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Federal University of Oke-Ogun Bill: Aseyin and others speak at the Public Hearing

Today, Aseyin of Iseyin land, Oba Ganiyu Jimoh, Barr. Hammed Raji SAN, Okere of Saki among other stakeholders in Oke-Ogun made it to the Nigerian Senate Public Hearing on the establishment of Federal University of Agriculture, Oke-Ogun.

You will recall that the Sponsor of the Bill, Senator Fatai Buhari who represents Oyo North Senatorial District at the National Assembly made it known in the past that the Bill he started sponsoring from the 8th Assembly only scaled through the 1st reading but unable to be finally passed before the last Assembly came to an end. This neccessitated his unrelenting effort to pick the bill again in order to ensure speedy passage at the current 9th Assembly.

Currently, the Bill for the Establishment of Federal University of agriculture, Oke-Ogun is now at the Public Hearing stage where stakeholders in Oke-Ogun are making their contributions and inputs to aide the smooth passage of the Bill.

The Senate Committee on Tertiary Institutions and Tetfund earlier today held public hearing in respect of 3 number of bills targeted to improve Nigeria education sector. Among which is Distinguished Senator Buhari’s bill that seeks to establish Federal University of Agriculture and Technology, Oke Ogun.

Public Hearing is an important part of legislative process which affords the concerned public and the stakeholders the opportunity to make input that will shapen the decision of the parliament in legislative process and the gathering witnessed a large turn-out of the representatives from Oke-Ogun ranging from the Traditional Rulers, Professionals, colleagues from House of Representatives, educationists and others who have come to convince the committee on why it is not negotiable to establish the university of learning.

Senator Fatai Buhari in his remark, calls the attention of all stakeholders to ensure that the Bill is finally passed to law because Oke-Ogun blessed with both natural and human resources does not have any federal presence and a region that contributes immensely to the agricultural revolution we have been clamouring for cannot be left out in having its own University of Agriculture for rapid economic development.

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You will be arrested if you fail to use nose mask – Fayemi

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, on Sunday expressed worry over violation of the COVID-19 regulations in the state, especially the failure my many residents to wear face mask.

The governor, who spoke through the state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Olawale Fapohunda, in Ado Ekiti, said special offences court where the violators would be prosecuted had been set up in the state, adding that in addition to fines, convicted offenders would be made to undergo community service.

Fapohunda said, “Mr Governor is very concerned about what appears to us to be widespread lack of compliance with the COVID-19 regulations in Ekiti State, particularly with the wearing of face mask.

“We are concerned that a large and an unacceptable number of our people continue to believe that the COVID-19 pandemic is not real. The state government is keen to correct that wrong impression. From Monday, the state government will begin the enforcement of these regulations.

Violators will be arrested and prosecuted in our special offences court. We are adopting various sanctions in addition to fines. Persons who are convicted may also be required to undertake community service. That is without prejudice to other punitive measures that the presiding magistrate may decide to impose.”

While reminding transport operators the need to reject passengers without face masks, Fapohunda said, “If somebody is not wearing mask, no okada rider should carry such person. We have told the road transportation union members that before they carry passengers, they must be sure that such passengers are wearing mask. They have the right to reject passengers that are not wearing mask. This is not about them; it is about all of us.” Fapohunda said.

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Three Fulani highway robbers arrested in Ogun – Police

The Ogun State Police Command have made it known yesterday that they have arrested three Fulani teenagers for highway robbery in the Alapako area on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The suspects, Uzefa Idris, 19; Adamu Yakubu, 18; and Ayuba Buhari, 17, were arrested following a distress call received by the Divisional Police Officer, Owode Egba Division, SP Matthew Ediae.

The Force Public Relations Officer in the state, Abimbola Oyeyemi, stated this in a statement on Sunday.

Oyeyemi said the DPO was informed that a Mazda bus was forcefully stopped on the highway by a gang of armed robbers and the occupants were being dispossessed of their belongings.

The PPRO stated, “Upon the receipt of the distress call, the DPO, Owode Egba, SP Matthew Ediae, quickly led his anti-robbery team to the scene.

“On sighting the policemen, the hoodlums took to their heels but were chased into the bush, where three of them were apprehended.”

Oyeyemi explained that the driver of the bus, Zacheaus Olaniyi, and a passenger was rescued from the robbers.

He said the police were able to recover N545,000 and one itel phone belonging to a passenger, Oluwakemi Oyegade, from the hoodlums.

Oyeyemi stated, “The two victims narrated that the hoodlums jumped on the road from the bush and forcefully stopped the vehicle, consequent upon which they started beating them with machetes before dispossessing them of their valuables.

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ODUDUWA INTERVIEW: COVID-19 and the Agony of Private School Teachers

It is no longer new that the closure of schools has brought severe hardship to the owners and teachers of private schools having stayed at home for almost four months without financial aids from the government to ameliorate their sufferings.

Today, OduduwaNews crew interviewied some teachers and owners of private schools and stated below the accounts of their ordeal since the beginning of the pandemic.

Adekola Abosede who is a teacher in a private school said “Private school teachers are only depending on the mercy of God, the school fees the Proprietors collected in March have not been paid out as March salary, it is getting worse, parents of children doing home lessons too are also broke, some have taken their children to learn skills. May God help us in this country.

Mark Chidibere a Lagos based teacher in his account, said “four months ago till date no source of survival. We are grossly downtrodden! The proprietors have been in a state of incommunicado since and kept us in a state of penury now. Your help will go a long way.
May fragrance never leave the hands that give rose.

Azeez Ajisafe, a Proprietor while lamenting the economic hardship the COVID-19 has brought to them, said “we, the proprietors are having a rethink on diversifying. We are all in it. We are all frustrated. However, if everybody is discouraged from investing in school business or decided to leave private teaching, who will teach your children? It’s obvious all our children can’t attend Nigerian public schools. Bulk of our frustration should be directed to the government for not doing the needful to ameliorate the suffering of those who have temporarily or fully lost their jobs due to this pandemic.

Olabisi Crown while lamenting said
“Let me tell you my pain, I am a school teacher in a private school, no salaries from March till now, the okada machine I used to go to work in school has been diverted to commercial okada riding, though, I used to do it early in the morning just for few ours in Lagos. My bike was taken from me by the police saying they have banned okada, I narrated my predicament to them but they did not listen,I showed them my ID card, they refused to understand my plight, they demanded for 30k for my bike to be released. Imagine, on that day I was only having N435 with me and I needed to buy foods and drugs. Government should come to our aides as life is unbearable as I speak to you.

A school owner in Ibadan, Olamide Adebayo while talking to OduduwaNews crew lamented the current state of the economy. He said even before the pandemic some of them who are private school owners were surviving on loans with the belief that they would repay them back when they start receiving school fees but their expectation was dashed by the sudden outbreak of the pandemic. He calls on government to assist them as some of them may not be able to go back to classes again and this will affect the already crumbling education sector.

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Ondo Election: Akeredolu sues for peace in APC

Ondo State Governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, has received the Reconciliation Committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the state, led by the Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello.

The committee, which was set up by the APC Caretaker/Extra Convention Planning Committee, is in the state to meet with leaders and members of the party in the state.

Receiving members of the committee at his office, Alagbaka, Akure, Governor Akeredolu said the APC is in the heart of the people of the state.

He said what the people desire is for the dividend of good governance to be visible, adding that his administration has delivered in terms of the yearnings and aspirations of the people of the state.

Arakunrin Akeredolu said: “In our short time here as servant of the people, we have tried to do our best. Not because we are the best, but because God has allowed us to do it. I’m confident and I give all glory to God.

“I want to assure you that this is a safe state for APC. We will win this state, except we come with shenanigans and today, it is a thing of the past. In a free and fair primary, we will win.”

Speaking on his efforts in the development of the state, Akeredolu said: “We have an industrial hub now, we have over six industries working. Other than Ajasin in 1979, no one has added industry to this state.

“We came, there was carnage on our road in Ore and people usually die at a cross section there. We built a redemption bridge and puta permanent end to the carnage. In Akure here, we have done massive infrastructure. APC has done wonders in this state. The people of this state know. APC will win this state any day, any time.”

On the issue of reconciliation, Governor Akeredolu said the leaders and other members of the party must give room for reconciliation.

“We must allow for peace. Let us get all of us the aspirants to sign that whoever wins, others will support him. Anybody I have offended I will apologise to the person. We must allow peace,” Akeredolu said.

Earlier, the Chairman of APC Ondo Reconciliation Committee and Governor of Niger State, Abubakar Bello said the main objective of the committee in the state is to reconcile party members and all APC faithful.

The Niger State Governor, who described Akeredolu as a performer, said the success of the party in the next election is paramount, stressing that the reconciliation committee was set up for the purpose of ensuring the party success in the state.

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JUST IN: Two fuel tankers collided along Lagos/Ibadan Express Road

An accident involving two (2) fuel tankers has occurred at Kara inwards along Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

As a result of this, the section of the road leading to Mowe from New Garage (Ojodu-Berger) has been cordoned off to prevent a secondary accident while contra flow is in place to reduce delays.

As at the time of making this report, no casualty has been confirmed to have been recorded by the security agencies while efforts are ongoing to separate the collided tankers.

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COVID-19: We have discharged 1015 patients – Seyi Makinde

Today, in a statement released by Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde via his Twitter account read as thus:

Three confirmed COVID-19 cases received their second NEGATIVE test results and have been discharged. This brings the number of discharged cases in Oyo State to 1015.

Also, the COVID-19 confirmation tests for thirty-eight suspected cases came back POSITIVE. The cases are from Oluyole (13), Ido (5), Egbeda (4), Ibadan North (4), Ibadan South West (3), Ogbomosho North (3), Akinyele (3), Ibadan North East (1), Lagelu (1) and Ibadan South East (1) Local Government Areas. So, the total number of confirmed cases in Oyo State today is 1989.

Please call the Emergency Operations Centre on 08095394000 | 08095863000 | 08078288999 | 08078288800 or visit a community-based testing centre, if you have any COVID-19 symptoms: cough, fever, tiredness, body ache, loss of smell/taste and shortness of breath.

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We are not ready for school resumption – Lagos NUT

The Lagos NUT Chairman, Mr Adesina Adedoyin, while reacting to the decision of the South-West governors to commence the West African Senior Secondary Examinations in August said it was disheartening that the governors and the Federal Government could not take a uniform decision.

He said, “The Federal Government is saying no resumption and the South-West governors are saying pupils should resume. There should be a synergy between the federal and state governments. The task force members know the extent of the pandemic and if the curve has not been flattened, they will not advise schools to reopen.”

He explained that the teachers and pupils were ready to resume, but the health of every stakeholder should be considered.

“It is people who are alive that can write examinations and use certificates for further studies. What is paramount now are the children; they are the most vulnerable. You don’t know where they have branched or visited on their way home. If we are not careful, the cases we have might increase,” Adedoyin said.

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Babalola advises FG on reopening of schools as NANS gives 2-week ultimatum


Students give FG two weeks to announce schools resumption date

Following what they described as Federal Government’s poor handling of schools reopening, students of tertiary institutions have given the government two weeks within which to fix a date for resumption.

They threatened to protest against continued closure of schools if government failed to accede to their demands within 14 days.

The groups, comprising the National Association of Polytechnic Students (NAPS), National Association of University Students (NAUS) and National Association of Colleges of Education Students (NANCES), at a virtual meeting, decried Federal Government’s approach towards resumption of learning institutions in the country.

They also faulted government’s decision to pull out of the 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASCCE).

Urging the Minister of Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu, to reconsider participation of Nigerian students in the terminal examination, they said WAEC could be taken, while observing social distancing and other safety protocols.

“It is hardly feasible that coronavirus may be eradicated in a fortnight and after months of observing several safety measures, there are little or no gains in the results so far recorded.

‘’Huge funds have been used to contain the spread of the virus, but we still have poorly equipped medical centres across the country,” they added.

They also charged the government to stop salaries of university teachers and other officials for advocating the continued closure of schools without proffering solutions to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, Vice Chancellor of Chrisland University, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Professor Peace Chinedum Babalola, has advised the Federal Government to adopt ‘staggered’ reopening of schools.

Babalola spoke at the fifth matriculation ceremony of the institution, which was held online.

The Federal Government had on Monday released guidelines, actions, measures and requirements for safe reopening of schools in the country.

But in her reaction, she said the Federal Government could in the meantime reopen schools for final year students at all levels to enable them to finish their academic programmes on time.

“To achieve social distancing, one of the guidelines for reopening of schools is the need for government to ‘stagger’ resumption for the students,” she said.

She argued that while nobody knew when the COVID-19 pandemic would end, there was the need for gradual resumption of socio-economic activities and reopening of schools.

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