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  • Buhari, Fayemi, Obi, others mourn Arthur Nwankwo

    Buhari, Fayemi, Obi, others mourn Arthur Nwankwo

    President Muhammadu Buhari has mourned the death of former Vice Chairman of National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Dr Arthur Agwuncha Nwankwo.

    Dr Nwankwo, also the Founder and Chancellor of the Eastern Mandate Union (EMU), died on Saturday.

    He was 78.

    In a condolence message to the family and friends of the departed as well as all the people of Anambra State, the President noted that “the sacrifices and labour of the nationalist will always be remembered by posterity”.

    President Buhari, according to a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said the late Dr Nwankwo stood for a united and democratically developed Nigeria, at great risks.

    “The President commiserates with family, friends, professional and political associates of Dr Nwankwo, urging them to find solace in the contributions of the writer to national and global development by consistently pursuing and projecting values of peace, unity and love.

    “President Buhari affirms that the late writer’s bridge-building efforts, like supporting the famous Handshake Across the Niger, and carefully picking the themes of his many publications to reflect national unity, while advocating for a collective vision, had served the purpose.

    “The President believes Dr Nwankwo’s investments in humanity will endure, especially standing for democracy and development at great risks, and working hard to ensure that the pivotal institutions are strengthened and sustained.

    “President Buhari prays that the almighty God will receive the soul of the departed statesman, and comfort his family,” the statement said.

    Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi as well as a former presidential candidate and businessman, Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, have mourned Dr Nwankwo.

    Fayemi described Nwankwo’s death as a huge loss to the pro-democracy family and Nigeria, while Olawepo-Hashim said the late human rights crusader was an intellectual giant, patriot and crusader for democracy.

    In a condolence message by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode, the Ekiti State governor noted that the late Dr Nwankwo was among the country’s foremost rights activists and a patriot who defied all odds in the battle against military dictatorship, which led to the enthronement of democracy in the country.

    Olawepo-Hashim said the late Dr. Nwankwo lived an exemplary life for the promotion of good governance in Nigeria.

    The late Dr. Nwankwo was running mate to Olawepo-Hashim during the 2019 presidential election.

    In a statement in Abuja by his Chief Press Secretary, Hassan Ibrahim, the former presidential candidate said Nigeria, indeed the world, would miss Dr. Nwankwo at a time his contributions and counsel for the furtherance of a progressive Nigeria was needed.

    The late Nwanko, he said, worked tirelessly for the return of Nigeria to democracy and deserved to be immortalised.

    Former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi described the late Dr. Nwankwo as a unique Igbo man and a true Nigerian who deployed everything available to him to the liberation of the people and advancement of humanity.

    Obi was reacting at the weekend to the death of Dr. Nwankwo.

    He recalled Dr. Nwankwo’s “literary flowering” as a publisher and an author, saying the late writer saw “the pen as an instrument against abuse of human rights, dictatorship and absurdity”.

    Obi, who said he had read some of his books, especially on the Civil War, lauded his unique ability to explain events and ideas in simple and exciting terms.

    “One would also dictate patriotic zeal in every line of his writing, especially while condemning bad governance and offering solutions on how to get the business of managing Nigeria right by tackling corruption and related vices,” Obi said

  • 2023: APC may collapse when Buhari leaves – Fayemi

    Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi, said the All Progressives Congress (APC) may cease to exist at the end of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.

    Fayemimade the remarks in reaction to the reports on the move by some party members to remove Adams Oshiomhole as chairman of the APC.

    Speaking in an interview with Daily Trusthttps://www.dailytrust.com.ng/apc-may-collapse-after-buhari-gov-fayemi.html, Fayemi likened rumours of a rift between some governors and Oshiomhole to making a mountain out of a molehill.

    In November, the APC faction loyal to Godwin Obaseki, governor of Edo state, suspended Oshiomhole after a no-confidence vote was passed on him.

    But Fayemi said the governors were instrumental to the emergence of Oshiomhole, adding that they only want to be respected as party leaders and have their views taken into consideration.

    “The governors were instrumental to the emergence of Adams Oshiomhole as the chairman of the party. He was their colleague, so they worked together. I don’t think there’s a view about the leadership of the party in the PGF. I think there’s a clear view that the party can do a lot more than it has done,” Fayemi said.

    “If we are not careful; if we do not institutionalise processes and procedures in the party and make it more inclusive than it is, we will not have a party when President Muhammadu Buhari leaves government. This is because he is the unifying force of our party.

    “The governors want the party structures to function effectively and more regularly. Adams will also say that some of us have been at the forefront of pushing for even policy convention on an annual basis.

    “Adams is a veteran, passionate and an ideological politician. I have worked with him closely. So I don’t see a divergence in these views. But governors also want to be respected as leaders of the party. They don’t want their views to be given a short shrift.”

    Asked to evaluate the performance of the country’s political leaders, Fayemi said they have neither failed or “given us all we would have loved to see in this democraticisation process.

    “And I underline that word ‘process’ because democracy is not an event, it is a process. And when you have a process you want the journey to be linear and progressive. But in any journey, there are bumps, values and undulating lines.”

    On electoral violence and ways to curb it, the governor said public office should be made less attractive than it is.

    “I think that in totality, we are progressing, but not at the pace we ought to. You can see that the system is not in denial about it,” he said.

    “We take two steps forward and 10 steps backwards. I think we owe ourselves a duty to see the urgency of these things. We are losing the youth of this country to frustration, despondency and despair.”

    Commenting on security and the launch of “Amotekun” in the south-west region, Fayemi said the outfit was needed to complement the efforts of the “overstretched” police.

    He said Nigeria has about 400,000 policemen for its almost 200 million population, and “it is not unlikely that we have up to 150,000 protecting VIPs”.

    “So, what are we talking about? Even if the police put in their best efforts, we will still have challenges. That is the point we are making. And that is what recommends this community policing strategy.

    Asked if the governors would not misuse the outfit for political gains during elections, Fayemi asked: “Does the Federal Government not misuse the police?

    “I know what happened to me in 2014 during the election. I was a sitting governor. I had immunity, but I was assaulted. Go into the history book and check it; that was federal police.

    “Any police can be mishandled. What we should be talking about is how to make sure that security institutions are more accountable within the framework of democratic control.”

  • Amotekun In line with Buhari’s security agenda for Nigeria – Fayemi

    Operation Amotekun is a logical end product of President Buhari’s compelling vision on community policing, Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi said on Thursday.

    Fayemi described the controversy trailing the January 9 inauguration of the security outfit as storm in a tea cup.

    He insisted that contrary to the claim by Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, security agencies were duly carried along in the formative stage of the security outfit.

    Fayemi spoke in Abuja at the 17th edition of the Daily Trust dialogue with the theme “20 years of democracy in Nigeria, strengths, weaknesses and opportunities.”

    Responding to the remarks by the Chairman, Media Trust, Mallam Kabiru Yusuf, on the inauguration of Operation Amotekun, Fayemi noted that the security outfit became necessary following the spate of kidnappings and banditry in the Southwest.

    He classified the outfit as a bottom-top approach to security sector governance across the length and breadth of the country.

    Fayemi added: “You need to talk to Governor Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo State), if you need an official position from South West Governors. But I think it is important given the current debate about the legality and desirability of the local security initiative: Operation Leopard Amotekun and how it fits into Nigeria’s peace and security architecture for me to say one or two things.

    “And for many of us who have been involved in this process since it started around June 2019, following the spate of kidnappings and banditry in the Southwest, we see the Amotekun vision as a logical end product of President Buhari’s compelling vision on community policing and bottom-top approach to security sector governance across the length and breadth of our country.

    “And that is why we’ve said in various communication that far from being a competitor with the existing national security platforms, all it does is aimed to complement them in areas of neigbourhood watch, information and intelligence gathering, detection of early warning signs and in giving intelligence response in a proactive manner apart from acting as liaison between the conventional security outfits and the local population.

    “And in the process of bringing this about, the conventional security outfits were not only in the know, they actively collaborated with the South West Governors in this process.

    “So, for those who are unfamiliar with mechanics of security sector reforms and transformation in democratising polity, they readily appreciate the need for a multi-faceted, multi-layered and multi-dimensional approaches to national policing and maintenance of law and order.

    “Indeed, apart from strengthening the operational and administrative capacity of security institutions in our country and the training and retraining of security agents, the other vital components of this paradigm shift in national security architecture is the direct logical coherence and sequential involvement of the local population and grassroots governance in national security and crime prevention.

    “It is the recognition of the above that the Amotekun model emerged and its proponents have already made it clear to the police authority that it is a model open to public scrutiny, a model open to reform and fine-tuning and even reconceptualization in the basis of any new information or superior knowledge that might assist them in improving the quality of its operations.

    “And let me say here that it is only in the context of such robust conversation that I believe that democratic plurality is entrenched.”

    Also speaking on Amotekun, a former Governor of Katsina State, Dr. Ibrahim Shema, said: “In issue of security, we all know this forms part of the process of restructuring Nigeria. I will want to propose and suggest to all concerned that there is need for coming together by states, local and federal government to work on security issues that concern and bother all Nigerians.

    “It is not about the South West, South East, South South and North Central, it is a national issue. Therefore, this aspect of having the Amotekun which my brother Kayode Fayemi spoke about is an issue that should bring us together the federal, states and local governments to look at it and leaders in this country, traditional institutions, religious leaders should form a team that would support the states, local and federal governments to create a system that would work and help solve the problems in Nigeria which includes the menace of Boko Haram, kidnappings, banditry, armed robbery, one chance and numerous other vices that bedevil our nation.”

    Yusuf had in his welcome remarks said Nigerians have cause to celebrate having put behind them 20 years of unbroken democracy.

    Speaking on the security situation in the country, the media chief said: “As we celebrate 20 years of democracy, we also mark with sadness the 50th anniversary of the end of the Nigerian civil war. Prof. Soyinka used that occasion to say that the fragile state of the polity today reminds him of the mid 1960s just before the civil war.

    “He also added that the only thing that gave him hope was that the governors of his South Western corner of the country had found the courage to launch Operation Amotekun.

    “Another stakeholder during that occasion, David Umahi, Governor of Ebonyi State and current Chairman of the South Eastern Governor’s forum reacted to the South West Governor’s Initiative by saying it was copied from the South East.

    “Apparently a retired General by the name of Obi Umahi, perhaps a sibling of the Governor has already been appointed to coordinate security architecture of the zone.

    “After some bickering, the Federal Government may declare Amotekun and by implication all other nascent regional security organizations illegal because we all know that this is not about law but about politics.

    “The region hardest hit by kidnappings and armed banditry is the North. Despite repeated assurances by the Inspector General of Police and the Governor of Kaduna State, most of us here will know better if we were to take a short drive from Abuja to Kaduna, which happens to be the major road that I use.

    “In Katsina where President Buhari comes from, thousands of people have abandoned their villages for IDP camps while the state government negotiates with bandits for some sort of ceasefire.

     

  • Amotekun not taking over police, army, other duties

    Amotekun not taking over police, army, other duties

    Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has dispelled rumours making the rounds that the newly launched Western Nigeria Security Network code-named Operation Amotekun is regional police.

    Fayemi who spoke in Ibadan at the launch of the security apparatus stated that the Southwest governors were not out to undermine the integrity and sovereignty of Nigeria but were providing the Yoruba people with a “confidence-building strategy” to tackle crime and criminality in the region.

    The governor added that Amotekun was neither an alternative to any of the conventional security agencies in the country nor a state police.

    He said rather, Amotekun would complement and work in collaboration with existing security agencies to provide adequate security of lives and property in the region.

    “The Western Nigeria Security Network operation Amotekun is nothing but a community policing response to a problem that our people would like to put an end to. But pending the time that the community policing strategy being put together by the Nigeria Police comes to fruition, it is clearly important that we give our people a confidence boosting strategy.

    “So if you ask me, Amotekun is nothing but a confidence building strategy for our people in the western zone. When those elements that are going to work in the joint task force with the mainstream security agencies undertake this assignment, they are going to do it with the knowledge of the terrain, language and culture of the community they are going to work.”

    “Amotekun is not a duplication neither is it a replacement for the Nigeria Police Force. Amotekun is a complement that gives our people the confidence that they are being looked after by the people they elected into office. We do not want this to create fear in the mind of anyone. We are not creating a regional police force. We are not oblivious of the steps we need to follow in forming State police. We are law abiding citizens of Nigeria. We know that will require a constitutional amendment and we are not there yet”, he said.

    While commending the role played by the mainstream security agencies in tackling kidnapping and banditry in the zone, the governor said Amotekun would reduce the burden on the agencies which he described as “overstretched”.

    Fayemi who added that the security agencies have embraced the Western Nigeria Security Network urged Nigerians not to give room for fears which may have emanated from the propaganda circulating in the social media about Amotekun.

    ” We were daily assaulted by the spate of kidnapping, banditry, armed robbery across the length and breadth of the South West. We obviously sought succour in all the right places and the mainstream security tried their best in arresting the security situation. It was in the context of this development that we lost the daughter of our leader in Afenifere, Pa Fasoranti.

    ” As elected leaders of our various States, our primary responsibility according to section (14)2 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended, is the security and welfare of our citizens and that’s what informed the coming together of my colleagues and I to fashion a way that we can utilise to complement the work of our mainstream security agencies that are quite overstretched in their efforts to curb the menace that has afflicted not just our zone but the entire country at the time”, he said.

    In his speech, the Chairman of the Western Nigeria Governors’ Forum and Governor of Ondo State, Governor Rotimi Akeredolu said the governors are united in their resolve to ensure peace and security in the region.

    Akeredolu stated that the south west governors cannot erect “an antagonistic structure whose template is against existing security apparatus”.

    He said the ” barbarism” displayed by criminal elements in the region gave the governors grave concern which necessitated the security platform.

    The governor stressed that he and his colleagues believed in the unity of Nigeria because the nation’s “strength is in unity”.

    Earlier in his welcome remarks, Governor Seyi Makinde had stated that development cannot take place in a state of insecurity.

    He added that Amotekun would protect the lives and property of indigene and non indigene.

    Osun State Governor, Mr Gboyega Oyetola who was represented by his Deputy, Benedict Alabi thanked the service chiefs for their support in tackling insecurity in the region.

    He assured that Amotekun would work in collaboration with all security agencies.

  • It’s time to change revenue sharing formula – Fayemi tackles FG

    Kayode Fayemi, governor of Ekiti and Chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), says it’s time for revenue sharing formula to change.

    The governor made the call on Monday while fielding questions from journalists at the statehouse in Abuja.

    In the current revenue allocation formula, the federal government gets 52.68%, states get 26.72% and local governments, 20.60%.

    In August, the federal government had set up a committee to review the revenue sharing formula “due to current economic realities”.

    Standing on this, Fayemi said the review had been long overdue, as the two lower tiers of government were battling additional responsibilities.

    “A review of the revenue sharing formula is still the position of the Nigeria’s Governors’ Forum. We feel that it is time for the revenue sharing formula to change and we have made a representation to the President and commander-in-chief,” he said.

    “This is not just under the Buhari administration; this has been an ongoing agitation that started way back since the time of former President Olusegun Obasanjo. It continued during former President Umar Yar’Adua and former President Goodluck Jonathan. So, it is not just something that has been brought out under President Buhari.

    “The process is that Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) will do its own due diligence, consult widely with critical stakeholders; and we have also made available our own representation to RMAFC.

    “Every state has a representative at RMAFC as you know and only last week, RMAFC held a retreat on this and other matters and I believe they will communicate the position.

    “Now that we have a full-fledged RMAFC in place with a Chairman and other members appointed, it is our expectation that this will be taken up by RMAFC with Mr President in a manner that we have taken it up.”

  • Photo News: Fayemi leads 10 Governors on inspection tour of Dangote Refinery in Lagos

    Eleven Nigerian governors on Friday stormed the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals in Lekki, Lagos to have on the spot assessment of the massive project.

    The governors are Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa), Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna), AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq (Kwara), Prince Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Godwin Obaseki (Edo), Dr. Kayode Fayemi (Ekiti), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Simon Lalong (Plateau) and Bala Muhammed (Bauchi), while the governor of Cross Rivers State, Benedict Ayade was represented by his deputy, Ivara Esu.

    They were led on the visit by the Chairman, Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Dr. Fayemi, who described the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals as a pride to Nigeria and Africa.

    The NGF said the project would contribute immensely to Africa’s economy and help the continent attain food security when fully operational.

    He said: “This is an inspirational initiative by the President of the Dangote Group, Mr Aliko Dangote. It demonstrates the possibility where government provides the enabling environment the way the Lagos State government has done for individuals that are serious-minded and has what it takes to excel.

    “This an individual that has put together a $12 billion project that we have toured almost through out the day and had to cut it short to be able to attend to other businesses.

    “This is a pride to Africa and not just to Nigeria. I don’t know anywhere in Africa you will find a complex such as this. I don’t think that there are many places in the world where you will find a complex as comprehensive and extensive as the one we have been privileged to tour.

    “We are all looking forward to the products that will come out from this place. The plastics, the oil from the refinery and the fertilizers for our agriculture,” he said.

    Fayemi added that the state governments’ investment in agriculture would be given a boost by the fertiliser plant which is the largest in Africa.

    The NGF chairman urged governments to continue to create an enabling environment through right incentives and policies as well as provision of infrastructure needed to attract investors to their states.

    Also, Sanwo-Olu commended Dangote for taking the decision to put the strategic investment in Lagos, adding that the government would continue to do its best to support the smooth completion of the project.

    He said: “This project is sited close to the Lekki Free Trade Zone and Lekki Deep Sea Port and we are bringing development to our people.

    “Part of the things we are doing here is to bring a comprehensive new infrastructure to the communities. We are closing up on two different road connections out of this place. One will go to Epe, and another one will go to Ijebu Ode and back to Lagos.”

    The Lagos State governor added that the plan of the government was to open up the place so that people could come and work, live and contribute to the economy.

    On his part, Aliko Dangote thanked the governors for the visit to the facilities and assured them that the group would continue to invest in Nigeria to create jobs and make all Nigerians proud.

    “We will continue to make sure that we are the ones that will lead and others will follow. We want to bring all our monies to Nigeria and invest where we belong to,” he said.

    Dangote, however, urged the governors to focus on the areas of health, education and capital development, adding that these sectors should be part of their key responsibilities to their people.

    Mr Devakumar Edwin, Executive Director, Strategy, Capital Projects and Portfolio Development, Dangote Group, said all the states would benefit from the three million Metric Tonnes Per Annum fertiliser plant because it would improve the agricultural sector.

    Edwin noted that the 650,000-barrels-per-day refinery could meet 100 per cent of the Nigerian requirement of all liquid petroleum products and would have surplus for export.

    “The refinery project will create 1,600 permanent jobs and 100,000 indirect jobs. It will save Nigeria over $7.5 billion annually through import substitution, ” he said.

     

     

     

     

  • Fayemi one year in office, a colossal failure – PDP

    Fayemi one year in office, a colossal failure – PDP

    The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti State has described the one year administration of Dr Kayode Fayemi-led All Progressive Congress government as a colossal failure with no visible achievement to showcase.

    The party noted that the several billions of naira collected as allocations to the State from the Federal government by the Governor has been grossly mismanaged with other funds and grants squandered to please the pocket of his cronies.

    In a statement by the Publicity Secretary of the Party, Mr Jackson Adebayo, PDP berated Governor Fayemi for dragging Ekiti State back from the development trends he met on ground when he assumed office on October 16, 2018.

    The party stressed that with all the seriousness that the immediate past government of PDP put into accelerated development of infrastructure in the state, “there is enough opportunity for Governor Fayemi to build upon, rather he has chosen to pull the gear of progress to reverse mode.”

    PDP maintained that Ekiti State has found itself in this pity situation because the governor and his team are bereft of ideas of development and ethos of building a State but only conspired to snatch power to enrich themselves.

    Adebayo cited the case of the new Oja-Oba international market, which was almost completed by the last administration with enough money left for the completion, which till today still remained in the state as it was in 2018 October.

    The PDP spokesman also pointed out that the street lights installed by the last administration and other urban beautification projects are no more being maintained by the Fayemi government, adding that roads that has only few meters to be completed have not been touched in a whole year of Fayemi administration.

    The party equally noted that nothing has been done in any school or hospitals in the state in the past one year, saying that the extension of pipe water projects in Ado Ekiti is Federal government one without any contribution from the State.

    PDP said that the only project that would have been attributed to the present government is the civic center which Fayemi claimed was nearly completed in his first term, it was rewarded and yet it’s still under construction with frontage painting to deceive Ekiti people again.

    According to PDP, Governor Fayemi knowing fully well that he would have nothing to show for his one year in office has come with a filthy idea of erecting fence in the name of cargo airport which was condemned by his party when the last administration attempted to construct the airport.

    Apart from the improved allocations to the State from the Federal government, which is estimated to be about 150 Billion Naira, PDP revealed that the present government has secured foreign loans running into several Millions of Dollar with nothing to show for it, among which is the latest 100 Million dollars from the Africa Development Bank.

    What Fayemi has mainly achieved in his one year in office is grand deception and departure from campaign promises among, which is his promise to pay the backlog of salaries and arrears of Ekiti workers; PDP stated.

    reaction, the All Progressives Congress, Publicity Secretary, Hon. Ade Ajayi, described the allegations as a concocted falsehood and monumental conjectures.

    He said Governor Fayemi will not be distracted by the ranting of paranoid people who are only perfectionist at spreading gospel of bare-faced lies.

    Ajayi said the distractions will not deter the purposeful Fayemi-led administration from its avowed commitment to clear the huge rots left behind by PDP and rescue Ekiti from the clutches of those who held the state by jugular.

    He said in the last one year, Governor Fayemi has started off on a strong footing with all indicators of socio-economic development in a positive mode.

    “We are greatly appalled at the desperation of the PDP to spread all manners of lies and falsehood against our government.

    “When Governor Fayemi came on board virtually all sectors of the state was in deplorable condition but now the health sector has been reinvigorated, education is taking its pride of place, infrastructures and basic amenities are taking good shape, the economy is improving markedly and the state is enjoying a peaceful ambience devoid of political upheaval.”

  • Fayemi frees 17 prisoners [SEE LIST]

    Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has released 17 prisoners serving jail terms for various offences in the State.

    The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in Ekiti State, Olawale Fapohunda, revealed this in a statement on Sunday.

    Fapohunda explained that the governor gave the order after accepting the recommendation of the Ekiti State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy to grant clemency to the inmates.

    “The Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has accepted the recommendation of the Ekiti State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy to grant clemency to 18 prisoners serving various prison sentences,” the statement reads in part.

    The beneficiaries, according to Fapohunda, are serving various prison sentences in the Nigerian Correctional Services facilities in Ado Ekiti, the state capital and Kirikiri Maximum, Lagos State.

    Aside those released, Governor Fayemi also converted the death sentence of two other persons to life imprisonment and granted another person state pardon.

    According to the Attorney-General, the Ekiti State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy considered 50 applications for clemency at its third sitting.

    He said the applications of the beneficiaries were granted because they have individually demonstrated the potential to turn their lives around.

    “On behalf of the State Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy, I congratulate all the beneficiaries,” Fapohunda added.

    He affirmed that those granted freedom have been released from the correctional facilities.

    The commissioner was also optimistic that the beneficiaries would make the best use of the second chance by being law-abiding and good citizens.

    A breakdown of the names of the beneficiaries is highlighted below:

    STATE PARDON:

    Abologbonrin Ojo

    RELEASE FROM PRISON

    Olowo Ajayi

    Ojo Sunday

    Sunday Fanimara

    Olusuyi Dare Olaifa

    Williams Sunday

    Sylvanus Oferufega

    Lucky Suberu

    Babatunde Ogunjobi

    Tope Ajayi

    Lawrence Idowu Bamidele

    Ogunboyo Richard

    Ayodele Ayinde

    Adebayo Ojo

    Akeem Adebayo

    Abirifon Julius

    Abirifon Olabode

    COMMUTAL of DEATH SENTENCE to LIFE IMPRISONMENT

    Tunde Abe

    Adeniyi Owolabi

  • BOMBSHELL: I was sexually harassed in university (OAU), says Gov Fayemi’s wife [Updated]

    Bisi Fayemi, wife of the governor of Ekiti state, says she faced sexual harassment while she was a university student.

    Fayemi said this on Monday during the premiering of #SexForGrade, an hour long documentary exposing randy lecturers in some universities in Nigeria and Ghana.

    From her educational records, Bisi Fayemi received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in history from the University of Ife, now the Obafemi Awolowo University, Nigeria.

    One of the lecturers exposed is Boniface Igbeneghu, former sub-dean of faculty of art at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), who sexually harassed Kiki Mordi, an undercover reporter who posed as a 17-year-old admission seeker in the institution.

    Condemning this, Fayemi said it is troubling some of these lecturers have a culture of entitlement to the bodies of the girls.

    “I cried because what this young women have experience is the story of many of us who passed through higher institution in this country,” she said.

    “I was educated here in Nigeria and I too was a victim of sexual harassment during my university days. I was luckier than these victims. It didn’t go that far but it was extremely unpleasant and of course back in the days when all these things happened you can’t tell anyone because if you do even up till now people ask you to keep shut.

    “You know people don’t talk about things like this. I was watching the documentary and there were three words that came to me, one is voice, it is time to speak up and speak out and for those who do we need to stand with them and stand by them and not silence them because the culture of silence has endured enough.

    “Another word that came to me was accountability, we need to be accountable whether there are parents, guidance or teachers or leaders in any form through out the different section of society. We have to be accountable for the well being and health of the young people in our care, from when our children come to say mummy, uncle so so and so touched me and instead of asking further to find out what’s its all about, we should act.

    “There has to be accountability and the third thing that came to mind was justice, justice for victim or I choose to call them survivors and so those of us who have worked in the women’s whether at international level or Africa or national air in Nigeria, we know that we have many law and policies in place that are supposed to guard against things such as this but this law sometimes means very little because there is inadequate political.”

    The governor’s wife said Ekiti had already opened a register to name and shame sex offenders in the state.

    She also called on other states do likewise.

  • Fayemi excites Ekiti Teachers, announces payment of N30, 000 new minimum wage from October

    The Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi has said the state government would begin the implementation of the new minimum wage of N30,000 from this month.

    Fayemi said the decision was predicated on the need to improve the living standard of workers, especially teachers to be able to deliver the best and reposition the state to its pride of place as the education nerve centre of the country.

    The Governor spoke at Oluyemi Kayode stadium in Ado Ekiti on Saturday during the 2019 celebration of the Teachers’ Day, with the theme: “Young Teachers, the Future of the Profession”.

    At the event, Mr. Henry Olaoluwa Asubiojo of Amoye Grammar School and Tajudeen Olaoye of Anglican Primary School, Esun Ekiti and Mrs Mojisola Ehinafe of Technical School, Ado Ekiti, were awarded with cash price of N500,000 each, for emerging as the best teachers in the state.

    Fayemi said he decided to inject new breeds of teachers into the state’s public schools, by recruiting 2,000 new teachers to safeguard the future of the state.

    “We will commence payment of N30,000 to workers in Ekiti with effect from this month. We are determined to reward diligence because the workers, particularly our teachers have done the state proud.

    “In this year’s WAEC, Ekiti was ranked 12th. I want to salute our teachers but that is not where Ekiti belonged, we must continually do more to rise to number one”, he said.

    He said he was highly determined to protect and preserve the core values of making Ekiti the education capital of the nation.

    Fayemi said he decided to establish more schools in Ado Ekiti capital city to depopulate the overpopulated ones and make learning more conducive.

    “The only way we can reclaim.our lost glory in education is to encourage our teachers in and outside service. I will promote functional and technical education in this state.

    “I have also ensured that all students of school age are in schools in line with education law which makes basic education compulsory and in line with global best practice.

    In his lecture at the forum, the Provost, College of Education, Prof. Isaac Adeoluwa, said for Nigeria to move to its pride of place, teachers must be made to be ICT compliant and embrace modern techniques of teaching.

    “Use of digital tools methodology makes learners innovative, expand scope of retention, increase teachers competitiveness and relevance and create enabling environment for both learners and teachers”, he said.

    The Chairman of the Ekiti State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Teachers, Com. Samuel Odugbesan praised Fayemi for recruiting teachers into public schools across the state, saying this will help in strengthening the future of education.

    His counterpart in Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools, Com. Sola Adigun , said prompt and regular payment of salaries has rescued the teachers from wanton poverty.

    Odugbesan said: “Teachers are retiring every day without replacement but with these recruitments in primary and secondary schools, the future of our education is guaranteed.

    “Not having young teachers in the teaching profession is threatening the future of education and these recruitments are commendable”, appealing to Fayemi to pay all outstanding salaries and allowances for improved welfare and wellbeing of the teachers.