Veteran Nollywood actor, Dejumo Lewis, famous for his role in the beloved ‘Village Headmaster’ series, has passed away at the age of 80.
Dejumo Lewis, known for portraying the character, Kabiyesi in ‘The Village Headmaster,’ which aired from 1968 to 1988, has left an indelible mark on Nigerian film and television.
Though the details surrounding Lewis’ passing remain undisclosed, his contributions to the Nigerian entertainment industry are widely celebrated.
Dejumo Lewis showcased his acting prowess in acclaimed films such as “A Place in the Stars” (2014), “Crossroads” (2020), and “Power of 1” (2018). His performances resonated with audiences, making him a beloved figure in Nollywood.
ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that a lone accident involving a 18-passenger Nissan bus conveying loads of fish from Ibadan to Iseyin.
The accident which occurred at exactly 12pm near Ofiki, almost 38 kilometer to Iseyin.
Our correspondent who visited the scene reported that the accident occurred when the front tyre burst suddenly and the driver lost control which made the vehicle to summersault several times.
There was no reported case of death but two people including the driver sustained serious injuries.
As at the time of filing this report, sympathizers who stopped along the road to rescue the victims of the lone accident ensured that the vehicle was moved completely from the road to ensure free flow of traffic.
Two persons were confirmed dead while five others sustained varying degrees of injuries in an accident that occurred at J4 area on Sagamu-Benin expressway on Saturday.
Spokesperson for the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ogun, Mrs Florence Okpe, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Abeokuta. Okpe said that the incident, which occurred at 3.35 p.m., involved a Chevrolet SUV, marked WWW 75 MW and a truck, with registration number SRA 584 XB.
She said that seven people were involved in the accident, comprising six men and one woman. The FRSC spokesperson noted that the accident was caused by speeding and road obstruction, adding that the SUV rammed into the stationary truck due to speeding.
“The injured victims were rescued by a driver who was driving behind them. “The unnamed driver took the injured to the hospital for medical attention, while the corpses were deposited at the State General Hospital morgue in Ijebu-Ode by FRSC operatives,” she said.
Okpe said that the FRSC Sector Commander in the state, Anthony Uga, had always admonished motorists to apply caution while driving and maintain the stipulated speed limit.
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has accused the former local government chairmen ousted in 2019 of employing various tactics to divert his administration from its course. The governor, in his stance, contends that these former officials have resorted to all means to distract and disrupt the government’s operations.
Originally elected during the tenure of Governor Abiola Ajimobi in 2018, the ousted council bosses found themselves dismissed by Makinde in 2019. Their grievances stem from the alleged non-payment of their entitlements, leading them to secure a court judgment that froze the state’s accounts across ten commercial banks, as reported by Oduduwa News.
Governor Makinde, in response to the legal actions taken by the former council bosses, adamantly declares that his government will not succumb to pressure to release funds until all legal avenues have been exhausted. He maintains that the council bosses will only receive payment upon a directive from the Supreme Court.
Speaking on the matter, Governor Makinde defended his decision by highlighting the importance of adhering to constitutional principles. He drew parallels with past administrations, noting instances where dissolved council chairmen continued to receive entitlements. Despite facing distractions, Makinde asserted his commitment to a government founded on constitutional legality.
“I could have worked with anybody, but because they did something that was not in line with the Constitution, we decided that they had to go,” Governor Makinde stated emphatically. He underscored that his decision was not influenced by historical precedents but rather a commitment to upholding constitutional principles.
The governor revealed the complexity of the legal battle, recounting how the former chairmen pursued multiple legal avenues until they reached the FCT High Court. Despite the distraction, Makinde remains steadfast, asserting that not a single dime will be paid until the Supreme Court issues a directive.
“This is a government that is based on the Constitution,” Governor Makinde emphasized, sending a clear message that adherence to constitutional principles takes precedence over external pressures. As the legal skirmish unfolds, Oyo State finds itself at the center of a political storm, with Governor Makinde standing firm against what he deems an assault on constitutional integrity.
The Government of Ekiti State, led by Governor Biodun Oyebanji has approved a N15,000 wage award for all state workers as part of measures to alleviate the impact of the current economic situation.
The payment will be effective for a period of six months, pending an agreement on the minimum wage for workers.
Pensioners in the state will also receive a N10,000 wage award for six months, as approved by Governor Oyebanji. The wage award is set to take effect from this month, providing immediate financial relief for workers and pensioners, as outlined in a statement signed by the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Mr. Yinka Oyebode.
Additionally, Governor Oyebanji has approved the payment of July 2018 salary arrears to local government workers and primary school teachers across the 16 local government areas of the state.
The Governor had earlier implemented palliative measures for workers, including the payment of outstanding entitlements, extension of the minimum wage to senior workers on levels 14 to 17, and provision of shuttle buses for workers and students in the state.
The Government of Ekiti State continues to lead as a model sub-national government with a steadfast commitment to improving workers’ welfare and productivity within the available resources in the state.
Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun has approved an exciting end-of-year package for civil servants in the state.
The bonus, which spans across all levels of the workforce, aims to bring some succour amidst the economic challenges facing the country.
The Christmas bonus ranges from 68% to a whopping 159% of the basic salary. Level 01 officers will receive an impressive 159%, while other levels will enjoy varying percentages according to a circular from the office of the State’s Head of Service (HoS).
In monetary terms, levels 1-8 will receive N20,000 as bonus, levels 9 and 10 (N25,000), level 12 (N35,000), level 13 and 14 (N40,000), level 15 (N55,000), level 16 and 17 (N100,000).
The initiative builds upon the Abiodun-led administration’s ongoing efforts to support public servants.
It would be recalled that the Prince Abiodun-led administration has been paying N10,000 transport allowance to public servants, including pensioners and teachers in the state in the wake of the removal of subsidy on fuel.
Furthermore, the administration has been diligently addressing the backlog of pensions, gratuities, deductions, and other obligations.
In a response to a viral video, the Nigeria Police Force has dismissed two constabularies, Jimoh Lukman and Kareem Fatai, for extorting money from a Dutch tourist.
The officers, caught on camera demanding bribes, were arrested, stripped of their uniforms, and publicly paraded on Thursday in Oyo State.
Briefing newsmen at the Oyo Police Command’s Headquarters, Eleyele, Ibadan, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Adebola Hamzat, said the constabularies extorted a tourist from Netherland, Ms Noraly Schoenmaker.
Hamzat said that the incident happened on October 23 along Moniya-Iseyin road.
According to him, the dismissed constabularies deliberately defied numerous orders and directives against professional misconduct, extortion, incivilities to members of the public and corruption.
“We have always been warning you against extortion. We have been warning you that this administration has zero tolerance for corruption.
“That is the stand of the Inspector General of Police and my stand as the Commissioner of Police in Oyo State.
“You are very aware that we don’t condone corruption and don’t want the Command to be given a bad name,” he said.
Hamzat said the incident of extortion by the constabularies was captured on live streaming and was televised worldwide.
The CP said that the incident had brought international disgrace to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
“I want to tell you that the NPF have served in many parts of the world and have not been found wanting of extortion and corruption allegations,” he said.
The CP warned other officers to be satisfied with what they earn as salaries and not tarnish the image of the force by extorting money from motorists.
“I wish to inform the residents of Oyo State and by extension the public that Special Constabularies Kareem Fatai and Jimoh Lukmon have been dismissed in furtherance of the completion of their orderly room trials.
“This action is to serve as deterrence to other officers with a similar disposition,” Hamzat said.
“There must be an aggressive investment drive in manufacturing industries for sustainable economic growth in Ogbomoso and for overall economic development in Nigeria to be achieved, there must be a reduction in consumer taxes on all made-in-Nigeria products in order to help the downtrodden class.” This was made known by the former State Commissioner for Works and Transport, Prof. Raphael Afonja AbdulRahman at the recently held Ajilete Youth Summit.
Afonja, while speaking at the Ajilete Youth Summit as one of the panelists on Thursday, stressed the need for human capital development for overall economic advancement of Ogbomosho town.
He advocated for ongoing self-development among the young people, urging them to actively contribute to the advancement of Ogbomoso.
“I want to emphasize the importance of economic growth as a crucial factor in unlocking massive and comprehensive development in Ogbomoso,” he stated.
Afonja, who also highlighted the need for public and private organizations to collaborate in fulfilling this responsibility, however noted that Africa, Nigeria, Oyo state, and Ogbomosho don’t need loans and charity but jobs.
He said: “It’s time we encourage investors and manufacturing industries to come into Ogbomosho so that we aggressively build our economy, and create jobs for our indigene while we compete with other places like Ibadan.
According to him, reducing payroll and consumer taxes on all Nigeria-made products is very important to alleviate the burden on the poor.
“Africa, Nigeria, Oyo State, and Ogbomosho don’t need loans and charity; what our people need is jobs, jobs, and jobs.”
The former Commissioner emphasized the need to draw manufacturing industries and investors to Ogbomosho, as well as the need to envision rapid economic growth and job creation, calling for policies such as low taxes and reduced tenet rates to facilitate the ease of investment and foster healthy competition with other regions like Ibadan.
Afonja was presented an award of excellence by the Ajilete Youth, which is composed of representatives from each of the five local governments in the Ogbomoso zone, in recognition of his contributions to the town’s growth.
Ogun State Governor Prince Dapo Abiodun has called for intelligence sharing among security agencies to enable them to tackle the security challenges confronting the nation.
Speaking at the 4th South West Conference of Directors of Security meeting held in Abeokuta on Thursday, the governor emphasized that intelligence is one of the needed tools that would assist security agencies to perform their duties optimally
He noted that criminals have adopted new methods in carrying out their nefarious activities, hence the need for the security agencies, particularly those in the Southwest region, to up their game and share intelligence to nip crimes in the bud.
He said: “It is important that as a region, we share intelligence and see how to better secure our region because there can never be any meaningful socio-economic development in an outmostphere of insecurity.
“Nobody will come and invest in your state no matter the amount of road you build, no matter the amount of infrastructure you provided. As long as there is an air or a feeling of insecurity, all that will amount to nothing
“It is important we understand that the socio-economic development that we all desire in our various states and zones can only be achieved when we have peace and security.”
Prince Abiodun said the issue of securing the region and bridging the gap in community policing led to the emergence of Amotekun, even as he expressed delight that the idea has led to the formation of similar outfits in other regions across the country.
“As a region, we still have a lot of things in common. We have the challenges of migration across the border from the north to the south. We have a student population, particularly in Ogun State, with a lot of tertiary institutions.
“Being close to Lagos State, which is the financial capital of Nigeria, we have a spillover of activities from there. Anything that happens in Lagos, within a few minutes, you will begin to feel the impact.
“We see ourselves as providing services that has to do with buying of land, setting up industry, people that want to live close to Lagos as possible and of course, people that are traveling from Lagos to the rest of the country all pass through Ogun, Oyo and at times, Osun, before going to the rest of the country,” he added.
Abiodun also called on the meeting to deliberate and look into the root causes of cultism in the region.
He noted that it was worrisome that cultism has now become prevalent, wondering what has suddenly gone wrong with primary school children, vulcanizers, welders, artisans, undergraduates, and graduates all getting involved in cultism.
“In the last few weeks, some of the things that we’ve experienced in Ogun State, which I am not sure you have experienced in your various states, are the issues of cultism.
“Why are they killing each other, is their something they are earning, is there some kind of reward? What is the incentive? I think these are posers and questions for you to look into.
“We cannot be focused on the symptom. Let’s try and drill down to find out what exactly is the root cause. Perhaps, if we do that, we can nip it in the bud. Then, we can begin to see a reduction in this incidences,” he said.
The governor acknowledged the opportunities the State enjoys as a result of its location, but was quick to also point out some challenges caused by its geographical location, expressing optimism that those in charge of securing the State would do the needful to keep the peace.
The governor said the meeting was a veritable avenue to cross fertilize ideas, which can be useful acros the region.
“How can you help us in sharing experiences with us in Ogun State. Where are the gaps? What are these criminals taking advantage of? Is it our borders or any particular area where there is a vaccum?
“I believe with this kind of shared intelligence, shared understanding and inter-state cooperation, it will strengthen law enforcement and intelligence across borderlines because at the end of the day, we are one and the same people with the same language and culture,” he said.
Abiodun informed that he and his Lagos State counterpart are working towards providing street lights and installing cameras along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to enable security agencies to react to emergencies and distress situations in the axis.
He called on the security chiefs to brainstorm and come up with effective ways of dealing with security challenges to serve as a model to other regions.
In a goodwill message, the Chairman, South West Directors of Security, Mr. Bolade Olori said the meeting was to review the general security situation in the region with the aim of tackling it.
He assured the governor that topical issues would diligently be dealt with and solutions shared.
Welcoming participants, the Ogun State Director of State Services, Mrs. Folasade Adekaiyaoja said the meeting was to promote inter-agency cooperation that would allow for synergy in intelligence sharing, appreciating the state government for its support, and assured of renewed efforts to combat crimes in the state.
The meeting had Directors of Security from Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states in attendance.
The Central Bank of Nigeria has cautioned PoS operators over cash availability.
This was made known in a statement signed by the Acting Director of Communication and Public Relations, Sidi Ali, on Thursday.
The CBN noted that there is a collusion between some Deposit Money Banks and Point-Of-Sale operators affecting the availability of cash and disrupting the seamless circulation of the Naira.
The apex bank has warned both parties to immediately desist from such acts or face the law.
