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Tag: Ondo community

  • Ondo community, electricity provider agree on tariff

    To facilitate improved power supply in Aboto community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, residents  have agreed with the power service providers, R. R. Reynolds on billing terms.

    Every household in the community has been provided with stand-alone solar power by the company. This was in fulfilment of the agreement it reached with the state government last year under the Ondo State Government fast-power programme.

    The fast-power programme is part of the phase one of the state government’s electricity improvement scheme.

    Beneficiaries of the power project have not been charged for the service. But they will begin to pay from July.

    However, the people and the power service provider have agreed on a reasonable rate payable.

    While the people called for scaling up of the power supply to avail them opportunity to use additional electronic appliances, the provider requested for consistent payment by customers to offset some of its costs.

    Representing Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu at a stakeholders’ meeting at the Town Hall in Aboto, Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Utilities, Tunji Ariyomo, an Engineer stated that the investors wanted assurance from the people that they would pay for the service, ahead of when the company would scale up power supply.

    The traditional ruler of the community, the Alaboto of Aboto, Oba Oyetayo Ofo-Aye assured the state government and the power company of their co-operation and readiness to pay at least N500 per month, per household.

    The power company had initially offered N1, 000 per month per household.

    Beneficiaries of the project would be expected to start paying bills from next month.

    At the meeting, some of the beneficiaries, James Atimise and Mrs. Taiwo Akinte commended the Rotimi Akeredolu-led administration for ending 12 years of total darkness.

    They thanked the state government for the creative way it succeeded in the power intervention for Aboto town.

    They revealed that security and social life have improved in the community, particularly night life and that their children no longer have excuses for not studying.

    The traditional ruler appealed to Engr. Ariyomo to prevail on  the power provider to quicken the process of upgrading the capacity of the facilities so that they can power their non-energy saving devices such as television sets and refrigerators.

    Having agreed to the billing rate, a committee for the Cluster Offtake Unit (COU) was immediately constituted and members were chosen by the people.

    The five-man committee would be liaising with the people of the community regarding payment of bills and challenges faced by the customers.

    Members of the committee are Mr. Memokan Emmanuel (Chairman), Mrs. Akinte Taiwo, Mr. Omotehinse Adeyemi, Mr. Adeji Ogooluwa and Mr. Temuhi Kehinde.

    The stakeholders’ meeting was attended by community leaders and the people.

    Among dignitaries present at the meeting were Acting General Manager, Ondo State Electricity Board (OSEB), Engr. Oreoluwa Fadoju, Acting Secretary, Office of Public Utilities (OPU), Princess Abike Bayo-Ilawole, Primate S.O. Ayodele, High Chief David Akinte, High Chief Adegbenro Atimise, Chief (Mrs.) Christiana Ogbolo and Chief Elkannah Elemo, among others.

  •  Confusion in Ondo community over death of missing Fulani teenager

    There was tension in the ancient town of Isua, headquarters of Akoko South East local government area of Ondo State, on Friday, when the 13-year-old son of a fulani herdsman, Suleiman, who was earlier declared missing, was found dead in a river, where he was allegedly dumped by suspected assailants.

    The father of the deceased,  Usman, and his mother, Asimowu, were said to be away, when two persons arrived on a motorcycle to abduct the deceased.

    When the case was reported at Isua-Akoko, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) Akinbode Olowoyo, a Superintendent of Police (SP), led his men to carry out an intensive investigation, which led to the arrest of two suspects with the motorcycle reportedly used to carry out the act.

    Read Also: Ex-Ondo deputy governor to appeal suit over entitlements  

    The motorcycle was identified by a friend of the deceased.

    The Special Assistant (SA) to Governor Akeredolu on Hausa/Fulani Matters, Bala Umar, swung into action with the help of the Isua police to douse tension and prevent imminent reprisal in the community.

    He urged the Fulanis to be patient and avoid taking laws into their hands as the government and law enforcement agencies would do the needful.

    Meanwhile, the corpse of the boy has been deposited in a mortuary, while the suspects are being prepped for transfer to Akure for further interrogation.

  • Chevron facility fire: Anxiety grips Ondo community

    Since April 18 when fire broke out at Chevron facility on an oil-well located in Ojumole community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State, there have been apprehensions over its environmental and health hazards. DAMISI OJO reports that at a meeting between Ojumole community and Chevron, the oil firm promised to ensure that the well-being of members of the community would be its topmost priority.

    On April 18, fire broke out on an oil-well located between two communities in Delta and Ondo states. Expectedly, the situation had sparked heated disagreement between Polobubo leadership and the oil multinational, over the designation of the facility on fire.

    While the community identified it as Ikpalapkala-Bou oil-well, located in their Ijaw community in Delta State, Chevron is said to have maintained that the facility is Ojumale oil-well, which it said is located in Ondo State.

    Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) has said it’s doing everything possible not to ignite communal crisis between the Ijaw of Polobubo in Delta State and Ilaje of Ondo State. It added that it has been playing safe, dealing with both sides equally, even as it said it is not its duty to determine who owns the land on which the facility is located.

    Members of Ojumole community in Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State have urged the oil-producing company to ensure that immediate measures were taken to ease the negative effect of the fire on the environment and the health of the people.

    Responding, the oil firm assured that safety of lives of the people in the host communities of Ilaje Local Government Area would be its topmost priority.

    It said contrary to allegations of neglect of the people of Ojumole community in Ilaje Local Government Area, the organisation maintained that no effort would be spared in enhancing the lives of the people.

    The General Manager of the oil firm, Mr. Esimsje Burkin, an Engineer who addressed the six-man ad-hoc committee on fire incident set up by the Ondo State House of Assembly said CNL has been supportive of the communities in its area of operation and sensitive to their plights.

    Recall that the fire incident occurred on April 18, 2019 at Ugbo llaje Ojumole, Oil Well in Ilaje Local Government Area.

    While commenting on the fire incident that occurred at Ojumole field in NNPC/CNL JV’s Western Niger Delta area of operation, the General Manager said the company was currently working with Emergency Response contractors to safely put out the fire as quickly as possible.

    He said due to the peculiar terrain of the well’s location, there was the need to create an access path to the slot leading to the well head.

    This, according to him, would enable the heavy equipment and men required to safely put out the fire gain access to the well location.

    He said the oil firm would continue to keep all stakeholders, including the government, regulatory agencies, media and community leaders abreast of efforts of the company aimed at putting out the fire.

    His words: “A joint investigation visits (JIV) by a team made up of regulatory agencies, community stakeholders and the company, was carried out on Saturday, April 20, to ascertain the extent of the spill, impact on the environment, if any and cause of the spill.

    “The JIV to the site of the incident by a team made up of regulatory agencies, community stakeholders and CNL, determined that the fire incident was caused by third party interference. There were protective mechanical components and installed barriers on the well head, which were tampered with by oil theft.

    “As a result of the third party activity that led to uncontained release of hydrocarbon from Ojumole Well with resultant fire incident, the hydrocarbon has been burning continually. Residue of oil is collected while the water and gas in solution have been the source of the fire”.

    Chevron GM, however, said the company placed the highest priority on the health and safety of its neighbouring communities, workforce and protection of the nvironment and its assets.

    The Speaker of Ondo State House of Assembly, Bamidele Oleyelogun enjoined Chevron to consider the safety of lives and social well-being of the people by ensuring that the fire was put out as quickly as possible.

    According to him, members of the House had been having sleepiness nights over the ugly incident.

    Oleyelogun urged the oil company to find lasting solution to the fire as an unbiased umpire.

    Dr. Akin Akinruntan, who spoke on behalf of the community also urged Chevron to pay due compensation of 2.5 billion dollars to those communities that are within eight kilometers radius to the fire-ravaged area, among others.

    He, however, reeled off possible health hazards that are likely to ravage the lives of the people who are already out of their fishing business, if something urgent is not done.

    Other agencies and stakeholders that made their contributions at the meeting were DPR, NEMA; community and youth leaders, among others.

    The six-man ad-hoc committee on fire incident set up by the state House of Assembly, however, adjourned the meeting till after Chevron returns from the site of the affected oil well.

  • Gunmen kidnap three in Ondo community

    Three persons travelling to Ikare Akoko in a Toyota Corolla car and one Mitsubushi Pick up Van, for a wedding, have been reportedly kidnapped by suspected gunmen along Auga-Ikare road in Ondo state. The men were abducted on the same spot where Olori Agunloye, the wife of the Alauga of Auga and her driver were kidnapped last year between Auga and Ise Akoko. A woman who is a wife to one of the victims was left with her two children to report the case for possible negotiation on ransom.

    Read Also: 100 women empowered in Ondo

    The police in Ikare in conjuction with vigilante group had swung into action by combing the bush to rescue the victims and arrest the criminals. The Alauga of Auga,Oba Samuel Agunloye said for kidnapping and other criminal activities to be curbed in the area, there should be an Army formation and a police outpost there. He added that the Ipele-Isua-Auga Akunu-Kabba federal highway should be rehabilitated to allow for free flow of vehicles. As at the press time, no family had been contacted for negotiations.

  • Ritual killings: Ondo community praying, fasting

    THE Zaki Arigidi-in-Council in Arigidi, Akoko Northeast Local Government Area of Ondo State has declared the beginning of interdenominational prayer session and fasting to curtail ritual killings in the community.

    The prayer and fasting are coming following two incidents of ritual killings, which occurred simultaneously in the town.

    Besides, the community leaders employed the service of traditionalists and vigilante group to tame the menace.

    Two women were killed in the community within one week, with their breasts removed.

    Sources in the town said the development was strange to Arigidi Akoko community, which is regarded as very peaceful.

    The town’s monarch, Oba Yisa Olanipekun, met with women who were family members of victims of the gruesome killings.

    The monarch said an indigene of Arigidi Akoko from Ogo quarters, Tunde Ajileye, alias Efo, who is 30-year-old, had been napped when his father surrendered him to the traditional ruler who handed him to the police.

    The policemen took him to Akure to join two other suspects now at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Akure.

    A woman leader, Mrs. Ayoka Oshodi, on behalf other women, blamed youths looking for “blood money” for the ritual killings.

    She appealed to parents to monitor their children living above their income.

    Chairman, Akoko Northwest Local Government Area, Elder Samson Akande, said his administration would give priority to security and generation of revenue .

    He said he was not happy with the killings at Arigidi Akoko.

    Akande called on his management team to liaise with traditional rulers to make sure life and property are safe in the local government.

     

  • Fear grips Ondo community over ritual killings

    There is apprehension in Arigidi, Akoko Northeast local government area of Ondo State following incessant ritual killings in the community, the recent  of  which was that of an octogenarian, Mrs. kojusola Mogaji of Imo Quarters.  Arigidi-Akoko who was killed on Thursday night.

    Her death made it number six women to be killed and their breasts removed clinically in the community in the last few weeks.

    Two cases reportedly occurred opposite Ecobank, Ikare, one at Okeagbe Ikare ,another at Agbaluku Arigidi with the recent one at Imo Arigidi.

    Sources said anxiety and fear had pervaded the community, as women are afraid of going to churches and mosques for morning  prayer sessions.

    Also, people are no more ready to open doors of their houses to anybody knocking for fear of being attacked.

    The daughter of the deceased, Mrs kehinde Adewumi,  a local government official appealed to the police to unravel the sudden death of her mother.

  • Ondo community leads agitation for LCDAs

    AGITATIONS for granting of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) status began yesterday in Ondo State.

    Traditional rulers and eminent indigenes of four communities under the aegis of Irekari community, comprising Idoani, Afo, Idogun and Imeri, besieged Akure, the state capital, to submit their memorandum to the state government.

    Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu had inaugurated an 11-man committee for the creation of the new LCDAs led by a lawyer, Lanke Odogiyan.

    The Irekari traditional rulers were led by the Alani of Idoani, Oba Olufemi Olutoye, a retired Maj.-Gen; Alafo of Afo Oba S.A. Egunjobi, Onidogun of Idogun Oba Ekundayo Bakare and Onimeri of Imeri Oba B.A. Adeniran with scores of Irekari indigenes, who came in many buses.

    Addressing reporters before the submission of the memorandum, Oba Olutoye noted that on June 20, 2011, he presented the same address in his capacity as the head of prominent indigenes of Irekari community and Chairman, Conference of Traditional Rulers in Ose Local Government, but no success was recorded.

    He said agitation for self-governance for Irekari native authority was formally endorsed in 1949 by traditional rulers in the communities.

    The monarch said since that time, stakeholders on the project had remained unwavering in their agitation, saying: “From the colonial administration through the military and the present democratic dispensation, our request has remained loud and clear.

    “The marginalisation, economic deprivation, political annihilation under the present contraption in Ose Local Government has better imagined than said.

    “When Akeredolu visited my palace with his campaign team in 2016, my number one request to him was the creation of Irekari Local Council Development Area.”

    According to the monarch, this request is  not encumbered by constitutionality, stressing that the state government and the legislature are empowered to make laws that can create LCDA.

    He said of all the districts created in I958, Irekari and Ekamarun were the only districts councils in the old Western Region still operating as a merged local council.

    Oba Olutoye said Irekari LCDA when created would not be part of the failing system of local administration in Nigeria, which largely depends on vouchers from Abuja.

    The other three traditional rulers, including Alafo, Onidogun and Onimeri also expressed the need for the new LCDA in Irekari community.

    Chairman, Planning Committee for Irekari LCDA Asiwaju Dele Olapeju lamented that past governments had failed his people in spite of good case they made for the establishment of the LCDA.

    He urged Akeredolu to write his name in gold by granting their request and offer the status.

     

  • Akeredolu laments violence in Ondo community

    •Corps member dies in boat mishap

    ONDO State Governor  Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has visited the crisis-ridden Oba-Akoko, Akoko Southwest Local Government, following the bloody violence, which erupted in the area at the weekend.

    He was accompanied by Commissioner of Police Undie Adie.

    The governor, who expressed displeasure at the level of devastation at the Divisional Police Station and its barracks, wondered why the perpetrators of the dastardly acts could embark on such height of criminality and lawlessness.

    Akeredolu yesterday said the state government would set up a panel of inquiry to find out the immediate and remote causes  of the incidence, which claimed two lives, to determine the cost implication of damages done to public and private property.

    The governor called on police and other security agencies to enforce government directive to restrict internal human and vehicular movements in the town.

    At the palace of Oloba, Akeredolu regretted that despite the several phone calls made to Oba Nurudeen Adegoroye to prevail on his people to maintain peace and order, the people rebuffed sense of reasoning.

    The Commissioner of Police had earlier briefed the governor on how his men at the station were overpowered by irate mob, whose actions were politically-motivated after they had illegally blocked all entries into the town.

    The CP, who, however, confirmed the arrest of some hoodlums, who engaged in various forms of electoral offences, assured that there would be enough reinforcements to restore peace and order.

    The DPO, Mayegun Adewale, who conducted the governor and the CP round the station and other strategic places in the town, said the hoodlums were not only youths as being claimed.

    He said the sporadic shootings by the criminals showed the calibre of firearms with them and the fact that they were well-coordinated for the attack.

    The Senior Special Assistant(SSA) to the Governor on Security, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, said distressed calls came to combined teams of  Security Agencies, of plans by the hoodlums to destroy electoral materials, including ballot boxes and result sheets used for State Assembly election in parts of  Akoko Southwest Local Government Area.

    He said the security personnel had to embark on a fierce security operation to dislodge the miscreants before the electoral officials and  materials used in the election could be rescued to the Collation Centre in Iwaro-oka.

    In another development, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member who served as one of  the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ad- hoc staff has reportedly lost his life in a boat mishap at Agadagba-Obon in Ese- Odo Local Government Area on Saturday.

    Sources said the Corps member, identified as Ibrahim, hailed from neighbouring Osun State.

    It was learnt that the speed boat he boarded was returning from Arogbo ward 2 and capsized at the  river bank in Agadagba -Obon after election duty on Saturday.

    Two other corps members, who sustained injuries, were said to be receiving treatment at the hospital.

    The deceased was said to have not used life jacket as at the time of the mishap and all efforts to rescue him alive failed.

     

     

  • Protest in Ondo community over alleged imposition of ‘non-indigene’ as monarch

    There was protest yesterday in Ikota, Ifedore local government area of Ondo State, over alleged selection of Babajide Akinloye as the new monarch of the town.

    His appointment was said to have been ratified by the Ondo State government in ‘clear violation’ of customs and chieftaincy law.

    The protesters, mainly youths armed with leaves and placards, alleged that Akinloye was not a native of Ikota.

    They maintained that his mother who hailed from the town was not a member of Akota ruling house and described his purported appointment as a violation of the Chiefs Edict 1984 on Ikota Chieftaincy Declaration.

    The Akota’s stool became vacant following the death of Oba Samuel Ajisafe who joined his ancestors in 2007.

    The protesters led by the president, Ikota Progressive Union (IPU), Chief Ebenezer Olorunfemi, the community’s women leader, Mrs Kikelomo Ajisafe, and Ikota youth leader, Akinsanmi Fadairo, lamented that the appointment of Akinloye, whose father is a member of Odopetu family in Akure, had caused anxiety among residents.

    They viewed government’s action as an affront to their tradition.

    The aggrieved protesters alleged the Speaker of the State Assembly, Bamidele Oloyelogun, of influencing the imposition of Akinloye on Ikota’s people.

    The IPU president and the youth leader said Ifedore local government in a letter dated November 16, 2016 marked: ILG/879/Vol.II/167, and addressed to the state government, had confirmed that out of the two contestants to the Akota’s stool, Prince Adewolu Badejo is from male lineage to the throne.

    It noted that Akinloye is from the female lineage and under the chieftaincy law, only male lineage has a right to the obaship throne.

    The Regent of Ikota, Princess Adun Ajisafe, corroborated that Akinloye is not from the royal family.

    She, however, sued for calm as necessary government’s organs were working hard to redress the injustice the imposition might have caused.

    The protesters said: “The Chiefs Edict on Ikota Chieftaincy clearly exempts non-indigenes and non-male lineage of Arakale ruling house from the Akota’s stool.

    “Akinloye himself admitted he is not from Ikota; we don’t know why he is being sponsored to cause unrest and traditional crisis in our town. The entire Ikota people are fully behind Prince Badejo to become Akota and anything short of that, we will not allow an impostor to lead us.”

    They urged  Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu to act on the local government recommendation and relevant chiefs laws to set aside the purported appointment of Akinloye.

    The speaker, Oleyelogun, who is from the neighbouring Isarun community and the APC leader in Ifedore local government, could not be reached for reactions as he was said to be attending a crucial meeting at press time.

     

  • Court settles century-old land dispute in Ondo community

    An Akure High Court has resolved the over 100-year-old land dispute in Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo state.

    The court affirmed that the land belongs to Igbokoda community.

    Many lives and property had been lost on the fracas.

    Ilaje and Eseodo local government areas had been claiming the ownership of the land, the same way Amapetu of Mahin, the Olu of Igbokoda and other indigenes clashed over the authentic owners of the island community.

    But Justice Bode Adegbehingbe conferred the ownership of the land on Igbokoda as a communal land.

    The judge said the ownership of the land, situated between Rivers Oluwa and Ofara in Okitipupa Division of the old Ondo Province, had been in dispute between Ilaje and Ese Odo communities for over a century.

    According to him, the dispute was first brought before the Colonial Provincial Court in 1917 when Oba Jubo, the Kalasuwe and paramount ruler of Ijaw-Apoi, sued Oba Omowole, the Amapetu of Mahin.

    Oba Jubo, he said, sought the declaration of title of the piece of land, known as Igbokoda, being the land between the Rivers Oluwa and Ofara (Orere-Ara).

    The judge said the provincial court decided the case in favour of the Amapetu of Mahin.

    But the Apoi descendants of Oba Jubo, in 1974, sued the people of Igbokoda at the Ondo High Court, claiming ownership of part of the land.

    Besides, another dispute pitched the Lebile family of Igbokoda against the Registered Trustees of the Cherubim.

    In 2006, the Igbokoda community sued Setraco Construction Company, claiming compensation for some of the community’s property destroyed in the course of constructing the Igbokoda-Aiyetoro road.

    But the Agbeni and Temetan families, Justice Adegbehingbe held, filed counterclaims to the effect that the areas traversed by the road belonged to their families, which they insisted got it through the Amapetu of Mahin.

    After reviewing the case, the judge ruled that the judgment of the courts conferred ownership of all the land between Rivers Oluwa and Ofara on Igbokoda community.

    He said: “It is, therefore, apparent that the Supreme Court, a superior court of record, applied the customary rule that Igbokoda land is communally owned.

    “This court is, therefore, empowered to hold, and it hereby holds, that the land in Igbokoda is communally owned.

    “With the tendering of the judgment of the Supreme Court, the fact that the land in Igbokoda (as shown edged red in the Survey Plan exhibit D95) is communally owned has been proved by the first and second defendants to the counter-claim.

    “There is also nowhere in the judgments cited and tendered where the courts held that the Amapetu of Mahin personally owns any land in Igbokoda.”

    The court said the sole prayer brought by the counter-claimant (Agbeni family) for determination of title is “without merit”.

    It dismissed the counter-claims of the Temetan and Agbeni families.

    The Olu of Igbokoda, Oba Afolabi Odidiomo, expressed joy over the judgment.

    The monarch said peace would return to his domain.