Residents of Ibadan gathered to pay their last respects as the state government held a state burial for the 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, late Oba Olalekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II. The ceremony took place at the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium (formerly Liberty Stadium), Oke-Ado, Ibadan, attracting many dignitaries.
Among those in attendance were the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, Chief of Baales of Ibadanland, Baale Bamidele Folorunso Ige, and the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Chief Segun Olayiwola.
Governor Makinde affirmed that the Olubadan-elect, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, will be crowned as the 43rd Olubadan soon, as all due processes have been followed. He described the late king as selfless and loving, and he expressed his appreciation to the guests who attended the ceremony.
The late monarch joined his ancestors on Thursday, March 14, and was buried on Friday, March 15, after a reign of two years
Operatives of the Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, have arrested One Hundred and Twenty Seven (127) suspected internet fraudsters in Ondo State.
The alleged internet fraudsters were arrested in an early morning sting operation at a “Yahoo Party” held simultaneously at Signature and Abah Clubs on Saturday, June 8, 2024 in Akure, Ondo State.
Credible intelligence showed that the alleged party was initially scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, 2024 but was later moved to Saturday to beat security and intelligence networks of the EFCC.
The suspects have given useful information to Investigators of the Directorate.
Items recovered from them include ten exotic cars, phones, laptops, motor-cycle, wristwatches and many incriminating documents
They will be charged to court as soon as investigations are concluded.
Police in Lagos on Friday, June 7, apprehended Ogujiofor Emeka, 41, and Desmond Chima, 31 for involvement in the illegal production of adulterated alcoholic drinks at Oko-Arin Market on Lagos Island.
Other suspects were said to have escaped. The raid resulted in the recovery of a substantial quantity of suspected counterfeit alcoholic beverages and production materials.
The Police hinted they will be charged to Court upon conclusion of investigation.
The Oyo State NYSC Coordinator, Mr. Abel has commissioned a project done by a member of the corps, Mr. Ije Hilary Chinedu who was serving at Progressive secondary Grammar School, Ado Awaye , Araromi LCDA, Iseyin Local Government,Oyo State.
Speaking at the occasion which was held on June 6, 2024 at Ado Hill Tourism Centre Hall, Ago Afin, Agelu Road, Ado Awaye, the State Coordinator expressed his joy for being part of the historic event and he deeply appreciated Corper Ije Hilary Chinedu for the good initiative and his determination to make the project for the benefits of the tourists. Mr.Abel extended his appreciation to the sponsor, Engineer Joseph Adesope, the CEO Jossy Ade Technical services, Ibadan and Kabiesi Alado of Ado-Awaye Land, His Royal Majesty Oba Rev’d Ademola Olugbile Folakanmi for the significant roles and royal support given to Corper Ije Hilary to achieve his dream.
He concluded by advising every corps member in the state to emulate the good gesture as demonstrated by Corper Ije Hilary Chinedu. He further advised them to be a good ambassador to their host community and that they should be determined to make an indelible impact that would continue to speak volume of them after the expiration of the national service.
Mr.Abel acknowledged and identified himself with the transformation work going on at the tourist center and he announced a donation of amount to support the ongoing developmental work on behalf of the Oyo State NYSC and charged all sons and daughters of Ado Awaye home and diaspora to support Kabiesi in his drive to taking the town to the world map.
In his own address, the sponsor of the project who is also one of the illustrious sons of Ado Awaye, Engineer Joseph Adesope, CEO, Jossy Ade Technical services expressed his happiness for being part of the historic event. Speaking further, he identified power of good relationship as a major factor for the possibility of the project. He said he met Corper Ije Hilary at his place of assignment, Progressive secondary Grammar School Ado Awaye when he came for their inter -house sport athletic competition and the relationship was maintained with him. Engineer Adesope stated further that, when Corp Hilary shared the vision with him he accepted it wholeheartedly with a promise to give him all the required supports, having realized the type of person he is and the beauty of the project he had proposed to carry out. He therefore described him as a gentleman and God fearing individual.The erudite Engineer concluded his address by advising every corps member in attendance to always factor good relationship in whatever they are doing and he prayed for them.
Kabiesi Alado of Ado-Awaye, His Royal Majesty Oba Rev’d Ademola Olugbile Folakanmi Makuledoye II Odubade I, who was the host monarch, in his address appreciated the State Coordinator of NYSC, Mr. Abel for his degree of love and commitment to the development of Ado Hill Tourism Center as demonstrated in his swift response to the letter of request for the posting of corps members to the Ado Hill Tourism center. Kabiesi Alado while speaking further described Corper Hilary as young man full of vision with a strong desire to achieve same regardless of any stunting blocks across his way. Alado said and as quoted, “when Hilary met me in my compound and introduced his plans, I intended to facilitate his repost to the tourist center but I couldn’t do that anymore due to logistics reason. Hence the reason for my request from the state Coordinator. So, I thank you for being there for us,” His Royal Majesty concluded his address by advising the entire corps members to always read to become a leader in the future.
He equally encouraged them as well to have a good mindset in order to make a positive impact at the center and wherever they find themselves and he announced a donation of certain amount to launch the book.
Shortly after his address, the launching of the book and commissioning of the project took place and they all proceeded on hiking to Iyake Suspended Lake immediately after the commissioning.
The Federal Government has increased its offer of a new national minimum wage to N62,000, while organized labour has reduced its demand from N494,000 to N250,000.
The new offer was made barely few hours the Nigerian Governors Forum rejected the N60,000 minimum wage offered to the Labour by the Federal Government.
Already the Tripartite Committee on New National Minimum Wage has adjourned as there was no consensus at the meeting.
The organized private sector also backed the government offer of N62,000.
The Nigerian Governors under the aegis of Nigerian Governors Forum have said that they cannot pay the N60,000 minimum wage earlier agreed by the Federal Government to offer labour let alone the proposed N105,000 as said to have been submitted by the Ministry of Finance.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen as read in part:
“The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is in agreement that a new minimum wage is due. The Forum also sympathises with labour unions in their push for higher wages.
“However, the Forum urges all parties to consider the fact that the minimum wage negotiations also involve consequential adjustments across all cadres, including pensioners. The NGF cautions parties in this important discussion to look beyond just signing a document for the sake of it; any agreement to be signed should be sustainable and realistic.
“All things considered, the NGF holds that the N60,000 minimum wage proposal is not sustainable and can not fly. It will simply mean that many states will spend all their FAAC allocations on just paying salaries with nothing left for development purposes. In fact, a few states will end up borrowing to pay workers every month. We do not think this will be in the collective interest of the country, including workers.
“We appeal that all parties involved, especially the labour unions, consider all the socioeconomic variables and settle for an agreement that is sustainable, durable, and fair to all other segments of the society who have legitimate claim to public resources”.
Experts and stakeholders gathered at Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law CPEEL, University of Ibadan to discuss effective policy framework to combat land degradation and desertification in Nigeria.
The position on the need for effective policy framework and community engagement to combat land degradation was made known at the One Day Hybrid Conference on the World Environment Day 2024 organized by the Natural Resources, Energy and Environment (NREEL) of the International Law Association (Nigerian branch).
“Critical knowledge gaps hinder effective land restoration, demanding urgent investment in research that not only addresses the gaps in understanding land degradation problems but also values and integrates the wisdom of traditional knowledge and heritage.
This integration should also extend to the legal framework, ensuring clear comprehension by community stakeholders who are fundamental to the fight against land degradation. There is also a need for everyone to move beyond discussions of sustainable practices and make concrete actions and long-term implementation strategies which are crucial for achieving lasting success, with the understanding that everyone has a role to play in this critical endeavour”.
These recommendations were made at the conference discussion to commemorate the World Environment Day 2024. The World Environment Day is an annual event led by the United Nations Environment Programme and held annually on 5 June worldwide to promote global awareness on environmental issues.
Themed Our Land, Our Future: Land Restoration, Desertification And Resilience, a one day hybrid conferenceorganized by the Committee on Natural Resources, Energy and Environment (NREEL) of the International Law Association (Nigerian branch) chaired by Ms. Oluwaseyi Ebenezer hosted by Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law (CPEEL) University of Ibadan in partnership with Institute for Oil, Gas, Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development (OGEES Institute) and Triple Green Environment Development Foundation (TGED Foundation). Ms. Oluwaseyi Ebenezer, the convener of the World Environment Day Conference 2024 welcomed the participants and emphasized the conference theme. In her speech, she highlighted the urgent need for sustainable land management and the critical role individuals play in combating desertification and land degradation encouraging active participation, collaboration, and innovation among participants, stressing the importance of holistic approaches, robust legal frameworks, inclusive policies, and community engagement. Ms. Oluwaseyi Ebenezer expressed her confidence that the conference discussions would inspire and equip participants with new knowledge and ideas to tackle pressing environmental issues, calling for collective efforts towards environmental sustainability and resilience.
The conference featured a compelling keynote lecture by Dr. Walter Nsoh, Associate Professor of Energy and Environmental Law, University of Birmingham, United Kingdom. He emphasized on the theme as it combines our actions that affect land and lead to land degradation and the consequences attached to it. He highlighted that we can’t talk about land degradation without mentioning issues surrounding climate change such as flooding and to resolves these issues, there is a need to put good restoration and resilience plan in place which should be a global action and everyone has a role to play. He concluded his speech emphazing that farmers should no longer see themselves as food producers but as integrated managers who manages wild range of ecosystem services and good that are beneficial to man.
Following the keynote address, two high-level panel discussions featured prominent experts from academia, government, and civil society – Godswill Agbaitoro, PhD, Lecturer, Energy and Environmental Law, University of Essex, Jumoke Olowookere, Founder The Waste Museum, Patricia Ubiaza-Eze, Principal Partner, Patricia Ubiaza-Eze and Co, Adedoyin Adeleke PhD, Founder and Executive Director Green Growth Africa, Nenritmwa Gotodok, Secretary NREEL Committee, ILA Nigeria Branch, Managing Partner, The Sophisticated Legal Hub and Co-Founder, Green Voices for Green Planet Initiative, Dr. Afolasade Adewumi, Reader/Associate Professor, Department of International Law, University of Ibadan, Dr. Peter Oniemola, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Law and Programme Coordinator, CPEEL University of Ibadan, Agbo Chinonso Bathlomeo, Director of Programmes and Projects at the Batnon Center for Environment and Sustainable Development. The panelists discussed the environmental and social impacts of desertification and land degradation, explored existing legal frameworks, and emphasized the importance of community engagement in building resilience for land restoration and environmental protection. The conference also included a quiz competition for students from Ajibode Grammar School and Community Grammar School, Ajibode.
Founded in Brussels in 1873, the International Law Associationis a non-governmental organization with over 4,500 members across 45 national and regional branches worldwide. The Nigerian Branch of the ILA is dedicated to promoting the study and understanding of international law in Nigeria through lectures, seminars, conferences, and other capacity-building programs.
For more information about the conference or the Nigerian Branch of the ILA, please visit www.ila-hq.org
The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress APC in Ogun State, Alhaji Sola Lawal has been reportedly dead. This was made known today by the State APC chapter in a statement made available to newsmen to mourn the departed soul.
The Statement according to the party described the late Publicity Secretary as a good servant of the party. It reads thus:
“The news of the death of Alhaji Sola Lawal, former Ogun State Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), came as a very sad one to our party, which he served so diligently in various capacities while alive.
“Anyone who came across Sola Lawal while alive will attest to the fact that he was a burst of energy, amiable and jovial. He was a very dedicated party man who diligently carried out his assigned tasks effectively and efficiently to the best of his ability.
“On behalf of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ogun State, we mourn the departed party chieftain, who has since been buried according to Islamic rites; we sympathise with the families, relatives, associates and friends of the deceased and pray that God will grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss, while praying that the late politician will be granted Aljanah Fridaus”.
Governors from across the 36 states in Nigeria have said that a minimum wage higher than N70,000 is not affordable or sustainable for the states.
The governors made the remarks when they met under the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), to discuss the economic situation and the ongoing debate around the minimum wage.
They considered options ranging from N60,000, which was offered to Labour by the Federal Government before the strike, to N70,000, which is currently being paid by the Edo State Government.
Despite their efforts, they were unable to reach a consensus on a uniform amount and have instead set up a committee headed by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma to review the options and make recommendations.
According to sources at the meeting, the governors are in agreement that a minimum wage of N100,000 is not feasible, and some states are still struggling to pay the current minimum wage of N30,000, which came into effect in 2019.
“Records available to us indicated that some states are still paying N18,000 because they are unable to afford N30,000 (which came into effect in 2019). Only a state has adopted a N70,000 wage,” the source said.
The governors’ position is in line with a previous statement made by the Chairman of NGF and Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, who stated that states will only agree to a minimum wage that is “affordable and sustainable”.
Meanwhile, the Presidency on Thursday denied reports that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun, submitted a proposal for a new minimum wage of N105,000 to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the reports as false, stating that the minister had not proposed any such amount.
An Osun State Magistrate Court in Osogbo has sentenced a former chairman of Iwo West local council development area in Osun state, Tajudeen Babatunde, and five others to four years imprisonment for conspiring to destroy farmland valued at N10 million.
The other convicts are; Sunday Ajoko, Kohonu Deboye, Adeoye Alabi, Jonas John and an octogenarian, Kasumu Arohunfesu, who was given an option of N80,000 fine.
Upon arraignment, the convicts were said to have conspired with others, now at large, on or before the 16th day of February 2019, at Ayigbiri Orupekere farm, Iwo, to commit felony to wit damage and thereby committed an offence contrary to the law.
The prosecutor said they destroyed 400 palm trees and other economic trees valued at N10 million and burnt the farm.
The Ministry of Justice was represented by Mikaheel Idris the nominal complainant, the Oosa Olaniyi family in Iwo.
While delivering the judgement on Thursday, the presiding Magistrate, Abimbola Famuyide, convicted the defendants, noting that the case against them has been proved beyond reasonable doubt.
The counsel to the convicts, Laide Yekini, had urged the court to temper justice with mercy on his clients by giving them the option of a fine.
But Famuyide sentenced each of the convicts to four years on counts one and four, and two years each on counts two and three.
She said, “Having considered the age of Arohunfesu who was said to be about 82 years and could no longer walk as he was carried to the court, I hereby gave him an option of N20,000 on each of the four counts and advised that he should pay N80,000 to avoid going to prison.”
She directed the complainant to approach the court of competent jurisdiction for compensation, restitution or appeal.
