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Tag: ONDO

  • ‘Oando Foundation equips 80 primary schools in 22 states’

    ‘Oando Foundation equips 80 primary schools in 22 states’

    Oando Foundation, an independent charity organisation has equipped  80 primary schools in 22 states and the FCT, in its efforts to boost access to quality education in the country.

    Mrs Adekanla Adegoke, Head of the foundation, made the disclosure at the inauguration of a block of three classrooms, ICT Centre and toilet facility at LEA Primary School Rido in Kaduna on Wednesday.

    The  facilities were donated to the school by the foundation, as part of Oando’s corporate social responsibility.

    According to her, the foundation has initiated a programme tagged Adopt-A-School Initiative (AASI), aimed at  holistic improvement of public primary schools.

    “AASI was initiated in 2007 in partnership with the Ministry of Education and State Universal Basic Education Boards in line with Oando Foundation’s mission of transforming lives through education.

    “AASI is focused on improving the overall quality of basic education in public primary schools and to create a sustainable model for effective teaching and learning in all adopted schools.”

    She said that the 80 schools adopted by Oando Foundation were located in Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Enugu, Kaduna, Katsina, Kwara and Lagos states.

    Others are in Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, and the FCT.

    She disclosed that the foundation had adopted two schools in Kaduna state, namely LEA Primary School, Rido, and LEA Primary School Rigasa.

    “The foundation has so far spent about N50 million in LEA Rido since its adoption in 2011.

    “We constructed two blocks of five classrooms and sanitation facilities to improve hygiene.

    “We equally offered scholarship to 22 students to support their secondary education, provided over 1,000 units of teaching and learning materials to strengthen the quality of teaching and learning in the school.

    “We have also built the capacity of teachers and head teachers in modern teaching techniques,” the official said.

    She added that the foundation also partnered Sumitomo Chemical, a Japanese company, to establish the solar powered ICT centres in public primary schools in Kaduna, Lagos and Taraba states.

    “While most children in rural areas do not have access to a computer, three out of every five children in the urban areas lack basic ICT skills.

    “To reverse this negative trend, the foundation has established 15 ICT/Creative Centres in its adopted schools, serving the learning needs of over 16,000 pupils.

    “Together with Sumitomo Chemical and other well-meaning organisations like the Educate-A-Child Qatar, we are creating an enabling environment to provide pupils from marginalised backgrounds invaluable 21st century technology skills, “Adegoke said.

    Also speaking, the Executive Chairman of SUBEB, Malam Nasir Umar thanked the foundation for the gesture, saying that “education is a collective responsibility”.

    Represented by a Permanent Member of the board, Mrs Mary Ambi, the chairman called on other corporate organizations to emulate the gesture.

    Similarly, the Village Head of the community, Alhaji Hamisu Haruna also commended the effort, adding that it would reduce current congestion of over 300 pupils per class.

    He said that the school, built in the 1960s and with a population of about 2,000 pupils, has only seven classrooms, stressing that much would be required to bridge the gap.

    NAN

  • Protest in Ondo over alleged land dispute

    Protest in Ondo over alleged land dispute

    Residents of Oka in Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State yesterday protested what they called incessant activities of land grabbers in the town.

    They said the traditional ruler, Olusegun Adegoju, the Oloja, and some prominent indigenes recently requested the original documents of their landed property.

    The protesters marched round major streets and converged on the palace of the Osemawe of Ondo, where they expressed their grievances to the frontline monarch.

    Speaking on behalf of the protesters, Mr. Julius Akinmuyise said they staged the protest to draw the attention of the Osemawe as well as Oloka to the matter.

    They urged the Osemawe to intervene in the matter and ensure that peace returns to the community.

    Oba Kiladejo promised to convene an emergency meeting of the Osemawe-in-Council to address the matter.

    The monarch urged the protesters to be calm and patient.

    He assured them that a lasting solution would soon be found to the matter.

    Oba Adegoju denied the allegations levelled against him.

    He promised to convene a stakeholders’ meeting to address land-related matters.

     

  • Motorists to FG: Reconstruct Ose Bridge in Edo state

    Motorists to FG: Reconstruct Ose Bridge in Edo state

    Motorists on Monday appealed to the Federal Government ( FG ) to urgently reconstruct the old and narrow Ose Bridge at Owan West Local Government in Edo to prevent vehicles from plunging into the Ose River.

    Several vehicles from the western part of the country going to Abuja had plunged into the river killing many of the occupants.

    The bridge is situated between Ifon, a village in Ondo State and Uzebba, a town in Owan West Local Government in Edo.

    The road, constructed in the 1970s, is the only link for motorists from Afemai, Owan West and East Local Government Areas to the western part of the country.

    Besides, it is the only short route for motorists from Esan in Edo and the eastern part of the country to the western states.

    According to one of the motorists, Mr Edeki Aigbogun, who resides in Uzebba, the bridge is a death trap whenever it rains.

    “It is situated at a slope and whenever it rains, the bridge is always flooded, prompting drivers to wade through the flood at their own risk because it has no railings.

    “The situation makes it more difficult for the drivers to see the edges of the bridge whenever it is flooded.

    “Many vehicles had plunged into the river because the bridge has little or no demarcation from the river,’’ Aigbogun said.

    Another motorist, Mr Dada Okun, said the narrow bridge, which could not accommodate two vehicles at a time, was built by a construction firm, Niger Cat in the 1970s.

    Okun said the bridge required an upgrade due to the surge in the number of motorists that use the bridge to prevent loss of lives.

    He said that aside the Ose Bridge, there were two other bridges at Igwue Obi, whose base and sizes had been depleted by erosion.

    He said that residents of Uzebba had on many occasions provided palliatives by sand-filling the edges of the bridges but their efforts were always washed away by rainfall.

    NAN

  • Police arrest six suspected rustlers

    Police arrest six suspected rustlers

    Operatives of the Inspector General of Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) have arrested six suspected rustlers, who specialize in stealing goats in Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Kwara, Ekiti and Lagos States.

    The suspects are: Gani Adeyemi, 29, Kabiru Oladimeji, 50, Alimi Ayodele, 32, Kunle Olasebikan, 45, and Umaru Mohammed, 46.

    According to police sources, the suspects had carried out several operations in the neighbouring states, where they stole goats, money, phones and jewelry at gun point.

    It was gathered that the suspects lured goats with raw white beans following which they would gag the animals and cart them away in the operational vehicles.

    Confessing, Ayodele said: “I am married with three children. I stopped at Senior Secondary three and became a bus driver. I started stealing goats seven years ago when armed robbery became very hard in Lagos.

    It was my friend Akube that introduced me into goat stealing. We operated at Osogbo, Oyo, Ilorin, Ijebu. In each of the operations we went home with at least 20 goats. We used to be three in number namely Alimi, Gani, Akube who is still at large. We used to  operate at about from 11p.m to 12 midnight along village roads where goats sleep.

    ‘’ Gani’s role is to drive our operational vehicle, Akube catches the goats with raw beans while Ayo seals the goat’s mouth. Most of the goats sleep on the road. We were challenged by vigilante men at Iyana Oba in Osogbo where they blocked the road and we exchanged fire with them. We sold the goats to one Kazeem at Mile 12 market (Lagos) at N7,000 each. Kazeem is still at large.

    ‘’For the 20 goats we got at last operation at Osogbo we got 20 goats and sold 19 for N133,000 and roasted the one that died out of suffocation and celebrated our dinners with it. Out of the N133,000, I paid N20,000 for fuel and N20,000 for vehicle maintenance and shared the balance.

    In his confession, Kabiru, whose gang operated in Ojodu Berger, Agbado, Mowe Ibafo and Sango areas of Ogun State said his group stole only three goats on a daily basis.

    Kabiru and other members of the gang were however arrested by a police patrol team which also recovered guns from them.

  • We will reward hard working athletes, Commissioner assures

    We will reward hard working athletes, Commissioner assures

    The Ondo State Government said, on Thursday in Akure, that it would reward hard working athletes in the state, Mr Saka Yusuf-Ogunleye, Commissioner for Youth Development and Sports the assured.

    He gave the assurance in Akure while receiving athletes that represented the state and excelled in various local and international competitions, such as Wrestling, Volleyball, Weight lifting, Table Tennis and Football among others.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye, who said arrangements had been concluded to give the athletes a state reception, called on them to enhance effort in winning more medals for the state.

    The commissioner, while appealing to all stakeholders to be patience with government, also promised that ” everyone” in the state would enjoy the dividends of democracy.

    “We are very happy with the performances recorded by our athletes in various sports. This has shown us that with more incentives, we can conquer the world.

    “The success recorded in Wrestling, Weightlifting, Football, Volleyball and Table Tennis did not come by accident but due to the available talents as well as encouragement from the state government.

    “It is on this note that I want to congratulate all the winners, “he said.

    The commissioner, however, noted that it was difficult for the state government to ensure much financial motivation for the sportsmen due to paucity of funds.

    Read: Ogun athletes determined to dominate National Youth Games – Commissioner

    He disclosed that there were workers in the Ondo State Football Agency who had not been paid their salaries for 12 months.

    Yusuf-Ogunleye, who said the present administration in the state was on a rescue mission, assured athletes of better days ahead.

    Earlier, the Director of Sport, State sports Council, Mr Martins Adeojo, said that the current present administration had achieved a lot in less than a year, especially in sports development.

    Adeojo, who presented the athletes to the commissioner, attributed the medals won for the country by indigenes of the state to the unflinching support received from Gov.Oluwarotimi Akeredolu.

    He, however, called on the state government to do more in the area of financial encouragement and provision of facilities.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Odunayo Adekuoroye, Aminat Adeniyi, John Emmanuel, Bisola Makanjuola, and Samuel Bose won gold and silver medals in wrestling for Nigeria at the African Senior Championship in Morocco.

    Adekunoroye also won silver medal for Nigeria in wrestling in Women’s category at the World Wrestling Championship in Paris.

    In Weight lifting, Fatima Yakubu won three gold medals for Nigeria at the African Championship in Uganda.

    Matty Taiwo (17), won two gold and one bronze medal at the ITTF African Junior tournament in Egypt.

    The state also emerged 3rd on the overall medals table, out of 35 states at the 2017 National Youth Games in Ilorin with 12 gold, 12 silver and 12 bronze medals.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) also reports that three players from the state are currently at the National Volleyball Camp in Abuja ahead of the African Championship in Egypt.

    The commissioner congratulated the Super Eagles for qualifying for next year’s World cup in Russia.

    Highpoint at the occasion was the receipt of the Fair Play Trophy won by Sunshine Stars of Akure at the just concluded 2017 AITEO Federations Cup, by the commissioner.

    Read Also: 2017 World Rowing Championships: 6 athletes to represent Nigeria

  • Buhari, state governors meet in Aso Rock

    Buhari, state governors meet in Aso Rock

    President Muhammadu Buhari is meeting with some state governors inside the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    The governors who are attending the meeting includes; Zamfara, Ebonyi, Bauchi, Jigawa, Kebbi, Ondo and Kwara States.

    Details later…

  • Army lunches operation crocodile smile II in C/River

    Army lunches operation crocodile smile II in C/River

    The Nigerian Army has lunched the second phase of its operation code name `Crocodile Smile II’ in Cross River.

    Maj.-Gen. Adamu Abubakar, General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division of the Nigerian Army, Enugu lunched the operation on Wednesday in Calabar.

    He said the operation was meant to complement the ongoing `Operation Python Dance in the South-East.

    He said the operation was in line with the Army’s efforts to curb militancy, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and other forms of illegality in the state and beyond.

    The Commander, 13 Brigade, Nigerian Army Calabar, Brig.-Gen. Ismaila Isa, conducted the GOC round the creeks of Ikang in Bakassi LGA to the Amphibious Training School fleet yard in Calabar by speed boat.

    Abubakar said: “from Ikang in Bakassi local government to the Calabar channel, I can say that the soldiers have been doing well in protecting the coastal areas along with the navy.

    “I am happy that the Director of the State Security Service also went with us throughout the sea patrol.

    “It shows that we are united in providing security to the people of the state and beyond.

    “I am very certain that this exercise will help in securing our nation just as we recorded tremendous success in exercise Egwu Eke.

    “Crocodile smile cut across four divisions; they include 81, 2, 6 and 82 divisions respectively.

    “We hope to record successful outcome at the end of the operation on the 28 of Oct.

    “What we are doing here right now is exactly what is going on in Lagos, Ondo, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa Rivers and Cross River states respectively.’’

    The GOC said the operation would also help in enhancing civil-military relationship, teach the troops general administration, operational logistics, equipment maintenance, arms handling and others.

    He called on the public to support the operation by availing the Army and other security agencies with useful and timely information that would enable them respond on time to cases of emergencies.

    NAN

  • 12 escape ‘mysterious’ death in Ondo community

    Twelve persons at the weekend escaped death by inhaling dangerous gases from a generator at Igbokoda, headquarters of Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State.

    Though the remote cause of the incident could not be ascertained at press time, it was learnt that the victims were in good health before allegedly inhaling a gas from a chemical used in killing mosquitoes.

    Another source said the victims, comprising six men and six women, were said to have inhaled generator fumes in a room.

    They were said to be resting in a building on Okoga Street while mourning one of their relatives by observing a compulsory vigil with his widow, according to a tradition in the coastal community.

    The development was said to have begun around 11.30 p.m when one of the deceased’s relatives, Orimisan Ayedara, was also observing the rites.

    He was said to have suddenly noticed that everybody in the house had become unconscious.

    The man reportedly raised the alarm and ran to a nearby church where a night vigil was ongoing.

    The pastor of the church, Sola Omonojo, with the support of some prayer warriors, reportedly stormed the scene for spiritual assistance.

    It was learnt that as the pastor was reviving some of the victims, two of the church members who accompanied him to the scene, suddenly slumped.

    Sources said the pastor and other sympathisers carried the victims and contacted some policemen at Igbokoda Police Station.

    After marathon prayers, the victims were said to have regained consciousness.

    One of the church members said a vigil was ongoing when somebody rushed in and informed members about the development.

    He said: “Shortly after we received the message, the pastor and other church members went to the home, close to the church, to render assistance to the victims. On getting to the house, 12 persons were met unconscious and we started praying for them.”

    The church member said as the prayers were going on, two church members slumped and were rushed to the church to be revived.

    A resident, Igbekele Aiyelanwa, described the incident as a spiritual attack.

    He recalled that a similar incident had occurred in the same house few years ago in which he claimed five persons died.

    Aiyelanwa said he was surprised when two members of the congregation suddenly became unconscious while trying to revive the victims.

    He said the revival of the victims before the incident was an act of God.

    A victim, Mrs. Omolara Ojulari, described the situation as divine.

    She recalled that she was in good condition when she joined the widow for the ritual vigil, as part of the tradition in the area.

    Ojulari said she suddenly became unconscious and slumped, thanking God for bringing her back to life.

  • Anxiety in Ondo over arrest of Boko Haram insurgent

    Anxiety in Ondo over arrest of Boko Haram insurgent

    Following the last Sunday’s arrest of a suspected Boko Haram insurgent, Bashir Mohammed in Isua-Akoko, Akoko Southeast local government area of Ondo state, security has been beefed up especially in the four local government areas.

    Our Correspondent observed that soldiers at various check points have embarked on intensive search of vehicles and passengers travelling on various routes in the area.

    The 20-year old suspect while being paraded by the Police last Tuesday in Akure, said some of his colleagues were scattered in the Southwest states including Ondo state, thereby causing anxiety in the state.

    At various motor parks and other public places, it was noticed that the photographs of the wanted Boko Haram members were conspicuously pasted.

    The Chief Imam of Ikare Akoko,Sheik Abbas Abubakar urged residents not to entertain unknown persons in their houses or mosques.

    He called for self-security consciousness to prevent unforeseen circumstances.

    Also, at a meeting of the Ansar Ud deen(AUD) Society of Nigeria held on Saturday in Ikaram-Akoko, its National Organising Secretary,Alhaji Ibrahim Kilani condemned terrorism, stressing that Islam abhors killers of innocent souls.

    Kilani urged the people, especially those in the border towns of Akokoland such as Ajowa,Isua and Akunnu to be more vigilant and report strange faces to security operatives around for prompt action.

    The Commissioner of Police in the state,Olugbenga Adeyanju said the commitment of his command led to the arrest of the two suspected insurgents.

  • Ondo Assembly extends council chairmen’s tenure

    The Ondo State House of Assembly yesterday extended the tenure of the 18 local government caretaker chairmen by six months.

    The lawmakers unanimously extended the tenure at plenary presided over by Speaker Bamidele Oleyelogun.

    This followed a letter from Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) to the Assembly to approve extension of the chairmen’s tenure by six months.

    The governor’s letter, which was signed by Secretary to the State Government (SSG) Ifedayo Abegunde, was read by  the Clerk Bode Adeyelu.

    Majority leader Olugbenga Araoyinbo moved the motion to grant the governor’s request. He was seconded by Chairman, House Committee on Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Suleiman Maito

    It was the Assembly’s maiden plenary after six-week recess.

    Maito said the extension was necessary as the chairmen’s earlier six-month tenure expired on October 3

    The lawmaker noted that the extension will give the chairmen opportunity to do more for their constituencies.

    He said the caretaker chairmen performed well within their limited resources, adding that there were no petitions against them to warrant their removal.