Oduduwa News

President Bola Tinubu visited Owo on Wednesday to condole with the family of the late Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, CON.

The President, accompanied by Baba Bisi Akande and Chief Pius Akinyelure, was received by the widow of the late Governor, Chief Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu.

During the visit, the President, who had a closed-door meeting with Mrs. Akeredolu, also visited where the late Governor was laid to rest.

Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, and his deputy, Chief Olayide Adelami, were also at the Akeredolu’s residence.

In his tribute to Akeredolu after the news of his demise in December 2023, the President described him as a fighter and fearless defender of truth and the masses—brother, confidant, and political soulmate.

At the Akeredolu’s residence on Wednesday, the President condoled with the widow of the late Governor, his children, as well as his siblings.

Family members who received the President alongside the former First Lady are Late Akeredolu’s First son, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu Jnr; Dr. Teni Micheal and her husband, Olatunde Micheal; Mrs. Yejide Rusewe, Esq, and her husband, Engr. Lakunle Rusewe; and Babajide Akeredolu.

Also present were Akeredolu’s siblings, Prof. Wole Akeredolu and Toyin Akeredolu. The Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state, Engr. Ade Adetimehin, also joined the family during the meeting.

Speaking after the visit, Mrs. Akeredolu appreciated the President for the condolence visit.

She said, “As you are aware, the President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, paid his condolence visit to my family. Present at the visit are my children and extended family members.

“On behalf of my family, I appreciate Mr. President. We understood he couldn’t attend the burial ceremony due to the dictate of Yoruba culture. He couldn’t have attended the burial of his younger brother.

“Coming today is a big deal because we are in a better atmosphere. I also express my profound gratitude to the Southern Governors for their immense financial contributions to the burial. Most especially, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-olu, who singlehandedly brought Aketi’s remains back to Nigeria. We appreciate this huge show of love and we are grateful and forever indebted to him.

“I requested that Mr. President see where Aketi has been laid to rest and he followed me. We are deeply grateful to Mr. President for coming. He’s indeed, Aketi’s brother and friend.

“I told Mr. President, yes, Aketi has left but he lives because he left behind legacies. It is our wish that those legacies continue and are built upon where necessary.”

Tragedy struck in Ile-Ife, Osun State when an Assistant Priest Lekan Ogundipe killed the Presiding Priest of Celestial Church of Christ at Omitoto area, Evangelist Moris Fadehan inside church and burnt his corpse on the altar. The Nation gathered that the incident occurred on Monday evening after the presiding priest resumed for prayer.

Ogundipe was said to ambushed him with bell, knives and nails, stabbing him repeatedly.

It was learnt that unresolved case of physical assault by the Assistant Priest on a prophetess simply identified as Mummy Ewa last Wednesday caused a rift between the duo.

The owner of the church, Pa Olafare in a video obtained on Tuesday explained: “The deceased had reported to me that he was to disengage Lekan (suspect) as his assistant over many unlawful acts.

“Most recent of it include the assault on a prophetess in the church last week Wednesday and I agreed with him, but he added that he will take the decision after consulting with the elders.

“But while I was about to eat on Monday evening, the said Lekan came to the house and told me fire was burning on the deceased body and that he was lifeless on the floor. ” I drove back with him and my wife to the church where we found the deceased body burnt inside the church.

“We discovered blood stained on different parts of his body and cuts. While asking him how he got the stains, he attempted to run. We grabbed him and lock him in my car before calling in the police.

“We unwrapped the deceased body and discovered that there was nail in his ear and several cut on the head and neck before we took the body to the morgue of Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife.

“Meanwhile Lekan later confessed to the police that he perpetrated the crime because of dispute with the deceased.”

The Prophetess explained: “the suspect attacked me last week Wednesday when I told him to stop telling members that we were in a relationship, Pastor Fadehan met the unfortunate inident and warned Lekan against assault on the Church.”

Osun Police spokesman Yemisi Opalola confirmed Ogundipe, who is the suspect, had been arrested and the corpse of Pastor Fadehan deposited in the morgue for autopsy.

Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana, says the implementation of the report of the Stephen Oronsaye Presidential Committee on Restructuring and Rationalization of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions, and Agencies by President Bola Tinubu will push about 100,000 civil servants out of their jobs

Falana who joined workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), seized the moment to fault the presidency’s move.

The senior lawyer said “not less than 100,000 workers will lose their jobs”, maintaining that implementing the report was not a solution to the hardship bedeviling Nigerians.

“The Federal Government announced its intention to implement the Oransaye Report. Great Nigerian people, in case you are not aware of the implication of that report; it is a 12-year-old report. The government has decided to pick it up from the dustbin; a report that was signed by the Jonathan administration.

“We are therefore telling the government: if you want to reduce the cost of governance in Nigeria, it is not by implementing the Oransaye report. Let me tell you, Oransaye studied 262 agencies of government, today Nigeria has 1,360 ministries and parastatal. Where are you going to start from?” he asked.

Falana commended the NLC for coming out to protest the high cost of living, describing the development as a major victory in the annals of Nigeria’s history.

The Federation of Oyo State Students’ Union FOSSU has congratulated the recently elected President of Federation of Ibarapa Students’ Association FIBSA, Comrade Adeola Abayomi, a 500 level student of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology LAUTECH.

In a congratulatory message, signed by the duo of President and Clerk of the FOSSU Senate Arm respectively, Comrade Sodiq Yusuf Olamilekan and Babalola Michael Olajide, and made available to ODUDUWA NEWS commended the President for his commitment and dedication to serving his colleagues in the best capacity.

”On behalf of the entire indigenous students, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations on your victory as the President-Elect of the Federation of Ibarapa Students’ Association FIBSA, in the just concluded election. Your dedication and commitment to serving your fellow students have not gone unnoticed, and we are confident that under your leadership, FIBSA will thrive and continue to be a voice for all students in Ibarapa.

“We believe that your vision, passion, and determination will inspire and empower students to achieve their highest potentials. We look forward to working with you to create a more inclusive and more supportive environment for all students.

Once again, congratulations on your well-deserved victory. We are excited to see the positive changes you will bring to FIBSA and entire student community”, said FOSSU Senate Arm.

To further simplify the processing of building plans and enhance the ease of doing business, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration has deployed tools, comprising ICT devices, to the Physical Planning and Automation Department and Lagos State Planning Information Centre (LASPIC), in the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development for automation of all physical planning activities in Lagos State, marking a new era of innovation and efficiency.

Speaking during the presentation of the tools at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa on Monday, Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by the Special Adviser to the Governor on e-GIS and Urban Development, Dr. Olajide Babatunde, said the tools will simplify the process of building plan and enhance the ease of doing business in Lagos.

According to the SA, “Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu in his bid to deliver quality service to the people of Lagos State decided that from the comfort of their homes, they should be able to visit LASPIC online and get Certified True Copy of approvals that are missing and apply for a building permit online. In Lagos, we have so many buildings without approvals. Lagos State Planning Information Centre (LASPIC) and the Physical Planning and Automation Department have been able to document all those within Lagos State who have approvals.

“We have up to five million properties in Lagos but we have less than 500,000 properties in the land registry. So, we have less than 10 percent in the land registry. It is only when you have land documentation that you can apply for building approval. That showed that the total number of people who don’t have building approval in Lagos is about 90 percent.

“The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development has said that we are going to give amnesty. So, with amnesty, then comes documentation. So, if we say we are going to give you amnesty because you don’t have building approvals, then the best thing is to take advantage of the amnesty that has been announced.”

In his address, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Oluyinka Olumide, said the automation system is to make things easier and therefore urged the personnel in charge not to compromise for the system to be a huge success.

He said: “We want to encourage people from the comfort of their homes to interface with the ministry electronically. They don’t necessarily have to be physically here before they get things done. In the comfort of their homes, they can apply and get approval.

“The innovation will be very effective because a lot of resources are committed to the venture and most importantly it is to eliminate compromise because now people will be interfacing with machines for necessary information, which will enable and simplify the process of building plans.”

Also speaking, the Director of the Physical Planning and Automation Department, TPL Musa Okuniyi, said Lagos residents should look forward to a future where technology and planning go hand-in-hand for the betterment of Lagos State.

He said: “As we embark on the transition towards becoming a Smart City, we understand that change is inevitable. I encourage everyone to welcome this change and imbibe the innovations that promise to make Physical Planning activities seamless and efficient.

“These advancements are not just about technology; they are about improving the lives of the people of Lagos State. They are about making our cities more livable, more sustainable, and more resilient. They are about making Lagos a model for other cities to emulate.”

Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have begun a two-day nationwide protest calling for an end to hunger and poverty, in Lagos, on Tuesday morning. Attached herewith are photos for photostory.

News reaching ODUDUWA News has it that a lone fire motor accident has been averted by men of Ogun state fire service few minutes ago.

ODUDUWA News gathered that the Mazda bus was coming from Toll gate enroute Fan milk junction when it caught fire on the speed just immediately after leaving the bend beside Ado-Odo/Ota local government secretariat.

However, efforts from sympathizers soon paid off the moment fire service truck approached to compliment their efforts at quenching the fire.

It was gathered that the driver has been moderately injured while no live was lost as a result of the fire incident.