Photos as Ooni of Ife visits Lagos Assembly, meets with Obasa
The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa, on Monday hosted His Imperial Majesty (HIM) Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogúnwusi, Ojaja II, the Ooni of Ife.
Clad in his traditional royal apparel, Oba Ogunwusi, who arrived the Assembly complex at about 1.30pm, immediately went into a meeting with Speaker Obasa.
The Ooni of Ife left after the brief meeting just before the House commenced the day’s plenary.
Oba Ogunwusi had been a friend of the Lagos State House of Assembly.
In 2016, he commended the House of Assembly for its laudable steps towards promoting and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Yorubas.
In 2017, when he led some chiefs on a visit to the House, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Ogunwusi urged other state Houses of Assembly in the Southwest to emulate the Lagos State House of Assembly in the promotion of Yoruba Language.
“I am very happy to be here and see the Lagos State House of Assembly, using Yoruba language to conduct its activities. I therefore enjoin all other Houses of Assembly in Yoruba Land to take a cue from this House.
“People in other countries honour and cherish Yoruba language, but sadly here at home, we seem not to cherish what is ours.
“I therefore urge the Lagos State House of Assembly, to do all within its power to persuade other state Assemblies in Yoruba speaking areas, to see the sense, in conducting their House businesses in Yoruba, as this, is one of the surest way to promote our language and cultural heritage,” the revered traditional ruler said during that visit.
Meanwhile, the House, on Monday, passed a bill to establish a training institute for law enforcement officers in the State.
The ‘Bill for the Establishment of Lagos State Training Institute, to provide for the training of law enforcement officers,’ was read for the third time and subsequently passed at a sitting presided over by Speaker Obasa.
Obasa, thereafter, directed the Clerk of the House, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, to send a clean copy of the Bill to the State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for assent.
*He has delivered on key components of governance – Senate President Lawan
A sudden excitement seizes on Kwara as you read; it’s subdued yet electric. The chatter pauses for an instant, then erupts with cultured determination, sometimes, in wild abandon. Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq is on song. He is the poetised visionary and the crowning progressive, the nurturant leader on whose watch Kwara has regained its greening.
Governor Abdulrazaq has earned the citizenry’s good graces, no doubt. He is a revolutionary leader and Prince Charming in one breadth. Before him there was nothing. Kwara careened and listed to the plunder of rapacious oligarchs. But at Abdulrazaq’s foray into the state’s political arena, Kwara, hitherto distraught, like the proverbial bride who lost her beauty and allure to the ravage of foul-minded suitors.
Kwara, proudly identified as the “State of Harmony,” lost its congruent repose amid the ruckus of rancorous oligarchs. The state, erstwhile notable for its rich melange of culture and ethnicity, lost its fabled peace and unity to the dissembling of felonious sons of the soil.
But no sooner did Governor Abdulrazaq assume the mantle of office than Kwara experienced the rejuvenation that eluded it throughout the locust years of the Bukola Saraki-led People’s Democratic Party (PDP) government and Saraki’s successor, Abdulfattah Ahmed’s unremarkable administration.
Infinitely gracious and sagacious, yet elaborately simple, Governor Abdulrazaq, has redirected the affairs of the state towards more promising trajectories, since he took over.
With unequalled grace, he has quietly gained the confidence of his people courtesy of the massive developmental projects that he initiated in the state. Many of these projects are ongoing in the state.
For instance, before his administration came into being, pipe-borne water was hard to come by in the state. Most residents relied on water tankers for their daily usage, while some who have the means provided their personal water supply system. Even the Government House suffered a dearth of water supply hence it also patronised the water vendors. This was undoubtedly an eyesore in the estimation of concerned citizens and illustrious sons of Kwara State, like Abdulrazaq, hence he intervened.
To put an end to this ugly situation, within his first year in office, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq embarked on projects that will ensure a seamless supply of water in the state. These include; rehabilitation of Lafiagi Water Works, rehabilitation of Asa-Dam Water Works, rehabilitation of Patigi Water Works, rehabilitation of Igbaja Water Works, rehabilitation of Kaiama Water Works, rehabilitation of Gwanara Water Works, rehabilitation of Up Kwara Water.
The Governor also ensured the refurbishment of Agbabiaka Water Tanks Ilorin, rehabilitation of Yashikira Waterworks, rehabilitation of Oro-Ago Water Works, Inter-connection of Eastern Reservoir, and Awolowo Road in Tanke, diversion of ductile iron pipes across Alagbado stream, repair of Lafiagi Water Works and its environment, among others.
Abdulrazaq’s intervention attains better resonance at the heel of water scarcity foisted on the state by previous administrations. In 2019, for instance, just about 6,725 households were connected to public water sources in Kwara. However, none of these households was getting water since the waterworks were either non-active, inoperative even as water corporation staffs were on strike to protest their unpaid salaries. The people were left at the mercy of politicians who moved round with water tankers in exchange for votes.
This has changed. To date, Governor Abdulrazaq’s administration has increased the number of households connected to public water supply to 10,426, that is, about 55 percent with defined access to potable water.
The number of public water stand pipes has risen by 1,107 more, or 72.31%. Measured against the population of the state, the figure is low but it represents a significant turnaround in the system. The administration has not only revived many of the moribund waterworks, including the one in Oyun, it is also building two new ones in Jebba (Moro) and Dumagi (Edu).
Aside from his remarkable success at restoring the state’s water supply, Governor Abdulrazaq has scored inspiring feats in the state’s erstwhile comatose education sector. Since he assumed office, Governor Abdulrazaq has given priority to education in the state. The sector had hitherto suffered neglect by previous administrations leading to the state being blacklisted from accessing the Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) fund for more than seven years before his emergence as the governor.
It would be recalled that, prior to Abdulrazaq’s emergence as Kwara governor, the state foundered under the leadership of his immediate past predecessor, Ahmed. A major legacy of the Ahmed and Saraki administrations was the ghostly nature of the Kwara hinterlands.
That was a function of many things, atop of which is the lack of basic amenities like functional schools with teachers, healthcare facilities, drinkable water, and access roads.
Most schools in the Kwara hinterlands were without teachers, worsening the out-of-school children syndrome and drastically reducing the quality of education. In Isin and Oke Ero local governments, for instance, less than 50 percent of their senior secondary school teachers’ needs were met. Kaiama had just 68 teachers, falling below 45 percent of its needs, across its vast communities. Patigi had just 121, while Ekiti boasted just 135.
Abdulrazaq’s intervention in education, however, ensured new dawn of effectiveness and promise in the state; on his watch, Kwara accessed a backlog of N7.1 billion UBEC counterpart funds with a matching grant of N7.1 billion – these funds have been instrumental in no small measure to the gradual repositioning of schools and general improvement in education delivery in Kwara. The state is also carrying out renovation works in, at least, 43 basic schools. With the grants from UBEC now in the state coffers, about 600 basic schools are to get a facelift while teachers are also to be trained.
In order to increase the quality of education in the state, the governor recruited 4,701 qualified and competent teachers into the public primary, junior and senior secondary schools in the state.
The private school owners have also profited from his developmental efforts in the education sector. During the COVID-19 pandemic, proprietors of 1,119 private schools were given soft loans to help cushion the effects of the pandemic due to the shutdown.
Enthusing about Abdulrazaq’s achievements, incumbent Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, recently rated him very high on performance and project deliveries, saying his administration’s achievements have surpassed that of his predecessors, Bukola Saraki, and Abdulfatah Ahmed. According to Lawan, Governor Abdulrazaq has achieved in two years, what Saraki and Ahmed struggled to achieve all through 16 years of their administration.
Saraki, who is also Lawan’s predecessor as Senate President was Kwara’s governor from 2003 to 2011, while Ahmed took over from him in 2011 to 2019 before the ‘Otoge’ movement that ushered in the incumbent governor on the platform of All Progressives Congress.
Speaking in Kwara, at the mega constituency empowerment programme organised by Senator Umar Sadiq representing Kwara North in the National Assembly, Lawan urged Kwara residents to support Abdulrazaq in consolidating on his remarkable achievements in the last two years.
The Senate president said the governor’s administration has delivered on key components of governance in a style not seen before over the past decade in the state.
Likewise, a former member of Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Abdulmumin Katibi, said, “In May 2019, water tankers were the source of potable water in most parts of Ilorin, the capital city, even in the Government House. Today, pipe-borne water is back and stable in the metropolis while nearly 500 boreholes have either been dug or rehabilitated across the state. No fewer than nine waterworks have been fixed since this governor came on board while contracts for more have been awarded.”
A Yaba Chief Magistrate’s Court in Lagos State, on Monday, granted bail in the sum of one million Naira to the Lagos Island Branch B chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers charged with murder.
The NURTW Chairman, Azeez Lawal (a.k.a Kunle Poly), is charged along with one Adekanbi Wahab, 38.
Chief Magistrate, Linda Balogun, also transferred the case to a high court, stating that a prima facie case had been established against the defendants.
According to Balogun, Lawal, aged 48, is to be tried for accessory after the fact to murder while Wahab will face trial for membership of an unlawful society.
She added that the DPP advised that three other defendants, whose names were mentioned in the advice though they were charged separately from the two defendants, should be discharged.
She transferred the case to a high court.
A lawyer from the DPP, Mrs O. R. Saliu, had told the court that the legal advice was ready and in the court’s file.
Following an application by counsel to both defendants, Mr Adeshina Okulana, who told the court that the defendants had been in custody for 78 days, the chief magistrate granted each of them one million Naira bail.
Balogun also ordered that the defendants should produce two sureties each as part of the bail condition.
She held that one of the sureties must be a traditional ruler or religious leader, adding that both sureties must reside within the court’s jurisdiction.
She held that a self-employed person would not stand as the surety, adding that any civil servant wishing to stand as the surety must get a letter from the Head of Service of Lagos State.
Balogun adjourned the case until May 11 for the report on the filing of the case at a high court.
The defendants were charged with conspiracy to commit murder, murder and membership of an unlawful society.
They were remanded for an initial period of 30 days on Jan. 27 and another 30 days on Feb. 28.
Balogun earlier remanded the defendants at the Police Zonal Monitoring Unit, Zone 2 Headquarters, Onikan, and subsequently, at Ikoyi Custodial Centre.
The alleged offences contravene Section 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015, and Section 3 of the Anti-cultism Law of Lagos State, 2021.
Tthere was some pandemonium earlier today at the Gate Bus stop, Ipaja which left one person dead.
It was, however reported that Operative of the Lagos Rapid Response Squad (RRS) has arrested the killer of a person who died in the violence and other suspects.
Also restored has been normalcy in the area, while intensive patrols are ongoing.
“So sad!!! One of my boy was killed today by Hausa okada man @ abesan Estate gate bus stop mosan okunola lcda Alimosho area too much riot is going on now. Am really appreciate Lagos State commitional of police, area f command,area p command, and woman like man Mrs tokunbo dpo Ipaja division.
“More over Hausa people over 50 was arrested by police with their okada. Next updating still coming. REST IN PERFECT PEACE MY BOY,” @Ola Federal, a Twitter user said.
The Governments of the United Kingdom and France on Monday said they are not happy with footage of mass graves in Bucha, Ukraine, days after the Russian military forces withdrew from the area to another part of the country.
The First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Emine Dzheppar, tweeted photos of “people deliberately killed by Russian occupants” in Bucha but the Russian Defence Ministry denied the development describing it as a “hoax”.
The defense ministry stated that all Russian Units withdrew completely from Bucha by March 30 while the photos were circulated from April 4.
It added: “During the time that the town has been under the control of the Russian armed forces, not a single local resident has suffered from any violent action.
“The so-called evidence of crimes in Bucha did not emerge until the fourth day, when the security service of Ukraine and Representatives of Ukrainian media arrived in the town. “
But UK prime minister, Boris Johnson refused to agree with the Russia side.
“The discovery of more mass graves outside Kyiv is sickening. The UK will not stand by whilst this indiscriminate and unforgivable slaughter takes place.
“We are working to ensure those responsible are held to account. We will not rest until justice is done,” Johnson tweeted on Monday.
On its part, the France government said Russian government must answer for “these crimes”.
“The images coming from Bucha are unbearable. In the streets, hundreds of civilians were cowardly murdered. We express our sympathy for the victims, our solidarity with the Ukrainians,” the France government tweeted on Monday.
Meanwhile, the Russian government has requested for a United Nation Security Council meeting today so as to defend itself on the recent development around Bucha.
WEMA BANK announces 108.3% growth in Profit Before Tax
+ Total Assets now above ₦1Trillion Naira
Wema Bank Plc’s resilience was on display as the digitally driven financial institution announced its financial results for the year ended December 31, 2021. The performance which capped a remarkable year showed strong growth in key financial indices especially as the bank crossed the ₦1trillion mark in total assets.
In a statement made to the public by Wema Bank, the Managing Director. Mr. Ademola Adebise said, “I am delighted to announce our performance for the year ended 31st December 2021. The Bank’s FY 2021 results shows robust growth in all key financial metrics despite the challenging macro-economic environment.
“Our year end numbers highlight the strong growth trajectory of the WEMA Bank. We comfortably crossed the ₦1trillion mark in total assets, with a share of approximately 3% of industry deposits.”
Wema Bank recorded an increase of 108.3% in profit before tax (PBT) to close the year at N12.38 billion. This was driven by a Year-on-Year growth of 15.35% in gross earnings to ₦92.14billion in FY 2021 from ₦79.88billion in FY 2020.
The Chief Finance Officer of the Bank, Mr. Tunde Mabawonku noted that “a key measure of success for us is a consistent growth in our balance sheet and customer base – and we are glad that we are reporting healthy growth in all these areas.”
Deposit Liabilities grew by 15.23% to ₦927.47billion in FY 2021 from ₦804.87billion in FY 2020 while Total Asset increased by 20.23% to ₦1.164.52billion in FY 2021 from ₦968.58billion in FY 2020.
Mr Mabawonku also added that, ” Looking forward, we expect that the strong growth will be sustained despite the tough business climate as we execute our customer experience improvement initiatives built around a digital first banking strategy and become first in class in that sphere. The bank will also continue to focus on our digital business, which is a key boost for customer acquisition, consumer lending and transaction volumes while not neglecting our corporate and commercial play.
” On our commercial business, we will continue our aggressive strategy to improve our lending business alongside trade and other revenue lines. We have also unveiled our new Mission and Vision statements which underpins our corporate strategy. We want to be the dominant digital platform in Africa delivering seamless financial service’.
Gross earnings increased by 15.35% (Y-o-Y) to ₦92.14billion in FY 2021 from ₦79.88billion in FY 2020.Profit Before Tax (PBT) of ₦12.3billion in FY’21, an increase of 108.26% YoY from N5.95billion in FY’20 while. Profit After Tax (PAT) of ₦8.93billion in FY’21, representing an increase of 94.53% YoY from N4.59billion in FY’2020.
Net-Interest Income grew to ₦39.87billion in FY 2021from ₦30.86billion in FY 2020; growth of 29.22%.Non-Interest Income also increased from ₦16.83billion in FY 2021 to ₦18.83billion; a growth of 11.91%.
Deposit Liabilities up by 15.23% to ₦927.47billion in FY 2021 from ₦804.87billion in FY 2020. Loans and Advances to Customers rose by 16.33% to ₦418.86billion in FY 2021 from ₦360.08billion in FY 2020.
Similarly, Total Asset increased by 20.23% to ₦1.164.52billion in FY 2021 from ₦968.58billion in FY 2020.Key RatiosReturn on average equity of 17.26% in FY 2021 (FY 2020)
MKO Abiola’s daughter, Hafusat has landed in trouble with trolls on twitter after saying Governor Yahaya Bello has same qualities as her father.
She made this statement in an interview session following her appointment as the director general of Governor Yahaya Bello’s presidential ambition.
Several Nigerians have described this statement as unpleasant considering the status Abiola attained while he was alive compared to what Yahaya Bello has done in Kogi state.
Read some reactions below
The profile of Sister Hafsat in the struggle to sustain the legacies of her father is unquestionable;but comparing Bello to Abiola is oddly unconscionable and Bogus.
— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) April 4, 2022
I agree. MKO Abiola the coup financier was a “hero of democracy” the same way Murtala Mohammed the genocidaire was a “founding father.”
It’s death that has sanitised and deodorised the stench surrounding these execrable men from Nigeria’s past. https://t.co/KB01QguiYG
— David Hundeyin (@DavidHundeyin) April 4, 2022
MKO Abiola’s daughter really said that Yahaya Bello has same qualities with her father? Maybe we should send our gratitude to IBB for annulling that election.
— Aminu Ibn Massaga (@masagz4u) April 4, 2022
Standards are so low we have people now comparing MKO Abiola with Yahaya Bello. Is Yahaya Bello ready to die for his priniciples – assuming he has any?
— Dr Ayo Sogunro (@ayosogunro) April 4, 2022
The campaign marriage between Hafsat Abiola, a Harvard Grad.and Yaya Bello reminds me of the Chude-Debola rebranding for Pres. Buhari..politics is such a beautiful thing because it pays little attention to morals but interests.
Where your heart is,
so shall your pocket be also.
— theonly1acre (@theonly1acre) April 3, 2022
Hafsat Abiola disrespected the late MKO Abiola by comparing her dad to
The Kogi thief!
…must you drag your late dad to your greedy-selfish-poverty-Pocket filled mission???
Hafsat why? 🤦♂️
The only place left for Yahaya Bello is prison to answer all the corruption charges.
— Otunba GCFRN 🌎 (@beninghone) April 3, 2022
Seeing Harvard and Cambridge trained children of MKO Abiola and Chief Remi Fani Kayode doing hatchet job for someone like Yahaya Bello will always be awkward to me.
— Odun Ola (@abbide) April 3, 2022
Hafsat Abiola, MKO Abiola’s daughter says she’s leading Yaya Bello’s presidential campaign because Bello shares some similarities with her late father. And to think that some of us have been looking at Bello with ordinary eyes fah. Issorite
A 50-year-old pastor, identified as Isaac Akinbola and two female members of his church have been arrested by operatives of the Ogun State Police Command for allegedly assaulting his wife, Dasola Akinbola which led to the death of their eight-month-old baby, Obadiah Akinbola.
Men of the Ogun State Police Command arrested the cleric and two female members identified as Esther Olowolayemo, 29, and Oluwakemi Oshinbajo, 30, over the death of the child.
The development was confirmed in a statement released by the spokesperson of the state police command, Abimbola Oyeyemi.
According to Oyeyemi, the incident happened last Sunday and the cleric and the two female church members were arrested on the same day after the victim complained about the incident.
He said, “The arrest was made following a report lodged at the Awa Ijebu divisional headquarters by the pastor’s wife that she had been having disagreements with her husband over his illicit affair with some female members of the church for some time now.
“She explained that the said husband came to her house at the Ipinle area of Mamu Ijebu with two women, whom she had been suspecting of having illicit affair with him and asked them to beat her up.
“While they were beating her, her eight-month-old baby, Obadiah Akinbola, fell while her husband was urging the two women to beat her thoroughly.
“Upon the report, the DPO Awa Ijebu division, CSP Adewalehinmi Joshua, ordered the arrest of the three suspects, while the woman and her baby were taken to the Mamu Ijebu Health Centre for medical care.
“The woman and the baby were later referred to Blessed Hospital, Oru-Ijebu, where it was discovered that the baby had internal injuries which he sustained when he fell from his mother’s hands during the scuffle.
“The child gave up the ghost on March 28, 2022, while receiving treatment as a result of the internal injuries.
“The remains of the child have been deposited at the General Hospital, Ijebu Igbo mortuary for an autopsy.”
He further stated that the Commissioner of Police in the state, Lanre Bankole, has ordered the suspects to be transfered to the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department for further investigation and arraignment.
The son of DIG Mamman Tsafe(Rtd), Commissioner for Security and Home Affairs in Zamfara, has been shot dead by Bandits
He was killed alongside 3 others when bandits invaded Tsafe town, headquarters of Tsafe local government area of the state, on Sunday night.
The bandits in military uniforms stormed Shiyar Namada area close to the commissioner’s residence and opened fire on people.
Eyewitness reports reveal that some residents spotted the criminals and mistook them for security operatives, so they didn’t bother to raise alarm.
“The commissioner’s son, alongside some other people were seated at the frontage of DIG Ibrahim Mamman Tsafe’s residence during iftar when suddenly the armed men showed up and started firing at every one on sight.”
“During the attack most people observing Tarawih prayer in several mosques around the area and residents had to flee to safety. The armed men later withdrew into the forest. As I’m talking to you I’m at the Waziri’s residence where preparations for their funeral are underway,” a resident revealed.
