Author: oduduwanews

ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that the Publisher of City Hill News and Author of a book called Kabana Republic, Mr. Morufh Bello is dead.

According to a relative who confirmed the sad incident to ODUDUWA NEWS, it was reported that a speedy car rammed onto a tricycle he boarded yesterday while he was going back home. It was learnt that the accident occured around IAR&T, Apata, Ibadan.

According to the source, he was rushed to UCH but later gave up the ghost. He has been buried at his residence according to Islamic rites.

Before his death, City Hills News Publisher, Mr. Morufh Bello was a veteran journalist who worked at Nigerian Tribune before his resignation to establish his own news outlet.

Morufh Bello was an astute Writer, Public Affairs Analyst and a staunch believer of Nigerian project.

His staunch belief that Nigeria can only get to the Promised Land if we all play our roles, motivated him to write one of the best historic books ever written in Nigeria, Kabana Republic. A book that summarized how Nigeria got the present stage of underdevelopment and what could be done to break the clog in the wheel of Nigeria’s progress.

Morufh Bello’s death was a great loss to Nigeria. Adieu!

As rescue operations continue at the location of yesterday’s collapsed building at Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, the Lagos State Government has restated its determination to ensure that as many people as possible are rescued alive from the rubble.

Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, disclosed this today while speaking with journalists and relatives of the victims during the monitoring of the ongoing search and rescue operations by agencies of government.

The Deputy Governor, who was accompanied to the site by top government officials, said the focus of government, for now, is to ensure that the ongoing rescue operations yield positive results such that those still trapped in the rubble are brought out alive.

Dr. Hamzat revealed that “Nine people have been rescued alive and taken to the hospital while 10 dead bodies have been recovered. Out of the nine survivors, three have been discharged from the hospital while six are in stable condition and are doing well. The focus of the operation right now is to rescue those that are trapped”.

He also stated that it will be difficult to ascertain the number of the trapped victims, noting that the building is still under construction and not yet occupied.

Stating that the project site was sealed up for four months by the relevant agency because of some anomalies in the construction process, the Deputy Governor gave further assurance that other adjourning buildings in the axis will be subjected to the Structural Integrity Test for appropriate action.

He emphasised that the State government would not relent in its efforts at ensuring that buildings under construction in Lagos are subjected to structural integrity tests to prevent issues of building collapse.

The Deputy Governor, who also led other top government officials to the Lagos General Hospital, Marina, where the survivors are being treated, promised that the State Government will take full responsibility for the treatment and medical bills of rescued victims of the Ikoyi building collapse.

Authorities of the Osun State Polytechnic, Iree, Osun State, on Monday, demanded a probe into the circumstances surrounding the death of a female student, simply identified as Omowumi.

It was gathered that Omowumi, an ND 1 student of Mass Communications department died on Saturday after she took ill in her boyfriend’s house in the Igaa area of Iree town.

The boyfriend was alleged to be an internet fraudster (Yahoo boy).

The deceased suddenly developed complications while still with his boyfriend and was rushed to a private hospital in Iree, but was rejected. She later died while being taken to another hospital.

A female student in her department, who spoke with Punch on condition of anonymity, said the boyfriend had been arrested in connection with the incident.

She said, “Wumi went to her boyfriend’s house in the Igaa area, Iree. She suddenly started foaming in the mouth. She was rushed to a hospital here in Iree, but she was rejected and while being taken to another hospital, she died.

“Her friends reported the matter to the police and some operatives were deployed. They took her body to a morgue in Ikirun. The boyfriend is a student too. He was arrested and taken away by the police.”

The spokesperson for the polytechnic, Tope Abiola, confirmed the incident.

He, however, said the arrested suspect was not a student of the polytechnic.

Abiola said, “It is true that an ND 1 student in the Department of Mass Communication died.

“We don’t know the cause of the death. We have not been briefed about the cause of the death. The police are still investigating. The school sympathises with the parents of the lady. It is pathetic that such a young girl would die like that.”

The umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua, made this known in a statement on Tuesday by its spokesperson, Maxwell Adeleye, attaching images from the scene of the attack.

The organisation noted that the incident happened on Saturday in the Professor’s absence.

It also noted that the police had been notified.

A bullet from the scene of the accident (Photo: Ilana Oodua)
Part of the statement read, “The leadership of the umbrella body of Yoruba Self-Determination Groups, Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO), is displeased to inform the general public that the Ado-Ekiti country home of its leader, Professor Banji Akintoye, was attacked on Saturday, 30th October, 2021.

“Gunshots were fired into the house by assailants who apparently climbed a chair outside the gate to shoot in.

“Luckily, Professor Banji Akintoye was not around at the time, and nobody was hurt.
“Bullets suspected to be from AK 47 rifles were recovered after they dropped from the ceiling onto the floor.
“The matter has since been reported to the Ekiti State Police Command for investigation.”

Akintoye, a renowned Historian, hails from Ado-Ekiti.

He represented the Old Ondo State in the Senate from 1979 to 1983.

He is currently leading the agitation for an Independent Yoruba Nation from Nigeria.

This is coming a few months after unknown armed men invaded the house of the Scion of the Akintoye dynasty, Ademola, an Engineer, in Agbor, Delta state, exterminating the building, including his rich fish pond.

“The Police did not arrest anyone up till this moment,” the group lamented.

“We the Yoruba people within, and beyond the horizon of Nigeria will hold the Nigerian Government responsible if any evil happens to our leader or any of his relations.”

The Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr Mele Kyari, has allayed fears of fuel scarcity, saying there are 1.7 billion litres of fuel stored and 2.3bn litres coming soon.

Kyari’s statement followed recent media reports of a resurgence of queues at petrol stations in some parts of the country after the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) raised the alarm that private depot owners had increased the price of petrol by N9/litre.

The GMD, who spoke virtually from Glasgow on Tuesday at a conference organised by the Association of Energy Correspondents of Nigeria (NAEC), also explained why the federal government was demanding energy justice at the ongoing United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland.

“As we speak now, there is speculation of fuel scarcity within the media but we have over 1.7bn litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the country.

“We have another 2.3bn litres coming in, so there is no shortage in supply as is being speculated.

“Of course, there are issues about pricing at some depots but the government has no plan to revise the pricing structure,” he said.

Our reporters observed that while there are no queues at the major filling stations in Abuja, some others like Shema and Conoil have already shut down operations as they have run out of stock.

Meanwhile, for those operating, they have raised the pump price from between N162 and N163 as of Monday to N165 on Tuesday. The situation was similar in Lagos with no pronounced queue and fuel stations selling between N163 and N165, within the government approved price band.

However, NNPC in a statement, urged the public to shun panic buying of petroleum products, saying there is enough stock that will last the festive period and beyond.

Garba Deen Muhammad, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, in a statement issued on Tuesday, said the corporation was also engaging all stakeholders to ensure smooth supply and distribution of products to every part of the country.

The Lagos State Government is setting up an independent panel to probe the collapse of the 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi. Members of the panel will be drawn from the Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) and other professional bodies.

It will independently investigate the remote and immediate causes of the incident and make recommendations on how to prevent future occurrence. The investigation is not part of the internal probe already being conducted by the government.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the government will surely find out what went wrong and punish those indicted. The Governor, as a first step, has directed that the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Mr. Gbolahan Oki, an architect, be suspended from work immediately. The suspension is indefinite.

More equipment and personnel have been deployed in the site to save more lives.

Nine persons – all men – have been pulled out of the rubble alive. They have been taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, 14 others were brought out dead – as at 2pm.

Mr. Sanwo-Olu thanks all first responders and those who have joined the rescue efforts, including construction giants Julius Berger, Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

A help desk is to be set up at the site for people seeking information about their relations who may have been involved in the incident. The media are hereby notified that the government will be releasing information whenever the need arises to avoid any sensational reporting of the unfortunate incident.

The Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, was today at the site to encourage rescuers and comfort relations of those trapped in the rubble. Dr. Hamzat left the site for the Lagos Island General Hospital to see the survivors.

The government will embark on further foundation and borehole acidic level tests to ascertain the impact on the collapsed building. These tests, particularly the borehole acidic level, is important for the entire Gerrard Road and adjoining areas.

We wish to state that there will be no cover-up in the search for the truth in this incident. If anybody is found to have been indicted, he or she will face the law.

It is important to restate that all developers and property owners are required to adhere strictly to all Building Codes and Planning Regulations to ensure the safety of lives and property. Those who ignore such regulations, breaking seals and defying enforcement, will surely be prosecuted.

Okunrin Jeje Abiodun Oni has on behalf of the Chairperson Olorunsogo local government, Hon.(Mrs) Julianah Oluwakemi Akanni-Ika and Alhaji Saminu Oladele, the Assistance Secretary Oyo North PDP, congratulated HE.(Amb.) Taofeek Arapaja on his emergence as the new National Deputy Chairman(South) of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

This was contained in a statement signed and sent to Oduduwa News today by the Personal Aide of the Commisioner of Environment, Hon. Abiodun Oni.

While rejoicing with Arapaja, He commended HE. (Engr) Seyi Makinde’s organizing ability and dynamic leadership both national and regional levels and also appreciated the strategic support of the Advisory Chairman, Sen. Hosea Ayoola (Alleluyah), and all the PDP delegates from Oyo State, saying Arapaja victory at the convention cannot be far- fetched from the magnanimity of HE (Engr) Seyi Makinde.

He therefore charged the newly elected executive members to be magnanimous in victory and use their offices as instrument of cohesion while embracing peace and tranquility towards the progress of the party.

He however prayed that the Almighty God continue to direct the steps of the Deputy Chairman and the other elected officials in their avowed determination to rescue Nigeria and reposition the party towards achieving the desired overwhelming victory in the 2023 general election.