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Tag: Kwara State

  • Gowon pays tribute to late David Bamigboye

    Gowon pays tribute to late David Bamigboye

    Gen. Yakubu Gowon, a former Military Head of State, said loyalty, hard work and competence exhibited by late Brig.-Gen. David Bamigboye earned him the first Kwara Governorship position in 1967.

    Gowon made the statement in his tribute at the funeral of late Bamigboye at St. Paul Anglican Cathedral Church Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local Government of the state.

    The former Head of State said Bamigboye was one of the youngest governors and a highly committed officer at the time of his appointment as the governor of old Kwara and Kogi State in 1967 when he was the Head of State.

    He said such sterling qualities were the magic wands that enabled him to undertake many viable developmental projects during his tenure.

    According to him, Bamigboye was indeed an officer and a gentleman, a man with a great sense of mission and purpose.

    Gowon, who expressed happiness that the people of Kwara acknowledged the worth of the deceased, said he would forever be remembered by his immediate family, the community, the state and country at large.

    “It is on record that that he performed very well during his tenure as military governor of Kwara.

    David was good, loyal, hardworking, highly competent and also a highly committed officer which stood him out for appointment as the first military governor of the state back then,” he said.

    Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara, in his own tribute, praised Bamigboye for laying a solid foundation for which the state was recognised and known for today.

    He expressed the government’s determination to set in motion a plan to immortalise the deceased by getting a recognised edifice named after him.

    Sen. Bukola Saraki, the Senate President, on his part, said the state had lost an industrious and dedicated son in person of Bamigboye, saying his legacies were glaring across the length and breadth of the state.

    Chief Jide Adebayo, the Eesa of Omu-Aran, who spoke on behalf of Olomu-In-Council, said the community would greatly miss Bamigboye’s fatherly role and advices as a son of the soil.

    Chief Mrs Aduke Bamigboye, the wife of the deceased, described her husband as a friend, a confidant, supporter and a loving father to his children and extended family.

    “I never thought you will leave us so soon but I take solace in God that you are in a better place and looking at me and your children,” she said.

    Bishop David Oyedepo, President of Living Faith Church Worldwide, urged Nigerians to pray fervently for free, fair and credible 2019 general elections.

    He called on the political class to exercise restraint in the discharge of their political responsibilities, saying that no ambition was worth a single soul created by God.

    “You politicians, you need to take things very easy as your ambition does not worth a single soul,” he said.

    Rev. Philip Adeyemo of the Anglican Cathedral Church in a sermon, urged the gathering to always place the trust in God and not human, saying only God would not disappoint or fail.

    “God is not like man; man can disappoint, fail, make mistakes but is the supreme creator who will never fail or disappoint,” he said.

    Bamigboye died on Sept. 20 after a brief illness. He was aged 78 years.

    He was credited with the establishment of some landmark edifices such as the Kwara State Polytechnic (formerly School of Science and Technology), the Herald Newspapers, Kwara Hotels and host of others.

     

  • APC worse than PDP, 2019 will shock politicians – Anglican Bishop

    APC worse than PDP, 2019 will shock politicians – Anglican Bishop

    Rt. Revd. Philip Adeyemo, Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Omu-Aran, Kwara state, has said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is worse than the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Bishop Adeyemo stated this at the third session of the third synod of the Diocese held at Cathedral Church of St. Paul, Omu-Aran.
    While lamenting that the APC, with claims of ‘anti-corruption war’, is worse than its predecessor in office, the PDP, the Bishop noted that no political party is qualified yet to fight corruption in the country.
    He warned that politicians should be ready for surprises in the 2019 general elections.
    “The ruling party came to power on the platform of the promise to fight corruption. By my own assessment, the ruling party is even worse than the other party before them who we crucified.
    “Nigerians should not be carried away by campaign promises of politicians but look for and vote for those with integrity and who are ready to serve the nation in 2019.
    “Our politicians in Nigeria are greedy, selfish and not interested in the lives of the people they govern. Proverbs 29: 7 Says ‘The righteous considereth the cause of the poor but the wicked regardeth not to know it’.
    “Task Masters have been fooling us, those who oppress and enslave us. I have not seen anyone among our politicians that are qualified to fight corruption, they are birds of the same feather flocking together.
    “There will be surprises in 2019 election. Ecclesiastes 9:11 says ‘I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not for the swift nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bred to the wise, nor yet riches to the men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill, but time and chance happeneth to them all’.
    “God has purposed to take over the helm of affairs of Nigeria, there will be a shaking and disappointments among our politicians,” he stated.
     

  • Breaking: Gov. Ahmed’s aide resigns, stays in APC

    Breaking: Gov. Ahmed’s aide resigns, stays in APC

    Mr Abdullahi Danbaba, the Special Assistant on Non-Governmental Affairs to Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara has resigned his appointment to stay in All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Danbaba announced his resignation in a letter on Sunday, which was addressed to Gov. Ahmed through the Secretary to the State Government (SSG).

    According to him, the decision to resign the appointment is due to extensive and heart-to-heart consultation with the people of his constituency coupled with the issue created by the recent political re-alignment in the state and the country at large.

    He, however, expressed gratitude to the governor and President of the Senate Bukola Saraki for the opportunity offered him to serve the people of Kwara.

    Danbaba’s resignation has brought the number of aides that had disengaged from the service of the state government to two.

    He hailed from Kaiama Local Government area in the North Senatorial District of Kwara state.

    Speaking with NAN, Danbaba said his decision was borne out of the recent political re-alignment that saw Bukola Saraki-led political leadership in the state defected from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the People Democratic Party (PDP)

    “As a result of that political development, the people of my constituency in Kaiama local government felt they would not go with Saraki any longer because they have suffered protractedly lack of infrastructure development.

    “And as a result, they would not toe the path of Saraki and I have consulted widely with my people and in view of the fact that the community suffered for a long period of time, I should also disengage from this government and come home and join the people’s party; that is the APC”, he said.

    He lamented that the community had been cut off from the state as the three major roads that linked the community with other parts of the country are in pitiable condition.

    He explained that the people of the area were staunch supporters of President Muhammadu Buhari throughout his political foray.

    “Buhari since his political foray has been consistently winning Kaiama local government.

    “He won in 2003 as the ANPP Presidential Candidate, in 2007 as ANPP candidate again, He won only in Kaiama; in 2011, he won as CPC and 2015 as APC candidate.

    “This is because we believe in his leadership; we believe he could provide effective leadership to the nation,” he said.

    Danbaba also applauded the Social Investment Programmes of the Federal Government, saying Kaiama had benefitted tremendously from the scheme.

     

  • Vote for change, APC chieftain tells Kwara people

    Vote for change, APC chieftain tells Kwara people

    A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara, Mr Iyiola Oyedepo, has urged the people of Kwara to vote for change during the 2019 general elections.

    He told the people of the state not to forget the hardship they had been subjected to since 2003 under the leadership of Dr Bukola Saraki and the current administration in the state.

    Akogun, in his Eid-el-Kabir message, called on Muslim faithful to use the occasion of the celebration to pray for the rescue of the state.

    “Poverty, hunger, misery and despondency are everywhere and on every face of the people of the state.

    “Succeeding governments since 2003 have pauperised the generality of the people of the state; the government has no programme that can benefit the masses,” Akogun said.

    According to him, succeeding governments since 2003 only carried out projects that have no direct impact on the lives of the common people.

    “What is the benefit of Aviation College, Metropolitan Square, Football Academy, Shonga Farm and Underpass to the ordinary people on the streets?

    “All these projects have no direct benefit on the masses of the state,” Oyedepo said.

    Oyedepo also challenged the state government to disclose how much the Aviation College had generated as revenue since its establishment.

    “You should not forget all these wasteful projects when voting during next year’s general election; Kwara people should vote wisely,” he said.

    Oyedepo claimed that the state government since 2003 had received over N1 trillion in federal allocation, Value Added Tax, bonds, internally generated revenue and Paris Club refund.

    “Despite this huge money that has accrued to the state government from 2003, nothing works in the state, all infrastructures are dilapidated.

    “Primary school pupils are learning under trees across the state, secondary schools are in worst shape, roads in Kwara are the worst in Nigeria and no water despite billions of naira spent,’’ he said.

    Oyedepo also appealed to the people of the state to collect their voter’s card to enable them to vote for all APC candidates in the 2019 general elections.

     

  • Breaking: Court voids dissolution of Kwara APC excos, restraints Oshiomhole

    An Ilorin High Court sitting in Ilorin has declared as illegal the purported dissolution of the Ishola Balogun-Fulani led faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State.

    The Court has therefore restrained ex Governor Adams Oshiomole, the APC National Working Committee and all other organs of the party from dissolving the party structure in Kwara and appointing in its stead a caretaker Committee.

    In a short ruling, the presiding judge, Justice Umar S. C said that he would give the APC the chance to be represented to defend itself before him before determining the Motion on Notice.

    It will be recalled that the Oshiomole-led NWC of the APC on Monday announced the dissolution of the party’s structures in Kwara from the ward, local government and state level citing irregularities in the conduct of the primaries that produced the present executives.

     

  • 2019: More trouble for Saraki, Ahmed as APC dissolves Kwara State exco

    The National Working Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has dissolved the Kwara State Executive of the party loyal to Senate President Bukola Saraki.

    The dissolution was announced in a resolution signed by the party’s National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, and its National Secretary, Mai Mala Buni, on Monday in Abuja after the NWC meeting.

    The dissolved party leadership is loyal to Saraki, and the state governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed.

    Saraki and Ahmed have not formally defected from the APC, but are believed to be on their way out.

    Recall that the Senate President last week supervised the defection of 14 senators from the APC. Majority of them, including the other two senators from Kwara, joined the main opposition party, PDP.

    Ahmed, who in 2011 took over from Mr Saraki as Kwara governor, also said last week that he could soon leave the APC. Both men are expected to join the PDP.

    Recall also that earlier this month, the Kwara APC leadership pledged total loyalty to Saraki.

    In a statement by its now sacked chairman, Ishola Fulani, the Kwara APC also said it believes the “bond of unity and cohesion in the APC has been weakened, damaged, fractured and severed.”

    On Monday, the APC national leadership said a caretaker committee to be led by Bashir Bolarinwa shall be appointed to head the Kwara State executive committee of the party.

    It added that caretaker committees would also be constituted in the wards and local government areas of the state.

    “The NWC at its meeting of 30th July, 2018, examined the unfolding developments within the party in Kwara State,” the party stated.

    “Specifically, the irregularities that characterised the conduct and outcome of the congresses that produced the leadership of the party at all levels.

    “The committee also reviewed the actions of some of the leaders of the party that emerged from the above congresses who participated in an open rally calling on the Senate President to decamp to the PDP,” the resolution said.

    It added that after a careful and exhaustive deliberation on the issues and other developments in the party’s Kwara chapter, the NWC invoked its constitutional power to dissolve all the state’s organs.

    This it added, was in pursuant to the provisions of article 13.4 (xvi) and (xvii) of the party’s Constitution.

    According to the resolution, the appointment of Bolarinwa as the chairman of the caretaker committee of the state executive committee shall take immediate effect.

    The embattled Senate President and Kwara Governor are yet to react to this development.

  • NYSC Losses corps member in Kwara camp

    NYSC Losses corps member in Kwara camp

    Miss Hilda Ichee Amadi, a corps member at the National Youth Service Corps orientation camp at Yikpata in Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State is reportedly dead.

    The corps member was said to have suffered a bone fracture during the morning drill on April 23 and was rushed to the camp’s clinic.

    Sources said she was later taken to a government hospital in Ilorin when her condition degenerated.

    She reportedly died in the hospital.

    Amadi was a graduate of the University of Port Harcourt.

    The Kwara State Public Relations Officer, NYSC, Mr. Oladipo Morakinyo confirmed the demise of the corps member.

    He stated that the circumstances of Amadi’s death and its cause will soon be made public. He added that autopsy and coronary reports were being awaited.

  • Ijakadi Festival to be included in National Calendar – Minister

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed says that the Ijakadi Festival in Offa, Kwara State will be included in the National Festival Calendar in 2018.

    The Minister stated this at the grand finale of the 2017 celebration of Ijakadi (traditional wrestling) festival in Offa near Ilorin in Kwara.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the festival was also attended by the Minister of Communication Adebayo Shittu, among other prominent dignitaries.

    Mohammed who was a guest of honour at the event said Ijakadi festival had come to stay and grown from strength to strength in celebration of rich Offa culture.

    He said that the significance of the festival was not just about the history of the people, rather a celebration of the virtues of “equity, justice and wisdom”.

    The Minister said that the festival also showcased the affinity between the Offa and Ile-Ife, and how Moremi Ajasoro, the daughter of Offa rescued the Ife Kingdom from the `Igbo’ marauder.

    “The festival is significant to our culture because it tells us that we are people with very rich cultural background and strong morals.

    “What we have come here to celebrate is history that dated back to 14th century.

    “We have an MoU with the British Council through which every year, we train festival managers all over the country.

    “I want to assure you that the Ijakadi festival will benefit from this training.

    “This kind of festival is one of the reasons why this government has placed so much emphasis on our culture being encouraged and we are going to put Offa in the world map.”

    The minister said that the government would assist to put the festival on the world records to attract people from across the globe.

    The traditional ruler of Offa, Oba Mufutau Okikiola thanked the two ministers and other dignitaries for attending the festival.

    He said the annual event was an opportunity to bring the Offa indigenes home and abroad together to celebrate the rich heritage and culture of the ancient town and its tourism industry potential.

    The Oba called on the Federal government to give traditional institution the opportunity to contribute to national development.

    Also speaking, the National President of Offa Descendant Union, Alhaji Najeem Yasin said the festival had come to stay.

    Yasin, who is the National President of National Union of Road Transport Workers, urged the government to include the festival in national Calendar to attract tourists in and outside the country.

    NAN reports that the festival started with a traditional processions and performances by districts, family houses as well as traditional gun shots.

    Prayers were offered by leaders of the five districts that constituted Offa for the Oba, the town, the state and the nation.

    Tracing the history of the Ijakadi festival through a dramatic performance, the traditional dramatists depicted the story of two brothers who went to a farm and harvested three yams each.

    Coming from the farm, they got to a river to take their birth and one of them lost a tuber of yam in the river.

    Because none of the two brothers wanted to return home with two tubers, an argument ensued which resulted in a fierce fight between them.
    While the fight was going on, an elderly man, a hunter, stepped in, stopped the fight and requested to know the cause.

    The two brothers narrated the cause of the fight both claiming ownership to three of the five yams.

    In resolving the case, the elderly man appreciated the loss of the yam and wanted the two brothers to return home happily.

    He took one of five yams, covered his eyes sliced it into two equal sizes and shared the contentious yams two and half equally between the two brothers.

    He explained that the act depicted the principle of equity, justice and fairness, which governed the traditional Ofa Kingdom.

    There was also a symbolic slicing of a yam into two equal sizes as a reenactment of how the quarrel was settled between the two brothers.

    NAN reports that the festival also witnessed traditional wrestling bouts among representatives of the five Offa districts in different categories.

    The climax of the festival was the traditional wresting bout between the traditional ruler, Olofa of Offa and a First Class traditional Chief of the town, the Eesa of Offa Land.

    Matching to the wrestling pitch, the families of the Oba as well as the Eesa were singing war songs to the effect that it is their respective leader that will win the bout.

    Twice the symbolic fight took place, the Olofa defeated the Eesa who at each time gave excuses that he was slipped.

    It was however explained that the Olofa must win the bout annually to reassert his supremacy over the land, the chiefs and the indigene.

    NAN also reports that there was also horse raising competition among the five Offa districts while a raffle draw concluded the event.

    The star prize for the draw was a motor bike while the first and second Runner up for draw went home with a generator and a flat screen television respectively.

     

    NAN

  • Unilorin don wins N5m research grant on heart burn disease

    An Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Dr. Abdullahi Olokoba, has been awarded the Astra Zeneca Research Grant, worth about N5million.

    Olokoba told newsmen on Tuesday in Ilorin that the grant would help to advance research in the study of Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD, also known as heart burn).

    According to him, the research will be conducted with a team of scholars across departments of medicine from Nigerian University Teaching Hospitals and Federal Medical Centres.

    The scientist clinched the grant following the submission of a proposal entitled “Gastro-oesophageal Reflux Disease in Nigeria: A Population-Based Study”.

    According to Olokoba, the research is necessary because the prevalence of GERD in Africa is not clearly known.

    He explained that the continent was conspicuously missing in the global map of GERD, which was known to affect between 10 and 20 percent of the population in western countries.

    Olokoba, also the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of Kwara State General Hospital, Ilorin, described GERD as the clinical condition that develops when gastric contents find their way into the oesophagus.

    “This causes troublesome symptoms such as heartburn and regurgitation or complications such as Barrett’s oesophagus and oesophageal adenocarcinoma that can require surgical intervention,” he said.

  • University of Ilorin promotes 583 staff

    The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali, has approved the promotion of 583 staff, cutting across all cadres of the institution.

    This is contained in a memo from the Office of the Registrar, titled: “List of newly promoted staff with effect from Oct.1, 2016’’ and made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Ilorin.

    It stated that promotions to the professorial cadre were still awaiting ratification by the authorities.

    It further stated that the promotion was a fulfillment of the Vice-Chancellor’s promise that no deserving staff would be denied his or her promotion as at when due.

    The memo stated that those promoted included 112 academic staff, 127 registry staff, 245 professionals and technical staff and 99 junior staff.

    The memo said that the promotion committee carried along heads of departments in the exercise.

    “The 112 academic staff promoted comprised 36 senior lecturers, 41lecturers to Lecturer I category and 35 lecturers to Lecturer II category while others came from technical, registry and medical departments of the university,” the statement said.