The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Ogun

  • 10 die, others injured in multiple vehicle accident

    At least 10 persons were killed and others injured in a multiple vehicles accident at the Ogunmakin(Ogun state) stretch of the Lagos – Ibadan expressway.

    The accident which ocurred on Friday involved two trucks and two commercial buses.

    Mr Adegoke Adetunji, Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Corps(FRSC) in Ogun, Adegoke Adetunji, who confirmed the accident said the two buses rammed into the trucks.

    He said: “we went to the scene and met the crash which involved two trucks and two commercial buses

    “A Mazda bus with registration number MAY 152 XA and a Toyota bus with registration number LND 21 XQ, were travelling to Ibadan before they rammed into the trucks.

    “We understood that the first truck had broken down in the night and was rammed into by the second truck while the two commercial buses also rammed into the trucks around 5a.m.
    “Motorists should desist from travelling at night because visibility is limited. Broken down trucks should always use reflective signs so that oncoming drivers would be able to see them.

    “I appeal to the general public to always call our number 122 anytime they see any broken down vehicle on the highways.”

    According to Adetunji, the remains od the dead were deposited at the morgue of Fakoya Maternity, a private health centre in Sagamu.

  • Ogun denies alleged building demolition

    Ogun State government has advised residents of Isheri Estate in Isheri, a border community with Lagos State, to show prove of ownership or title documents of the properties they occupy.

    Government also asked those carrying out building projects in the area to stop until a verification exercise has been conducted to establish genuine title holders of the landed properties.

    According to government, this would help to address complaints about encroachment into people’s properties, among other issues.

    The government, which equally faulted claims by the residents that “it is reselling or revoking” lands earlier allotted to property owners, said it had not demolished buildings in the area in recent years, even as it challenged the residents to point out any building that has been pulled down as they alleged.

    Speaking through the Managing Director of Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC), Jide Odusolu, who met the occupants, was shocked that they were crying wolves where none existed.

    Odusolu said the present administration has not and will not extort anybody, adding that Senator Ibikunle Amosun’s administration intends to re-develop the area and relocate some people who were allotted plots of land. He urged those with genuine allotment documents to present their title deeds for immediate regularisation.

    He said: “We will not be involved in the business of extortion. My boss doesn’t do that and no one who works with him will dare try it. What we are doing here is to develop and modernise towns and it means that, you have to re-plan, you have to re-district and sometimes, you have to relocate people because they are in wrong locations.

    “We did not, at any point, demand N1 from anybody and we will not demand N1 from anybody. This is an attempt to bring modernisation to Isheri and 99 per cent of the area being used for MTR Gardens (a new housing project in the state) is vacant. So, no one was told by me or any of my members of staff to pay money, so that they can re-allocate land.

    “What we told anybody that claims to possess papers is to submit such papers and he will be treated fairly. What we have also told everybody in this area is to stop work on ongoing projects until the verification exercise has been conducted.

  • Baby disappears mysteriously during naming in Ogun

    Baby disappears mysteriously during naming in Ogun

    Anxiety and confusion enveloped the rustic Inuosegba community in Abeokuta as residents discovered items suspected to be  severed human wrist, school pupils’ bags and uniforms in a locked building while searching for a missing 18 months old baby.

    The 18 months baby identified as Hezekiah Opeyemi Ogundele was taken to a naming ceremony at Inuosegba community around 4pm on Sunday by his brother but while the ceremony was to commence, the baby was discovered to have disappeared mysteriously.

    The Nation gathered that the naming ceremony was put on hold indefinitely while apprehensive guests and residents began to comb surrounding bushes and home, searching for the baby.

    The mother of the baby, 26 years old Fashion designer, Elizabeth  Ogundele, said her elder sister gave birth and was preparing to the naming when it was discovered that her son had disappeared.

    In the course of the search, they discovered that a building near the venue of naming, severed wrist and school children’s items were found in a suspicious building within the neighbourhood, forcing the residents to place the property under surveilance as there was no one inside at the time.

    The Nation gathered that later in the day, a commercial motorcycle operator visited the building in the wee hour and was arrested and handed over to the Police at the Lafenwa Divisional Police Headquarters, Abeokuta.

    The Nation visited the building believed to be owned by one Chief Olasile Ifayemi, about 26 years old young man, and witnessed vandalising the over seven room bungalow and desecrated his shrine inside and over a dozen pots of fetish objects.

    Operatives the Speacial Anti – Robbery Squad (SARS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were sighted making frantic effort to control the enraged crowd bent on bringing down the building.

  • Two dead, two injured in Ogun accidents

    Two people died and two others were injured in separate accidents in Ogun State yesterday.

    One person died in an explosion at a government petroleum dump site in Abeokuta, the state capital.

    Two others were injured in the accident.

    The last person, a commuter, died when a truck fell on him at a bus stop in Ijebu-Ode.

    The dump site is within the old State Road Maintenance Agency (OGROMA) yard, opposite Agbeloba Building on Quarry Road.

    A bricklayer working at the site, who witnessed the incident, said the victims were working on three underground tankers, which were relocated from the government fuel dumps at the old secretariat.

    It was gathered that firemen put out the fire quickly to enable rescuers retrieve  the victim’s body.

    On the Ijebu-Ode accident,  the spokesman of the State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Agency (TRACE), Babatunde Akinbiyi, said a Mack tanker, APP 81 XL, killed a man, Ahmed, when the truck fell on a Nissan space bus, KJA 901 BX.

    Akinbiyi said the tanker driver, identified as Chinedu, is in police custody.

    The victim’s remains have been collected by his family.

  • Ogun to immortalise Fela, Ogunde others

    Ogun to immortalise Fela, Ogunde others

    If the quality of guests and the colourful atmosphere at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, Ogun State capital, were a measure of the success of the recent presentation of Abeokuta…Beyond the rocks, the organisers of the event may have realised one of their objectives.

    The guests included Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun, Oba Michael Gbadebo Adedotun, Alake of Egbaland; Senator Daisy Danjuma, Omooba Yemisi Shyllon, Oloye Lekan Alabi, Mrs Bolanle Austin-Peters, Tunde Kelani, Segun Odegbami, Air Vice-Marshal Okanlawon (rtd).

    Governor Amosun, who pledged to buy many copies of the books for distribution, reiterated his administration’s determination to immortalise the illustrious sons and daughters of Ogun State who have contributed immensely to the growth of the state.

    He disclosed that there were plans by the state to create memorials for legends, such as the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti and the doyen of theatre, the late Hubert Ogunde. “As for development, we have not scratched the surface because there is a lot to be done. We will buy the books and send to all our embassies, schools and libraries. We will like to have memorial for the late Fela who is a music legend. Also, the late Ogunde will be remembered too. We will look at all of these in order to add value to the state heritage. Nothing else excites me now than to develop Ogun State. Let’s put our heads together for the overall development of the state,” he said.

    He recalled that he wanted to launch the book earlier to distribute to relevant bodies in the state, but changed his mind.

    “I realised that it would make greater impact and more symbolic to distribute the book when the state will turn 40 in February. The book is not for us alone but for the Diaspora and younger generations of Egba.

    Governor Amosun, who commended the author of the book, Hakeem Adenekan, said the state occupies a prime place in the country and the world, noting that before the advent of Nigeria as a country, the Egba had been accessing loans from international bodies.

    According to the governor, there are new things in the book he never knew, saying there is more to Abeokuta than Olumo rock, which the author has proved in the book. “Let us tell our story. We want to see more of this,” he added.

    Oba Adedotun said there are many books on Abeokuta by many authors, but that the latest by Adenekan captures the scenic views of the ancient city known for its rusty roofing sheets and rocky hills of Olumo. He hoped that there would be more books on Abeokuta, a community that has moved from a small town 185 years ago to a city.

    Chief launcher Omooba Shyllon drew the attention of the state to tourists’ sites, such as Oyan dam and Olumo rock, saying they are capable of generating revenue for the state. “With all the firsts in Abeokuta, we can attract tourists to the city thereby generating revenue,” he said.

    Senator Danjuma described Abeokuta…Beyond the rocks as one of the best coffee table books that will be valuable to tourists and researchers to Abeokuta. “Hakeem has written a book that will preserve the heritage of Egba,” she said.

    Reviewer of the book, Jahman Anikulapo lamented that Nigerians have not done enough to document and preserve their heritage, saying no one book can capture all about the local councils in the state. He, therefore, called for the involvement of writers in the local council areas in the documentation of the state heritage.

    Adenekan described his book, which took him five and half years to complete, as one way to put Abeokuta on the world map. He regretted that Nigeria doesn’t have quality record, commending the Alake of Egba for his support.

  • Four die in Ogun multiple accidents

    Four persons, including a commercial motorcyclist, have died in multiple accidents at the Sagamu stretch of the Lagos -Ore Expressway.

    Two bodies were deposited at the mortuary of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, a source at the Morbid Anatomy unit said. The others were taken to Sagamu.

    The accident, which occurred on Monday night at the steep and sharp bend near the Sagamu junction – Old Toll Gate, involved a cyclist, a truck carrying diesel, a cement truck, a commercial bus and a lorry carrying flour.

    It was gathered that the accident was caused by the diesel truck, which fell and emptied its content.

    Motorists travelling to Ore ran into the oil-filled lane and were swept off the road. Some crashed into the concrete median; others plunged into a valley nearby.

    The driver of the cement truck, Abubakar Umar, said it was a miracle that he was not hurt when he lost control of the vehicle.

    He said: “I drove into the slippery road unaware. My truck lost balance, skidded off the road before plunging into a valley. It rolled many times over and hauled the bags of cement in the valley.”

    Operatives of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), police and the state’s traffic management agency (TRACE) were controlling the traffic even as some labourers were covering the oil – filled road with sand.

    Police spokesman Olumuyiwa Adejobi said the motorcyclist died on the spot.

  • Ogun market woman leader killed

     

    Tension is mounting in Ijebu – Ode as all markets are closed following the killing of the Iyaloja of Ijebuland, Alhaja Sadia Elewuju, in her Ijebu – Ode home by people suspected to be assassins.

    Alhaja Elewuju was murdered around 3am Thursday when her assailants reportedly invaded her Itorin – Sabo home, Ijebu – Ode, shooting and also matchetting her before disappearing, a source told The Nation.

    The Nation gathered that neighbours and some family members first rushed her to a nearby private hospital situating along the Ijebu – Ode – Ore expressway but later taken to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital(OOU), Sagamu, where she reportedly died.

    The Police in Ijebu – Ode and detectives from the Igbeba Police Area Command have swunged into action to unravel the circumstances and motives behind her gruesome attack.

    The Nation tried contacting via phone calls, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, for reaction but there was answer from his end when the phone rang.

  • Ogun to equip local govt workers

    The Ogun State government plans to improve the lot of local government workers.

    The plan was revealed when the Centre for Management Development(CMD) submitted its report on the Capacity Building, Needs Analysis and Assessment of the 20 local governments in Ogun State.

    The project was carried out for the Ogun State Local Government Service Commission(OGLSC) after it was launched last October by the Commission’s Chairman, Alhaji Olatunde Okewole.

    CMD conducted a rigorous study on how to develop the capacities of its staff and institutions.

    Submitting the report to the OGLSC last week, the CMD’s Director-General, Kabo Usman, said the project was borne out of the need to support Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s five-point agenda.

    Amosun’s five point agenda includes qualitative and affordable health care, free education, infrastructural development and urban renewal, improved agriculture and industrialization to engender jobs and wealth creation.

    According Usman, the study was paticipatory in nature and involved inputs from a selected sample of staff of OGLSC and critical analysis of individual, team among others.

    Okewole pledged to implement the report to enhance the capacity of the staff of the local government areas to deliver on their mandate.

    According to Okewole, the Commission would always partner with CMD on ways to continually develop the human capacity required to further develop the state in line with Amosun’s five-point agenda.

  • Onanuga takes charge in Ogun

    Onanuga takes charge in Ogun

    OGUN State Governor Ibikunle Amosun will today leave for Saudi Arabia to observe Lesser Hajj (Umrah).

    Deputy Governor Yetunde Onanuga will take charge for the one week the governor will be away.

    The Secretary to the State Government(SSG), Taiwo Adeoluwa, in a statement yesterday,  said Amosun in a “notice to the House of Assembly mandated his deputy, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga, to take charge of the affairs of the state”.

  • Ogun, BOI extend N534m loans to Cooperative movement

    Ogun, BOI extend N534m loans to Cooperative movement

    The Ogun State Government in collaboration with the Bank of Industries (BOI) has so far provided loans worth N534 million to Cooperative movement to boost small and medium scale businesses across the State.

    The State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, stated this during the celebration of the ‘2015 International Cooperative Day’ co-organised by the state Ministry of Community Development and Cooperatives and the Ogun State Cooperatives Federation Limited (OGSCOFED) with the theme “EQUALITY” Choose Cooperative, Choose Equality”.

    Represented by the Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle, the governor said about 108 Cooperative Societies in agricultural, non-agricultural, as well as small and medium scale businesses have benefited from the loans across the State, adding that a sum of N500,000 has been provided as 2015 annual subvention to OGSCOFED.

    Giving an assurance that his administration will continue to provide a veritable platform for sustainable growth and development of cooperative societies in all sectors of our State’s economy, the governor disclosed that over 11,043 registered Cooperative Societies, Unions and Apexes with a total accumulated capital of N35 Billion, comprising of shares, ordinary saving and other funds have been mobilised by cooperators, adding that the executives of the societies should come up with practicable measures that would address the menace of overdue and unredeemed loans which has led to the extinction of several societies and unions.

    Speaking earlier, the President, Ogun State Cooperative Federation Limited, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Ola Balogun, said the celebration was in recognition of the International World Cooperative Day, which was recommended by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) and the United Nation (UN) to showcase the importance and benefits of cooperative movement to the development of the socio- economic development of the nation.

    He assured of the readiness of Cooperative movement in the state to always support and contribute its quota to the ‘’rebuilding mission’’ of the present administration in the State, noting that the International Cooperatives Day was aimed at strengthening and improving the cordial relationship between cooperatives and local and state government.