The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ogun

  • Man, docked over alleged motorcycle theft

    A 45-year-old man, Olutan Adekunle, who allegedly stole a motorcycle valued at N230,000, was on Wednesday charged before an Ota Magistrates’ Court in Ogun.

    Adekunle, who lives at No. 26 Owolabi St., Iyana-Iyesi, Ota, is facing a two-count charge bordering on stealing.

    The prosecutor, Sgt. Chudu Gbesi, told the court that the accused committed the offences on Jan.5 at about 12.45.p.m.at No. 5, Holy Ghost Avenue, Iloye, Ota.

    Gbesi said the accused collected the motorcycle on credit from one Babatunde Oluwaseun, and promised that he would pay him N7, 000 weekly, an agreement he did not fulfill.

    “All efforts made by the complainant to get his money or the motorcycle proved abortive,’’ he said.

    The offences contravened Sections 383(1) and 390(9) of the Criminal Law of Ogun, 2006.

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

    The Senior Magistrate, Mr S. O. Banwo, granted the accused bail in the sum of N200, 000 with two sureties in like sum.

    He said the sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction and should be gainfully employed.

    Banwo said the sureties should show evidence of tax payment to Ogun Government.

    The case was adjourned till March 16 for hearing. (NAN)

  • Ogun uncovers plot to steal forest reserve resources

    The Ogun State government says it has unconvered plans by some lumbermen to cart away forest resources from the State through its borders with Ondo State.
    Commissioner for Forestry, Chief Kolawole Lawal, said this while speaking with Journalists on the development at Odo Oni, Laagan village, area J4 in Ijebu-North East Local Government Area. He informed that some illegal tree merchants in Laagan, a border village between Ogun and Ondo states, had constructed a concrete bridge through which they intend to smuggle illegally felled trees to neighbouring states.
    Lawal however stated that the act was an aberration as the State forestry law prohibited construction of any structure within its forest reserves without government’s approval, adding that government was committed to protecting the forests from further encroachment by internal and external forces.
    He explained that constructing a bridge on Odo-Oni which is the natural boundary between Ogun and Ondo State would further encourage influx of illegal migrants from neighbouring States into the forest reserves as well as illegal exploitation of  its resources and destruction of economical trees.
    ‘’We got information that people of Laagan community are collaborating with other neighbouring settlements from Ondo State to construct a bridge on Odo-Oni river, which is the natural boundary between Ogun and Ondo State. This is against the State Forestry Law as it will create avoidable porosity into our forest reserves. Our forest resources will be illegally moved to neighbouring State at the detriment of Ogun State government,’’ he said.
    In his response, the Baale of Laagan village, Chief Mufutau Sanusi, pleaded with the State government to be lenient with them saying they were not aware that it was an offence and the likely negative impact the bridge would have on the forest reserves.
    He assured the state government that Laagan and other settlements in the area would cooperate to fight against illegal activities in the forest reserves.

  • God has been partial to me, says Obasanjo

    God has been partial to me, says Obasanjo

    Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has taken another critical look at his life, achievements amid daunting challenges and admitted that God has been quite “partial” to him all through.

    Obasanjo who would be 80 years old by March 5 said his narrow escape from death in prison during the regime of Late General Sanni Abacha and later becoming an elected President is an indication of God’s extra – ordinary mercy, grace, favour and partiality towards him.

    The Ebora of the Owu Kingdom who also declared that he does not deserve all the favour bestowed on him by God, spoke on Sunday at a thanksgiving service organised in his honour by the Christian Association of Nigeria, Ogun State chapter, preparatory to his 80th birthday.

    The thanksgiving service tagged ‘Celebration of God grace at 80, held at the Treasure House of God, Agbeloba, Abeokuta.

    The ex – President said considering his humble background in a remote Ibogun Olaogun community and the illiterate parents that gave birth to him, he never knew his name could even be heard in the next village, let alone the whole of Nigeria, Africa and globally.

    He recalled that during the heady days of Abacha, three persons including him(Obasanjo)were marked for elimination while in detention, saying by providence, he was the only one that survived the death scheme.

    The other two according to him were late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Ardua and the acclaimed winner of the annulled June 12, 1993 Presidential election and Philanthropist, late Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola – two of them died prison.

    Obasanjo however revealed that when he was being pressured to run for the office of the President upon leaving the prison, he prayed to God, consulted with Dr Nelson Mandela before his death and Arch – Bishop Desmond Tutu before making up his mind to make himself available for the office.

    He however, used the occasion to also call on the Egba traditional rulers to work for the greater unity and progress of Egbaland, saying the unity among Obas in Egba fall short of expectation.

    State.

    “Let me say most sincerely I thank all of you, and more importantly I thank Almighty God for this day and for what God has done in my life. I used to say and I mean it that God has been so partial to me by giving me so much favour that I do not deserve.

    “My Lord spiritual, Kabiyesis, if you don’t know anything at all, you just go and locate the village where I was born. There should be no one born in that village by the parents, who are my parents, stark illiterate, no road to our village where I was born and you should hear his name beyond the next village. So God has done for me, much more than I deserve and I praise God for this.”

  • Ogun tops NECO Nov/Dec SSCE

    Ogun state has emerged first in the 2016 November/December National Examinations Council (NECO) Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE).
    NECO Registrar Prof Charles Uwakwe, who spoke yesterday in Minna, the Niger State capital, said 28,530 of 47,118 students representing 60.55 per cent recorded five credits and above, including Mathematics and English.
    He said 35,744 or 75.87 per cent emerged with five credits and above, irrespective of Mathematics and English Language.
    An analysis of students’ performance by states showed that Ogun came first with 91.13 per cent, Oyo second with 87.67 per cent and Enugu third with 84.61.
    Uwakwe added that 7,699 students were involved in malpractices with Abia State recording the highest rate.

  • IFAD trains value chain staff in Ogun

    The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has trained the Value Chain Development Programme (VCDP) staff in Ogun on knowledge management and communication strategies.

    The forum held in Abeokuta on Monday attracted the programme’sstaff from participating local governments in the state.

    Addressing the trainees, Mrs Vera Onyilo, the Knowledge Management and Communication (KMC) Advisor, said the objective of the training was to sensitise them on KMC strategies.

    She stressed the need for members of staff to imbibe the culture of documentation using Information, Communication Technology (ICT).

    Onyilo advised each component to give an account of their jobs with one another, saying this was to allow for easy access to information amongst participants.

    “When we have access to information at the right time, this is when we can say knowledge has been transferred or managed effectively,” she said.

    She enjoined all components to work to together as a team, adding that, “it’s the role of programme staff to document.’’

    Some of the components at the training included Extension Agents, local government Liaison Officers, Monitoring and Evaluation Officers as well as Marketing and Business Development and Agricultural Processors.

    The Project Coordinator of VCDP in Ogun, Mr Samuel Adeogun, told trainees that there was a need to impact on targeted beneficiaries.

    He contended that the programme, being a project of the state government, deserved clarity in reportage.

    Adeogun   advised all components to take advantage of the knowledge management training “so that everyone is clear on what to do.’’

  • Yewa/Awori’s place in Ogun, by ex-council chief

    Yewa/Awori’s place in Ogun, by ex-council chief

    Chief Femi Odufowokan is the immediate past chairman of the Ijebu North East Local Government, Ogun State. In this interview, he speaks about Ogun politics, his experience in office and the Yewa/Awori quest for the state’s leadership. Excerpts: 

    ow has life been, after leaving office as a council chairman?

    It has been very interesting, but there has been no vacuum. I resumed in my law office the following day our tenure as LG chairman expired. That was Friday, July 24th 2015. I started again where I stopped before going into the local government office. My usual practice in my law office on most Fridays, when I am not in court, is to do research into new areas in law, particularly going through the law reports on newly- decided cases. Of course I had a lot of law reports that had piled up for about two or three years to go through. Also I had to see files and the level of work done by my colleagues in the office. That same day, I regularised my board membership of few companies I relinquished when I was elected as local government chairman. Aside, I was able to do my routine activities such as my work out (exercise) in the morning and evening. This was not regular or I was not doing it for sometimes while I was in office as LG Chairman. Also I received less telephone calls, I started receiving about twenty per cent of the calls I was receiving on my official lines while I was local government Chairman. Then I am free and focused on my private life than when I was in office. These and many more make it interesting.

    How was the experience as a local government chairman?

    Yes, it was a wide experience for me. It was a kind of consolidation of my public service experience. Don’t forget I was briefly a caretaker chairman of the same LG about ten years earlier, but the intensity of activities was not much because of the duration I was in office then. This time around, I was able to see, in practical terms, human relations, human resources, financial propriety and impropriety and of course, issues in governmental architectures in Nigeria at a very close range. These experiences have shaped my views on some issues generally.

    Are you interested in running for any office in 2019?

    For now, I don’t know. My style in running for political office or any other office for that matter is a little different. I don’t just wake up one day and say I am vying for this position or the other. It is my people around me, be it politics or even traditional chieftaincy titles, that say they want me for this position or the other. Mostly when that is said, it is also subject to critical consideration and then I talk to God about it, so if God sanctions it, I throw my hat into the ring.

    In Ogun State, there is this agitation that the next Governor should come from Yewa/Awori zone; since nobody has ever occupied the post of governorship of the state from the zone since the creation of the state.  Do you support this view? 

    Personally, I am not a zoning politician. Yes, some people will tell you we have two divisions, some will also say four divisions, while some will tell you three senatorial districts. They are all right in terms of categorisations or classifications. While some take it from historical angle, some are looking at it from the current constitutional arrangement. There is a constant fact in all these: nobody has occupied the position of a governor form Yewa axis. There is no area, zone or senatorial district that does not have competent people in abundance, and constitutionally there is no zone or senatorial district that is not entitled to be the next governor of Ogun State. Political competency and capability are not the same, which is why Yewa/Awori Zone, otherwise called Ogun West Senatorial District is likely to be lucky this time around as they are closer to governorship than ever before with a particular aspirant. When I said political capability, it includes general acceptability across the state and ability to convince other areas within the state for support.

     Which of the governorship aspirants from Ogun West District are you referring to?

    I know and I can talk about only one aspirant, Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola popularly called YAYI.  He is the only aspirant that consulted me. I think he has not declared formally but he is still doing consultation. In his interaction with me, I got to know his political philosophy, his personal outlook to life, his professional inclination. Above all, he was able to diagnose my local government. If somebody is consulting with me and he is telling me the major problems in my local government and those one to be prioritised, I think I have to give such person closer attention. His consultation is similar to that of Chief Segun Osoba in 1999. It was at consultation/campaign time that he told me that he would construct our main road from Erunwon to Ijebu Igbo. He not only did that, but did electrification of seventeen towns and other projects in my L.G. Apart from Senator Solomon Adeola’s physical interaction with me, I have watched five television broadcasts of his contributions on the floor of the senate and I did analysis of his submission and I was left with no doubt about the quality of his intellect and his idea of political economy.  When I even tried to do some status enquiries and checks on Senator Solomon Adeola’s consultation, I discovered that twelve of my colleagues that we served as local government chairmen out of twenty of us are with him. Similarly, about 200 of 236 councillors that serve with us in the state are with him ditto some immediate past state legislators, commissioners and advisers.

    What was reported in the dailies is that the governor said those that have consulted with him may not be governor as they lack leadership qualities; is your candidate one of them and if he is one of them, why are you and others that served in his administration still with him?

    Let me start by telling you that I am not the spokesperson for the governor. Secondly I doubt if Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola is one of those His Excellency, Governor Amosun was referring to, if at all he said that. Personally, I do not take what is reported in the dailies hook, line and stinker. Assuming without necessarily conceding that he said so, he is entitled to his own opinion like any other person, but what I know for sure is in Senator Amosun’s saying to the effect that whatever we say, God owns the final say. Also Tony Agenmonman, the present President of National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN), said in his book “Excellence is not by luck”, that “any position taken by a man, regardless of status, knowledge or expertise has a certain degree of probability with regard to the outcome. It is in this senses that we are considered finite beings- not God”. And lastly, why those of us that served in Senator Amosun’s Government during his first term are with Senator Solomon Adeola; personally I do not believe in rumour. I have not heard it from the governor that he is not favorably disposed to Senator Solomon Adeola’s candidacy. Secondly, if I establish that the governor is not favorably disposed to senator Adeola’s candidacy, I have told you earlier that everyone is entitled to his own opinion and choices. Serving in one administration or the other does not prevent people from taking decisions about who to support for subsequent elections. The idea of democratic tenure is to enable the operators review their policies and even political relationship that is what is called re-alignment in political parlance.

    But there is insinuation that your candidate is not from Yewa, but from Lagos?

    I have heard that too and I have been hearing such since the time I joined politics, and I will continue to hear such stories until our nation’s democracy get matured. When such insinuation was made, Senator Solomon Adeola family tree was published. He is from Ago Ishaga Pahayi in Ilaro. Those who are alleging that he’s not from Yewa did not bother to investigate the authenticity of their claims. From my experience, it is usually the candidate to beat that politicians, mostly opponents, insinuate or raised doubt as to where they come from or claim are not from the zone they perceive that the next office holder should come from. Have you not heard about it even in traditional title or kingship tussles, when all sort of stories emanate from opponents about the leading contenders not being an indigene or settler of a particular ruling house or town?  It is the extension of that practice that politicians bring up when their candidates are losing ground to the leading candidate. I read one of such antagonist that claimed that Senator Adeola built a mansion in Ilaro about five years ago because he wanted to contest for senatorial seat from Yewa zone. Even such antagonist has confirmed that he has a house in Ilaro, Yewa, but he failed to investigate his family root. I know as a fact that over sixty percent of Southwest political office holders be it governor, senators, House of Representatives members, commissioners, ministers are based in Lagos. You tell me anybody that has been governor in Ogun State that was not based in Lagos before becoming governor? None.

     

  • Ogun and politics of debt management

    ‘You will never get to your destination if you stop to throw stones at every dog that barks at You ‘
    —Winston Churchill

    Nigeria indeed is a unique nation blessed with unique and dynamic people.But it is thoroughly perplexing the way Nigerians perceive issue pertaining to credit facilities. We see every issue concerning obtaining loan or bond as another route to slavery and servitude. We view it from a very negative prism.
    Unfortunately, that perception is flawed. One of the keys to being financially successful is understanding when loans are a good solution for your situation. According to Wikipedia, a loan is when you receive money from a friend, bank or financial institution for future repayment of the principal, plus interest.
    Loan is a positive financial weapon of development, but due to the cash-and-carry nature of our economy, it is being seen as a weapon of bondage. In advanced world, loan is used as a good financial tool to fast-track development. Simply put, loan is using a money you don’t have to get what you need. In other words, it is using other people’s money to develop your people or your land to pay back at a later time.
    It accelerates development and downloads tomorrow today.This is why advanced economies of Japan and USA are on the fast-lane of development yet they rate among the highest global debtors. In Nigeria, Lagos rates highest in indebtedness.But has this indebtedness stalled the growth and development of Lagos State? Has it retarded the development of US or Japan? The answer is a resounding NO.
    Surely, Loans are never a good idea if you don’t possess the capacity to pay back within the required time frame or when it is not deployed judiciously. What must not be compromised by the citizenry is that the money so collected must be utilized on developmental projects. It must be used to work for the people.
    Indeed, it is like a man that took a credit facility to build a five-star hotel and he is to re-pay over a period of 10 years. Even if the man dies, the hotel will still be there for his children to see and enjoy from.
    What need to be consider when issues concerning accessing loan facility is being considered is: Does the man or government seeking for such facility has the capacity to pay back? Is the reason for such loan salutary? Are the people to administer the loan credible and would judicously utiise the fund?Those are the salient questions to consider and not political sentiments.
    In the case of Ogun State, the answer to the three posers is YES. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBC) recently rated Ogun as third nationally in terms of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) collection. In the report, the NBC, while assessing states for the duration of January to June 2016, rated Ogun just behind Lagos State and oil-rich Rivers State.
    According to the report, Ogun State, “with its internal resources has been positioned the third highest IGR among other Nigerian states. The state, within six months in 2016 generated revenue of N56.29 billion. Ogun made this increment from N10.84 billion in 2011.. “
    The report indicates that Ogun took a 500 percent leap from what used to be in 2011 to an olympian height in 2016. The import of such rating is that the state possesses the innate capacity to generate enough revenue to repay any financial indebtedness.
    Happily enough, the fund is being used for the people. Proof of shrewd and effective utilisation of the financial resources is evident. Eye-popping and ambitious infrastructural transformation is sprouting in several parts of the state. Millennia projects designed to position the state for the challenges of the 21 century are being executed.
    One of such is the construction of a 10-lane expressway which promises to launch Ogun into the big league of states with modern infrastructure. When completed, two lanes on either side of the expressway would be built with concrete and will be reserved for trucks and other heavy duty vehicles. The advantage of this is massive.It will reduce accident rate on the road as well as preserve the lifespan of the road.
    The expressway would also host the rail transport project being planned by the state government. The rail project is to connect the Federal Government rail line at Sagamu interchange. This will greatly reduce the travel time between Abeokuta and Lagos.
    When completed, the rail line will further ensure that more people can live in Abeokuta or Sagamu and work on the Lagos Island.
    This vision is also being complemented with the development of an array of housing estates located along the Abeokuta-Sagamu corridor. The benefit of such a single project could then best be imagined as it would further pump-up the adrenalin of the states high-flying IGR.
    The loan being sought by the government would assist in ensuring the completion of various projects scattered across the state such as the 35-kilometer Sango-ijoko-Akute-Alagbole-Ojodu road. Urban roads as well as Rural roads are equally to the considered.
    Interestingly, the managers of the state are not resting on their oars. The state today is the industrial Mecca of Nigeria having attracted over 120 new companies under six years with scores still on the queue waiting to come in.
    But really you won’t blame Nigerians for being skeptical when it comes to accessing loan facility. Many a government official had in the past obtained such facility only to divert it to pedestrian usage or simply siphon such fund.
    However, the case of Ogun State under Senator Ibikunle Amosun is different. Since he assumed office in 2011, he has made judicial utilisation of financial resources a priority. He has constructed over nine bridges and 400 kilometres of urban roads across the state.Indeed, he negotiated a singe-digit interest for the loan he seeks.

    •Balogun, is a media aide of Governor Amosun.

  • Ogun promotes 5,864 teachers, others

    Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun has approved the promotion of 5,624 teachers under the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) for 2015.

    A statement by the Acting Board Secretary, SUBEB, Adesoji Adewuyi, said 240 non-teaching staff across the 20 local government education authorities were also promoted.

    He said over N64.6 million was approved for teaching and non-teaching staff as end of year bonus.

    The SUBEB Chairman, Olatunde Okewole, according to the statement, said the gestures were proofs of government’s commitment to quality basic education.

    Promising the beneficiaries that they would get their letters of promotion soon, he urged them to be dedicated and re-double their efforts at improving the quality of teaching and service delivery.

  • 10,000 youths, others to get Ogun, CBN aid

    No fewer than 10,000 youths and other small-scale farmers are to benefit from the Ogun State/Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme aimed at creating employment for youths and boosting agricultural production and food security in the state.

    The state Coordinator and Special Assistant to the Governor on Agriculture, Mr. Tosin Ademuyiwa, disclosed this in Abeokuta at the flag-off of the programme to empower the youths and others in the 20 Local Government Areas of the state.

    He explained that the programme was to give financial support to them to boost production of cassava, rice and maize, adding that attention would also be given to fisheries and poultry farming.

    Admonishing youths to key into the opportunities offered by the programme to earn a living, he said everything would be done to ensure that they benefited maximally from the programme.

    The coordinator, Ogun State Youth in Agric Business, Comrade Olugbenga Ige, thanked the state government and the CBN for the opportunity to be self-employed and help in diversifying the economy.

  • Ogun introduces flexible payment plan for pilgrims

    Ogun introduces flexible payment plan for pilgrims

    In a bid to ensure that Muslim pilgrims from Ogun State fully utilise the slots allocated to the state by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), the State Muslim Pilgrims’ Welfare Board has introduced a flexible payment plan that would allow intending pilgrims pay one million naira (N1,000,000.00) in instalments.
    The board’s Executive Secretary, Alhaji AbulHakeem Kalejaiye, who made this disclosure in Abeokuta, however indicated that the staggered payment would not be for more than four times, saying the plan would reduce the challenges confronting some intending pilgrims.
    Kalejaiye also revealed that those who wish to embark on the 2017 exercise could start paying on or before March 31, 2017 by obtaining application forms at the rate of ten thousand naira (N10,000.00) each. According to him, they have to make additional payment of Seven Thousand Five Hundred Naira (N7,500.00) for laboratory tests and insurance premium.

    Assuring of a hitch free exercise, the Board’s Secretary urged intending pilgrims to take note of the payment plans, warning that no extension would be granted.