as he drives himself away in a black jeep and began to boo him, calling him many names.

    The urged Wabba and other NLC leaders negotiating with the Governor on behalf of the aggrieved workers to be tactful and apply utmost wisdom, alleging that Amosun is accustomed to reneging on his promises to workers.

    Read Also: Three days after suspension, Amosun meets Buhari

    Wabba, who also left the meeting with the Governor to calm the workers and halt their advancement to Oke – Mosan, said they were already in a dialogue with respect to four fundamental issues affecting state workers and that a commitment had been obtained from the Amosun he would address those issues.

    The NLC leadership added that one of the four issues is the call for reinstatement of the state NLC Chairman, Akeem Ambali, whom he sacked over a year ago.

    He announced Ambali has been reinstated by the Governor, assuring that their presence in the state is not politically motivated.

    According to him, before the close of the day, NLC would sign an agreement with the state government regarding its commitment to address the issues of unremitted salary deduction, contributory pension funds, unpaid salaries and allowances of staff of Tai Solarin College of Education, Omu – Ijebu among others.

    Earlier, Wabba lamented the litany of anti – workers decisions of Amosun – led administration in the state, citing the sack of NLC Chairman, Com. Akeem Ambali, and “unremitted deduction of over 105 months” as examples of hostile workers policies.

    According to the NLC leadership, no other state in Nigeria has such unprecedented record of either sacking union leader or having over 105 months of accumulated unremitted deductions.

    Wabba, who was particularly appalled by the “very pathetic” situation of workers at the Tai Solarin College of Education, said some of them at the institutions have not earned salaries for the past eight years, lamenting their salaries have accumulated to the tune of over N4b (four billion naira).

    He revealed some of the workers of Tai Solarin College of Education being owed by state government have died, stressing that Amosun – led administration worsened the plights of the workers by proscribing their union.

    “The is the issue of statutory deductions, deductions of pension, deductions of unions dues, deductions of cooperatives, all statutory deductions which are part of the worker salaries.

    “The law is that you must deduct and remit to the appropriate quarters, these deductions have not been remitted for over 105 months, and no state in Nigeria that has such situation.

  • Ogun forum canvasses support for Isiaka

    Ogun West Stakeholders Forum, a coalition of interest groups and ethnic nationalities in the Ogun West, has appealed to Ogun State voters to elect the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate, Prince Gboyega Isiaka.

    The group, in a statement by the Coordinator, Yewaland Development Union, Mr. Semiu Fatogun, said its opinion polls among the people of Ogun-West, Ogun Central and Ogun East showed Isiaka’s wide acceptability, which supported his endorsement by the people of Yewa Awori at an earlier summit.

    The group also noted that the organisers of the Ogun West Decides Summit, which was held in Ilaro, did it after due consultation with prominent politicians and non-politicians across Ogun West.

    The group appealed to Ogun-West indigenes to support the realisation of the age-long dream of producing the state’s governor by voting for ADC candidate.

    It reminded them that they should not allow the zoning of deputy governor to the area to obstruct the realisation of the age-long dream of producing the state’s chief executive.

    The group made it clear that nothing short of the number one position would augur well for the growth of Ogun West.

    The group appealed to political parties in Ogun State not to encourage any form of violence during and after the elections in the interest of the masses they posture to represent.

  • Police arrest one-chance robbery gang in Ogun

    The Police in Ogun State have arrested three – man robbery gang in Atan-Ota area of Ado-Odo Ota Local Government area of the State, who engaged in luring unsuspecting passengers into a vehicle only to rob them on isolated areas on the way later.

    The suspects; Aisu Anago(30), Muritala Alubarika(42) and Noah Joel (34) were arrested last  February 28 at Atan motor park following a tip – off by one Mrs Taye Olotu,  who had earlier being their  victim.

    Mrs Olotu reported to a Police patrol team led by a Divisional Police Officer, Atan-Ota Division, a Superintendent of Police, Abiodun Salau, that she boarded a vehicle going  to Idiroko earlier in February but was robbed by the occupants half way into the journey before pushing her out of the vehicle.

    She informed the Police further that while she wanted to board a vehicle again at the same park, she saw the suspects who had earlier robbed her  calling passengers into their vehicle and decided to alert the police about it.

    Read Also: ‘No policeman killed bus driver in Lagos’

    The Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, who made this known in a statement on Sunday, stated that upon the information received, the patrol team quickly followed the woman to the motor park, met the suspects and arrested three of them.

    Abimbola, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), stated further that a search  on them led to the discovery of a cutlass and rope which they often use to tie victims before dispossessing them of their properties.

    The Police Spokesman in the state, also noted that the suspects had revealed their mode of operation.

    “They have made confessional statements that their mode of operation is for one of them to act as a driver of the car, while the two others will pretend to be passengers already in the car and they will sit in such a way that will ensure their victim is sandwiched between them.

    “Once they got to an isolated area, one of them will bring out the  cutlass and the other one will use the rope to tie the hands of the victim to make it easy for them to search and dispossess such person of whatever valuables with him or her.

    “They admitted been the gang that robbed the complainant earlier in the month, of the sum of N100, 000.”

    He explained that  the Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Iliyasu, has directed that  the suspects should be transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery  Squad for discreet investigation.

  • Amosun’s suspension long overdue, says Ogun APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC), in Ogun State has hailed the suspension of Governor Ibikunle Amosun, by the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), describing it as a thing that is “long overdue.”

    In a press statement in Abeokuta on Friday by the APC Ogun Caretaker Committee’s Publicity Secretary, Tunde Oladunjoye, the party stated that it received the suspension slammed on Amosun wholeheartedly.

    The statement reads: “we received the NWC’s decision wholeheartedly and we say it is long overdue.

    “Governor Amosun’s actions constitute a huge demonstration of ingratitude and party disloyalty.

    Read also: After suspension, Okorocha says Oshiomhole is blinded by 2023 ambition

    “We are calling on the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party to go ahead and expel Governor Amosun from the party without further delay.

    “This will teach him a lesson and serve as deterrent to people who may want to follow his inglorious path.”

  • Winners emerge at Maths contest

    Ten-year-old Madumere Rejoice Ngozi, has emerged winner in the The Ultimate Mathematics Ambassador (TUMA) competition, Ota, Ogun State.

    Ngozi, a pupil of Giant Stride Nursery and Primary School, Ifo, competed with over 1,200 pupils from 408 schools in Ogun and other neighbouring states.

    With a staggering 93 per cent, Ngozi beat nine-year-old Enwere Kingsley Ikenna of Cuddly Kids School and 10-year-old Oyindamola Olawale Hann of Vickstell International School, Ikorodu, who both emerged first and second runners up.

    Ngozi was presented with a N500, 000 and a plaque. Her teacher Mr Moses Issa, went home with N150, 000 and a plaque and her school was given a laptop, printer, textbooks and a plaque.

    Kingsley received N300, 000 and a plaque. His teacher Kehinde Mukadaz was presented with N100, 000 and a plaque; while the school was given a laptop, textbooks and a plaque. Third place Olawale was handed N200, 000 and a plaque, her teacher Mr Edeh Anayo Samuel got N75, 000 and a plaque while her school got a printer, textbooks and a plaque.

    Others who emerged fourth to 10th positions were presented with N50, 000 cash prize and N25,000.00 for their teachers.  Contestants between 11th and 15th positions went home with prizes.

    The Ambassadors Schools, organiser of the event, said TUMA was birthed to address children’s phobia for mathematics.

    Ambassadors Schools Chairman Samson Yomi Osewa, said: “We know that many children today have phobia for mathematics. This school has excelled in mathematics competitions, especially national competition.  We are, therefore, grateful that these organisers have sown into our lives. We, then, decided that for our social responsibility, we should run mathematics competition in primary school to prepare pupils ahead of their secondary education. This, we believe,  will remove the phobia of mathematics.

    Osewa recalled that during TUMA’s maiden edition, the highest marks scored was 63. Nonetheless, he is happy that it skyrocketed to 93 per cent this year, with more schools participating.

    Osewa said the school, as the organiser, has been magnanimous by ensuring 50 of the participants are encouraged via gift presentation.

    “We give prizes to as many as the top 50 that participated in the competition to encourage them. Anybody who does not get a prize will not want to come again; that is why we decided that let everyone get something modest for their effort including their teachers. It will also encourage pupils to study harder in mathematics.”

    Earlier guest speaker and a professor of Chemistry, Odebunmi Ezekiel, described Mathematics as the bedrock of national development.

    He lamented that students’ performance in mathematics had gone down.

    He said: “The major reason why performance in mathematics has gone down is phobia. This can be caused by learning environment, which doesn’t encourage the teaching and learning of mathematics. The teacher factor is another reason. Some of the mathematics teachers are themselves not students of mathematics; they are just doing it without loving the subject. Some of them who know it don’t know how to teach it in a way that students will understand.

    ‘’The last one is the fact that many of the textbooks we have in the market are not reader-friendly at all because of the way they present the concept and the type of questions they ask the students.”

  • NASS elections in Ogun elaborate charade, says ADC

    The Gboyega Nasir Isiaka Campaign Organisation (GNICO) on Wednesday declared last Saturday’s National Assembly elections in Ogun State were “elaborate charade”.

    It alleged the outcomes were bought and not won by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    The party particularly cited Ipokia, Yewa South and Ogun Central Senatorial district where it alleged the exercise was characterised by sundry malfeasance, including violence, intimidation and “blatant use of fake Youth Corps unknown to INEC” as well as fake police officers to pervert the process to favour the Allied Peoples Movement (APM) and APC.”

    Addressing reporters at GNICO office on Quarry road, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital, the GNICO’s Director – General Asiwaju Tony Ojeshina strongly warned against a repeat of such malfeasances during the forthcoming March 9 governorship election in the state.

    Ojeshina, who was a former Commissioner, said election should not be a do – or – die affair and advised the purveyors of violence and thuggery not to “turn Ogun state into war zone.”

    According to him, ADC and GNICO have also been inundated with plans by agents of violence to create an atmosphere that would  prevent many voters from coming out to vote due to fear of the unknown.

    He urged Ogun state citizens not to exercise any fear whatsoever, but come out to cast their votes for Gboyega Nasir Isiaka of the African Democratic Party (ADC).

    Ojeshina said: “As a responsible party and campaign organisation, we are not raising red herring or crying foul where there is none but our disappointment and disapproval of this process stems from the fact that we saw it ahead, cried out, yet INEC and the security apparatus ware handicap while antidemocratic forces had their way.

    “A few of these malfeasance are hereby catalogued: There were deliberate discrepancies in the numbers and unexplained disappearance of ballot papers distributed to some Local Governments when compared to the numbers from state distribution centre (CBN).

    “Two prominent examples include Imeko-Afon Local Government missing a total of 6,050 ballot papers and Ajilete ward in Yewa-South local government missing 5,500. In the case of Imeko-Afon, it  took sustained media agitation and harassment of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner before supplementary ballot papers where brought to remedy the tense situation.

    Read Also: NASS members don’t hate Buhari, says Dogara

    “For Ajilete, the missing ballot papers were never recovered; and after intense pressure, they brought 3,000 ballot papers from another location that did not have same serial numbers with that of Ajilete – which we rejected and got the AEO to sign an undertaking to discount the missing 5,500 and vote with the leftover.

    “Non- enforcement of open-secret ballot system because in many locations, voters were surreptitiously allowed to display their voting preferences to lurking arty agents with active connivance of some security officers and polling officers.

    “Inexperienced and poorly trained ad-hoc staffs and polling agents that were at times confused.

    “Compromised ad-hoc staffs loyal to the ruling party were used in many polling booths across the state.

    “There was multiple voting in many location by individuals; indicative of compromise of officials or failure of card reader accreditation.

    “Voting was stopped in some locations due to dried ink as voters were incapable of thumb-printing any longer.

    “There are recorded incidences of voting in certain booths without card readers working; contrary to provisions of the electoral act 2010 (As amended) and INEC guidelines.

    “Another very unfortunate recorded malfeasance include the thuggery at Ipokia Local Government where a particular candidate that felt he must win that local government deployed thugs to unleash mayhem in many polling booths; chasing away many voters who fled for safety; and in the process, a police officer was shot dead while many sustained injuries.”