OGBOMOSO INFO

                        Mallam AK Bello Mallam Abdulkareem Bello, a popular Islamic scholar, businessman, and community leader is dead.  He died in the early hours of Monday. A leading transporter who is popularly known as Mallam AK Bello will be buried today in Ogbomoso according to Islamic rites. He is survived by children and grandchildren. 

  Festus ADEDAYO While touring Northern Nigerian provinces in the 1950s to canvass for votes, Ahmadu Bello, the great-great grandson of Uthman dan Fodio and Premier of the Northern region, used to have his flowing robes stuffed with banknotes which he then distributed to the electorate. For the Sardauna, that munificence took the place of campaigning. This was aptly captured by John Meagher, in his ‘The Establishment of Military Government in Nigeria’ of February 16, 1966, with additional information from the National Archives and Research Administration (NARA) in Maryland, USA. So, on May 29, 2023, rather than victors in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential, national assembly, gubernatorial and house of assembly primaries, money will be the Superman that will get sworn into office. Considering its overriding role in the primaries of the Nigerian political parties in the last few weeks, it will be grossly unfair not to give money its due ...

                      Senator Teslim Folarin A three-term senator representing Oyo central senatorial district, Teslim Folarin, has won the All Progressives Congress, APC, gubernatorial primary to fly the party’s flag in Oyo State. Folarin has 954 votes while his closest challenger, Adebayo Adelabu scored 327. Other contestants are Niyi Akintola, Akeem Agbaje, Azeez Adeduntan, and Hakeem Alao.

  To be born into royal lineage does not confer automatic kingship status on all princes . Princes are born but kings are made through divine intervention. The Imperial Majesty, late Alayeluwa Oba Jimoh Oladunni Oyewumi Ajagungbade III JP, CON, Soun of Ogbomoso was born on May 27, 1926- a month after the birth of another monarch, Queen Elizabeth II of England. His father was His royal highness Oba Bello Oyewumi and his mother was Alhaja Selia Olatundun Adunni Oyewumi. Oba Bello Oyewumi married many wives and had 63 children. As fate dictated,31 of the children were female, a situation not quite attractive to the monarchy in those days because they would rather have preferred male children because of the succession imperative. In the case of Oba Bello Oyewumi, his children all lived together in peace and harmony in the royal palace. Prince Oladunni Oyewumi was the youngest of his mother’s three male children , a development which attracted open rivalry, serious recriminations, and u...

    By Inaolaji Olayode It is no news that strike is ongoing in the Nigerian universities now. Though in Nigeria, the issue of the strike is not strange. But this just to reveal the crystal fact. However, the adverse effect these incessant strikes inflict on the students is nothing to write home about. Since the formal public announcement was made by the Academic Staff Union of the Universities (ASUU) some months ago, the innocent students have been staying with their parents and guardians at home. This can, without doubt, be tagged as a waste of their precious time. One popular saying goes thus: “An idle hand is a devil’s workshop.” This quote aptly describes this present situation in the country. As a result, some students may fall into the trap of being used as political thugs, which can put a stain on their immaculate cloth of integrity. The incessant strike is a bane to the development of the country and its quality of education. It has been said that a nation cannot be d...

  The Oyo State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress, APC has postponed its gubernatorial primary scheduled to hold today.  It was gathered that the primary was postponed after one of the aspirants complained about the security situation at the venue of the exercise. The gubernatorial primary committee led by Sen. Tokunbo Afikuyomi, INEC officials, party chieftains, and the five aspirants, were already at Liberty Stadium (now Obafemi Awolowo Stadium), the venue of the exercise before the decision was taken. It was gathered that the aspirant complained about the security arrangement, stressing that thugs had gained access into the main bowl of the stadium where the exercise will hold. It was gathered that following the aspirant’s complaint, the committee decided to postpone the exercise to Friday, May 27, 2022.

  The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Oyo State Council on Wednesday demanded for justice from the State Police Command over the assault meted to a Reporter of the The Nation Newspaper, Yinka Adeniran at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial primary in Ibadan.  The NUJ in a statement signed by its Chairman, Ademola Babalola regretted that the officer of the Command who went overboard and attacked the harmless reporter did not show any remorse when the NUJ leadership demanded for why the reporter was assaulted. Babalola said such an uncivilised and vicious attack on Adeniran was condemnable and therefore demanded that justice be done, because the image of the said officer had trended on social media platforms and the police should therefore ensure the officer is brought to book. Adeniran is a reporter attached to the Oyo state Governor’s Office. Adeniran had fingered the said officer who was armed with AK47 when NUJ Leader sought to know what went wrong and why h...

                Governor Seyi Makinde The Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, on Wednesday, emerged the winner of the gubernatorial primary of the Peoples Democratic Party. Makinde polled a total of 1,040 delegates votes to defeat his rival, Chief Hazeem Gbolarunmi who had two votes. The primary was held at Lekan Salami Stadium, Adamasingba, Ibadan.  Announcing the result, the returning officer, Ben Obi, represented by Abdullahi MaiBasia, said Makinde emerged as the PDP governorship candidate for Oyo State having polled the highest number of valid votes.

  A federal high court in Abuja has delivered a judgement in favour of the federal government and the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) on the spending of local government joint accounts nationwide. Inyang Ekwo, a justice, gave the ruling on Monday, according to a statement signed by Ahmed Dikko, chief media analyst, NFIU. The intelligent unit had in June 2019 issued guidelines aimed at curbing crime vulnerabilities created by cash withdrawals from local government accounts by various state governments. The guideline, which was on money laundering risk and vulnerabilities, advised all banks not to honour transactions from joint accounts. It also reduced cash withdrawal from local government accounts to N500,000 daily. The guideline further directed that the states/local governments’ joint accounts should be used only for receiving funds and subsequently transferring them to local government accounts only. “Immediately after the guidelines came into place, most local gover...

  As part of the process to meet deadlines fixed by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Oyo State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has conducted its primary elections to present candidates for 3 senatorial districts and 14 House of Representatives seats for Oyo State come 2023 general elections. Delegates from all the 33 local governments in Oyo State have elected the party’s flag bearers for House of Senate and House of Representatives elections ahead of 2023. There were accusations and alleged imposition in a few local government areas in the state.  Below is the list of PDP senatorial and House of Representatives candidates ahead of the 2023 general elections: 1. Oyo South Senatorial District — Mogaji Joseph Tegbe 2. Oyo Central Senatorial District — Chief Ilaka 3. Oyo North Senatorial District — Hon. Akinwole Solomon Akinwale 1. Ibadan North Federal Constituency – Lanre Sarumi 2. Oluyole Federal Constituency – Majeed Mogbojunbola 3. Akinyele ...

  By Lasisi Olagunju “My brother will give 15,000 dollars. Initially, he was working on 2,500 per delegate but when Ibrahim entered the race and offered 10,000, my brother had to jack his own up to 15,000. The delegates told him not to do anything for them again after winning the election.” I eavesdropped and heard this statement in a public place last week in a southwest city. I had to double-check from a friend who was with me there. Did I hear right? My friend told me I did – and the guy truly had a brother contesting the senatorial primary of one of the big parties. I tried to do a quick calculation of how much $15,000 was in Nigeria. I thought that would translate to about N7 million per delegate for a senatorial primary! My friend told me my calculation was wrong. He said I used CBN rate. He reminded me that no one uses traceable FOREX from banks to do politics. Nigeria’s financial system feeds the black market which in turn feeds the dark world of elections in Nigeria. It is...

  Oyo State Governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has flagged off the state’s citizens registration exercise, declaring that his administration on would establish a comprehensive database and proper identity management system. He said that exercise would also aid effective planning in the state. Makinde, who stated this while officially flagging off the state resident’s registration exercise held at the executive council chambers of the Governor’s office, Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan, added that the exercise will enable the government know the exact number of residents of the State. A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr Taiwo Adisa indicated that though Nigeria has a challenge of identity management, Oyo state was determined to achieve what the federal government could not by establishing a system to know, who is who and who lives where. The statement commended the team handling the exercise led by the Special Assistant to the Governor on ICT and e-governance, Hon. Bayo Aka...

  The story of football dribbling wizard, Godwin Odiye, is told almost like a legend in Nigerian football. A former Nigerian international defender, Odiye’s football career began to lustre when he signed on to play with the third division league side, Nestle and thereafter, National Bank of Lagos.  While he featured in the Nigerian national football team that played FIFA World Cup qualifying matches and the 1976 and 1980 African Cup of Nations finals, Odiye’s football achievements paled into insignificance when put beside a 1977 calamity that his foot wrought on the field of play. Gradually, all his remarkable footballing sensations, beginning with playing left-half back for St Finbarr’s College and Academicals in 1975, took flight, to be replaced in national memory by the unpalatable optics of how he scored an own goal against Nigeria in a 1978 World Cup qualifying match against Tunisia. On the field of play this day, November 12, 1977, was national exhilaration. Though the f...

  The Oyo State Government on Saturday restated its commitment to engendering cultural values for social stability and development in the state. The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatunbosun said this today, in a statement commemorating the 2022 World Culture Day. Dr. Olatunbosun also charged residents to utilise cultural diversity for the development of the State, noting that every year on May 21st, the World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development is celebrated. He therefore urged everyone to do their part to bridge the gap between cultures, adding that the day is often referred to as Diversity Day. According to Olatunbosun, the Oyo state Government is in tandem with the United Nations belief in bridging cultural diversity gap. He added that this is essential for peace, development and stability in Oyo State, “when we deepen our understanding of the values of cultural diversity.” Olatunbosun further stated that the Engr. Seyi Makinde...

  By Adewuyi Adegbite The role of academics in any nation’s development cannot be underestimated. Academics, the world over, are agents of development. They engage in researches for the basis of policy making in all vital sectors of a nation. They form the academic staff in universities, colleges, research institutes and the likes. The trained students in all fields of human endeavours – arts, sciences and technology, law, education, among others – are products of the academics. Academics also form part of appointments into vital government agencies as heads of parastatals, research institutes, boards and so on. In addition, they serve as work force in any nation that can stand to any government, be it civilian or military. These vital roles played by academics make them to be respected and, too, their opinions are respected by policy makers. Nigerian academics have not been found wanting in their vital roles as enumerated above. Not only that, they perform these perfectly well and...

   The Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr Seyi Makinde has said that the 76.67km Ogbomoso-Fapote-Iseyin road will be named after Late Governor Adebayo Alao-Akala upon completion. Governor Makinde disclosed this during the flag-off ceremony of the road project on Wednesday at Adeniran Memorial Grammar School, Ogbomoso, and added that the late Governor Abebayo Alao-Akala contributed immensely to the growth of the state. "The Ogbomoso – Iseyin – Fapote road will be named Adebayo Alao-Akala Highway. I will put conspicuous signs along the road stating it is Adebayo Alao-Akala highway”, he said. Speaking at the event, Makinde said he would always honour his predecessors and elder statesmen who had contributed immensely to the growth and development of Oyo state at various times or the other. The Governor who hosted Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the event, said the logic behind the road is to link farm produce to cities within Oyo State and outside the state, add...

  The Police Service Commission (PSC), has confirmed John Ogbonnaya Amadi as a substantive Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) and has also approved Zama Bala Senchi’s appointment as a Deputy Inspector General of Police, and erstwhile chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu; Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Ngozi Onadeko, as Assistant Inspector-General of Police. Magu, who is the most senior in CP’s cadre, had missed the last two promotions after returning to policing job. The Nigerian Tribune Newspaper reports that other CPs promoted to AIGs were Abraham Egong Ayim, Okunlola Kola Kamaldeen, Andrew Amieengheme, Akeera Mohammed Younous, Celestine Amechi Elumelu and Danladi Bitrus Lalas (Airwing). The PSC also approved the promotion of 23 deputy commissioners to the rank of Commissioners of Police, with 31 Assistant Commissioners becoming Deputy Commissioners of Police and 63 Chief Superintendents of Police promoted to Assistant Commissione...

                Deborah Samuel Yakubu By Festus Adedayo Distressing pieces of bad news are everywhere. From the murder of Miss Deborah Samuel Yakubu by students of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto last Thursday, to the immediate distancing of Nigerian politicians from her killing, hope that a post-Muhammadu Buhari Nigeria will not be clone of its unjust and inequitable era seems to be fading. Between the Deborah murder, the political mockery on the political arena and the lack of regards for Nigerians by Nigerian rulers, two explainers respond to the distresses: They are the Sekere and the forest. Sekere, the Yoruba musical instrument, is reputed never to be found wherever tears are being shed. Made of a gourd that is knitted round by beads and which its user twists, shakes or slaps to produce a medley of exciting sounds, Sekere and sorrow are strange bedfellows as this musical instrument can never be found in an assemblage of poets en...