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Tag: Ogun state

  • Oronna Ilaro Festival set to raise tourism bar in Ogun

    The Olu of Ilaro, His Royal Majesty Oba Gbadewole Olugbenle has said the 25th Oronna Ilaro Festival billed for 10th to 18th will raise the bar in the tourism sector of Ogun state.
    The king, speaking at a news conference in Ikeja, Lagos said the “Festival of Unity” is targeted at attracting the descendants of Ilaro across the world including South and North America to the colourful reception and make their contribution towards the growth and development of Ilaro.
    Promoting the cultural heritage of the people of Ilaro, the festival will feature carnival and road show, Igunnuko masquerade parade, colourful gelede display, traditional Efe dance, football competitions and medical checkups.
    On Saturday, the festivity will climax with the “Sisi Ilaro Beauty Pageant”, an event where young ladies will compete for a crown.
    According to the Oba Olugbenle, the event will not take the shape of a fund-raising campaign as corporate sponsorships deals have been striked with leading telecoms operator, MTN, the Ogun state government and the Federal Ministry of Tourism.

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    “Since my reign began, we’ve have stopped using the festival as an avenue to raise funds. I find it unnecessary because it scares people away and even those who come tend to make pledges they can’t redeem. This is why we have turned to corporate bodies for partnership,” he said.
    Dignitaries expected to grace the occasion include the Governor of Ogun state, Ibikunle Amosun and the Dangote Group President Alhaji Aliko Dangote among others.
    The Oronna Ilaro festival is an annual festival primarily conceived to preserve, uphold and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of Ilaro.
    Oronna was the mythological hero of Ilaro who distinguished himself in battles against the Dahomeans who were a scourge to the area.
    Since its official inaugurated in 1992, the socio cultural festival has strived  to yearly assemble the sons and daughters of Ilaro within and outside the Diaspora with a view to reminding and instilling in them the spirit of brotherhood and a sense of belonging towards the rich cultural heritage of Ilaro land.
    The festival has overtime become a major tourist attraction and destination for all in Nigeria and around the world.

  • Policeman found dead in pit in Delta

    A 51 year old police officer, Inspector Samuel Onwueriegho has been found dead in Pit, along Ekwuoma road, near Owerri-Olubor, Ika North East L.G.A.

    The Nation gathered that the deceased policeman, whose decomposing body was found Monday night, attached to 22 Police Mobile Force (PMF),Lagos.

    It remains unclear how the deceased ended up in a pit after he left his Dominion Estate home, at Iyana – Iyesi Ogun State on 13 September 2018,

    A source told The Nation gathered that the wife of the deceased, Joy, reportedly told family members that her husband left without informing her.

    It was learnt that a relative Joel Obuseh, lodged a complaint that the deceased dropped by his home en-route Ubulu-Uku on September 14 at about 1.00 a.m.

    The wife of the deceased policeman organised a search party on September 20th after receiving information that her husband was seen in Delta State.

    A search revealed the victim in a pit.

    A police source confirmed that the remains was discovered “without external injuries on the body”.

    The corpse has been deposited at a mortuary for autopsy while investigation is ongoing, the source added.

     

  • Ogun PDP: Secondus’ list illegal, Kashamu-backed exco tells INEC

    The Adebayo Dayo-led executive committee of the Ogun Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reject candidates’ list submitted by the party’s national secretariat for the 2019 general elections .

    It said the lists approved by PDP National Chairman Uche Secondus and National Secretary, Senator Umar Ibrahim Tsauri, were prepared in contempt of court and thus unlawful.

    It made the claims in a letter written through its lawyer,  Dr Alex Izinyon SAN to INEC on Monday, following two letters by Secondus and Tsauri which challenged the commission’s acceptance of the Dayo-led exco’s candidates’ list for the polls.

    Last week, INEC acknowledged the nomination of Prince Leke Shittu and Dr Rueben Abati as the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) governorship and deputy governorship candidates for the 2019 election in Ogun State.

    Abati’s nomination form was received on October 30 by Mr Bashir Abubakar at the INEC headquarters in Abuja. Abubakar endorsed his rank as an ‘SLO’.

    Shittu and Abati, a former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, were on the candidates list submitted to INEC by the Dayo-led executive committee of Ogun PDP.

    The list also includes the name of ex-Ogun governor Otunba Gbenga Daniel who is contesting for the Ogun East senatorial district.

    The Dayo-led exco is backed by the lawmaker representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Senator Buruji Kashamu.

    It described the national secretariat’s argument as obvious fallacies, misconstrued factual situation, palpable falsehood and denial of established legal principles having regards to the indisputable documents on the subject matter.”

    According to Izinyon, the argument that the “National Organs of the party have the exclusive right to conduct congress for the nomination/sponsorship of candidates for election in all public electoral offices from councilor to Presidency,” is untrue.

    Ironton said: “Indeed this attempt is to put a wool on the face of your Commission and committing a legal harakiri having regards to the correct factual and legal position on ground.

    “The first misconception contained in both letters revolve round the hullabaloo that your office “insisted” on violation of the Constitution of the Peoples Democratic, the Electoral Guidelines and the Electoral Act and in disobedience of the Supreme Court Judgments on exclusive right of political parties.”

    The Silk said similar judicial decisions on the matter showed that the PDP leadership must conduct the affairs Ogun State Chapter via the new officers which includes primaries.

    “Rather than do this, the PDP National body set up its own officers contrary to the subsisting Orders.” he said.

    The lawyer stated that the Federal High Court had restrained the party National Secretariat from “conducting the affairs of the PDP in Ogun State except through new officers” that emerged from congresses conducted” by the Dayo-led exco.”

    Izinyon said there had not been any appeal of the judgment.

    He continued: “It was therefore cleat that for the PDP’s national leadership to have the effrontery  to prepare their list, smirks of lawlessness and illegality”.

    “We urge the commission to ignore the attempt to obfuscate the issue by both letters and we implore you continue to accord respect and give validity to the subsisting judgment and orders of the Federal High Court.”

  • 1800 flood victims in Ogun receives relief materials

    The Ogun State government has flagged off the distribution of relief materials to 1800 flood victims in Abeokuta North and South Local Government Areas of the State.

    The State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun during the Flag Off distribution exercise to the July 13, 2018 flood victims at Arcade ground Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, said flooding was a global phenomenon, which occurred as a result of climate change and had continued to wreck more havoc in different part of the world.

    Represented by his Deputy, Chief (Mrs.) Yetunde Onanuga, Amosun disclosed that, structures mostly affected were situated at flood prone areas, with poor sanitation, calling on relevant agencies of government to be more effective at ensuring good environmental sanitation, so as to prevent re-occurrence.

    Read Also: 23 suspected cultists arrested in Ogun

    Also speaking at the event, the Director General, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Engr. Mustafa Maihaja, represented by the Chief Planning Officer, Mr. Segun Afolayan, noted that 1800 victims registered with NEMA and their items were ready for distribution, urging the Federal government to sign the NEMA bill into law so as to effectively exercise its duties.

    In his remark, the State Commissioner for Environment, Mr. Bolaji Oyeleye, stated that, relief materials distributed included;  foodstuffs, building materials, mattress among others, imploring beneficiaries to effectively utilize them.

    Speaking on behalf of other beneficiaries, Mrs. Anike Ogunsola and Mr. Abayomi Idowu, while appreciating both Federal and State government for the relief materials given to them, called for more measures to promote sanitation and urged government to ensure proper enforcement of environmental laws.

  • Land grabbing suspects remanded for attempted murder, threat to life

    A Sagamu Chief Magistrates’ Court in Ogun State on Thursday remanded seven suspected land grabbers in prison custody for allegedly attempting to kill residents of Isoso Village, in Sagamu Remo, Ogun State.

    The suspects are: Adeyeye Taofeek, 30; Olayinka Adeoti Akin, 49; Akeem Akinyeml Olamide, 33; Jamiu Kolawole, 42; lsah Kolawole, 22; Saheed Allison, 32 and Kolawole ldowu Tijani, 42.

    Magistrate O. F. Adeduntan made the order after hearing a motion ex-parte brought by police counsel, Mr Morufu Animashaun, and a temporary charge marked MSH/348WC/2018.

    Adeduntan, who noted that the magistrate court had no jurisdiction to entertain a charge of attempted murder, did not take the defendants’ plea.

    She remanded them pending advice on the matter from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) on December 31, and adjourned till January 4, 2019 for further hearing of the case.

    Earlier, Animashaun said a case of conspiracy, attempted murder, unlawful possession of firearms, threatening violence and conduct likely to cause breach of peace had been established against the defendants.

    The offences, according to him, were contrary to and punishable under sections 516, 320(1), 249(d) of the Criminal Laws of Ogun State, 2006, and sections 4 and 28(1) (b) of the Firearms Act, 2004.

    The prosecutor’s motion ex parte was backed by an 11-paragraph affidavit, deposed to by Inspector Idoka Nwadiogor of the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Monitoring Unit, Force Headquarters, Abuja.

    Read Also: Court remands eight for ‘attempted murder’

    It contained the suspects’ statements, complainants’ statements and photographs of the victims during the alleged attack on the community, among other exhibits.

    In the affidavit, Idoka averred that on August 3, the IGP Monitoring Unit, led by Mr. Abu Sanni, a Commissioner of Police, received a petition from Bayo Omoniyi and Co., a lawyer to the Isoso Village, alleging that the suspects and one Kazeem Teriba, invaded the community with guns, axes, cutlasses and other weapons, injured residents, damaged their properties, and stationed “fierce looking armed thugs to keep vigil in and around the town.”

    The deponent also averred that police investigation found the respondents had questions to answer in the attack and shooting of the complainants.

    He also alleged that one locally made gun, two short axes and four cutlasses were recovered from the defendants.

     

  • Ogun women hail NWC decision on Abiodun

    Hundreds of women Women in Ogun State under the aegis of Women In Politics(WIN) on Thursday staged a peaceful rally in support of decision and steadfastness of the National Working Committee(NWC) of the All Progressives Congress regarding the party’s governorship candidate in Ogun State, Prince  Dapo Abiodun.

    The women who  stormed the Secretariat of the state Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Abeokuta, the state capital, bearing  placards with inscriptions hailing the APC NWC under the leadership of the Adams Oshiomhole, said “the party has spoken on Ogun and Dapo Abiodun is the answer,” urging party members to bury their differences and support the candidate to emerge victorious in 2019.

    Some of the inscriptions on placards, read : ” The Party has spoken, Dapo Abiodun is our man, “We kick against imposition,  Dapo Abiodun is the answer, women in politics say Dapo Abiodun is the one.”

    Addressing reporters during the peaceful rally, the President, Mrs Abosede Akande, disclosed that the group  worked hard enough to return the progressives in government in Ogun State since 2011, vowing that they would repeat the same feat for Abiodun candidature in 2019.

    Banking on members having their Permanent Voter Card(PVC), they would reject any inducement and vote for Abiodun, expressing the confidence that the candidate would put women into consideration and not turn his back on them if elected into office.

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    He said:  “We want Dapo Abiodun to be our Governor, God has done it for us. The suffering is so much in the State. We want Dapo Abiodun to be the Governor. We are going to vote en-mass for  Abiodun.

    “We will reject money for vote, we have our PVC’s to vote for Dapo Abiodun, we support the NWC decision and we are also giving our support to Adams Oshiomhole.”

    Earlier leaders of the  All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ikenne Local Government of Ogun of State  urged Governor Ibikunle Amosun to support the popular choice of Prince Dapo Abiodun as governorship candidate of the party for 2019 gubernatorial election and not scuttle the chances of the party retaining power in the state beyond 2019.

    The APC leaders who described the oil magnate and real estate player as a seasoned administrator, selfless politician and highly successful manager of men and resources, said Abiodun remained the best man to consolidate on many giant strides the governor had recorded in the last seven years.

    Honourable Idowu Solaru who addressed the men’s rally in Ikenne, the home town of late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, noted that Amosun raised the bar of governance, especially in the areas of infrastructure in the state and appealed to him to throw his weight behind Prince Dapo Abiodun.

    “Prince Dapo Abiodun who we are very proud of as one of our distinguished sons in Ikenne local government is undoubtedly very qualified for the tasks ahead. He has the competence and capacity to take the state to greater height.

    “He remain the best man to continue the mission to rebuild beyond May 2019. We are here to identify with the mandate freely given to our son and to as well beg the governor to let his candidature be, it is for the good of our party and the people of Ogun state,”  he said.

    Also, Emmanuel Ayodele lauded President Muammadu Buhari, Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibajo and National Chairman of APC, Comrade Adams Oshiomole for ensuring that the will of general members of the party in the state to pick a governorship candidate of their desire prevailed.

    Oyenuga described Prince Abiodun as the best foot APC must put forward for 2019 governorship challenge in the state urging the governor to please eschew any sort of bitterness, accept general wish of the party members as a good democrat and give his support to the billionaire business mogul to take over from him.

  • Man docked over alleged rape of minor

    A 35-year-old man, Adekunle Aiyegunle, was on Thursday brought before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun State over alleged rape of a minor.

    Aiyegunle, who lives at Odediran area of Iyana-Iyesi in Ota, is facing a charge of rape.

    The Prosecutor, Sgt. Chudu Gbesi, told the court that the accused committed the offence on Oct.17 at about 10.30 a.m at his residence.

    Gbesi said that the accused raped a 4 year-old girl (name withheld).

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    He said that the accused was caught in the act of committing the offence by his neighbour, who reported the case at Onipanu Police Station.

    Gbesi said that the offence contravened Section 360 of the Criminal Code Vol. 1, Laws of Ogun, 2006.

    The accused, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

    The Senior Magistrate, Mr G. E. Akan, granted bail of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    Akan said that the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and be gainfully employed with the evidence of tax payment to Ogun Government.

    The case was adjourned until Nov. 5 for further hearing.

     

    NAN

  • PDP governorship candidate cautions INEC over party list

    A governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ogun State, Mr. Ladi Adebutu has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) against changing the list of candidates submitted to it by the leadership of the PDP.

    Adebutu who stormed the PDP Abuja secretariat on Thursday alleged attempts by a faction in the party’s Ogun State chapter to smuggle in unauthorized list of candidates to the commission.

    Adebutu, who represents Ikenne/Shagamu/Remo North in the House of Representatives, said the national leadership of the PDP had dissolved all parallel state executives in the state.

    According to him, the state executive was later reconstituted following valid election into the various positions. He accused a faction, led by the senator representing Ogun East senatorial district, Buruji Kashamu of dividing the PDP in the state.

    He accused the Kashamu faction of attempting to submit list of candidates to INEC through the back door.

    Speaking with journalists at the PDP secretariat, Adebutu said,  “The National Working Committee set up election and screening committees. Forms were sold, we participated in the primaries and 40 candidates emerged in Ogun State.

    “But a parallel group printed forms, sold the forms, held a convention and people emerged. If we allow this kind of lawlessness where people stay in their rooms to pick candidates  and obtain court injunction to sustain it, then there is trouble.

    “The element of transparency is totally destroyed. The law clearly states that there shall be only one primary organised by a party.

    “This is a deliberate attempt to make the PDP a weaker party in Ogun State like what we saw in Edo and Ondo States. The time we could have spent campaigning, we spent it on conflict resolution in the two cases”.

    The governorship candidate urged the INEC and well meaning Nigerians to stand up and oppose those he described as enemies of democracy.

  • Amosun assures of completion of on-going projects

    ……Task stakeholders on Economic Development

    The Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun has reassured citizens of the State his administration’s determination to work on all awarded road projects with speed as soon as rainfall subsides.
    The Governor said this at the State 2019 budget town hall meeting organized to sensitize and obtain inputs from stakeholders for inclusion into the budget.
    He explained that work was already on going on some of the roads while others would not be left unattended to.
    He dispelled the on going rumours on the status of J4 and J6 forest reserves that his administration did not and was not aware of the sale of the forest reserves.
    He appreciated the citizens for their support to his administration which he said has contributed in no small measure to his success.
    Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Budget and Planning Ms. Adenrele Adesina has said that Investment in infrastructure, education, housing among others have been identified as tools for the transformation of Ogun State.
    The Commissioner made this known while welcoming stakeholders to 2019 budget town hall meeting held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta.

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    Adenrele explained that the State’s proud heritage in education is currently in the cocoon of the next wave of transformation as skills revolution is underway to support the next chapter of manufacturing and agricultural sector growth.
    She called on stakeholders to join hands with the present administration to ensure a stronger and more productive future  for growth and economic advancement  in realising the state’s potentials and preservation of  the state  heritage.
    ” As proud citizens of Ogun State, we are all stakeholders in this journey and must all join hands in order to ensure that the State’s potential is realized, and our proud heritage is honored” Adenrele stated.
    Responding on behalf of traditional rulers, the Alake of Egbaland and chairman of Ogun State Council  of Obas  Oba Aremu  Gbadebo  appreciated the present administration for timely response to the welfare of royal fathers in the State.
    Stakeholders at the meeting included  representatives of various interest groups across the state, such as traditional, religious and political leaders, trade associations, market associations, professional bodies, civil society groups, student unions, among others.

  • Ogun community gives FG condition relocating from power line

    …as NEMSA insists government has compensated residents

    Iperun district in Ogun State has given the Federal Government conditions for relocating from power line, in accordance with the right of way policy of the government. 

    The residents have told the government that although their lives and property are under threat from the hazards of the high tension, the only condition that they would relocating from their present abode is if the government resettles them. 

    They predicated their reason on the fact that their houses that were built in 1957 to 1958 predated the power line. 

    Already the electricity Distribution Company (DisCo) has disconnected the houses form power supply while the Federal Government is liaising with the state governments to clear all structure on right of way. 

    This was aired in the Service and Safety Half Hour on Radio Nigeria, sponsored by the Nigeria Electricity Management Service Agency (NEMSA), which The Nation monitored at the weekend. 

    Whereas the agency’s Managing Director, Engr. Peter Ewesor insisted that the Federal Government has already compensated the residents in the past, the residents said that they were only given N33,000 in 2015 for inconveniences, and that it was too meager to be called a compensation. 

    Ewesor warned that “it is not sufficient to say that I don’t have the money to build the kind of house I built. But I will tell you one thing: all structures that are compensated under the right of way are compensated commensurately to what you already have where the line is being built. So, as I am telling them is that it is better to leave the line, stay a live so that you can do better things.” 

    Speaking, Ewesor, who is the Chief Electrical Inspector of the Federation, on safety ground said that “the advice I have been giving to them is that some of them should remember that there are people who are actually not under the line that had the misfortune of fire and all their property have been raised down. They have the life to start a new life because it is better for someone to lose his property than for him to lose his own life.”

    Read Also: 2019: Can Ogun APC mend its fences?

    The Chief Executive Officer noted that the residents on the power line are exposing their health to the radiation from the electricity, which he said could destroy the body cells to the extent that they would not function effectively. 

    77-year-old Ahmed Adesina of 19, Agabra Street, Iperun, said that “my house has been there before the power line. So, my house is not good to be on the power line. They (government) should help us to build house for us to relocate all of us. We are ready to move if the government is ready to help us like what they did in Abeokuta.” 

    Another resident, Tope Otaiku of 12 Dabira Street, Iperun, said that this our house has been here since 1957. Our father who built it is dead and we cannot afford to build a new house. Our request is for government to resettle us.”

    Makale Mayodele of Dabra Estate accepted that he has been under the transmission line since 1957. 

    He stressed that in 1958, the “power line met us here. Those workers (electricity employees were living in our house. They were putting their equipment in our house. So we didn’t know that it was something that could be dangerous to our lives. From 60s to 70s nobody told us that it could be dangerous to us. In 1988, the government gave us money for inconveniencing us. It was not for compensation for demolition. That money was N33,000 in 2015.”