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We Will Never Owe Pensioners During My Administration – Makinde

The governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde has disclosed that the State government would ensure that pensioners in the State would never be owed their pensions and gratuity.

The governor also vowed that his administration would have offset the N56billion accumulated gratuities the past administration owed pensioners before his tenure of office lapses.

These promises were made at the Annual Conference of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) that was held at Abuja recently, where the governor was honoured by the body as the Pensioners’ Friendly Governor and conferred with an Award of Excellence in Governance.

While appreciating the gesture of NUP, Oyo State governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, who was represented by his Executive Assistant, Administration and General Services, Reverend Idowu Ogedengbe said the award was an encouragement for the governor to commit more, to the welfare of pensioners in Oyo State.

“When we came into administration in May 2019, we promised the people to serve them with sincerity, probity and accountability, we promised to run a government of inclusiveness and we are very mindful to let the people know the challenges we were facing when we came into office, we had quite a huge liability of arrears, pensioners’ gratuity was amounting to about #56billion and we did not want to give any excuse for non-performance.

“We decided to start off-setting these gratuities and as of today, we have paid out of that amount, N11.7billion, which translates to an average of over N500million naira every month, we desire to do more because it is our firm belief as an administration that you do not muzzle the mouth of the horse that trash the corn, our pensioners deserves the best, they have used their active years to to serve the State, now that they are out of service, we owe them the responsibility to ensure that they live a good life.“Our desire is to ensure we clear all the backlog as soon as it is possible and to ensure that we do not leave any outstanding gratuity to future administration, to date, we ensure that all our pensioners are paid on the 25th of every month, just like every other government worker in Oyo State civil and public service, when we came in, initially, a sum of N100million was committed towards payment of pension monthly, we increased it to N180million in June 2019 and as at January 2021, it has been increased to N235million monthly, we plan to do better.”

The Chairman of the occasion, who is former governor of Kano State and Chairman, Senate Committee on Establishment and Public Service, Senator Ibrahim Shekarau, while presenting the award, said governor Makinde has shown sincerity in leadership and was worthy of the honour from the pensioners.

The event which was packaged by the national executive council of NIgerian Union of Pensioners had in attendance, the President of Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba and his members of executive, States executive members of NUP, invited political office holders, among whom was the Special Adviser to governor Seyi Makinde on Labour Matters, Comrade Titilayo Sodo.

In his comment, The Secretary, Oyo State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners, Comrade Olusegun Abatan said the present administration in Oyo State has done enough to be celebrated as the friend of the pensioners in the State.

He called on his members to give their support to the government of Engr. Seyi Makinde so that the people would continue to benefit from dividends of democracy accruable from the programmes and policies of the State.

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OAU VC Lifts Ban On Students’ Union In Honour Of Late Afenifere Spokesman, Yinka Odumakin

The Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Temitope Ogunbodede has announced lifting of ban on the suspended students’ union activities in the campus.

The Vice Chancellor made the remark yesterday while speaking at a programme organized to honour late Afenifere spokesman who was also an alumnus of the institution, Yinka Odumakin.

The VC showered encomium on the deceased for the life well spent, he likened the late Afenifere Spokesman to a dogged fighter that could not be replaced.

“Great Ife, I am here today to honour our late brother, an alumnus of our great institution, traditionally I shouldn’t have been here because I am older than him but culturally I am here to honour him as we do in Great Ife, we don’t mourn but to honour our late hero.

“I must say at this point, that Odumakin contributed immensely to the growth of Obafemi Awolowo University and it will not be out of point if we celebrate him for the indelible mark laid before his departure.

“Odumakin who was a union leader and served in the capacity of Public Relations Officer PRO of Great Ife Students’ Union, fought gallantly for the rights of his colleagues while on campus, he was rusticated for what he believed in and it took the intervention of Femi Falana SAN, an alumnus and several human rights’ activists before he was reinstated.

This life of activism prepared and propelled him to be the vocal voice of Afenifere, a Yoruba Social Cultural group. I was a member of students’ union while on campus and the decision I took to partially ban students’ union was painful but we had no option than to take it to prevent breaking down of laws and orders”.

He further stated that Great Ife graduates are known for excellence and they always take the lead in anywhere they find themselves. You will recall that the students’ union has been a solid training ground for so many leaders in all facets of life in Nigeria. Many renowned journalists in Nigeria like the Odumakin, Sam Omatseye and others excelled in journalism despite the fact that OAU does not have a course in journalism but this has been so because students’ union served as a training ground for them.

It is on this note, on the occasion of today that we are celebrating a rare gem whose death is a collosal loss to Great Ife community and Nigeria at large that I announce the lifting of ban on students’ union activities”, said Ogunbodede.

The students at the event that took place at Oduduwa Hall had their joy to know no bounds as they were seen chanting different solidarity songs.

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Fayemi Orders Proscription Of ASUU, NASU, other Unions in EKSU

The Governing Council of Ekiti State University, EKSU, Ado Ekiti has announced the immediate proscription of all the four workers unions in the university,

The proscribed unions are Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) and Non-Academic Union of Allied and Education Institutions (NASU).

Also, the university has been closed and all academic activities are hereby suspended.

A statement on Friday, by Bode Olofinmuagun, Head, Directorate of Information and Corporate Affairs of EKSU said proscription of the unions and closure of the university was “as a result of the continuous disruption of lawful activities on campus which have endangered lives and property in the last one week.”

It should be recalled that during the first tenure of Dr Kayode Fayemi as governor of Ekiti State, Students Union Government was also proscribed in EKSU.

The statement read; “The Governing Council of Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti announces the immediate closure of the University.
All academic activities are hereby suspended.

“This is as a result of the continuous disruption of lawful activities on campus which have endangered lives and property in the last one week.

“Consequently, to guarantee peace and orderliness on campus, all the four unions ( ASUU, SSANU, NAAT and NASU) are hereby proscribed with immediate effect.

“All students are advised to vacate the campus forthwith.”

It should be recalled that since Monday, EKSU workers, especially senior staff and lecturers had occupied the campus to press home their pending demands from the state government and the university management.

The protesters occupied the university causing a standstill of traffic and activities on campus for over two hours.

They were singing solidarity songs and vowed to increase the intensity of the protest day by day.

The unions are aggrieved that the state government has not met their demands for payment of three months’ salary arrears dated 2018, six years of earned academic allowances and unremitted cooperative deductions among other demands.

The Chairman of ASUU, EKSU Chapter, Mr. Kayode Arogundade accused the State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi of shunning several appeals from the union and other intermediaries.

“As of today, Ekiti State Government is only subventing EKSU by 50 percent of its monthly wage bills, without paying any considerable attention to capital grants and infrastructural developments,” he said.

“This has led EKSU Administration to ingloriously indulge in financial infractions, such as Subversion of Tax Deductions to paying salaries; Diversion of Pension deductions to paying salaries and Fund diversion from units of the University.

“This is just the beginning; we are going to do this until we occupy the government house. After all, we are asking for our rights. If we go on strike the children of ordinary Nigerians will be home, the VC and Chairman of Council will be at home spending our money, the governor will be at home spending our resources.

“Before we go on strike, we will make this state ungovernable for them, we’ll make this school ungovernable for them.”

The unions vowed to go beyond the usual strike action this time as they have threatened to make the university and state ungovernable until their requests are granted.

But the state government has blamed the situation on over-bloated recruitment done by the immediate past administration and the inability of EKSU to meet its own portion of subvention.

Special Adviser to Governor Kayode Fayemi on Tertiary Education, Sikiru Eniola, pleaded with the protesters to embrace dialogue and also find alternative funding channels in the face of dwindling revenue.

Some workers of the Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti converged at the school to protest the non-payment of their salaries on April 19, 2021.

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Nigeria is at war against itself – Soyinka

Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka on Saturday joined other Nigerians in condemning the killing of three of the abducted students of Greenfield University, Kaduna.

He said the murder of the students was another confirmation that the country is at war.

He asked President Muhammadu Buhari to seek help to deal with the situation.

Soyinka, in a statement on the development, said: “This nation is at war, yet we continue to pretend that these are mere birth-pangs of a glorious entity. They are death throes. Vultures and undertakers hover patiently but with full confidence.

“Not for the first time, what many hoped was a Natural Law of Limitations has been contemptuously, defiantly breached. We need to remind ourselves of hideous precedents.

“We must remember Chibok. And Dapchi. And numerous antecedents and after, unpublicized, or soon relegated to the sump of collective amnesia. The wages of impunity never diminish. On the contrary, they distend.

“Again, this is no new counseling, but of course, the dog that will get lost no longer heeds the hunter’s whistle. I envy no one the task ahead, terminating the toxic harvest of past derelictions.

“Blame laying is for later. Right now is the question of – what needs to be done, and done urgently. We keep avoiding the inevitable, but that very unthinkable now hammers brutishly on our gates, the blood ransom arrogantly insatiable.

“The dogs of war stopped merely baying years ago. Again and again they have sunk their fangs into the jugular of this nation. The plague called COVID has met its match on the earth of some nation space once known as Nigeria.

“To this government we repeat the public cry: Seek Help. Stop Improvising with Human Lives. Youth – that is, the future – should not serve as Ritual Offering on the altar of a failing State.”

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JUST IN: Ooni Of Ife Names Ife-Moro Road After Late Afenifere Spokesman, Yinka Odumakin

ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that Ife-Mooro road has on Saturday been named after the late Afenifere Spokesperson, Yinka Odumakin by Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi Enitan, Ojaja II.

The Ooni, represented by Kemade Elugbade, at the funeral service of Mr Odumakin in Moro, described the late Afenifere chieftain as an unforgettable patriotic descendant of Oduduwa and a positive factor in Nigeria’s democracy.

He said: “Odumakin’s death was a rude shock when Yoruba nation in particular and Nigeria at large needed him.

“The news of his demise was a very bitter pill to swallow for the entire country and to us particularly in the House of Oduduwa.

“He was a disciplined Yoruba leader who has been one of the loudest pro-democracy voices in the country,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a short clip of Mr Odumakin’s lifetime and his wife, Joe, attending a television interview was played in remembrance of the human rights activist at the event. (NAN)

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2023: Tinubu’s presidential campaign posters flood Lagos

As the race for 2023 presidential seat seems to be a subject of debate among opinion moulders, politicians and social affairs commentators, there has been an indication that the erstwhile governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu might have given a nod to his political stalwarts to kickstart underground process that will lead to the realisation of his supposed dream to become the president of Nigeria.

Earlier today, our correspondent has gathered that campaign posters of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu have have been seen in some major roads across Lagos State. Below are the photos of the campaign posters seen.

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Bayo Adelabu Donates N2m To Families Of Slain Police Officers, To Rebuild Burnt Iseyin, Ojoo Police Stations, Others

The 2019 APC gubernatorial candidate and former Deputy Governor of CBN, Chief Bayo Adelabu has inspected police stations that were burnt down during the Endsars protests in Oyo State.

Adelabu who later visited the State Commissioner of Police, Mrs Ngozi Onadeko expressed surprise that months after the destruction and vandalization of the stations, nothing meaningful had been done to reconstruct the stations.

Speaking at the Ojoo police station on Friday, Chief Adelabu emphasized the importance of security to the social and economic development of any society, adding that this has motivated him to assist the Oyo State Police Command to rebuild the affected formation.

Apart from Ojoo police station, other stations he promised to reconstruct are Gbagi in Egbeda Local Government and Iseyin Police Station in Oke Ogun Area.

Meanwhile, spouses of all the police officers killed in Oyo State during the Endsars protests are to benefit from a 2 million naira empowerment programme put in place by Chief Bayo Adelabu.

This was made known today by the APC Chieftain while inspecting burnt Police stations in Ibadan.

According to him, the gesture was to ameliorate the sufferings of the widows who lost their loved ones to the protests

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93-Year-Old Adebanjo Weeps, As Gbajabiamila, Sanwo-Olu, Ex-Governors, Others Pay Tributes To Late Afenifere Spokesman

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has charged politicians and members of the Civil Society Organisations, to uphold the legacy and struggle of the late Yinka Odumakin, former National Publicity Secretary of pan-Yoruba socio-cultural organisation, Afenifere.

Speaking at the lying-in-state, day of tributes and service of songs held on Thursday at Police College, Ikeja as parts of the funeral rites for the late human rights activist, Governor Sanwo-Olu urged ‘comrades of like minds’ not to abruptly end what Yinka Odumakin believed, stood and worked for during his life time.

The Governor also charged them to keep working hard for a Nigeria that will be land of justice, fairness and where equity would become the watchword and reflect true federalism.

He said: “Yinka was one-half of the most formidable couple that we have seen in our history and the other half is his beloved wife, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, who now sadly has to continue this struggle without her husband, fellow comrade and big friend that I know he is to her. My sister, you will continue to push on strongly in the trenches.

“We are passionate about what he believed in and what he stood for. He wanted the best for Nigeria. He wanted the best for his Yoruba nation but he was completely detribalised and he used his voice to advance the cause and the needs of the voiceless. Until the very end, he kept going.

“He kept speaking up, he kept working hard for a Nigeria that we all can be truly proud of. A

Nigeria that will be land of justice, a Nigeria that will be fair, a Nigeria where equity would become the watchword and a Nigeria that will truly reflect true modern federalism.

But the Almighty God who we cannot query did not allow Yinka to finish. As some people have said, he was a fighter who fell in his prime.

“At a time like this, we are all short of words but we will continue to hold on to the legacy and what he believed and lived for. All comrades of like minds should ensure that they don’t abruptly end what Yinka Odumakin stood for, what he believed in and what he had worked for. That is a charge for each and every one of us.”

Speaking at the event, Afenifere Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, who shed tears uncontrollably while paying tributes to his organisation’s spokesman said ĺOdumakin is an irreplaceable material.

Adebanjo, who broke the barrier of culture to attend the funeral rites, urged human rights activists to continue in the spirit Yinka Odumakin, by being courageous and fearless if they truly love the deceased.

“I am not God, I am a human being. There is nothing impossible for God to do but as a human being, I will say it will be difficult to replace Yinka. Where can we find a young man of his age, not materialistic pursuing a cause he believes in selflessly, courageously, relentlessly and consistently? Yinka, God knows you are a blessing to Nigeria,” he said.

Speaking in tears, Adebanjo said: “It is not easy to talk about Yinka. Yinka is an irreplaceable material. Why should I be here? You can’t question him, leaving a man of 93 to take a man of 55-years. God, you are omnipotent, please replace him quickly for us.”

Also speaking, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila said he left the Green chamber where he was presiding to pay last respect to the late Odumakin, who he described as “a man of courage, integrity, true democrat and a man who stood for truth and nothing else”

The Speaker therefore charged Nigerians to make positive impact during their lifetime by rendering service to humanity so that they can be remembered after their demise.

The widow of the late Afenifere spokesman, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin, who described her husband as “encyclopedia of positive activism” said the tributes by Nigerians will continue to embolden her to do more by continuing what her husband fought and stood for.

“One thing that will never make me break down are that his ideals will live forever; his legacy will remain. All that he has lived for remain. Yinka, you are not dead; you are alive, you will continue to live in our unconsciousness. And to live in the unconsciousness of the people, is to live forever. Yinka Odumakin, my comrade lives on,” she said.

The lying-in-state, day of tributes and service of songs was attended by Mr. Tayo Ayinde, the Chief of Staff to Governor Sanwo-Olu; former governors –Mr. Peter Obi (Anambra), Olusegun Mimiko (Ondo) and Senator Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), ex-Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Senator Kofoworola Bucknor-Akerele; Pastor Ituah Ighadalo of Trinity House Church, Afenifere chieftains, politicians and human rights activists among others.

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My Tenderness Not A Sign of Weakness, I Don’t Rule With Force – Gov. Makinde

Oyo State Governor, Governor’Seyi Makinde has said that his tenderness and kindness should not be interpreted as a sign of weakness, adding that he is not a leader who leads with force, neither is he a superman who knows all.

The Governor made this statement while addressing Muslim faithful at the 7th Omi Tuntun Ramadan Public Lecture held on Wednesday at the Government House Arcade, Agodi, Ibadan.

Gov. Makinde in his address noted that the fact that he is the Governor of Oyo State today is by God’s power and the power of the people of Oyo State, both Muslims and Christians alike. He added that because of this, he is compelled to do what is right for the people irrespective of religious or political leanings.

In his words, “Being the governor of Oyo state today, is by God’s power and the power of the people of Oyo State both Muslims and Christians alike.

“If people say that my family is of a Muslim background, they are correct. The man who bears the name Makinde that is my surname is a Muslim.

“So, it is a given that I must do what is right irrespective of religious leanings or political leaning.

“You would notice that the topic of discussion today is Unity in diversity.

“How do we get united in our state and the nation at large, even though we might have different leanings or inclinations through religion or politics?

“Some people came to me to say that this person needs to be punished by the government, my final word on that is that tenderness and kindness are not a sign of weakness. In fact, some people have approached me to say that Oyo state needs someone who can rule with iron hands.

“I apologise, but I don’t lead with force because I believe that if we apply calmness and gentle reasoning to every challenge we encounter, it is actually a manifestation of strength and resolution and that is the only way that what belongs to each and every one of us will get to us.

“Anyone who is angry or feels offended that Seyi Makinde is not a superman should know that I’m only human. I also sleep like everyone else, even though it might be late and for few hours.”

The Governor also responded to criticism from various quarters alleging that the Seyi Makinde-led administration was not doing anything new but just completing projects started by the past administration.

Gov Makinde said, “I don’t want anyone to greet me, to start with, that, we did this or that, because it is not Seyi Makinde’s money that is being used in facilitating those projects.

“We are spending the money that belongs to the people of Oyo State.

“If we are in power and you are comparing us with our predecessors to try to determine what we are doing and you keep mentioning that this project or that project was started by past administrations.

“I and a former Governor who happens to be a father to me visited the site of one of the projects he started while in power, the Ijaye Asphalt Plant. The project was abandoned by his successors but the project was initiated by the funds from the state coffers. So, if we already spent Oyo state money, we must try to get value for the people of Oyo State and that is exactly how we will continue to run this administration.

“And the person who said this administration will spend 8 years, only God can say how many years anyone would spend on earth not to talk of in governance.

“So, let’s keep praying and seeking the mercy of God towards all our endeavours. We want the will of God to be fulfilled.”

The Governor also expressed appreciation for the support shown to his administration, noting that this, along with the amicable relationship among the people of the state are the major reasons why Oyo state is peaceful.

He said, “Of course, our county is faced with all kinds of challenges particularly in the area of security and ethnic/religious crisis. We experience issues with farmers and herders almost on a daily basis and people are clamoring that the Northerners should leave the South-West, which is not the solution to the challenge we are facing.

“But, I appreciate the people of Oyo State because you do not allow everything happening to affect our relationship with our fellows and that is one of the major reasons why Oyo state keeps being peaceful till today.

“So, I implore you to keep praying because our prayers are being answered.

“I am also using this opportunity to appreciate everyone for their support for this administration. It is the people’s government and we appreciate and value your support which has been a great source of strength to us.”

He finally implored participants at the lecture to show mercy to everyone around in this month of Ramadan while promising that in subsequent lectures there would be more emphasis placed on spiritual growth and less on politics.

He said, “This Ramadan lecture is meant to be a session of spiritual nourishing for our people so I will discuss further will the guest lecturer because if I come for a lecture like this, I want to go home as a better person who has gained something tangible. I don’t want to take requests or political issues home. I want to take home with me something that will stay with me till I meet my Maker. So, I assure you that in subsequent lectures, we will ensure that spiritual things are being taught and spoken on.

Finally, in this month of Ramadan, it is a month of mercy, let us show mercy to those that are near us. May the peace, mercy and blessings of Allah be with us all.”

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