Author: oduduwanews

The Oyo State Government has cleared all the non-statutory deductions of civil servants in the state.

This is in fulfilment of Governor Seyi Makinde’s promise that their deduction arrears will be paid along with their August salaries.

In a Release issued from the state Ministry of Information and Orientation and signed by the commissioner Prince Dotun Oyelade, the pledge by governor Seyi Makinde in a state broadcast in the wake of the week-long protest by the state NLC, government released over 1.3bn as deductions and salaries for June, July and August.

With this development, workers who choose to continue making cooperative contributions will have to work with their unions as the state government will no longer be making any deductions from source.

The commissioner recalled that to date, many states have not complied with the minimum wage and still owe civil servants many months backlog of statutory deductions while oyo state had complied with minimum wage payment three years ago and has now cleared it’s deductions.

The commissioner said that Governor Seyi Makinde enjoys the support of the over 71,000 Oyo state civil servants because of his genuine love for their welfare.

Actor Bolanle Ninalowo marriage hits the rock again for the second time just few years after they reunited from their long term separation.

In a lengthy post shared on his IG page today, September 1, Actor Bolanle said he is heartbroken but not shattered to announce that himself and his wife are going their seperate ways and headed for an ‘irreconcilable marriage dissolution “

Details later.

Respite is on the way for commuters plying the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway as the Federal Government on Thursday proposed to jointly rehabilitate the road with the Ogun State government.
The proposal was made by the Minister of Works, Engr. Dave Umahi, during a courtesy call on Governor Dapo Abiodun in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The minister was on a tour of federal roads in the Gateway State, along with officials of the ministry.

Umahi, while replying to Governor Abiodun on the frustration experienced by Ogun and Lagos states during the President Muhammadu Buhari administration to get the road done, disclosed that the period of bureaucracy in road construction in the country was over.

Umahi noted that if the Federal Government is looking for corporate organisations to get involved in road construction and management, state governments should not be denied the same opportunity.

He said: “Let me say something about the frustration you had while you and the Lagos State government wrote to take over the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road. Let me announce to you that it falls under our new program, HDMI, which is the High Way Development Management Initiative. It is a public-private partnership programme.

“People should begin to look at a state as a corporate entity. If you are looking for investors to come and invest on our roads; to construct, to own, to maintain and toll, why shouldn’t a state do that?

“So, on this Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road, I want us to work together, we’ve done 30% of the work. You can own 60%, we own 40% and you can do your portion of the 60%. You can give it to a contractor of your choice.

“I don’t believe in bureaucracy; we cannot reset the economy with the type of bureaucracy we have.

“If I get your request on this by WhatsApp, I will respond to you immediately. We will handle it under our HDMI.”

The minister spoke on some other federal roads in the state, with some of them under reconstruction. According to him, the Ikorodu-Sagamu remains about 8 kilometres to be completed, with the deadline for its completion set for November.

Other roads are the Abeokuta-Ajebo road at 21% completed, the overlay of the Ore-Sagamu portion of the Sagamu-Ore-Benin carriageway and the Papalanto to the Benin Republic border, being done by Dangote through the Tax Credit Scheme.

The Minister who also noted that the Federal Government under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is open to any state willing to have a Public Private Partnership programme (PPP) with them, said that the Federal Government is also planning to bring new security initiatives on the highways.

Umahi expressed appreciation to the Ogun State for its commitment to repairing roads in its domain, whether state or federal.

“In Ogun State, nobody is saying this is federal roads, this is state roads. When people are suffering, they don’t understand which one is which. Fix the roads and we can talk about who owns it. Anyone that is shouting and complaining is playing politics,” he said.

Addressing the entourage, Prince Abiodun recalled what he and his colleague in Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu went through getting the Federal Government’s permission to take over the reconstruction of the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta Expressway.

He regretted that despite meeting some of the requirements by the Federal Government, the two states were frustrated, leading to further deterioration of the road.

He said: “I would like to highlight the Lagos-Ota-Abeokuta road, Ota is a city that has earned us the prestigious title of being the industrial capital of Nigeria. It is a city where we share boundaries with Lagos State and you can hardly tell the difference between Ota and Lagos State.

“That road, I think the contract must have been awarded maybe in 2012 or 2010 under the administration of President Obasanjo. Since then, the contract has been subjected to so many reviews.

“When I assumed office, Governor Sanwo-Olu and I went to see President Buhari and we wrote one letter on a joint letterhead requesting for that road to be transferred to us.

“We brought a letter from our bankers. At that point in time, it was probably about N70 billion, saying that this N70 billion that we want to put into the reconstruction of the road.

“Then, there was no Minister. We were told that because the road is under contract, what they would like to do is to partner with the states and we said okay, let us sit down, and discuss on the basis of the partnership.

“That road is about 77 kilometres, let us discuss the basis of that partnership, Your Excellency, we made no progress.”

The governor commended the Federal Government for bringing a new lease of life into the way and manner that approvals are given for road construction.

Abiodun expressed the hope that the Federal Government would help to fast-track the reconstruction of the Sagamu end of the Sagamu-Ore road.

“I am hoping that you will be able to help us fast track the construction of Sagamu-Ore road because we as a state government have continued to maintain that road, I am hoping you could use your good office to assist us in ensuring that the road is funded,” he said.

Baba Khalifa Onikahun has promised the former ‘Iya Osun’ Abebi, now Hajia Hawau 2024 Hajj.

Meanwhile, a Muslim faithful has also promised to gift her a car, house.

Recall, ‘IYA Osun’ had been in the news in the past due to the religious acrimony that ensued in Ilorin in recent times when she announced to embark on her ‘Isese’ day early last month.

Her announcement to embark on ‘Isese’ festival generated a lot of controversies from both Muslims and traditional worshippers in Ilorin.

According to the woman, “I was not forced to convert to Islam. I accepted Allah and Muhammed, His prophets.

“Before, I had never left God, but I did not know Him closely. He showed Himself, and I accepted Him,” the woman said as she recited some verses from the Qur’an, surrounded by her children and some Muslim clerics”.

Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON, has not yet returned to the country.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State, Prince Richard Olatunde as read in part:

“The Governor is currently still on a medical vacation in Germany.

“We would like to assure the good people of Ondo State and Nigerians in general that the Governor’s return will be widely publicized.

“While we acknowledge that his return is imminent, we urge our citizens to disregard any false information and preemptive mischief orchestrated by jittery politicians.

“For emphasis, Governor Akeredolu has not yet returned to the country”.

The traditional religion practitioner, Madam Efunsetan Abebi Aniwura popularly known as ‘Iya Osun’, has finally embraced Islam in Ilorin, Kwara state.

The former ‘Iya Osun’ finally accepted Islam today as her new religion in Ilorin.

The woman who was birthed into Islam was seen with Islamic leaders who trained her the doctrines of Islam while reciting “Khalimat Shaddah”, the usual recitation for those who convert to Islam.

She is now known as Hajia Hawau Iya Oni Al-Quran.

Details later.

An Ìṣẹ̀ṣe organisation, Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Welfare Association (IWA), which is popularly known in Nigeria as Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Assembly, has called on Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde who has the the appointing authority on enthronement of traditional rulers in the State, as well as kingmakers in Oyo town to pick among contestants for the Alaafin throne, the most credible candidate that will be ready to indentfy with Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Religion.

In a Press Statement made available to newsmen in Ibadan on Thursday, the body called for a choice of Alaafin that will not only openly identify with the Yoruba Indigenous religion like the immediate past monarch of the town, Late Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi 111, but also protect the interests of practitioners, among other religions he will be presiding over in the ancient town.

The statement, which was signed by group’s National Coordinator, Barr. Aderemi Ifáòleèpin Aderemi and Secretary-General, Ifagbenuola Popoola, urged Makinde and the Oyo-Mesi to speed up the selection process and fill the vacant throne of Alaafin, as whoever mounts the throne will be globally-revered among other traditional rulers in Nigeria.

“We implore the Ọ̀yọ́-Mèsì, who are the Kingmakers to make sure that whoever that is selected or chosen to be the next Aláàfin of Ọ̀yọ́ must be Ìṣẹ̀ṣe inclined cum Ìṣẹ̀ṣe lover; and who is ready to openly identify with Ìṣẹ̀ṣe as a Yorùbá Indigenous Religion.

“That the appointing authority who is the Governor of Ọ̀yọ́ State should graciously appoint any eminently qualified candidate that will not only openly identify with Ìṣẹ̀ṣe religion, but, also help to promote the unique traditional practices in Ọ̀yọ́ Aláàfin, always.

“Further, we implore whoever wishes to be next Aláàfin to also have in mind that, the stool is meant for someone who will always respect and cherish Ìṣẹ̀ṣe.”

Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Assembly said the body appreciated Oyo State government and kingmakers in Iseyin, Iseyin Local Government, for arriving at a seamless process in picking a new Aseyin of Iseyin on Monday.

They called on the Aseyin-designate, Prince Sefiu Olawale Oyebola to embrace Yoruba traditional practices in order for him to enjoy the throne, as according to them, only the Yoruba culture, Tradition, and belief system embodies equality and peaceful cohabitation among residents.

The police in Osun state have begun a manhunt for the owners of two Alsatian dogs that allegedly attacked a nursing mother identified simply as Mummy Basira, killed her baby girl, and injured her around the Halleluyah Area of Ido-Osun, Osun State on Wednesday, August 30.

According to reports, Mummy Basira was walking along the street with her baby strapped on her back when the dogs reportedly jumped out from their owner’s building and attacked her. The dogs attacked the nursing mother as she tried to rescue her baby said to be about five months old. Residents of the area who watched helplessly as the vicious dogs carried out the attack, said after killing the baby, the dogs attacked the mother, inflicting bodily injuries on her.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Osun State Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, said efforts are being made to arrest the owners of the dogs. She added that the police command will ensure that justice will be done in this case.

Long queues for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, are beginning to resurface at filling stations in Lagos and Ogun states, and in few other locations in South-Western states.

It was gathered that queues were not seen in Abuja and other states in the North, it was learnt that depots in Lagos were gradually running dry of petrol.

Queues were sighted at many stations, particularly those on the Oshodi-Ojodu Berger Expressway and some sections of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, as vehicles that waited to purchase petrol stretched into the expressway, slowing down movement on the service lane.

North-West filling station had the longest queue, as it dispensed petrol at N568/litre. Others such as Eterna – N568/litre; NNPCL – N568/litre; TotalEnergies – N570/litre; and Mobil – N570/litre had shorter queues.

Conoil, Enyo and Oando at Berger in Lagos, had no product to dispense.

While some of TotalEnergies stations were seen dispensing, a branch of the station located on the Berger axis was locked.

A few others such as Worldoil, Fatgbems and Quest in Ogun State shut their outlets.

The Chairman, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Satellite Depot, Akin Akinrinade, told newsmen that the depot had not loaded products in the last three weeks.

According to him, even the NNPCL Retail depot is currently operating skeletal dispatching of products.

“From our end, the issue has been with the pipeline vandalism which we raised an alarm over since July. Satellite depot has not loaded any product in the last three weeks, and whenever there is a problem here, it is going to affect Lagos and the whole of South-West.

“Although I don’t know what has been happening in other depots, from what we gathered yesterday, even NNPC Retail has been operating skeletal product dispatching.