Chief Owolana and family Chief Owolana with Mrs. Osinbajo
By Bisade Ojoye
The Iyaloja of Remo land, Chief Mrs. Mercy Owolana yesterday on July 5, 2022 clocked 85 and chose to celebrate it in low key.
The event held at her home in Ikenne Remo, Ogun State had a number of dignitaries in attendance. The role call comprised: Government officials, Traditional rulers, chiefs and youths. from far and near.
Leading the Retinue were: Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of the Vice president of Nigeria; His Royal Highness, Oba Adeyinka Onakade, Alakenne of Ikenne; General Soboiki, the Balogun of Ikenne and wife; Aare Shola Shodiyan Aare Akinrogun of Ikenne (Baba Vigilante) and wife Yeye Aare Akinrogun.
Chief Mrs. Owolana whose beauty still remained impeccable at this old age was looking charming and ecstatic while the event lasted as she warmly received hugs from a number of those who graced the occasion.
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun on Thursday forwarded to the state assembly names of commissions’.
This was acknowledged in the letter read by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo, at the plenary partly states, “in furtherance of our mission on building our dear State together and desire to improve the quality of service delivery to the good people of Ogun State, I write once again to appreciate Mr. Speaker and all members of the honourable House for your unflinching support so far demonstrated for our administration”.
The nominees listed in the letter dated 5th July, 2022 Mr. Adeleye Joseph Ademola for Teaching Service Commission; Hon. Onadeko Onamusi for House of Assembly Service Commission; Princess Adesola Ayoola Elegbeji and Hon. Akinpelu Aina Nurudeen for Judicial Service Commission.
Meanwhile, the State House of Assembly has appeal to parents rededicate themselves to inculcating the necessary moral and nation building values in their wards to rid the society of social menace of cultism and other criminal activities.
The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Olakunle Oluomo threw the challenge, while responding to the submission of a member representing Odeda State Constituency, Hon. Oludaisi Elemide during a plenary session held at the Assembly Complex, Oke-mosan, Abeokuta.
Oluomo, equally called on community leaders to collaborate with security agencies at ridding the society of criminal elements in the guise of belonging to secret cult, counseling the security agencies to be more professional in handling security challenges in the State.
Oluomo also commiserated with the National Union of Teachers and the Nigeria Labour Congress and the family of Comrade Sunday Ogunjimi, who lost his life during the last strike action by the State workers.
He then appealed to all residents and workers of the State to always be conscious of their health status to avert such unfortunate incident in the future.
Earlier in his Submission, Hon Elemide had raised the issue of incessant cult clashes among rival groups leading to apprehension and killings along Obantoko area of the State; calling on security agencies to be more professional and avoid unnecessary harassment of innocent people.
Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Police has disclosed that it has arrested a total of 93 suspected cultists from different confraternity groups between March, 2022 till date.
Oyeyemi, who also paraded 32 suspected secret cult members who allegedly played significant roles in various cult clashes across the state in recent times currently said the arrested cultists are undergoing prosecution in the state.
Oyeyemi, who said ‘the harvest of secret cult members’ was part of the relentless efforts of the command at checkmating activities of cultists in the state, also paraded the trio of an 18-years old Daniel Njoku; 21-years old Damilare Ogundiran and Olamilekan Adebayo for allegedly abducting a 15-years old girl sent on errand by her parents, raped her turn-by-turn before they later forcefully initiated her into their secret cult group.
Ogun PPRO further disclosed that the war against cultism, which has continued to yield positive results was a demonstration of the commitment of the command towards ensuring that the state was free of criminals, particularly on its earlier statement towards ensuring that the “7/7” Confraternity Anniversary in the state does not hold.
“We are still not relenting in getting other members of these dreaded groups out of circulation, in order to allow the law abiding citizens to sleep with their two eyes closed”.
“I hereby, appeal to parents and guardians to call their wards to order as this command will be rolling out all in its arsenal to wage war against all would-be-criminals, particularly the cultists among them”.
A 29 years old man, Segun Mafimidowo on Thursday confessed he faked his kidnap in order to get money from his parents.
Mafimidowo, who is one of the 42 suspected criminals paraded by the Ogun State Police command at its Eleweeran headquarters, Abeokuta, said, he connived with some of his friends to demand for a sum of N8 million ransom from his parents under the pretense that he had been kidnapped by some unknown gunmen in Sagamu area of the state.
The Ogun State command Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said, Mafimidowo, also sent picture where he was tied on both hands to his parents.
“The purported abductors later sent an account number of one Ogbu Abraham in which he directed the parents to pay the ransom to, but the anti-kidnapping section of the command embarked on technical based investigation which led to where Segun Mafimidowo and his so-called abductors, who are all his friends were hiding and frolicking.
The Iyaloja of Remo land, Chief Mrs. Mercy Owolana yesterday, July 5, 2022 clocked 85 and chose to celebrate it in low key.
The event held at her home in Ikenne Remo, Ogun State had a number of dignitaries in attendance. The role call comprised: Government officials, Traditional rulers, chiefs and youths. from far and near.
Leading the Retinue were: Mrs. Dolapo Osinbajo, wife of the Vice president of Nigeria; His Royal Highness, Oba Adeyinka Onakade, Alakenne of Ikenne; General Soboiki, the Balogun of Ikenne and wife; Aare Shola Shodiyan Aare Akinrogun of Ikenne (Baba Vigilante) and wife Yeye Aare Akinrogun.
Chief Mrs. Owolana whose beauty still remained impeccable at this old age was looking charming and ecstatic while the event lasted as she warmly received hugs from a number of those who graced the occasion.
The Presidency has confirmed an attack on the convoy of cars carrying the Advance Team of security guards, protocol and media officers ahead of President Muhammadu Buhari’s trip to Daura in Katsina State for Sallah. It described the shooting incident near Dutsinma, Katsina State as sad and unwelcome.
Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), Garba Shehu, in a statement on Tuesday night stated that “the attackers opened fire on the convoy from ambush positions but were repelled by the military, police and DSS personnel accompanying the convoy.
“Two persons in the convoy are receiving treatment for the minor injuries they suffered. All the other personnel, staff and vehicles made it safely to Daura.”
The terrorists killed the Police Area Commander of Dutsinma, Katsina State, ACP Aminu Umar.
The Area Commander was killed in a gun battle with the terrorists in Zakka forest, Safana Local Government Area of Katsina State on Tuesday.
Discussions on the roles of the Media at the sub-national levels of government will take the centre stage at the 14th edition of the annual Wole Soyinka Centre Media Lecture Series themed – Can democracy work without a strong sub-national media?
The event will hold as a webinar on Wednesday 13 July 2022 by 2pm (WAT). It will also serve as the public launch of the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA) project of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ).
Chiedo Nwankwor, Vice Dean for Education and Academic Affairs, Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced and International Studies (SAIS) and Kole Shettima, Director, MacArthur Foundation Africa office, will lead the conversations along with Ibiba Don Pedro, Managing Director, National Point; Haruna Mohammed, Co-publisher, Wikki Times.
Others are: ‘Fisayo Soyombo, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism and Social Justice; Adaora Onyechere, Executive Director, Gender Strategy Advancement International and Mansur Liman, Director-General of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) as panellists at the event to be moderated by Uduak Amimo, broadcaster and executive coach.
The saturation of media at the centre and the lack of accountability at the state and local government levels, even as the nation heads for the 2023 general elections, informed WSCIJ’s choice of the theme to draw attention to the need for an independent media holding government to account at the sub-national levels towards a vibrant and thriving democracy. The lecture event will mark the 88th birthday of Wole Soyinka, the grand patron of WSCIJ.
The Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability (CMEDIA) is a multi-level intervention for media independence and government accountability supported by the MacArthur Foundation. It is working through 26 partner organisations to improve public awareness and the ecosystem for transparency, accountability and good governance and amplify marginalised voices especially at state and local government levels and the private sector.
Interested participants may register for the webinar with this link to join the discussion which will include the media, industry experts, private sector leaders, government ministries and agencies, pressure groups, policy makers, students, members of the diplomatic corps and other stakeholders in the civil society.
About WSCIJ The Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation with social justice programmes aimed at exposing corruption, regulatory failures and human rights abuses with the tool of investigative journalism.
The initiative started in 2005 under the name Wole Soyinka Investigative Reporting Award (WSIRA), and It operated as an award-giving organisation till 2008 when it took on the name Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ).
The change in name became necessary to reflect the intention of the coordinators to embrace a more robust line of activities; such that have greater capacity for engendering the appropriate values of investigative journalism in the Nigerian media environment.
The Ogun State Community, Social Orientation and Safety Corps, So-Safe Corps have deployed Officers and Men across the length and breadth of the State to ensure both lives and property of the good people of the State and visitors are well protected.
The corps, according to a release signed by ACC Moruf Yusuf Director of Information have also embarked on intelligence aimed foiling any act that could jeopardise the peace and love radiating among them as one big family.
The release added that Area Commanders of the Corps have been instructed to detail Officers and undercover Officers and Men to strategic places in continuation of the ‘operation secure places of worship’ that had been on since three weeks back .
“It is no longer news that we are in an atmosphere where fear of the criminally minded ones dominates every heart of our people and this requires vigilance in all ramifications”, the stated stressed.
He stressed further that the operation kicked off from Tuesday, the 5 -15, July 2022.
The corps advised Imams and Alfas to compile additional lists of their Praying Grounds for the agency and to also preach the essence of vigilance in the propagation of the religion, stressing that they should strictly adhere to.
“We say happy Eid-il-Kabir to Muslim Officers and Men and Marshals of the Corps and the entire Muslims in our dear State and Nigeria as a whole”.
In case of distress or to volunteer information on crime, crime in progress ,the corps urged the people to reach them on the following lines 08034681687,09069392064,08035479930 while charging them to, “Think Security, talk Security”.
The Sagamu palace of Akarigbo and Paramount of Remo and Chairman of Ogun State Council of Obas, His Royal Majesty, Oba Babatunde Ajayi, will on Monday, July 4, 2022 host Officers and men of the Nigerian Army, 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta on the occasion Nigerian Army Day celebration 2022.
The Brigade under the command of Brigadier Isa Abdullahi, will amongst others be addressing some security challenges with the theme: “Repositioning the Nigerian Army in the joint operations environment: A panacea for Success in Addressing Contemporary Security Challenges”
The event will be a twin one as the officers and men of the Brigade will also be hold a Medical Outreach where individuals, men, women, young and old with some medical challenges will will be attended to. The event commences at 9:00 Am prompt.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Prince Adekunle Ayoola, has said that the case of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s reelection was that of ‘one good turn deserves another which must be realised in 2023.
Ayoola stated this at Ijebu Ode Club, when he hosted the executives of Odogbolu Local Government Area led by its Chairman, Hon Ladejobi Shuaib Adebayo.
The chieftain said the success of the ruling party at all levels in the forthcoming 2023 general election should be of paramount concern to those who loved good things.
Ayoola, who is the founder of Omooba Obaruwa Foundation from Odogbolu Ward 1 disclosed that the essence of the gathering, was to identify with the grassroots development of the present administration in the local government and to declare his support for the continued success of APC at the polls even beyond 2023.
The political scientist and strategist lauded Ladejobi and his team for their commitment to make life a lot easier for the rural dwellers pledging that he was ready to join forces with them in the area of education and poverty alleviation to further support the good works of Governor Abiodun in the state.
Ayoola called for concerted efforts to ensure the return of Abiodun come 2023 saying that “what is also uppermost in my mind is the success of the second term bid of our hardworking governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.
“This is a case of one good term deserves another. I am also pledging my unshakeable support for the landslide victory for our party presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, likewise all our party flag bearers across the state. I therefore seek for the hands of fellowship and support of everyone to further make our party the party to beat of all times.”
He thereafter pledged to donate a thousand torchlights to the local government to further entrench the philosophy of “Atupa Iye’’ as fondly promoted by the LG boss, Hon. Ladejobi Shuaib Adebayo.
Speaking at the event, the Chairman of the local government, Ladejobi lauded Prince Adekunle Ayoola for being a young man with a favourable disposition to adding value to his people back home despite staying outside the country.
The chairman said he had heard of his interventions across the local government and that he had been doing it with no air of pride but with all humility and sense of service to humanity.
He declared that his government won’t hesitate to forge alliances with corporate bodies and individuals who are always ready to add values to the efforts at expanding frontiers of development in the local government.
Ladejobi thanked the Poland-based political scientist and security expert for his decision to donate a thousand torchlights saying that the donation was quite significant as it is giving meaning to the decision of its government to be torchbearer, fighting to standstill the darkness of underdevelopment in the local government.
The chairman equally commended Abiodun for encouraging youth participation in the governance of the state saying that the current administration at the local government is populated by the youths and would therefore leave no stone unturned to justify this unusual youth inclusion in governance.
Earlier, the APC stalwart had met with some stakeholders and youths at the Obowu parish, a popular relaxation centre at Ijebu Ode urging them to support the second term bid of Abiodun and work for the overall victory of APC in 2023.
Former governor of Lagos and the Minister of Works and Housing Babatunde Fashola revealed that All progressives Congress presidential candidate Bola Tinubu was very generous to him when he was a young lawyer, saying he used to give him, “Pocket-Money”
Fashola opened up on how he met the APC chieftain and the genesis of their relationship, explaining that before meeting him in person he had seen Tinubu at various events.
Fashola, commonly described as Super Minister nostalgically recalled how Tinubu was generous to him and would often give him money.
He said he met Tinubu between 1990 or 1991 when he, Bola Tinubu was then working as a Treasurer in Mobil with his office at the Bookshop House CMS on Odunlami Street. “I didn’t directly meet him. I had seen him at parties, but we never met. At that time, I was a senior associate at the law firm of Sofunde, Osakwe, Ogundipe and Belgore, where I was practising.
He disclosed they got introduced when a nephew to Tinubu joined his firm. “Wale Tinubu, his nephew came to join the law firm, then. He was always mentioning “Uncle Bola”, and one day, he said, “let’s go and see my uncle.” We got there and went out to lunch with him. That was when I could say we formally met.
“From then on, he would consult us on legal issues and we would help and give him advice. Sometimes, he would just come and say. “See we have this issue, what do you lawyers think?” We ran around and he would always give us pocket money. I think one thing that left some impressions on me was his commitment to his staff, and that was symbolised by what I witnessed on a particular day after the Sallah celebration.
“He brought Sallah meat to the office and supervised its sharing from floor to floor. As exalted as his office was, he ensured that those who could not come to his house, even to the lowest driver, got part of the Sallah meat. I recalled that after the sharing of the meat, he sent someone to aggregate how much it would cost to buy a soft drink for everybody and equally distributed money to them.
“The incident left an impression on me and that became my practice when I started observing the killing of rams for Sallah. For me, it speaks of his concern about those working for him.”
On why he thinks Tinubu described him as one of his greatest achievements, Fashola stated, “Well, there are many ways to look at it. For me, that kind of statement coming from him puts more pressure on me. I thought that I had seen all the pressure that could come from this experience to be governor of Lagos State. That adds pressure on me in no small measure.
“I think how I became governor is public knowledge. Nothing could put pressure on me than the commitment in pursuit of his decision in 2006 that I was the candidate he was endorsing for governor and the cost in terms of stress, disagreement, fights and long-draw emotional arguments. Of course, immediately after I won the election, the biggest pressure was to ensure that I didn’t regret the decision.
“One, the people of Lagos State could have said: “We didn’t know the man you have brought and this might have turned the state upside down.” There are other sides to it that I would want to keep to myself. As I have said time and time again, he should sit down and write his memoirs so that people may know the story of that election. This is what he should use to explain to Lagosians the offers, the counter offers and choices he made and why he, as it were, went for broke.
“The question to ask is: What was his abiding commitment after eight years as well as questions on who became governor, and who did not? But, in terms of the next step from there, it is to say that it is an enriching experience for our democracy, and not simply about me. It is also about institution building in the sense that I have continued to compare our 13-year journey despite its twists and turns with those that we seek to benchmark ourselves against
The yearly colourful Ojude Oba (Eid-Kabir) festival which had been put on hold for two years due to Covid-19 pandemic will this year hold on July 11, 2022 in Ijebu Ode.
Speaking at the Press Conference, the Coordinator of the festival, Dr Fassy Yusuf said that the annual celebration of the rich cultural heritage of the Ijebu people has undoubtedly over the years impacted on the socio-economic development of Ijebu land.
Dr Fassy Yusuf stated that Ojude Oba festival is not only for merry making or display of exquisite fabrics but also a veritable platform to reunite with family members, associates and rally support for self help projects that are geared towards developing Ijebu land.
He said that the people of Ijebu land could not wait to celebrate this year Ojude Oba festival which had for two years been suspended due to the hazards of Covid-19 pandemic.
Dr Fassy Yusuf also declared that Gov Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State is the Special Guest Honour for this year festival. Gov Sanwo-Olu would be joining the league of former President, Olusegun Obasanjo, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Aliko Dangote among other eminent Nigerians that had once graced the cultural festival.
Rejoicing with the people of Ijebu land over the return of Ojude Oba festival, the Commissioner for Tourism in the state, Dr Oluwatoyin Taiwo said that the present administration in the state would continue to support efforts at preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of the people of the state.
Dr Taiwo has however called for the adoption of Adire by the age grades (Regbe Regbe) during this annual festival saying that it would help a lot to give international recognition to this indigenous fabric which has its origin in the state.
Telecommunication giant Globacom, provider of Glo services has announced a special package to support the festival in order to make it as memorable as it used to be.
The indigenous telecom company stated that characteristically, to support and celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the people, Globacom would be running a special consumer promo to add colours to this year’s Ojude Oba festival which would enable its lucky subscribers to win 10 tricycles, television sets, grinding machine and lots more.
Mr Ikenna Aguwuom, Globacom Regional Manager, Ogun State, unveiled this special consumer promo yesterday, during the press conference held on Friday at the palace of Awujale of Ijebu land, Oba Kayode Sikiru Adetona.
Aguwuom explained that to win any of these mouthwatering prizes a new Glo subscriber would be required to activate a Glo sim and recharge with a minimum of N1500 while existing customers would need to recharge a minimum of N1000 before July 8 to qualify for the draws.
He disclosed further that those who missed this pre-event raffle window could simply spend N5000 or more at the festival ground on the Glo network to stand a chance of winning any of the prizes.
The Regional Manager revealed further that winners of the best dressed age-grade (Regbe Regbe) in both male and female categories would go home with N500,000 while their runners-up would receive N300,000 and N200,000 respectively
He stated that for those who showed dexterity and unusual skills during the Balogun competition for horse-riding, the winner would go home with N300,000 while the first and second runners-up would go home with N200,000 and N100,000 respectively.
Aguwuom stated that the telecom giant will cap the fun of this year Ojude Oba festival with an evening of music fiesta where Fuji superstar, Akande Abass Obesere and Tope Makanaki would be on band stand to entertain the audience.
This he said would be done alongside beauty pageant where one of the beautiful Ijebu-born ladies would be crowned Miss Ojude Oba 2022.
Aguwuom said that Globacom’s involvement in the annual festival is geared towards celebrating the unique tradition of Ijebu people and at the same time, fostering the cause of tourism which the festival had promoted for more than 100 years.
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