Six People Sustain Injuries As Event Centre Collapsed During Burial Reception In Ekiti.

Six People Sustain Injuries As Event Centre Collapsed During Burial Reception In Ekiti.

...Gov Oyebanji Orders Strict Approvals For Developers.

Atleast six People have sustained various degrees of injury when an event centre suddenly collapsed in Ijero Ekiti on Saturday.

The building, F and G Event Centre, located along Ijero-Ido Ekiti road, with over 250 occupants, had its roof and walls receded around 4 pm while being used as a reception venue for a burial ceremony.

Apart from the wreckage, the building auditorium and surroundings were littered with spilt foods served for the guests, broken bottles, shoes, male caps, female wigs and headgear.

In the meantime, Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji had visited Ijero Community to commiserate with the people over the unfortunate incident.

The Governor represented by his Deputy, Chief Monisade Afuye, who visited the site of the building collapse and Ijero General Hospital, where some victims received treatments, on Sunday morning, grieved over the incident, saying he deemed the accident as very disturbing and saddening.

Addressing the sympathisers, Oyebanji directed all government agencies to ensure that all public buildings of that nature are supervised and certified at every stage to avoid unwarranted fatalities.

The Governor said the incident could have been averted if government agencies carried out proper building scrutinies and compliance with specifications, warning that a situation like that shouldn’t be allowed to reoccur in the state.

Oyebanji assured that his government will map out strategies to make emergency management equipment available in all the local government areas to respond to any alarming situation.

“Let me sympathise with the victims of this devastating incident. Nobody prays for bad things to happen, but we need to be proactive in preventing occurrences of this nature, rather than being retroactive.

“I know that if the building had been thoroughly supervised and certified fit at every stage of the erection, this incident could have been averted.

“It is just normal and procedural that all public buildings should be monitored and that they built to specifications and with standard materials used because the common feature associated with building collapse now is for contractors to use substandard products.

“We thank God that no life was lost. But as a responsible government, we won’t wait until people die before taking actions that can safeguard their lives. That is why it is most expedient that all government agencies must be responsive to their duties all the time,” he said.

The Permanent Secretary Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency (EKSEMA), Mr Olajide Borode, who was on the entourage, said men of the fire services were immediately deployed to the spot for a rescue operation as soon as he received a distressed call.

“We want to appreciate our people for commencing the rescuing operation through evacuation of the occupants out of the building before the Fire Service men came to join them.

“The Ekiti State Bureau of Special Project will be here to do Intergrity Test on the building to ascertain whether it can be salvaged or be demolished outrightly,” he said.

In his submission, the lawmaker representing Ijero Constituency in the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Hon. Ademola Ojo, commended the Governor for prioritising the safety of the citizens, saying his visit corroborated the fact that the current government is an unrepentant lover of the people.

Relaying a vivid account of how the incident happened, the lawmaker said: “A reception exercise for a burial ceremony was ongoing when there was a deep crack in the wall. And suddenly, the roofing and Plaster of Paris (POP) caved in and fell on those who were seated inside the auditorium.

“This caused a stampede. Many were wounded in the process, while some occupants sustained serious bodily injuries. I was here with the Chairman of the Local Government with Fire Service men to rescue the people out of the rubble.

“Those who were seriously wounded were immediately taken to the hospital for treatments”.

Ekiti Reformer

Subsidy: Ogun Begins Distribution Of 300,000 Bags Of Rice As Palliatives.

Subsidy: Ogun Begins Distribution Of 300,000 Bags Of Rice As Palliatives.

Olufemi Adediran. 

 

Ogun State government has begun the distribution of 300,000 bags of 10kg rice palliatives to the people of the state as part of effort to cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy re- moval. Recall that, the state government had confirmed that it received the first batch of 3,000 bags of rice and funds from the Federal Government as palliatives. Governor Dapo Abiodun on Friday evening flagged off the distribution of the palliatives at the Arcade ground in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State.

The governor said the first phase of the distribution would be done across 5,400 polling units in the state. “We have decided to use the polling units as a reference of distribution, not wards, because we realized that using wards won’t be equitable. “You can imagine taking a ward in Sagamu, for example, like the Ogijo ward and comparing it with a ward in Ikenne.

If we use the ward as the yardstick for distributing the palliatives, it is very unfair and not equitable. “But because we know that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has done a very detailed arrangement of our polling units to the point where all of us belong to a polling unit and that has allowed us to determine the number of people that are in our different wards.

New Telegraph 

8.3m Nigerians In Dire Need Of Humanitarian Intervention In Borno, Adamawa, Yobe – FG.

8.3m Nigerians In Dire Need Of Humanitarian Intervention In Borno, Adamawa, Yobe – FG

 Deborah Ocheni.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Betta Edu has lamented that out of the 16 million Nigerians affected by the humanitarian crisis in three states of Borno, Adamawa, and Yobe are the worst hit.

The Minister rued during an interview with journalists in Abuja that aside from the North East and North Central state of Benue, it had been tagged the humanitarian capital of Nigeria by the United Nations (UN).

According to Edu, “We have a huge task on our hands, as we speak now, over 16m Nigerians are affected by humanitarian crises either man-made or natural disasters with over 8.3m of them based in Borno, Adamawa, Yobe, and several States in the North Central; and others spread across the country.

“The UN said Benue had become the humanitarian need capital in Nigeria, and as such, a lot of work needs to be done in the humanitarian angle,” she lamented.

The Minister maintained that “one of the agendas of Tinubu administration was to ensure that poverty is alleviated in Nigeria in line with the SDG goal one.

“The President is coming up with a very robust program to alleviate Nigerians from poverty”

Edu stressed that Poverty Alleviation was now the new and important mandate of her Ministry “as our work is to see how we can get those in poverty out of poverty and those on the verge of getting into poverty increase social safety to protect them from falling into poverty.

“A lot of work is being put into the planning stage as we have finished the debriefing from the different Departments as well as the Agencies under us; we are working assiduously to finalize the plans.

“In a couple of weeks, we’ll be fully launching into these plans to help President Tinubu take out over 136m Nigerians out of poverty as implementation has started to help cushion the effect of the fuel subsidy removal”

The Minister described the poverty alleviation schemes of her Ministry as robust plans to create jobs, promote means of livelihood, shelter, education, healthcare, and other basic needs as well as agriculture to help end hunger.

Dr Edu: “We’ll close all gaps to ensure Nigerians are out of poverty.

Source: New Telegraph

Ondo Cancels Automatic Promotion Of Primary School Teachers.

Ondo Cancels Automatic Promotion Of Primary School Teachers.

 Babatope Okeowo

The Ondo State government has announced plans to introduce a performance bond for teachers of public primary schools where promotion from one grade level to another will be based on the academic performance of students.

Also, the government has promised stiffer penalties for teachers who abscond duties just as it promised

to improve on monitoring and supervision of academic activities in schools.

The Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, Hon

Victor Olabimtan disclosed this during an interactive session with the Education Secretaries from the 18 Local Government Areas of the State at the Board Corporate Headquarters, Akure, the state capital at the weekend.

According to Olabimtan, the directives became necessary to enhance the better performance of pupils of public schools in the Common Entrance Examination into Public Secondary Schools in the State.

The SUBEB boss said the State Government was not happy with the level of performance of the pupils having provided an enabling environment for good performance

has decided to place the promotion of teachers on performance bond starting from next year.

His words “Consequently from the next year no teacher will be promoted to the next grade levels especially from 13 and above without empirical evidence that the wards under him or her performed very well in their examinations”

Olabimtan said the State Government cannot continue to pretend as if all is well with the system, lay by, and gloss over the current performance of pupils in Public Schools for a State in which education is its main industry.

Considering the State Government’s huge investment in the basic education sector through the construction and renovation of over 900 schools and the distribution of free instructional material to pupils, the government expects better delivery from teachers and performance from pupils in all examinations.

While admonishing the Education Secretaries and Head Teachers to live up to expectations, he said the State Government would not hesitate to deal with anybody, no matter how highly placed, trying to sabotage the established high-performance standard in Education the State is known for.

As a way of improving the performance of pupils at both internal and external examinations in all Public Schools in the State Olabimtan said that from next year there is not going to be automatic promotion for any teacher in our Public Primary Schools.

He said all promotions, especially from grade 13 and above would be subjected to performance evaluation by the Board and the Ministry of Education Science and Technology.

Olabimtan said that from the beginning of the new academic session, the Board is going to invigorate its monitoring and supervisory mechanism by paying unscheduled visits to all the schools in the State to ensure teachers are in classes doing what they were employed to do.

According to the former Speaker State House of Assembly, the present level of performance of pupils in Public Primary Schools can be attributed to lack of discipline, dedication, truancy, and non challant attitudes on the part of some teachers and monitoring the way it should be done by School administrators and Education Secretaries.

The Chairman warned teachers who are in the habit of absconding grin duties or engaging in selling and buying during school sessions to desist because anybody caught in the act will face the music.

According to him, there is credible information that some teachers come to school at will while others do not come at all but employ someone else to do their jobs while engaging in other activities at the detriment of students under their care, adding that some even traveled abroad without appropriate approval vowing that anybody caught will face the penalties.

He admonished the Education Secretaries as the head of each Local Government Education Authority Area, LGEA, and Headteacher of various Schools to be on top of their jobs as they will be held responsible for any lapses in their areas and schools.

While underscoring the need for Education Secretaries and Head Teachers to embark on a vigorous enrollment drive for pupils before the commencement of the new academic session in September to increase pupil population in their schools the Chairman directed the School Administrators to engage all the necessary stakeholders in the LGEAs like traditional rulers and their likes in the advocacy campaigns to achieve desire goal.

Source: New Telegraph. 

Chairman of Sofaj Group, Chief Fajana Basorun, Honors Esteemed Journalist and Historian for Outstanding Commitment to Community Development.

Chairman of Sofaj Group, Chief Fajana Basorun, Honors Esteemed Journalist and Historian for Outstanding Commitment to Community Development.

In Pic: The Celebrant, Mr. Ayo Fajana.

 

Chief Basorun Olugbenga Fajana, the Chairman of Sofaj Group of Companies, recently paid tribute to Mr. Ayo Fajana, an exceptional journalist and historian, recognizing his significant contributions to both knowledge and community development.

Hailing from the esteemed and humble family of Aremo Owa Akinla Olodi Odo Ado Ekiti, Mr. Ayo Fajana's life story is marked by an unwavering commitment to the pursuit of knowledge and progress. A highly regarded scholar in criminology and history, he has emerged as a guiding light within his community and far beyond. Presently serving as the Special Assistant to the renowned founder of Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, Mr. Ayo Fajana's dedication to education is both inspiring and unmistakable.

Chief Basorun Fajana, in his heartfelt tribute, celebrated Mr. Ayo Fajana as a man of impeccable character—respected, humble, dedicated, and relentlessly hardworking. He emphasized Mr. Fajana's unique blend of intelligence and intellectual prowess, which he has selflessly employed in advancing the welfare of those around him and the broader state community.

Furthermore, Chief Fajana lauded Mr. Ayo Fajana as an inspiration to the youth in the community, highlighting his caring heart and enduring humility. In an era where genuine role models are in short supply, Mr. Ayo Fajana's commitment to community development serves as a beacon of hope and inspiration for the younger generation.

As a historian and journalist with a solid educational background, Mr. Ayo Fajana's contributions to the development of his community, and Ado Ekiti as a whole, have been nothing short of extraordinary. His writings not only chronicle the rich history of the region but also shed light on critical issues in criminology, sparking awareness and fostering meaningful discourse.

In Pic: Chief Basorun Fajana.

In closing, Chief Basorun Fajana extended his heartfelt prayers for Mr. Ayo Fajana, wishing him many more years of sound health and divine guidance on this earthly journey. Mr. Ayo Fajana's life story, characterized by intelligence, unwavering dedication, and an unflagging commitment to community development, continues to leave an indelible mark on all fortunate enough to know him.

Hon. Oluwadamilare Ajayi's Administration Transforms Gbonyin Local Council Development Area in Ekiti State.

Hon. Oluwadamilare Ajayi's Administration Transforms Gbonyin Local Council Development Area in Ekiti State.

In Pic: Hon Oluwadamilare Ajayi, Executive Chairman Gbonyin LCDA.

 

In what can only be described as a remarkable journey of leadership and dedication, Hon. Oluwadamilare Ajayi, the Executive Chairman of Gbonyin Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Ekiti State, has left an indelible mark on his community. With a steadfast commitment to progress, he has undertaken numerous impactful initiatives aimed at propelling the LCDA to new heights.

Executive Chairman of Gbonyin LCDA Hon Oluwadamilare Ajayi with Ekiti State Deputy Governor Chief Mrs Monisade Afuye during the deputy governor visit to the council area for monthly environmental monitoring.

When Hon. Ajayi took office nearly two years ago, he was faced with daunting challenges that could have easily discouraged him. However, he embraced the responsibility entrusted to him by his people with unwavering determination.

A block of five offices with other facilities done by Hon. Oluwadamilare Ajayi.

One of the immediate challenges was the inadequate office accommodation for the council staff. Undeterred by the seemingly insurmountable odds, Hon. Ajayi oversaw the renovation of an abandoned building, which now stands as one of the best at the council secretariat. This rejuvenated structure was furnished with state-of-the-art furniture, rivaling any governor's office.

A building abandoned for years, renovated by Hon. Ajayi administration now serving as administrative building.

But Hon. Ajayi's dedication extended beyond the council's administrative needs. He recognized the importance of revamping the local market stalls in the three communities that constitute the LCDA: Ijan, Iluomoba, and Aisegba Ekiti. His administration renovated 20 market buildings in Ijan Ekiti, constructed 10 open market stalls in Iluomoba, and renovated 20 market stalls in Aisegba Ekiti. These renovations not only enhanced the trading environment but also boosted the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), earning him the title of a "Miracle Worker."

Refurbished lock up shops at Ijan Ekiti Done By Hon. Oluwadamilare Ajayi.

Refurbished lock up shops at Aisegba Ekiti Done By Hon. Ajayi.

Open market stalls at Iluomoba Ekiti constructed by Hon. Oluwadamilare Ajayi. 

Safety and security were not overlooked either. Hon. Ajayi embarked on the perimeter fencing of the entire secretariat, ensuring the safety of workers and deterring wandering domestic animals. Regular security meetings and funding for logistics, fueling, and contingencies for security patrols were established, contributing to a relatively crime-free LCDA. To bolster security further, he purchased five Bajaj Motorbikes for five security agencies in the area.

Provision of Motorcycles for security personnel in Gbonyin LCDA by Hon. Oluwadamilare Ajayi. 

Gbonyin LCDA chairman Hon Oluwadamilare Ajayi with security personnel during the monthly security meeting at Council Area.

Recognizing the LCDA's agrarian potential, Hon. Ajayi seized the opportunity to cultivate cash crops like yam, maize, and cassava on extensive hectares of land. Furthermore, he prioritized infrastructure development, grading and rehabilitating numerous township and farm settlement roads in the three towns comprising Gbonyin LCDA.

Grading of roads under Hon. Oluwadamilare Ajayi's administration.

In the realm of Human Capital Development, Hon. Ajayi's administration emphasized training and retraining, investing substantially in staff seminars and workshops. Plans are underway to empower individuals across the three major towns in the LCDA with materials such as grading machines, clippers, and herbicides. Additionally, palliatives will be distributed to mitigate the effects of subsidy removal from petrol.

Perimeter fencing of the Secretariat done by Hon. Oluwadamilare Ajayi. 

In light of these transformative projects led by Hon. Oluwadamilare Ajayi's administration, it is abundantly clear that his commitment to the advancement of Gbonyin LCDA knows no bounds. His dedication and tireless efforts have set a shining example for others to follow, leaving a lasting impact on his community.

Governor Biodun Oyebanji Honors Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru II on His 90th Birthday and 64-Year Reign.

Governor Biodun Oyebanji Honors Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru II on His 90th Birthday and 64-Year Reign.                          By Comr. Olamide Akinwumi

L- Governor Biodun Oyebanji Abayomi, M- His Royal Majesty Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru II 

In a momentous celebration marked by reverence and jubilation, His Excellency, Governor Biodun Oyebanji, joined the commemoration of the 90th birthday and 64th Coronation Anniversary of HRM Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru II, the esteemed Onigede of Igede-Ekiti. This monarch holds the distinction of being the longest-serving in the southwestern region of Nigeria. The grand event unfolded at Araromi Baptist Church, Igede-Ekiti, on a memorable Saturday.

Photographs Click from the event.

During the festivities, Governor Oyebanji bestowed heartfelt praise upon Oba Adelusi, hailing him as the embodiment of unwavering leadership and integrity. He emphasized the monarch's role as an inspirational figure, particularly for the younger generation. The Governor took note of the monarch's enduring legacy, characterized by a lifetime of devoted service and honor.

The celebration was further highlighted by Governor Oyebanji's warm congratulations to Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru II, recognizing the profound grace that has enabled the monarch to reach this remarkable milestone of longevity and robust health.

In Pic: His Royal Majesty Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru II Onigede of Igede Ekiti.

The atmosphere in Igede-Ekiti during these festivities was nothing short of reverential, as the community came together to honor HRM Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru II. His 90th birthday and historic 64-year reign bear witness to a life marked by unwavering dedication to leadership, selfless service, and an unrelenting commitment to the betterment of both his community and his nation.

Oba Adelusi's extraordinary achievement underscores the enduring power of tradition and reflects the profound respect and admiration held for him by the people of Igede-Ekiti and Ekiti State.

In a noble gesture aimed at advancing the town's development, Governor Oyebanji made a generous donation of 10 million naira. He further pledged to create employment opportunities for the youth of the community, reaffirming his commitment to fostering prosperity and growth in Igede-Ekiti.

This celebration served as a resounding testament to the rich cultural heritage of the region, the resilience of its people, and the enduring bond between leadership and the community. As the festivities drew to a close, the legacy of HRM Oba James Adelusi Aladesuru II continued to shine brightly, casting a long-lasting glow of inspiration over the hearts and minds of all those in attendance.

Comr. Olamide Akinwumi James is a Public Relations Specialist, Writer, Content Creator and Journalist.