The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Oyo state

  • Ajimobi to meet Oyo guber aspirants on Saturday

    Following the release of election Congress schedules and nominations fees for prospective aspirants on the platform of the ruling All Progressive Congress by its National leadership, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo state has given an open invitation to all aspirants in the state for the election

    The two days meeting is scheduled for the Agodi Government House, Ibadan.

    The Governor is to meet the over 30 governorship aspirants on Saturday while the meeting with the aspirants for the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly is scheduled for Sunday.

    The Governor spoke at the Oyo Central Senatorial Meeting, which held at Durban Stadium, Oyo Town, Oyo.

    The meeting according to the governor is to discuss and appease to the aspirants on the possibility of some aspirants stepping down to streamline the large number of aspirants.

    The governor added that the effort will also hope to help aspirants avoid wasting money in the purchase of nomination forms but possible agree on a consensus candidate assuring that he will never impose any candidate on the people.

    The national leadership of the party had recently released its schedule and timetable of activities stipulating Wednesday, 12th, September as the deadline for the collection and submission of nomination forms.

    The party also fixed N850, 000 for the nomination forms for aspirants into the House of Assembly, N3.850million for House of Representatives aspirants, N7million for Senate aspirants and N22.5m for governorship aspirants.

    Read Also: Ajimobi, Ayefele and the Music House demolition

    Addressing the crowd at the stadium, the Governor said the meeting, which was well attended by political office aspirants from the governorship to the house of assembly, party leaders, senatorial leaders, state executive members and thousands of the party supporters is to show the strength of the party and intimate members of on goings in the party.

    Before the new party schedule was released, the governor, had also expressed his desire to narrow down the large number of aspirants jostling to succeed him in the ruling APC in the state to four aspirants.

    The governorship aspirants in APC in the state include, a legal luminary, Chief Adeniyi Akintola (SAN); a Senior Partner in KPMG Professional Services in Nigeria, Mr. Joseph Olasunkanmi Tegbe; former Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Chief Adebayo Adelabu; Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Olalekan Alli; Commissioner for Health, Dr. Azeez Adeduntan; and former Head of Service, Mr. Soji Eniade.

    The list also comprised Minister of Communication, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu; Commissioner for Land, Housing and Survey, Mr. Isaac Omodewu; a former governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala; Chairman Senate Committee on ICT and Cyber Crime, Senator Abdulfatai Buhari; and a Director at Integrated Energy Distribution and Marketing Limited, Dr. Olusola Ayandele.

    Others are a former Chief Press Secretary to Late Governor Lam Adeshina, Kehinde Olaosebikan, Prof Soji Adejumo, among others.

    The governor said, “We are looking for somebody who will be godly, God-fearing, caring, will have vision, and will have courage to implement that vision. God will guide us.

    “As I am talking to you today, I don’t have anybody in my mind. But I know within the next one week, somebody will come. I have already narrowed them down to four now because all of them are eminently qualified. Look at what we parade and compare them with what opposition is parading. We need quality and we have that quality in all the aspirants.

    “I will meet with all the aspirants at a meeting on Saturday. The meeting we hope will help to streamline the contestants so that many of them won’t have to waste money in buying nomination forms.

    “I think it will be bad to put N22.5million in a project that you are sure will not be successful. Besides, they cannot all be the governor at the same time and we hope we will be able to come up with something positive at the end of the meeting.”

    Earlier, the Governor while paying a visit to the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemo in his palace enjoined all monarchs and traditional rulers in the state to always support the government of the day for rapid socioeconomic development.

    Governor Ajimobi while appreciating the first class monarch for his usual support for his administration enjoined monarchs across the state to always show the needed support to make government policies and programs impact on the populace.

    Responding, the monarch commended the Governor for his giant strides and efforts at making the state better, praying that God will help the state with suitable successor that will continue the good work started by the governor.

  • Oyo ADC crisis: Obasanjo meets aggrieved members

    Aggrieved members of the Oyo state chapter of the African Democratic Party (ADC) Monday met with former President Olusegun Obasanjo in an effort to reconcile the factional groups before the party’s primaries expected to hold next month.

    Led by the party’s National Chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu the reconciliation was held at the Presidential Library, Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital.

    Read Also:Osinbajo tackles Obasanjo, IBB, Jonathan over oil cash

    Others present at the meeting are Chief Michael Koleoso, Chief Olayiwola Olakojo, Senator Olufemi Lanlehin, former Deputy Governor Taofeek Arapaja, Former Secretary to the state Government, Dr. Adebisi Busari, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun, Chief Femi Majekodumi, Mr Yinka Olona, and Chief Mrs Funmi Arulogun amongst others.

    Details of the meeting were still sketchy as they were yet to conclude as at the time of filing this report.

    Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun , one of the gladiators at the meeting confirmed the peace move yesterday anchored by the former President Obasanjo .

    Oyo ADC which was launched two months ago in Ibadan, the state capital drew its membership from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), All Progressive Congress ( APC) and Accord Party (AP) .

    However, trouble started last week during the conduct of the state congress to elect officials of the party , where a group under the aegis of the Unity Forum accused the former governor of Oyo state, and ex-Secretary to the state Government (SSG), Senator Rashidi Ladoja and Chief Michael Koleoso  of hijacking the party .

    They claimed that the controversial congress was not all inclusive as they were sidelined during the conduct of the congress.

    The aggrieved members also alleged that all the exco members who emerged as state officials of the party were Ladoja’s men.

    The peace meeting held at Abeokuta Monday was called in order to find lasting solution to the crises rocking the state chapter of the party.

    Among the personalities present at the meeting are Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, National Chairman of the party, Chief Ralph Nwosu   and other groups within the state chapter of the party.

    It would recalled that a group within the party, Unity Forum, had last week raised alarm over the alleged hijack of the party by former governor of Oyo state and former secretary to the state government, Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja and Chief Michael Koleoso respectively.

    The group last Thursday issued a 72-hour ultimatum to the national leadership of the party to address what they termed as impunity. The ultimatum expired yesterday.
    A source revealed that yesterday’s meeting was called in order to correct the alleged imbalances in the party.

    A member of the Oyo state House of Assembly representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju, Hon. Afeez Adeleke had last weekend disclosed that the crisis rocking the state ADC could only be resolved by the former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

    He informed that leaders of the party, comprising all the aggrieved factions would take their grievances to the former President who they believed is the person to resolve the intra party crisis rocking the state chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

    Adeleke, it would be recalled  was among the fifteen members of the state House of Assembly that met Obasanjo in Abeokuta to finalise their resolve to cross from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), to the ADC .

    The lawmaker who urged all leaders of the party to work together in their bid to capture the state in the 2019 general elections argued that “Obasanjo is our guide, he has the solution, he is the solution to the ADC crises.

    “All of us met him in Abeokuta and we finalise that we are moving from the ruling APC to the ADC, he should prevail because he is our father. Ladoja was invited to the join the party, though the reconciliation is ongoing, there is a need for us to work to send APC away in 2019.”

    Adeleke who assured that Obasanjo’s intervention would put an end to the crises within the party, said he was surprised that Ladoja who was invited to join the party about three weeks ago could hijack the party from members who were on ground before his arrival.

     

     

  • Dissolve my 2-year-old marriage, woman tells court

    A middle-aged pregnant woman, Taliatu Alli, on Monday in Iseyin, Oyo State, approached the court seeking the dissolution of her two-year-old marriage over abandonment.

    Taliatu, who claimed to be eight months pregnant, alleged that Alli had been behaving irrationally since she became pregnant.

    “We prayed to have the baby, I’m surprised that Alli has neglected me and the baby.

    “It is also surprising he can become so irresponsible. He comes home only when he wishes. Whenever I asked him for money for anti-natal and other necessary medications he will turn it down,” she told a customary court.

    She added: “He has been punishing me since I became pregnant as if it is a bad thing to be pregnant.

    “I need to move on in life so that people do not think I have a husband when in reality I do not have one.”

    Read Also: Imo court frees detained IPOB women

    Alli, however, told the court that he could not provide for her needs because he had no money.

    “I know I have not been giving her money as expected but I still give her the little I have and I expect her to understand.

    “The major problem with her is that she is too troublesome,” he said.

    He pleaded with the court not to dissolve the marriage, saying he prefers an amicable resolution of the issues.

    The President of the court, Chief Adelodun Raheem, said the union was still redeemable and ordered the families of the
    estranged couple to intervene.

    He adjourned the case until Sept.14 for report of the settlement.

     

    NAN

  • Ajimobi-Ayefele Saga: Not exactly David versus Goliath

    Peace has supposedly broken out in the weeklong saga over the partial demolition by the Oyo State Government, of a building in the Challenge area of Ibadan, belonging to the popular singer and entrepreneur, Yinka Ayefele.

    On Thursday, a parley ostensibly put together by an All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant and sundry peacemakers doused the fire. In attendance were Oyo State State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, as well as the singer Ayefele and a couple of others.

    At the pow-wow, the governor reportedly declared that the demolition was all about enforcing law and order and that he had nothing against Ayefele as a person. The singer, for his part, pronounced himself a law-abiding citizen who had always replied all correspondence on the building infractions levelled against him.

    After Ayefele’s team prostratged themselves before Ajimobi and the Oba, he was absolved of his ‘sins’ and assured of an amicable resolution of a saga that had provided feverish excitement and entertainment for the baying mob on social media for days.

    For the governor, the truce must have been welcome relief from the unrelenting bashing which has painted him as a stubborn autocrat who plunged into a public relations disaster with eyes wide open.

    Even, the peace meeting, which seeks to bring closure to the storm, is not all positive for him. Irrespective of who initiated the talks, the truth is he has come across as a Goliath – backed by all the awesome powers of state – who has been brought to heel by a physically-challenged but wildly-popular entertainer. It may not be the fairest of characterisations, but that is just the way it is.

    In reality, though, this is not your everyday replay of the Biblical David versus Goliath conflict. There is a bit of that, and lots more about what has brought Nigeria into the pitiable condition it finds itself today.

    In an environment where sentiment often trumps reason in public discourse, Ajimobi’s feeble attempt to stand on the law and order high ground was bound to fail. Nigerians are more likely to side with the underdog – with the powerful symbolism of his physical handicap – against a powerful politician portrayed as arrogant and unfeeling.

    So, while the government swiftly rushed to the court of public opinion with series of letters sent to Ayefele’s organisation about deviations from the approved building plan, the irate denizens of social media neither had the patience nor inclination to wade through tons of official correspondence, or even digest the content. They reacted emotionally to photos of Ayefele – chin in his palm – staring sorrowfully as the bulldozers chewed up parts of his building.

    The rage was raw, the reactions viral. Official rationalisations were never going to catch up. Did Ayefele deviate from the approved building plan? Were there genuine concerns about public safety for users of the road arising from the unauthorised alterations? Did he ignore past correspondence from the authorities on the matter?

    It didn’t matter. People were more concerned about the fate of the over 100 people said to be working for the singer who stood to lose their jobs if the roof came down on the structure.

    Ajimobi understood what he was up against because in the heat of the debate, he wondered whether Ayefele should be allowed to get away with the violations just because he had problems with his legs. That may not have been the most politic of comments to make, but it certainly goes straight to the heart of the matter.

    Two of the greatest challenges limiting this nation today are impunity and sentiment: impunity on the parts of the governors and the governed. Countries that work function properly because laws are enforced and there is order. If you beat the traffic light, a ticket would be delivered at your doorstep as surely as the sun rises from the east.

    The contrary is what we’ve become. Everyone wants to be free to do as he or she likes – and the laws be damned.

    On account of this reckless disregard for what is lawful, greedy developers who were allowed to bend the rules, end up as mass murderers when their flawed structures collapse on innocent victims.

    In some Nigerian cities, roads have become concrete jungles where motorists are engaged daily in mortal combat where only the fittest and their automobiles return home in one piece. Crazed ‘Okada’ riders chase harried pedestrians off the sidewalk. Desperate drivers going against traffic, hurtle towards those with right of way like weapons of mass destruction. The wise get out of their way in hurry. Desensitised traffic officials and the police look away – unconcerned.

    A government that attempts to restore sanity would soon be told how wicked it is because it wants to restrain maniacal ‘Okada’ riders and crazed drivers from endangering other road users. We are so blinded by sentiment that we’ve lost all sense of what sane behaviour is about.

    We need to accept that where there are violations of the law, whether with regards to building regulations, traffic or cold-blooded murder, responsible government must take action.

    But this should not be mistaken for an endorsement of how the Oyo government went about tackling this messy episode.

    For one, things could have been addressed before the structure was developed to its current state. What happened to the stage by stage reviews by the building authorities? What actions did they take to halt further building when the first deviations were noticed?

    Even when matters came to a head with the three-day demolition notice, the needless controversy could have been avoided because Ayefele went to court and supposedly obtained an injunction. It is easy for the government to claim it was unaware of any such judicial intervention. The controversial building has been standing for years, waiting another couple of days to verify the true status of the legal action would have hurt no one. The question many have asked – justifiably – is what was the mad rush about? Was there some deadline that had to be met?

    Even more suspicious was the fact that the demolition crew set about their task at the unusual hour of 4.30am – a time when God-fearing civil servants would still be snoring in their beds. Such efficiency is unheard of in state bureaucracies notorious for their snail speed.

    And so the government staggered from one unforced error to another – until it was put out of its misery by last Thursday’s parley.

    Even if it was so zealous about enforcing the law, there’s always a wise way to act and an appropriate time to take action.

    With barely four months to the next general election, this miscalculated demolition was akin to shooting oneself in the foot with a Dane gun. Already, many on social media had begun threatening retribution against the ruling party. Maybe some will forgive and forget, but depend on it that the opposition would not let voters forget in a hurry.

    Perhaps, the governor wanted to come across as a firm and no-nonsense administrator who would not brook breaches of the law no matter how eminent the offender is. The question would then be that he should have stood his ground and damned the consequences, having established that there were violations.

    As things stand, it is the government that is being made to look like it backed down in the face of unrelenting public criticism. Instead of appearing tough, Ajimobi has across like someone who was only too glad to have been offered a dignified way of escape from a tight spot by the peacemakers.

    To argue otherwise would raise this scenario: if some offending individual without Ayefele’s celebrity and physical challenges had been at the receiving end of this demolition, would the governor and traditional rulers be convening peace talks? After this bruising encounter would the government still have stomach to embark on demolitions where egregious violations of the building code are identified?

    Hopefully, some enduring lessons have been learnt about the uses and application of state power in pursuit of our common good. For those on the other side, perhaps time has come to ponder whether laws should be scrapped in Nigeria and every man should be left to his own devices.

  • Undue haste

    It is difficult for someone to comment on the face-off between the Oyo State government and ace musician, Mr Yinka Ayefele, without at least a tinge of emotions. And I guess that was one thing the Oyo State government did not reckon with or simply ignored or underrated in the build-up to the avoidable imbroglio. Yes, imbroglio because it has become messy. Governor Abiola Ajimobi can only claim not to be perturbed by the criticisms of his government over its demolition of parts of the Music House where Ayefele’s broadcasting station, the Fresh FM based in Ibadan, the state capital, is situated, only if (to recall the Yoruba saying) he has eaten the head of a tortoise. I have the feeling that the governor is just grandstanding in his statement that being handicapped is not an excuse for someone to break the law. Something tells me that if Governor Ajimobi is not already reflecting that he could have handled the matter differently, he would do so sometime in the future. Indeed, if there is anything going for Ayefele now, it is the fact the he is perceived as the underdog that is being harassed by the almighty state government. Simply put, Ayefele is riding on the crest of being an underdog in the matter.

    As a Yoruba man, I guess the governor must be aware of the proverb o na mi ko dun mi; ko dabi ara ofo. In other words, there is a difference between someone that was flogged and says he did  not feel the pain and the person that was not flogged at all. The point I am making is that the state government does not need the kind of negative publicity that the demolition generated; it is not good for its image at all, this is much more so when it is avoidable. I do not know what the state government would have lost if it had tarried for the case in court over the matter to be decided. If the government had waited this long, why couldn’t it wait a little longer for the court’s pronouncement?

    But this appears the predictable pattern in governments across the country. They appear to be ever ready and willing to show their ‘tigretude’ (apologies to Prof Wole Soyinka), sometimes even over inconsequential matters. I remember the story of one of the south west governors a few years ago who had gone to a trouble spot on the prompting of some local politicians in the state who told ‘His Excellency’ that he had to go there in order to  impress it on the trouble makers and their ilk who might be thinking of formenting trouble in future that he is the executive governor of the state! Pray, is there a non-executive governor? Can there be two governors in a state?  It is instructive that no life was lost when the governor’s wife who had earlier gone to the place visited. But when ‘His Excellency’ decided to go on a ‘reconnaissance mission’, a student was killed in the ensuing fracas. I wonder how, till today, the parents of that student would feel whenever they remember the sad incident. I wonder too if the said governor would still have handled the situation the same way if confronted with it today.

    But that is the way of many of our political leaders. The kind of people that mill around them, the praise orchestra who clap for ‘Their Excellencies’ when they know in their heart of hearts that what their principals are about doing would have negative consequences on the government they are serving. Some of those who chose to be bold to tell it as it is would either get fired or the governors would keep them at an arm’s length, if they cannot fire them outright.

    Although Oyo State government’s partial demolition of Ayefele’s property at about 5.30 a.m. last Sunday was not the first such demolition in the early hours, those of us out of government should be asking why most governments find it convenient to carry out such tasks at such ungodly hours. When in February, the Kaduna State government pulled down the building of Senator Suleiman Hunkuyi , a property used as the secretariat of a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaduna, it was done at about 5.00 a.m.

    Then, in the Ayefele’s case, the man had approached an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan seeking to stop the demolition. His counsel, Mr Olayinka Bolanle, in an exparte motion, filed before the court, sought for an order restraining the state government from demolishing the property pending the determination of the suit. He added that due process was followed in the construction of the structure while relevant approvals were obtained from the state’s departments and agencies associated with land and housing. Justice I. Yerima, in his wisdom, ordered the claimant to ensure service of the court process on the respondent and adjourned the case till Monday for the hearing of the ex-parte motion. But the court process would appear to have been aborted as the state government demolished the structure on Sunday.

    I wish there is a way the courts could be punishing persons and institutions that treat court orders disdainfully. In several respects, the impunity that the Oyo State government demonstrated in violating the court order is what many governments, including the Federal Government, do. Yes, we could say Ayefele preempted the government’s determination to bring down his building, hence his rushing to court when he did when, actually, the issue did not just start today. So, why did he wait till now before going to court? But then, there is no time that an aggrieved party cannot go to court to seek redress. The moment Ayefele had gone to court, the government, as a law-abiding entity, ought to have suspended action on the property, at least pending the resolution of the matter. Our politicians should not give the impression that the courts matter only when their votes are stolen or election figures are altered in favour of their opponents.

    Another common trend is that of governments taking on their opponents in the most cynical manner. Fresh FM might have been critical of the state government; that does not necessarily make it an enemy of the government. Even if it is an enemy; that is no excuse for the government to clamp down on it the way it did. After all, as we are seeing all over the country in the shameless defections by many of our politicians, there are no permanent friends or foes. What has remained permanent is the interest of the individual politician, not even that of their constituencies. At any rate, should a media house be friend to any particular government? Shouldn’t it carry out its functions as it deemed fit? Where then is objectivity if a station has to be a permanent friend of a government?

    But nothing I have said so far should be taken as support for Ayefele, especially if he violated any building code. I love Ayefele’s music like millions of other Nigerians. But that would not make me support illegality on his part, or on the part of anyone for that matter. I perfectly understand the consequences of people violating building codes. But I am worried more because we are in a democracy and the government should be a little more sensitive to the public mood in many of the decisions it wants to take. This is not necessarily saying it should be led by it. Then the courts; our political leaders should accord them more respect. But we do not seem to have much of that anywhere in the country now. And it is worrisome.

  • North-West ASUU tasks LAUTECH on varsity subvention, salary payments

    The North West zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU), on Saturday in Katsina called on owner states of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, LAUTECH, Ogbomosho, Oyo state to allocate increased subventions to the university as well as pay salaries of its workforce for the past 10 months.

    The union also condemned the 300 per cent hike in school fees for students of the institution which is jointly owned by the Oyo and Osun state governments.

    The zonal coordinator, Sokoto zone of ASSU, Jamilu Shehu stated this on Saturday at a joint press briefing attended by the leaders of the various tertiary institutions in the zone

    The  universities in the zone, include Usman Danfodio University Sokoto (UDUS), Kebbi state university of Science and Technology (KSUSTA), Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (UMYUK), Sokoto state University (SSU), and Federal University, Dutsinma (FUDMA).

    Shehu said that the institution now depended heavily on internally generated revenue, with the infrastructure of the university presently in a sorry state.

    He further lamented that the institution increased school fees from N100, 000 to N300, 000 to the disadvantage of the students, and that reason was due to the underfunding of the institution by its owners.

    Read Also: ASUU rejects LAUTECH N300,000 fee hike

    He, therefore, called on the two states to resuscitate the institution to keep same from collapsing.

    According to him, “Since 2013, the university has been greatly underfunded arising from non-release of subventions by the two states.

    He said  “Consequently, staff of the university are owed 10 months’ salary arrears and are currently being paid net salary. The promotion arrears for the years 2013-2017 are yet to be paid.

    “The infrastructure of the university is also in a sorry state, unbefitting of an ivory tower. The quagmire forced the Governing Council of the university to resort to the only available option of relying on IGR.

    “This meant a hike in the tuition fees which is not in the interest of students, parents and indeed, educational development of the two states.”

    He recalled that the situation had led to a 10-month strike by academic staff of the institution, but that nothing has improved since the industrial action was called off.

    He added that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the union and state governments to address the situation, but that nothing has been done till date.

    As way of getting out of the situation, ASSU Sokoto zone raised several demands that include ceding the institution to one of the states for proper funding, and for the two states to commence implementing the signed agreement.

    ASUU also called on stakeholders, including religious and traditional institutions, and the federal government to intervene on the issue.

     

     

  • Oyo NURTW boss buried in Ibadan amid tears

    The remains of the late Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde, the Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Oyo State Chapter, have been buried.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Oyerinde, popularly known as `Fele’ was buried on Wednesday at his Elebu residence in Ibadan according to Islamic rites.

    NAN recalls that Alhaji Najeem Yasin, the NURTW National President broke the news of the sudden death of Oyerinde via a radio broadcast on Tuesday night.

    Read Also:Anxiety as Oyo NURTW boss dies

    The 58-year old Oyerinde, who was also the South West chairman of the union, died on Tuesday in an Abuja-based hospital of kidney related issues.

    The body of the late Oyerinde was led by his Osun State counterpart, Mr Folorunso Olalekan, who arrived in Ibadan around 9.20 a.m in an ambulance vehicle marked ABUJA RAHIS 8.

    NAN reports that the body, on arrival at his residence, was immediately handed over for the Islamic rites and later for a special prayer led by Sheikh AbdulRosheed Babalamunigun with other Islamic clerics before burial in one of his garages around 10.12 a.m.

    Alhaji Afeez Oyerinde, the eldest son of the deceased, thanked the people for their love and support for his late father while alive and even after his death,.

    He appealed to the loyalist to forget about any perceived or suspected misgivings about the cause of his father’s death.

    “I want to appeal to everybody because I know he was a man of many people to let us mind our utterances as no one can kill anybody.

    “Allah in his infinite mercies gives life to human being and he is the only that can take it. I am of the strong opinion that Allah gave us my father and same Allah took him away from us,’’ he said.

    Alhaji Moshood Amoo, the immediate past South West NURTW Deputy Secretary-General, who represented members from Abuja, described the late Oyerinde as “`the best state chairman the union has ever produced throughout the country.

    “Today is a sad day for our union in Nigeria because death plucked the best rose in our garden.’’

    Alhaji Tajudeem Agbede, NURTW Chairman, Lagos State Chapter, also said that Oyerinde’s death was a great loss to the union and the society at large.

    NAN reports that tears flow freely from the deceased’s wife, Kemi, the children, relatives and members of the union at the interment.

    Among some of the dignitaries at the burial were Mr Segun Abolarinwa, Special Adviser to Oyo State Governor on Security, Mr Abiodun Odude, the State Commissioner of Police and Assemblyman Kehinde Subair, Majority Leader, Oyo State House of Assembly.

    Others are Assemblyman Akeem Ige, Minority Leader, Oyo State House of Assembly and Chief Sunday Adeyemo, a popular Lagos socialite, among other sympathisers.

     

     

  • NBC condemns demolition of Fresh FM by Oyo govt.

    The National Broadcasting Commission (NNBC ) has condemned the demolition of the structure housing the Fresh FM in Ibadan by the Oyo State Government.

    The Director-General of NBC, Ishaq Midibbo-Kawu, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin, said the demolition was a worrisome development and did not speak well of the state government.

    The structure, “Music House, ” reportedly valued at N800 million and which had been in operation for 10 years, was demolished in the early hours of Sunday.

    The property is owned by a popular musician, Yinka Ayefele.

    Kawu said: “The development is worrisome because for all it is worth, the broadcast outfits are playing a big role in reducing unemployment, especially in this situation where many young Nigerians are idle.

    “They also play social, informational, educational and entertaining roles in the society.

    “Such development does not speak well of the government and has a negative effect on the nation, especially at a point when more broadcasting outfits are influencing the social space in the country.

    “In this case particularly, there are so many issues that can be weaved up negatively by people.

    “We hope that as we move forward, we will be able to find a solution to the situation,” Modibbo-Kawu said.

    The director-general said when the NBC got hint of the demolition, he made some contacts with some people in the state.

    Kawu said that he could, however, not stop it.

    The NBC boss promised to set up a meeting with the state government on finding a way forward on the issue.

    The NBC boss recalled a similar experience in Nasarawa State about a year ago when the property housing Breeze 99.9 FM was demolished.

    “What we did was to meet our licensee to find out what the issues were because he was prepared to go to court.

    “We also met with the state Commissioner for Information and the Governor.

    “The issue also was that the building violated the usage of urban space.

    “We were able to reach an agreement that the government should give the broadcaster a new plot of land and assist him to go back to building a new station.

    “However, just last week, I got a letter that the side of the government in the agreement had not been fulfilled,” he said.

    Modibbo-Kawu also clarified the recent media report that his commission banned some songs, saying Nigerians must understand the statutory mandate of the NBC.

    “It is important to let Nigerians understand that NBC does not ban any song.

    “I read on social media platforms all the time that NBC banned a song; the commission never bans any song.

    “What NBC does all the time is to remind our licensees that there are certain categorisation of music that are important in broadcasting.

    “If a song is categorised, “Not To Be Broadcast” (NTBB) because of the lyrics of the song, then, we will remind the broadcasters that they cannot be broadcast.

    “This is what it is misinterpreted in the social media that we banned the song,” he said

    The director general also refuted the allegation that NBC was “carrying out a Jihad on Nigerian songs” based on a petition by a faith-based human rights organisation, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).

    He stressed that the NBC did not carry out any Jihad, but only responded to a song on a radio station because it had lyrics that were NTBB.

    Kawu gave an assurance that the Federal Government, through the NBC, would not infringe on artistic liberty or licence.

    He, however, reminded artistes and broadcast organisations of their responsibilities to Nigerians and the youths, in particular.

    “Last week, I issued a press release to urge Nigerian artistes to have different versions of their songs.

    “They should do a version that can be used for public broadcast space and another version for club usage which can carry all kinds of lyrics that they want.

    “If they want their songs to be broadcast on radio and television in Nigeria, these songs must conform to rules and must be songs that young people can listen to,” he said.

    He disclosed that the commission was planning a national dialogue with Nigeria leading artistes on the need to avoid vulgar lyrics and hate speeches in their songs.

    “The truth of the matter is that 75 per cent of our population is under the age of 35 while 63 per cent is under the age of 25, so we have a younger population.

    “If you go on Youtube, Olamide song, “Wo” has over 10 million hits.

    “ That tells you the kind of influence these young artistes have on all our children in the country.

    “They should help to orientate the young people on the right values.

    “If their songs celebrate sex, violence, the use of drugs, alcohol and fraud, then they are not helping in the moulding of young people

    “We believe that the young generation who listen to them can be guided through the use of their artistic works to play functional social purposes in the society,” he said.

    He said the dialogue would focus on the need for the artistes to use their music to propagate positive messages about development.

  • Anxiety as Oyo NURTW boss dies

    There was anxiety across Oyo State on Tuesday as news broke of the death of the Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in the state, Alh. Taofeek Oyerinde (aka Fele).

    Though details of his reported death were scanty as at press time, The Nation learnt that the National President of the union, Alhaji Yasin and other Stakeholders have announced the appointment of the Vice Chairman of the union in Oyo State, Alhaji Abideen Olajide ( a.k.a Ejiogbe) as the Acting Chairman.

    Read Also:Suspected gunmen abduct council officials, NURTW secretary

    A reliable source close to the late commercial drivers’ boss confirmed his death to The Nation Tuesday.

    Ibadan residents were gripped with fear on receiving the news as many of them made calls to their loved ones to avoid popular dangerous spots for NURTW members such as Iwo Road Interchange, Gate and Molete, suspecting that some members of the union might embark on violent activities on confirming the death and subsequent appointment.

    Oyerinde was said to have had serious issues with his health, making him pay frequent visits to the hospital in the last one year.

    Fele officially succeeded Alh. Lateef Akinsola (aka Tokyo) in 2011 after years of violent supremacy battle between Alh. Mukaila Lamidi (aka Auxilliary) and Alh. Lateef (aka Eleweomo).

    The latter was killed during a political violence late 2010 at the height of the supremacy battle while Auxilliary is currently serving a jail term for criminal offenses.

    Fele was chosen to head the troubled union to stamp out violence for which the union was known in Oyo State in the previous two decades.

    Until his death, Fele was the Vice Chairman of the Union in Southwest Nigeria.

  • I will not allow Oyo state be turned to banana island – Ajimobi

    Oyo state Governor Abiola Ajimobi has reiterated that he will never allow the state go back to its gory state of brigandage and violence or let it to turned to what he described as ‘banana island’ of ‘animal farm’.

    He vowed that in the last seven years of his administration, he has served humanity rightly without persecuting anybody but with the fear of God and respect for rule of law.

    Ajimobi spoke, Tuesday while addressing journalists shortly after observing the Eid-al-Adha prayers at the Agodi Yidi prayer Ground, Ibadan.

    The prayer which was led by the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheik AbdulGaniy Agbotomokekere in company of other prominent islamic leaders, faithful and scholars across the state held amidst tight security.

    Ajimobi while taking a review of his efforts at the helms of affairs as the governor in the last seven years and two months noted that he was not moved by the noises that trailed many development policies and efforts embarked upon by his administration, noting that many of those who abused and insulted him while introducing the policies are now praise singing and applauding.

    He cited the areas where he had brought developments to the state to include, education, socio-cultural, infrastructure, peace and security, agriculture, urban renewal, health among other, adding that he couldn’t have achieve the much without the help of God and support of the people of the state.

    Ajimobi said “But by the time we came in, we met a state at the precipices and we needed to have a turnaround and in turning it around, we decided to have as our tripod of restoration that is to restore the old glory. When you restore, you must now transform. We have restored. We have transformed. And now we are re-positioning and re-positioning is always work in progress. You can never stop repositioning. Wherever we stop, somebody else will pick it up from there.

    Read Also: Ajimobi charges INEC on efficiency and transparency

    “We have restored peace and security to the state and today, Oyo state is one of the safest states in Nigeria. Today, everybody could go through Iwo Road, Beere, Molete, Challenge and all these hot spots have now become very cool spot. All the red light areas are now the green light areas. So, for peace and security, we have achieved much.

    “And you will see that as a leader, anytime you want to make a change, some people, enlightened, unenlightened, ignorant, mischievous will play politics with them, but a good leader must have the courage to go ahead. If you remember the Great Prophet Mohammed, when he was talking about the Almighty God to the people, they sent him away from his home town.

    “So, anytime we, as leaders, head of government are trying to make changes, people talked but we forged ahead no matter what they say. We will never allow this state to become a banana state. We will not allow it to be an animal farm. If you see any state that is doing well in the world, it is that they have rule of law and they obey them. Everybody must obey the law. So, we thank God that we succeeded because we have adhered to law and order.

    “The lesson I learnt from the sojourn in the last seven years that we have been running the government is that, one needs to fear God. If one fears God no matter the curses placed on him, so long he is working for prayer, such curse can never have effect on him and if someone does what deserve curses and when people pray for such an individual, the prayer cannot work for such a person. For me, no matter the curses, it can never affect me because I know I am working for prayers and not curses and I am serving the people wholeheartedly and I am happy that God will give us success.

    “Finally, let me say that, what we are celebrating today is godliness and service to humanity. I believe, most sincerely that I have served humanity rightly as the governor of Oyo state. Never persecute people but follow the law and stick to it. Those who say you are wrong today, tomorrow they will see and let me end it by the world of Robert Thomas, he said, a good leader will take his people where they want to go but a great leader will take his people to where they ought to be and that is what I am doing for Oyo state.”