Governor Ibikunle Amosun may have waded into the festering disagreement between the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, and the Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona.
Recently, there have been exchange of bitter words between the two prominent Yoruba traditional rulers in Ogun state – Alake and Awujale, over the ranking of the Obas by the former(Alake).
Last Monday, the Alake through 22 Egba chiefs, including 15 Ogboni chiefs, insisted that the Awujale remained the least in the echelon of status among the yoruba major traditional rulers.
The Alake said his earlier listing of the Awujale as occupying the last position after the quartet of the Oni of Ife, Alaafin of Oyo, Oba of Benin and Alake of Egbaland, “was supported by documentary evidence and therefore stands by his position.”
According to the Egba Paramount ruler, the ranking of the Yoruba Traditional Rulers was carried out in 1937 by the then Ooni of Ife.
The Alake’s statement was sequel to Oba Adetona’s last Thursday claims that the Alake was a junior chief in Egba forest under Alaafin who fled to Ibadan and that Alake is also of the same status with some Ijebu Obas like the Ebumawe of Ago – Iwoye that are under his(Adetona) jurisdiction.
The Awujale made the remarks in Lagos during the launch of an Endowment Fund for a Chair at the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago – Iwoye, in reply to an earlier ranking of the Yoruba obas by Alake which placed him at the tail end on the hierarchy.
But yesterday, Amosun, Oba Adetona and Oba Gbadebo met privately for about 75 minutes at the Oke – Mosan Governor’s Office, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.
The details of what transpired during the closed door meeting were kept away from reporters when they emerged from it about 3:45pm.
Even when prodded several times by reporters to throw light on what happened, all of them responded in general terms.
Governor Amosun said the monarchs were in his office to deliberate on how to keep Ogun state more peaceful and vaguely blamed the press for the negative reportage of the matter.
Tag: Ogun
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Amosun wades into Alake, Awujale royal feud
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Ogun unveils logo of maiden edition of Nigerian drums festival
Ogun State Governor Senator Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State has unveiled the logo and launched the raffle draw of the maiden edition of the Nigerian Drums Festival to be held between April 19 to 21, 2016 in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Unveiling the logo and the raffle draw, Amosun, represented by his Deputy, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, said the event would foster development and unity of the country, being the first of its kind in Nigeria and Africa.
Amosun said the festival would also promote the cultural heritage and tradition of the people as it would draw participants from the 36 states and Abuja, aside showcasing their talents and skills on drum beating, dancing and performances.
He stated further that it would enhance tourism opportunities which, in turn, would create employment for unemployed youths.
The Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Otunba Muyiwa Oladipo, expressed optimism about the event, saying it would turn around the face of culture and tourism not only in Ogun State but in Nigeria and Africa, as it would promote cultural heritage of the country which other African countries would take a cue from.
”Drum is a common factor that binds tribe and ethic groups with different cultures and traditions in Nigeria and the Nigerian Drums Festival will be an avenue to bring the different types of drums together”, Oladipo stated.
He said the unveiling of the logo has set the ball rolling and placed an official stamp on the organisation of the event which planning had begun in the Ministry of Culture and Tourism towards the successful staging of the event.
He said: “The event is purely an initiative of the Ogun State Ministry of Culture and Tourism supported by the the Ogun State Government and some stakeholders, but more stakeholders and sponsors are welcome on board, the more the merrier”.
The commissioner, however, said the raffle draw was to create awareness and promote the festival amongst the people at the grassroots, adding that it would be an opportunity for buyers to win fascinating prizes to commemorate the Nigerian Drums Festival of 2016.
”This is part of the side attractions of the Festival, there are other side attractions and they will be unveiled as time goes on” the Commissioner said.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Alhaja Salmotu Ottun, enjoined the intending participants to be steadfast and focus as the event would bring about the cultural and traditional promotion of their respective states, saying that the event was first of its kind in the entire Africa.
She said that the event would be a soft landing one which other African countries would emulate, as the Ogun State was known to be number one in cultural and traditional values across the country even in Africa.
The event which had in attendance, Minister of Information and Culture, represented by Ms. Grace Gekpe, Senator Olorunmbe Memora, Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Taiwo Adeoluwa, Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Ronke Shokefun, her counterpart in Commerce and Industry, Otunba Bimbo Ashiru, House of Assembly members, Head of Service, Elder Sola Adeyemi among other dignitaries.
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Ogun relocates Kara Market
Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun yesterday completed the process of relocating traders from the popular Kara market to Ogere.
The process, which began last Friday, saw the government providing the traders with about 300 hectares of land in Ogere.
The new market space has been provided with a sleeper road that ensures that traffic in and out of the complex does not adversely affect the expressway.
In a bid to ensure that the traders do their business in a conducive, secured and healthy environment, Governor Amosun equally ensured that the new market complex is provided with not less than four boreholes alongside the presence of a stream at the location.
The governor, while welcoming the traders to the new location, assured them of his administration’s determination to provide them a modern market fitted with fire service center, modern stalls, a police station, an abattoir as well as other services.
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Ogun police, residents hold security talks
To ensure effective security of lives and property, the Ota Area Police Command in Ogun State, yesterday held a town hall meeting with community leaders and other stakeholders.
At the meeting held at Connect Event Center in Ijako area of Sango-Ota, the state Commissioner for Police (CP) Abdulmajid Ali, called for the cooperation of residents and community leaders in intelligence gathering for effective policing.
Ali said:“I want to assure you that we will go after those who fail to renounce their membership of cult groups and deal decisively with them. However, I want to urge residents and community leaders not to allow outbreak of ethnic related violence in their communities, so that peace and tranquility can reign in this area command.
In his address, the Assistant Inspector General of Police (IGP) in charge of Zone 2 Command, Lagos, Bala Hassan, urged residents to always interact with police authorities in the communities and feel free to report erring officers to appropriate authorities.
“If any policeman harasses anybody, please report such officer to his Divisional Police Officer (DPO) or the Area Commander. It is important to say that policemen are no longer permitted to patrol in Danfo buses and erring officers who flout this directive will be dealt with.
Earlier, the Ota Area Commander, Mr. Adegoke Fayoade, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), said increased intelligence gathering has led to relative success in crime fighting in the command lately.
“Since we stepped up our surveillance and intelligence gathering strategies, we have among others successfully apprehended six dare- devil robbers, cultists and pipeline vandals in Ota, Ijoko and Akute-Odo areas of the state.
“Our men led by the DPO of Sango-Ota Division,also prevented a groom from being assassinated on his wedding day. We have a robust relationship with other law enforcement agencies on intelligence sharing and we monitor our men to ensure quality service delivery to residents.”
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Police arrest labour leaders as Ogun workers remain adamant
Schools, hospitals and the state Government Secretariat, Oke – Mosan in Abeokuta remained largely deserted as the indefinite strike embarked upon by civil servants Ogun state entered the second day on Tuesday.
The striking workers who shunned their duty post on Tuesday over non-payment of pensions and deductions, said they would not resume until there is convincing evidence of payment of their deductions and other entitlements.
But three labour leaders – Chairman of National Union of Printing Corporation, Kayode Wemimo, Chairman of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation, Recreation and Technical Employee (AUCPTRE) identified as Ojeleye and another were arrested.
They were tear – gassed and arrested at the South end gate of the government Secretariat at Oke Mosan, in an apparent move by the state government to break the resolve of the workers.
The government had on Monday through a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, asked the striking workers to return to work, dismissing the strike as misguided but the workers were adamant.
Adeoluwa stated: “we are at a loss as to what this small and unpopular group of workers in the state civil service really wants to achieve as Ogun is currently one of the few states in the federation that is able
to pay workers salaries as and when due, in spite of the current economic downturn.“Despite the current financial crisis affecting the country, salaries have been paid up to February 2016 for all categories of workers in the state. In spite of the fact that Ogun is one of the states that
receives the least allocation from the Federation Account, it pays the highest wages to workers in Nigeria.”Regarding the arrest, the Secretary of the Negotiating Council, Adebiyi Olusegun told reporters on Tuesday that the Police accosted the three of their leaders who were monitoring the strike at the main
gate and were arrested shortly the arrival of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Taiwo Adeoluwa at the Secretariat.“It was peaceful initially until the SSG arrived. We exchange banters and just few meters away, the Police came telling us that we have only five minutes to leave the area. Then, came from nowhere there
was tear gas. It was in that process that they drag the three leaders from the car and handcuffed them and drove them to the Trade Fair Complex Police station.“Thereafter, we got in touch with our state leaders and who came to intervene. They wanted them to write statement, but, we told them that would be done before the media.”
The state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Akeem Ambali who addressed reporters briefed newsmen at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat, Abeokuta, said the arrest of their
members would not in any affect the dampen the resolve of the workers to continue with the strike.“We are not going to be intimidated by government move to arrest of some of us. We have told the Police that no statement would be written except his briefing at Iwe Irohin. We condemn the arrest and I can tell you that the strike is still on,” Ambali said.
The Nation however gathered that the arrested leaders were later released by the Police.
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Strike paralyse govt business in Ogun
•Amosun urges work resumption
The indefinite strike ordered by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNC) in Ogun State yesterday paralysed activities at the state secretariat, Oke – Mosan, Abeokuta.
Civil servants stayed away from work and pupils who went to school returned home early as there were no teachers to attend to them.
At the two entrances leading to the secretariat, JNC representatives were seen with public address system, asking visitors and some workers to go back home.
The workers are protesting the alleged failure of the government to honour the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it signed with tripartite labour unions in January.
But the government said it is committed to workers’ welfare and urged the striking civil servants and doctors to return to work.
In a statement by the Secretary to the State Government, Taiwo Adeoluwa, the government wondered what the real motive of the striking workers was and whose interest they were serving in calling the ill-advised and obviously unpopular strike.
“We are at a loss as to what this small and unpopular group of workers really want to achieve as Ogun is one of the few states paying salaries promptly.
“Despite the current financial crisis in the country, all workers have received February salary.
“Despite the fact that Ogun is one of the states that receives the least allocation from the Federation Account, it pays the highest wages to workers in Nigeria.
“It is the only state that implemented the minimum wage. Therefore, what the government expects from its workforce is understanding rather than an industrial action,” he stated.
“The few misguided striking workers are simply playing the ostrich and pushing an insensitive argument which seems to suggest that the resources of a state with a population of over seven million people (7 million) should be totally devoted to the payment and comfort of civil servants whose population is less than fifty thousand (50,000).
“The government therefore warns this group of few, uncooperative workers to henceforth desist from physically preventing the vast majority of its workforce who turn up for work and are willing to continue with their lawful duties.
“The government would continue to offset the outstanding deductions and gratuities of civil servants, within available resources and look into the requests of the striking general practitioner doctors.
“On the Contributory Pension Scheme, which the striking workers want government to abolish, the scheme is governed by an extant law and could only be amended or repealed by the House of Assembly.”
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Workers strike paralyse govt’s business in Ogun
Indefinite strike by civil servants paralysed government business in Ogun State on Monday as the state workers stayed at home in obedience to the directive by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNC).
The state secretariat at Oke – Mosan looked forlorn and deserted as the civil servants failed to resume, while school children who also returned home early as there were no teachers to attend to them.
At the two entrance leading to the Secretariat, representatives of the JNC were seen with public address system asking visitors and some workers to go back home and also ensured that compliance to the strike was total.
The workers commenced the strike following an alleged failure of the state government to honour the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it signed with tripartite labour unions last January.
The reneged terms of the MOU by the state government include the suspension of the dysfunctional Contributory Pension Scheme, payment of at least two months deductions out of nine and resumption of payment of gratuity that was stopped in October 2012.
But reacting, Ogun state government said it is committed to the Workers’ Welfare and urged the striking civil servants and doctors to return to work.
It expressed surprise and regret at the decision of a few workers in the state civil service to embark on a strike action.
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Police arrest fleeing Boko haram member in Ogun
The Ogun state Police Command have arrested 22 years old Umaru Muktar, a fleeing member of the Boko haram terrorist sect.
Muktar who hails from Gonge in Maiduguri, Borno state, was arrested at Kara – Mowe area of Ogun state near Lagos last February 25 following a tip – off.
Parading the suspect on Monday after at the Headquarters of the Federal Special Anti – Robbery Squad(FSARS) at Magbon – Abeokuta, Ogun state, the Commissioner of Police, AbdulMajid Ali, said the suspect had confessed to be being a member of Boko haram sect.
Ali added that Police investigation had also revealed that Muktar fled Maiduguri two and half years ago into Ogun and was initiated into the muderous Boko haram organisation by one Mustapha.
According to him, exchange of intelligence between the Command and its counterparts in Borno state coupled with support of members of the Hausa community in Kara, Ogun state, helped in the identification and arrest of Muktar.
Muktar who spoke through an interpreter said he knew few Boko haram members in Borno state before fleeing the state when the security agencies stepped – up man – hunt for the sect.
He, however, declined to disclose if he had participated in any of the sect’s savage attacks on churches, mosques, markets or motor – parks when reporters enquired from him.
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Ogun workers to begin indefinite strike
Ogun State workers are to begin an indefinite strike today, following the alleged failure of the government to honour the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) it signed with tripartite labour unions in January.
The terms include the suspension of the dysfunctional Contributory Pension Scheme, payment of at least two months deductions out of nine and resumption of payment of gratuity stopped in October 2012.
A statement by the General Secretary of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNC), Olusegun Adebiyi, said JNC had to declare the strike since the Ibikunle Amosun-led administration failed to honour the agreement.
“Following the apparent reneging on the Memorandum of Understanding(MOU) signed by the tripartite group of labour leaders, Ministry of Labour and Employment and the government on January 25.
“A 21-day ultimatum was given to the government on January 25 and the government failed to honour its part.
“Labour has declared an indefinite strike effective from today.
“The strike is under the auspices of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNC),” Adebiyi said.
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Ogun bans illegal operation of garages in housing estates
The Ogun State Government says it will not tolerate the presence of motor parks within estates and communities in the state.
The General Manager, Parks and Garages Development Board (PAGADEB), Alhaji Ola-Ayo Ogunsolu, made this known in his office while settling a dispute between the Property Owners and Residents Association (PORA) and the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) over the illegal operation of a garage located within the Ogun State Housing Corporation’s Kemta Estate, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta.
Ogunsolu, in a statement signed by the Board’s Press Officer, Mrs. Folake Ade-Adeniji, said it is imperative for cab operators and the unions not to operate garages, no matter how small, especially within communities and estates, adding that the state government would not fold its arms and watch transport unions take over communities and government gated estates across the State.
He ordered all the taxis loading inside the estate to vacate the premises with immediate effect.