The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Oyo state

  • South West states bid to prevent outbreak of communicable diseases

     

    As the outbreak of meningitis in some states continues  to elicit concern across the country, many states in the South West zone are making spirited efforts to prevent an epidemic.

    In Oyo State,  Dr Oyewole Lawal, the Director of Public Health  in the Ministry of Health, said government had beefed up its surveillance  and tracking  mechanism in order to check outbreak of communicable diseases.

    “Our surveillance committee has reported two patients in the Hausa community of  Ojoo  in Akinyele Local Government Area  who manifested some of the symptoms of meningitis.

    “ These  cases are  yet to be confirmed. We have beefed- up tracking and increased surveillance efforts in all primary health care centres at the local government level,  state hospitals (secondary health care level) and all private hospitals around Ojoo.

    “Oyo State Government is making spirited efforts to ensure that our officers at the Disease Notification and Surveillance unit are working assiduously to monitor suspects.

    “As soon as we got the alert at the state office, we immediately alerted the Disease Notification and Surveillance officers in the 33 local governments in the state.

    “The year 2014  was the last episode of meningitis outbreak we had in Oyo State and we had adequate and effective vaccines to tackle it.

    “In all areas and all fronts, I can say that Oyo State is fully equipped and ready to prevent or reduce the scourge of any outbreak of meningitis in the state,” he said.

    Lawal added that there was an ongoing  collaboration between the state Ministry of Health, Disease Control Unit and all the 33 local government health officers.

    “We hold meetings every first week of the month  where we analyse reports from these local governments.

    “Information on disease outbreak is strictly officially managed; the lcal government officer concerned usually sends alerts to us at the Ministry of  Health, we in turn send alert to the National Centre for Disease Control, a unit in the FMOH (Federal Ministry of Health)

    “The ministry then alerts the WHO office and Presidency at the same time. So we are on top of events in Oyo state,” he said.

    Lawal also explained that there was no cause for ordering for vaccines to combat meningitis,  saying such  procurement was the sole responsibility of the FMOH.

    According to him, the type of meningitis recorded in Oyo in 2014 is different from that of this year which is Zero Type C.

    Dr Mercy Popoola, the Director of Hospital Services in the state, told NAN that government was ready to treat those who might be carriers of  Zero Type C meningitis.

    “Our State Hospital at New Adeoyo has been prepared for any such emergency while other government hospitals and private hospitals have been alerted,” she said.

    Popoola also said  some NGOs were  involved in advocacy and sensitisation on communicable diseases while the media were assisting in publicity.

    She also said that officials of the Public Health Nursing Department often  visit  churches and mosques to administer vaccines to people.

    In  Ondo State,  government also gave an assurance that proactive measures had been put in place  to prevent an outbreak of communicable diseases.

    Dr Taye Oni, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health,  said a response team had swung into action to forestall an  outbreak.

    He, however, warned residents to avoid over crowding, ensure proper ventilation, increase hand washing, maintain proper hygiene and avoid shaking hands.

    Oni also urged residents to refrain from unnecessary petting and kissing while  ensuring  good coughing and sneezing behaviour.

    He enjoined residents to report to the hospital immediately they experience symptoms such as fever, headache, respiratory track infection, sneezing as well as pain in the neck and back which could lead to stiffness of the neck.

    In Osun, the state Epidemiologist,  Dr Adeola Musa, said government had set up a  Disease Surveillance Committee to monitor any outbreak of communicable  diseases in all the 30 local government areas in the state.

    Musa told NAN that committee members  as well as  notification officers had been going round  the state to vaccinate residents against communicable diseases.

    ” The state government has set up rapid response team to checkmate and prevent any epidemic of communicable diseases.

    ” Our health officers don’t sit down in the health facilities set up by the government but rather they move around to carry out surveillance.

    ” Their findings are in a weekly report which would be submitted to us for further analysis.

    “They also move round to give daily report of what they find on  the field,’’ she said.

    According to her, several sensitisation programmes had also been embarked on.

    Musa also said vaccines had also been despatched to all the local government areas, adding that surveillance would be an ongoing strategy.

    The expert, who noted that the state had not recorded any outbreak of communicable diseases, said surveillance had been effective.

    She said government’s epidemic preparedness committee was working hard to prevent any emergency.

    Musa said, the ministry from time to time held stakeholders meetings to forcast any outbreak of disease and what to do in terms of logistic and the necessary measures to put in place.

    In Kwara, a state in the North Central Zone, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Atolagbe Alege, said proactive measures were critical in putting in check communicable diseases.

    He told NAN that the state had not recorded any cases of Type C meningitis raging in some parts of the country.

    The commissioner said government had convened meetings with the state epidemiology and disease control officers.
    According to him, the meeting was to ensure all the 16 local government areas  of the state had  been adequately  sensitised  to report  any case  that may occur.

    Alege said the ministry also had meetings with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the Department of Public Health on preventive measures.

    “We are on  alert and we are pooling  our resources together,” he said.

    Also speaking with NAN on the outbreak of meningitis, Dr Uthman Mubashir, a Public Health Physician at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, urged Nigerians to be vigilant and report symptoms such as fever, stiff neck and seizure.

    Other symptoms, he said, are molten skin, cold hands and feet as well as severe headache.

    He also advised members of the public to live in a well ventilated environment, warning that over-crowded places were predisposing factors.

    Mubashir described meningitis as the swelling of the membranes of the brain and spinal cord, adding that this could be due to viral, fungal or bacterial infection.

    He, however, said that the most common cause of the epidemic is  viral infection although bacterial meningitis remained  one of the most dangerous forms of the disease.

    The medical practitioner said early diagnosis and treatment could  help to prevent  complications and potential long-term effect.

     

  • That Oyo State may prosper

    By May 2017, Governor Abiola Ajimobi would have spent two years out of his four-year second-term mandate, and a total of six years as the Governor of Oyo State, and in all these years his covenant with God to do well by the state has remained his guiding principle.

    It was in recognition of his service to the people of the state during his first tenure that he got his mandate renewed for a second term, a feat never achieved before by any politician in the recent political annals of the pace- setter state. During Ajimobi’s first coming, his focus was security and infrastructure. The first task as he saw it was to restore peace and security to the state, particularly to Ibadan, the state capital, which had acquired the notoriety of a garrison town where life was not only unsafe, but short and brutish with the daily deadly battles between the various factions of the transport unions for supremacy.

    In less than six months of taking office, Governor Ajimobi was able to restore peace by sending strong signals to trouble makers that they would no longer find a safe haven in Oyo State, and this enabled government to proceed with its infrastructural development plan which included the construction of roads along Eleyele-Magazine Road-Dugbe axis, Jericho-Aleshinloye, Eleyele-Sabo etc. But the road infrastructural development was not confined only to Ibadan Metropolis; for the first time in the history of the state, simultaneous construction and expansion of some roads to four and six lanes commenced in Iseyin, Oyo and Ogbomoso townships.

    One of the challenges faced by the Ajimobi administration when it came on board in 2011 was the issue of flooding, especially within Ibadan metropolis. The torrential rains of that year flooded many neighbourhoods and swept away many roads and bridges, cutting off many communities. The government promptly went into action by reconstructing the bridges and building alternative roads. A clear case in point was the Apete Bridge in Ido Local Government of the state capital which was washed away by the floods, thus cutting off a large swathe of communities up to Akufo.

    Because the government was bent on building not only a better bridge in Apete, but also upgrading the road leading to Apete from Ijokodo, it constructed another road from Ajibode to Apete within months to alleviate the problems of the people of the area, a road which serves them well even after the completion of the Apete main bridge and road.

    The 2011 experience with floods in Ibadan led the government to device an early warning system and flood control methods that have minimised floods to the barest minimum in the state, thus during the last rainy season when floods swept through other cities in the country, Ibadan was spared because at the approach of the rains, all the waterways were dredged and solid bridges provided for communities prone to floods. Construction of roads and bridges is still going on in flood-prone areas.

    Since the beginning of this year, the Oyo State Government has embarked yet again on the massive construction of roads across the state, which when combined with past efforts will truly change the face of Ibadan to the status of a megacity and modernise other cities in the state. Some of these roads’ reconstruction for which contracts have been awarded since January and for which the contractors have mobilised to site include Idi-Ape-Iwo Road Interchange which would be expanded from the present four lanes to six lanes, Bus Stop-Old Ife Road-Alakia Road, Eleyele-Ologuneru Road up to Ido junction, Beere-OritaMerin, Agbeni-Ogunpa and The Oke-Ogun Polytechnic-Ibaruba Road in Saki. All these roads are to be expanded into four lanes to enhance not only the aesthetics of the towns and ease transportation, but to also enhance commercial viability of the areas.

    Perhaps, the most far reaching reform of Governor Ajimobi’s government is in the education sector where he has taken on the herculean task of improving the standards of education in the state. In the last few years, the state, which was renowned for its academic excellence, and hosts the very first university in Nigeria and the largest concentration of research institutes in Africa, has been lagging behind in the Senior School Certificate and the National Examinations Council examinations, sometimes taking the 34th position out of 36 states. This situation, the Governor found unacceptable.  His words: “We must improve education in the state.”

    Lack of proper supervision has been identified as one the problems, and to enhance close monitoring of each school, the government has introduced a Governing Board for each school made up members from the communities where the schools are situated. The rationale for this is that each community is to take ownership of the schools in their area. The government would still continue to pay teachers salaries, provide infrastructure and other teaching aids, but members of the community and old boys whose children attend these schools must supervise the running of these schools for effectiveness. We are already seeing results as the state came second in the last NECO exams.

    In the State Executive Council meetings, Governor Ajimobi charged members to come up with iconic projects that would improve things in the state and return the state to a leadership position. One of such iconic projects is the Polaris-Pacesetter Free Trade Zone. Polaris is a multi-billion dollar Chinese conglomerate which wants to set up manufacturing companies in conjunction with Oyo State in the free trade zone. More than 100 companies are expected to be set up on the 1000 hectares of land for the project to provide employment and business opportunities to our teeming population not only in the state, but all over the country as people migrate to places where there are jobs.

    Though Ajimobi demands excellence from those who work with him and does not compromise standards, though he is a slave driver as he himself is a workaholic, oftentimes working into the wee hours of the morning tirelessly, yet he is a man full of the milk of human kindness and a man who listens to criticism as can be seen in his recent moves wherein he went to town on different occasions to brief the ordinary man on the street about his various projects, especially the new road projects, appealing to them for understanding and apologising to them for the inconveniences the construction projects would cause them. His only desire is to see that Oyo State prospers.

     

    • Ganiyu is Oyo State Commissioner for Special Duties

  • Community vigilante nabs two robbery suspects in Ibadan

    Two armed robbery suspects terrorising Mosorire community, in Soka area of Oyo State has been arrested by the vigilante headed by Sunday Adeyemo aka Igboho, a personal aide of the former Governor of Oyo State, Sen Rashidi Ladoja and handed over to the police.

    Igboho spoke when the residents of the community through the Landlord Association visited him to appreciate his immense contribution to the community.

    He said the arm robbers numbering about 10 stormed the Mosorire community around 1am, injuring the residence and looting them of their personal belongings.

    ‎Adeyemo said the robbers has been terrorising the rest of us on a daily basis and without inhibition, adding that the rampaging hoodlums threw caution to the wind and operated in the area incessantly.

    He  noted that the armed robbers often finish and leave before the police arrive.‎

    “Before I relocated to this community, arm robbers has incessantly rob this area of their belongings and during their several operation so many residence has been injured, while others are also rapped. The landlord association ran to me for my assistance when I moved into my house and we started 24 hours surveillance with my boys.

    “This is the second time the ‎robbers were coming to a certain house in our area, so around 1am we heard the noise of one of my boys called ‘Talanta’ and we responded but before we got there he has been stabbed and wounded but we arrested one of them, but the rest ran away and came back in an attempt to rescue one of them but that was when we arrested the second one” he said
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    ‎Adeyemo stated that he had always been misrepresented by many because they never care to verify the cause he stood for.

    “My name is always on the air. Many have misrepresented me for a violent person and which is not so. I have never been charged for fraud and murder. I have always stood for a peaceful and just society, and that I will never repent from. I am an easy going man, who will never trade my conscience for injustice,” he said.

    He said that his name became much popular because he stood with Ladoja against the injustice melted on him by late Chief Lamidi Adedibu.

    Adeyemo commended Oyo State Governor; Abiola Ajimobi for returning peace back to Oyo State in the state, adding it has never been so good before his administration came on board.

    “I am not a fan of Ajimobi and we are not in the same party. But, I can say it frankly that Ajimobi has brought peace to Oyo State. I commend his doggedness on this,” he said.

    Earlier, the Chairman of Mosorire Lanlord Association, Imam Sefiu Fasasi, stated that Adeyemo has contributed immensely to the development of the community.

    “Adeyemo is a peace-loving, kind and generous man. He has helped the community tremendously. Adeyemo constructed a neglected bridge, donated electric poles, cable and a 500KVA transformer to the community and environs,” he said.

    Fasasi stated that Adeyemo did not only donate to the community but has helped in warding off marauders and robbers from the area.

    “Just few days ago, he led his boys to help the community against a robbery attack on the community which saw to the arrest of two members of the robbery gang. The arrested robbers have been handed over to the police and has led to the arrest of many others,” he said.

    He said that the community would forever be grateful to Adeyemo, whom they described as their benefactor.

    Other members of the association in their various comments lauded Adeyemo, describing him as a patriotic, peace-loving and generous Nigerian.

  • Ladoja’s fraud trial resumes

    Ladoja’s fraud trial resumes

    A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday adjourned until March 31, the trial of a former Governor of Oyo State, Rashidi Ladoja, charged with N4.7 billion fraud.

    Ladoja is charged alongside one of his aides, Waheed Akanbi.

    They are being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on an eight-count charge bordering on fraud.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the case, which was earlier slated for continuation of trial, could not proceed on Monday, as judges were said to be attending a conference.

    The court’s registrar consequently, fixed a new trial date as March 31.

    NAN recalls that EFCC had in November 2008 arraigned the accused on 10 counts of conspiring to convert properties and resources derived from an alleged illegal act, with the intention of concealing their illicit origin.

    The EFCC also alleged that Ladoja used N42 million out of the proceeds to purchase an Armoured Land Cruiser Jeep, and remitted about 600,000 pounds to one Bimpe Ladoja in London.

    Ladoja and Akanbi, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

     

  • Man docked over attempt to commit suicide

    A 47-year-old man, Akeem Adeyemo, alleged to have attempted to commit suicide, on Tuesday appeared before an Oyo State Chief Magistrates’ Court sitting at Iyaganku, Ibadan.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adeyemo of Odinjo area, Ibadan, was arraigned on a two-count charge of attempting to commit suicide and publishing a fake suicide note.

    According to the Police prosecutor, Insp Sunday Ogunremi, the accused attempted suicide by consuming a powdery substance believed to be poisonous, on Feb. 27, 2009 at about 3 p. m.

    “As a result of which he was rushed to the University College Hospital (UCH) for treatment, ‘’ he said.

    Ogunremi accused Adeyemo of publishing a suicide note, directing that one Rauf Olaiya, should be held responsible for his death.

    “He did this with the intent to injure Olaiya’s reputation and to expose him to hatred and contempt; also to ridicule his profession being an Islamic cleric,’’ the prosecutor said.

    Ogunremi told the court that the offences contravened Sections 327and 374 and punishable under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Cap 38, Vol.II, Laws of Oyo State 2000.

    The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges preferred against him.

    The Chief Magistrate, Mrs Abiona Richard, granted him bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties, one of which must be a blood relation, in like sum.

    Richard, thereafter, adjourned the case until May 5 for mention.

     

  • Late Adebayo was a peacemaker, patriot, says Ladoja

    Former Oyo State Governor, Sen. Rashidi Ladoja on Wednesday described the late Maj.- Gen. Adeyinka Adebayo as a dynamic leader and peacemaker.

    Ladoja made the remark while on a condolence visit to the Lagos home of late Adebayo in Ikeja GRA.

    “I was privileged to have sat on the chair which General used when he was the Administrator of the whole western region,” Ladoja said.

    According to him, he still learned from some of Adebayo’s actions, even though he was there decades after the late elder-statesman left.

    “His activities in the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) stand him out as forward looking; not someone who was imprisoned by ideas of the yesteryears.

    “He hardly forgot things. The late general loved the Yoruba nation. He was always unbiased and was very dynamic. Whenever we quarreled, he was a stabilising force; he was a peace maker,” Ladoja said.

    The former Oyo governor said that Adebayo was a symbol of unity and patriotism.

    Ladoja urged present political and religious leaders to pursue peace and patriotism to move the country forward.

    Notable dignitaries have continued to pay condolence visits to the late Adebayo’s residence to commiserate with his family.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Adebayo, former governor of the defunct Western Region and Western State from 1966 to 1971, died on March 8, the eve of his 89th birthday.

     

  • Oyo road expansion projects for completion in 18 months- Ajimobi

    Oyo road expansion projects for completion in 18 months- Ajimobi

    Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State says road expansion projects across the state awarded by his administration would be completed in 18 months.

    Ajimobi gave the timeline while speaking with newsmen on Monday evening, during an inspection of some ongoing road projects across the Ibadan metropolis.

    Among the projects visited are the Agodi Gate-Idi Ape-Iwo road, Basorun-Akobo Ojurin and Eleyele-Ologuneru road.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state government had recently awarded the expansion and dualisation of the roads, alongside others across the metropolis.

    The governor said that all the road projects would be completed in 18months, as his administration had just 27 months to round up.

    “The people voted us for a second term based on our performance. This has never happened in the history of the state.

    “We promised our people during the electioneering campaign, and that promise we will keep.

    “We owe our people dividend of democracy; we owe them modernisation, likewise sustainable growth and development,” he said.

    Ajimobi said to fulfill his promise of sustainable growth and development, there must be infrastructure to support the state.

    “When we have good road network and infrastructure, it is the platform for development, and this is the beginning.

    “We are bold to say that no government in the state has matched our achievement in infrastructure. We have done same in Education, Agriculture etc.,” he said.

    Ajimobi promised to leave a legacy of good governance, which was about performance, value addition, service delivery and dividend of democracy.

    The governor solicited the support of the people, assuring them that the project would not only boost their businesses, but enhance economic growth and development of the state.

    NAN reports that residents of the various areas visited and some road users commended the governor on the project, pledging their unflinching support.

    Mrs Adebisi Akande, a trader at Akobo, told NAN that they were happy about the road project, adding its completion would ease traffic congestion on the road.

    “Every working day, we wake up at 5am in the morning to avoid traffic congestion on the road. We thank the governor for starting the project,”she said.

    Similarly, Mr Mutiu Afolabi, a commercial driver, told NAN that the road in the area, when completed, would enhance their business.

     

  • Adeboye, a true shepherd in God’s vineyard – Ajimobi

    Adeboye, a true shepherd in God’s vineyard – Ajimobi

    Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, has felicitated with Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer (Worldwide) of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), on his 75th birthday.

    The governor congratulated the clergyman in a statement signed by Yomi Layinka, his Special Adviser on Communication and Strategy, and made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Friday.

    Ajimobi, who described Adeboye as “a true shepherd in the Vineyard of God,’’ said that the cleric had healed the broken-hearted and the weary.

    He said that Adeboye had also turned backsliders to their creator through fervent prayers, prophetic utterances and spiritual guidance.

    “Papa Adeboye’s untiring efforts at attending to the welfare and well-being of Christians have resulted in the expansion of RCCG which is undoubtedly the fastest growing church in Africa.

    “His fatherly role has also made him a rallying point for the Christian community in Nigeria,’’ he said.

    Ajimobi noted that Adeboye played `significant role’ in stabilizing the polity through his constant prayers and spiritual interventions for Nigeria which had helped in holding the country together.

    He said: “I am particularly fascinated by Papa Adeboye’s uncommon humility, simplicity, brilliance and articulation.

    “All these have served as an inspiration to me in the running of the affairs of Oyo State.

    “I have also been encouraged by his periodic visits and prayers for my government and the people of Oyo State, particularly through his regular attendance of our annual Christmas carol.’’

    The governor prayed God to grant the renowned cleric long life and sound health in his service to Nigeria and humanity.

  • Oyo NYSC plans training on corps monitoring

    Oyo NYSC plans training on corps monitoring

    The NYSC in Oyo State says it has concluded arrangements to hold a training workshop on corps monitoring for zonal and local government inspectors of the scheme in the South-West Zone.

    Mr. Simeon Bankole, the NYSC Public Relations Officer in the state, made this known in a statement on Monday in Ibadan.

    He said that the training was to reposition the scheme for optimal performance.

    Bankole said the initiative with the theme; “Enshrining Transparency in Corps Monitoring and Participation in Community Development Services Using ICT” was also aimed at enhancing corps inspection and monitoring.

    He added that the training would enable field officers in the state to deploy Information and Communication Technology with a view to achieving error-free attendance and clearance system.

    Bankole urged stakeholders to ensure they attended the training, saying the occasion would be chaired by the NYSC Director General, Brig.-Gen. Sule Kazaure.

     

  • Ogundaisi partners Oyo State on Egungun festival

    Ogundaisi partners Oyo State on Egungun festival

    In his bid to make the grossly misunderstood Egungun (Masquerade) festival largely endearing, veteran artiste and culture promoter, Yinka Ogundaisi, is partnering the Oyo State Government to position the event as a harmless and major global cultural tourism in Nigeria.

    Spearheaded by his Universal Films and Communications company and the Oyo State Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Ogundaisi the festival will be revamped to form part of the educational activities of students in the state to deepen their cultural understanding.

    He said the event which holds traditionally from May to September annually, will have the students observe the festival and, “in the post festival’s schools competition at the communy and local government levels, they will mimic without masques, the songs, music and dances of Egungun of their choices.”

    Ogundaisi traced the history of the festival to the 16th century, urging the people to embrace it as a cultural event worthy of celebration.

    “Consider the sheer ingenuity of keeping the masquerades in the same forms they started with more than 600 years ago till date. If it were in any of the advanced countries, the masquerades would have by now been housed in a special museum with people from all over the globe, including especially Nigerians trooping out to see them and regaling us of their trips as a status symbol. Now just because the events are in our rural areas and because we have been oriented to see whatever is ours as backward and inferior, most people see the festivals in negative light. But we are set to correct this erroneous impression about one of the major cultural legacies and re-present the festivals as worthy cultural celebrations.”

    He said the various masquerades are classified into three major groups. “The first and the most dreaded were those of wars and royal duties. They led their people into wars and carried out royal assignments for the monarchy, like information disseminations, chasing away from the towns, the unwanted and the banished, and carrying out executions of condemned criminals.

    It is these types of Egunguns that majority confused with the mainstream masquerades, which is not so. Second group were the Alarinjo or travelling masquerades moving from a community to the other, entertaining the people.

    They were the forerunners of our famous travelling Theatres and the kinds now bastardised on the streets of our metropolis, with lace clothes and the hoods to harass people and generally making a nuisance of themselves. The third are the mainstream Egunguns that from their inception in the sixteen century till today are celebrated annually from May to September; the festivals are made to coincide with the new fresh corn harvests, because the main foods of the ancestors are derivatives of corn.

    These Egunguns are not idols worshipped with the fetish stuff of blood, cowries and cold pap but celebrated as earthly spiritual representatives with modern foods and drinks which the celebrants after evoking the spirits of the departed ancestors, like the modern prayers will themselves consume. Anyone; Yoruba or whatever tribe who believes that his or her starting point are the ancestors, and that one day, he or she will also join those ancestors must begin to see the Egunguns positively and warmly embrace them.”

    He said it is unfortunate that historical distortions have made many to distance themselves from the mainstream Egunguns, in the erroneous belief that embracing them would compromise modern religions.

    The transformed festival, he assured, will be devoid of all the objectionable traditional practices that people believe can impinge on their religious piety, adding that it is also structured to be financially self-supporting by creating sustainable sources of income for the state.