Tag: Oyo

No fewer than five worshippers have died, while others are on admission at the Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital after allegedly eating a meal known in Yoruba as ‘Ipese’ organised by a white-garment church.

But, many of the worshippers, who were also affected by the food, have been discharged from the centre.

The Nation gathered that the incident happened during a service  in the church the previous Sunday.

The feast, otherwise known as ‘Ipese’, is part of the traditional events of the church.

A source in the church said it had not been established medically whether the Ipese was responsible for the death of the affected victims or not.

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The source said: “I ate the prepared beans like every other member, including the victims and nothing happened to me. The incident was not all about ‘Ipese’ as believed.

“The various organs of government, including the Police, Directorate of State Services (DSS), media organisations, World Health Organisation (WHO) have been to this place on a fact-finding mission.

“Their findings are yet to be made public, but I can tell you that it is not about Ipese as being insinuated; it is true that some victims are still undergoing treatment at IDC Olodo.

“Also, there is no iota of truth in the rumour that the church premises have been put under lock and key.

“The Shepherd-in-Charge has been attending to visitors since morning. He is taking his test. You (our correspondent) can’t see him now unless you come tomorrow during the service.”

Also, a senior medical staff member at IDC Olodo, who preferred anonymity, confirmed the incident.

He said 50 of the victims that were rushed to the IDC have been treated and discharged.

He added: “Some of the affected persons were brought to the centre for treatment. As of today (Saturday), 50 of them have been discharged while others are still on admission.

“The state commissioner for health is likely to address the press on the incident next week.’’

The Police Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident, saying investigation was ongoing.

Oyo State Government has cautioned the public against fraudulent recruitment portal misleading job seekers, offering positions within the State’s Civil and Public Service.

Chairman of the Oyo State Civil Service Commission, Kamoru Aderibigbe, raised the alarm on Friday.

He clarified that the recruitment process for new officers is still under development and has not yet commenced.

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He further emphasizsd that the fake recruitment website is a scam designed to deceive unsuspecting Nigerians.

He urged the public, particularly job seekers, to remain vigilant and avoid falling victim to such fraudulent schemes.

The Chairman added the Commission will announce the official recruitment plans of the current administration through appropriate channels in due course.

Hundreds of residents, whose houses have been marked for demolition on the Ibadan Circular Road corridor, yesterday marched on  Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

The protesters, who arrived the entrance gate at 8am, initially caused a scare, as security operatives took charge to avoid any unforeseen situation.

The development led to the closure of the main entrance gates, leaving only room for pedestrians.

Vehicular movements in and outside the secretariat were stalled, as the protesters, carrying placards and banners, sang plea songs, begging Governor Seyi Makinde.

The protesters refused entreaties and persuasion from government officials who approached them.

Effort of the Governor’s Executive Assistant on Security, CP Sunday Odukoya (rtd), to calm the situation and reach a compromise with the protesters, fell on deaf ears, as they rebuffed his persuasion to leave.

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The protesters insisted on talking to Governor Makinde.

The leader of the protesters, Prince Niyi Fasoye, said: “The movement is about corridor residence of Ibadan Circular Road. We are from six local governments: Akinyele, Ido, Egbeda, Oluyole, Lagalu and Onuara. We held a news conference last week, but the government has not addressed us officially on what it has in stock for us.

“As you can see, we are over 1,000 here and what we came here for is a very simple thing. They have put demolition notice of 21 days on our houses, seven days have already gone. We have less than 14 days left.

“So we want Governor Makinde to come and address us. What exactly does the government have in stock for us because our people, ever since the demolition notice has been pasted, our people have started dying, some have been hospitalised, a lot of people now have stroke, we cannot sleep anymore.

“The original plan was 75 metres right, 75 metres left. We saw the pillars before we bought our land, before we erected our buildings.”

We have the copy, we have the C of O and we have the building permit. So now that government is extending it to 500 metres right, 500 metres left, what is government’s plan for us?’’

Former occupants of the Bola Ige International Business Complex, New Gbagi, Ibadan have been moved and accommodated into the redeveloped facility.

Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment, and Cooperatives, Adeniyi Adebisi made the disclosures on Monday.

He said the project has been completed, and former occupants have been accommodated in the government’s share of the project as promised.

He noted that the state government has demonstrated its commitment to the welfare of traders by ensuring that they are not displaced during the redevelopment process.

He said: “The Ministry enumerated the present occupants of the project site to accommodate qualified ones among them upon completion of the second phase.”

He added that the Ministry had a series of engagements with all stakeholders, including market elders, market executives, zonal leaders, and the developers handling the second phase of the international market to benefit everyone and as well be on the same page.

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“However, it is essential to note that no single trader has come forward to complain about the project or the developer. This suggests that the majority of traders are satisfied with the Government’s initiatives and are eager to benefit from the redevelopment” he said.

The Commissioner reiterated that the state government has a proven track record of supporting traders and business owners, which includes the provision of infrastructure, access to finance, and training programmes.

He added that these efforts have contributed significantly to the growth and development of businesses in the state while traders are not left behind in the development process, urging those who are yet to benefit from the government’s initiatives to come forward and engage with the ministry.

He underscored the government’s dedication to economic development and traders’ empowerment through the redevelopment of the Bola Ige International Business Complex.

He stressed that these initiatives have been positively received by most traders, while also acknowledging and appreciating the government’s efforts.

The Oyo state government has banned any form of meeting by headteachers or teachers, during school hours, within or outside any public school premises.

The chairman of Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Adeniran, gave the directive on Monday while monitoring school resumption in Ibadan.

He said the move was to ensure strict adherence to the unified school timetable in all public schools in the state.

Adeniran said: “This is a warning to all head teachers and teachers to desist from holding meetings during school hours.

“Henceforth, any primary school head teacher who indulges in such act will be severely dealt with.”

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The SUBEB boss appealed to unions and associations within the basic education sub-sector to adhere to this policy, as the new session begins.

He also directed the Education Secretaries to disseminate the information to all head teachers in their local government universal basic education authorities, while also directing school heads to keep to the policy.

In another development, Dr. Adeniran reiterated the Board’s commitment to leverage technology to ensure advancement in the education system in the state.

He spoke during a 3-day capacity building on the use of the BESDA Attendance Monitoring Information System (BAMIS).

He encouraged participants to learn from the process, saying, “We have brought you together to develop your skills on the use of the BAMID APP”.

Adeniran applauded the Universal Basic Education Commission for conceiving the BAMIS App in the day-to-day official schedules as a strategy for improving performances concerning input, output punctuality, and regularity, monitoring, and evaluation of learning activities.

He also acknowledged that the Board has invested a lot of money and time in the programme due to its importance to the delivery of basic education, a core mandate of the Board.

The event was attended by management staff, social mobilization officers, and basic school head teachers.

No fewer than 44,803 residents of Oyo State from 14 communities have benefited from 41 micro-projects, co-sponsored by the state, Federal Government and World Bank.

The Chairman, Oyo State Community and Social Development Agency (OYCSDA), Abideen Adeaga, made the disclosure yesterday at Igboho, Oorelope Local Government, during a project inspection tour carried out by the agency across the state.

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He said the works were nearing completion, while standard was upheld by the Community Project Management Committees (CPMCs), who were saddled with the responsibility of undertaking each project for the sake of ownership, as prescribed under the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach.

The inspection team, led by the agency’s chairman, include the General Manager, Mr Salau Jelili and the Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mr Rotimi Raji among other staff- members of OYCSDA.

A former Secretary to the Government of Oyo State (SSG),  Chief Michael Koleosho is dead.

Koleosho, popularly called Babalaje of Sakiland, died on Monday after brief illness at  86.

Until his death, Chief Koleosho was an elder statesman from Oke-ogun geopolitical zone in Oyo state.

Koleoso, who served as Secretary to the state Government under late Lam Adesina’s government, was also the National Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy  (AD).

Born into the family of Emi-Abata of Saki on April 30, 1938, Koleoso had his primary education at Baptist Primary School, Ajegunle, Saki and later proceeded to the famous Olivet Baptist High School, Oyo, where he was from 1957 to 1961.

He later attended the School of Hygiene, Eleyele, Ibadan for his Ordinary National Diploma (OND) and in 1965, proceeded to do his Advanced Certificate (RSII), today’s equivalent of an HND, in 1965 and 1966.

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Koleoso joined the civil service of the Western Region with the position of Head of the Health Department of the old Saki District Council.

He spent years in the service before dabbling into business.

His first establishment was Esmak Nigeria Limited, which exists today, and focuses on commodity distribution, transportation, real estate and hospitality.

He was elected unopposed as Councillor in Ifedapo Local Government Area of the Old Oyo state in 1976. 

In 1979, he got elected into the Oyo Assembly as the representative of Ifedapo Constituency on the platform of the Chief Obafemi Awolowo-led Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). He was later appointed by Chief Ige, first executive Governor of Oyo State, as Commissioner.

A family source said: “With heartfelt gratitude and total submission to the will of God, we announce the passing on to Glory of Pa Chief Michael Koleosho (Babalaje of Saki land) who slept in the Lord today September 2, 2024. What a great loss to saki, Oke-ogun, Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole.

“May the good Lord repose his soul and grant the entire family and all of us that he left behind the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss”.

No fewer than 14 communities in different parts of Oyo state have secured funding for about 38 micro-projects from the State Community and Social Development Agency (OYCSDA), under the Nigerian Community Action (for) Resilience and Economic Stimulus (NG-CARES) initiatives of the Federal Government.

The disbursement came after the training of the Community Project Management Committee (CPMC), which was held at the House of Chiefs, Oyo State Secretariat, Ibadan on Thursday.

The Chairman of Oyo State Community and Social Development Agency (OYCSDA), Abideen Adeaga who declared the training open, emphasized the need for the benefiting communities to take control of the micro-projects, which is a Community-Driven Development Approach (CDD), to ensure prompt completion, functionality and utilization of the projects.

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He went further to inform the participants that the World Bank would reimburse the state on the micro-projects if the guidelines are followed, for the sake of quality delivery and project sustainability.

“The Oyo State Government, led by Governor Seyi Makinde is well aware of the prevailing infrastructural deficit and current harsh economic realities of the people of Oyo State, I can confirm that His Excellency is not only determined to ameliorate our situation but is also passionate and committed to taking us from poverty to prosperity.

“Let me briefly remind you about two principles of our agency which are: the community-driven development approach (CDD) and programme for the result (P4R) approach, in which the State government initially funds projects but gets reimbursed by the World Bank after the projects have been completed, functional and are utilized according to standard, within the given time frame,” he declared.

The Oyo State government has initiated legal action against a motorist who assaulted an officer of the Oyo State Road Traffic Management Authority (OYRTMA) while he was on duty.

OYRTMA Chairman, Major Adesagba Adekoya (rtd), disclosed this over the weekend.

According to eyewitnesses, the motorist, Gwabo Mark, attacked OYRTMA officer, Lateef Ayodeji Apesin at the Mokola roundabout on Tuesday.

Mark was stopped for committing a traffic violation under the authority’s traffic code MTF 082, which involves picking up and dropping off passengers indiscriminately on the road.

The officer sustained injuries after being struck in the face by the offender, who also destroyed his phone.

The chairman, Major Adekoya condemned the attack, describing it as “unacceptable and cowardly.”

He vowed to take all necessary legal action to ensure that the motorist is brought to justice.

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“As the Chairman of OYRTMA, I will not tolerate any form of violence or intimidation against our officers.

“We will do everything in our power to ensure that the motorist is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

“The incident has sparked reactions among OYRTMA officials and stakeholders, who are calling for greater protection for law enforcement officers in the state.

Gwabo was arrested and charged to the Magistrate Court, Mapo on Friday for a hearing of the case.

The offender was charged with two counts charge (1) assaulting the officer and (2) Destroying the officer’s Android Phone with 500 hundred thousand Naira and two sureties while the case was adjourned till the 20th of September, 2024.