₦airaland Forum

Ogun Govt Gives Clarification On Traditional Burial Rites

Ogun State Government has given an explicit clarification on the media reports and attendant public discourse over burial rites of the traditional institutions, describing the comment of Hon. Justice P.O Akinside on the subject matter as personal opinion.

It would be recalled that Hon. Justice P.O Akinside of the Customary Court of Appeal, Ogun State recently delivered a lecture where he submitted that traditional rulers in Ogun State must submit to the customs and burial rites of the traditional institutions they voluntarily joined, having voluntarily joined the traditional institutions.

He added that traditional rulers therefore, forfeit the right to opt out of those same customs even in death.

However, in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to Ogun State Governor on Media and Strategy, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, the comment by the learned judge during the lecture does not amount to a judicial pronouncement in the state as falsely reported by some media platforms.

The statement therefore ,reemphasized the position of law as enshrined in Oba and Chiefs Law of Ogun State 2021, which specifically provides guidelines for the preservation and regulation of traditional rites for traditional rulers .

"For the avoidance of doubt, it is important to reiterate that the comments made by the Honorable Judge were made during a public lecture and do not amount to Judicial pronouncement made in a Judgement in any matter as erroneously reported by some media forums and perhaps as mischievously misrepresented by some members of the public.

"Furthermore, While the statements reflect the personal opinion of the learned judge, it is important to restate the extant position of the law for the avoidance of public misunderstanding.
Traditional rulers are indeed custodians of and are expected to abide by the customs of the traditional institutions they belong to.

"This is however not without limitations as such customs and traditions must conform with and operate within the bounds of the law. Specifically, Sections 55 of the Obas and Chiefs Law of Ogun State 2021 provides a framework for the preservation and regulation of traditional burial rites for traditional rulers. While subsection (ii) of the section acknowledges the right of a traditional ruler to be buried in accordance with customary practices, subsections (iii) to (v) establish procedural safeguards for the application of such customs. The relevant provisions are reproduced below:

“(ii)a Traditional Ruler shall be entitled to be buried in accordance with the customs and traditions of the land, save however, that his body shall not be subjected to any mutilation or cannibalization”

(iii)notwithstanding anything contained in this section, it shall be the responsibility of the relevant Traditional Council to determine the Customary Law and the nature of the Traditional burial rites.

(iv)the determination endorsed by those referred to in (iii) above shall be made by a declaration to be registered with the Commissioner within Twenty-One (21) days of it been so made or of any amendment(s) thereof;

(v)the receipt of the declaration by the Office of the Commissioner shall be deemed to be sufficient proof of the registration.

"From the foregoing, the law clearly recognises the significance of the relevant traditional council on matters of customary law and nature of traditional burial rites, but underscores that their application must be registered, transparent, and subject to oversight by the State Government.

"In addition, Sections 55 and 56 of the Law expressly prohibit certain practices under any circumstances, including but not limited to mutilation, cannibalism, human rituals, and obstruction by anybody of the burial of a deceased traditional ruler by the family. See More importantly, Section 56(ii) makes it a criminal offence to kill or use human parts in the course of any burial rite or installation an Oba or Chief within Ogun State.

"This statutory position remains the definitive authority on what is legally permissible in the conduct of customary burial rites for traditional rulers. Accordingly, while customs are deeply valued and respected, they cannot override the provisions of the law.

"This clarification is necessary to ensure that the public is accurately informed, and to reiterate the unwavering commitment of the Ogun State Government to upholding strict observance to rule of law and promoting lawful cultural practices", the statement read.

Let's imbibe culture of maintainance-Fedpoly Ede Council Chairman

The Chairman, Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Prof. Taiwo Akanbi Olaiya, Esq has advised the Students Union Leadership (SUL) of the institution to imbibe the culture of maintainance.

He gave this advice during the presentation of the refurbished Toyota HIACE BUS, which took place on Thursday, 26th June, 2025

Prof. Olaiya also used the occasion to enjoin the students not to indulge in any behaviour capable of tarnishing the good reputation of the institution, he, therefore, advised them to utilise the bus effectively and also urged them to drive carefully on the road, in his words, to whom much is given much is expected.

The Chairman also emphasised the need for students to reciprocate the management gestures by complying with the extant law of the Polytechnic and they should be seen as a great Ambassador of the institution where ever they found themselves.

In his vote of thanks, the President of the Students Union Leadership (SUL) Comrade Damilare Ayanyemi. Alias Royal thanked the Governing Council and Management for their show of love and guidance always. He then pledged on behalf of the students populace to reciprocate the good gestures by ensuring a crisis free academic activities in the institution

In a related development, the Polytechnic, penultimate Friday, 27th June, 2025 hosted the victorious Team of the institution at the just concluded Nigeria Polytechnic Games (NIPOGA) and Osun State Tertiary Institution Games (OSTIGA) respectively.

Speaking at the occasion which took place at the Conference Room 1of the institution, Prof. Olaiya, enjoined the athletes not to relent in their quest to put the name of the Polytechnic in a global map, he implored coaching crew to redouble their efforts in other games apart from football and Athletics

He also assured the team of Council support always. Earlier in his address, The Rector of the institution, Engr Dr. Sani Man Yahaya, fnse eulogized the exemplary behaviour of the Athletes throughout the games, pledging his total commitment to the welfare of the Athletes, as he charged them to sustain the tempo .

In his remarks, the Assistant Chief Coach, Oluwadare Owoeye thanked the Governing Council and Management for their contributions to the success of the team, Coach Owoeye also used the occasion to inform the management that at the just concluded NIPOGA GAMES in Offa, Kwara State, three (3) athletes excelled in various sports

Ifeoluwa Ajayi won gold medal in Taekwando, he also represented Nigeria in the last All African Games, the same athlete also won a bronze medal in the just concluded National sports festival tagged Gateway 2025. Two female athletes won silver medal in Taekwondo and Athletics for the institution at the NIPOGA games

In his vote of thanks, Owoeye thanked the Governing Council, Management and entire staff of the institution for their show of love and passion for the Athletes, he pledged on behalf of the coaching crew not to relent in their efforts but to build skillful athletes not only for the Polytechnic but Nigeria at large.

Present at the occasion were members of the Governing Council and Top Management of the institution

E-signed
Sola Lawal, mnipr
Ag. Director, Information, Protocol and Public Relations.

PRESS RELEASE

The Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON has approved the constitution of the underlisted Boards in the State This was contained in a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tokunbo Talabi.

The newly constituted boards include;



OGUN STATE UNIVERSAL BASIC EDUCATION BOARD (SUBEB)

Hon. Ifede Joshua - Chairman

Barr. Femi Odufowokan - Member

Hon. Isiaka Aderounmu - Member

Abiodun Donald Ajayi - Member

Rt. Hon. Akeem Balogun - Member

Mrs Kemi Adeogun - Ex-Officio Member

Hon. Wale Adeogun - Ex-Officio Member

Hon. Waheed Ogundele - Ex-Officio Member

Stephen Kolawole Odusanya - Ex-Officio Member

Hon. Moroof Paramole - Ex-Officio Member



OGUN STATE HOUSING CORPORATION

Hon. Yemi Adelani ​ - Chairman

Hon. Suraju Logere -​Member

Fatai Ajigbare​​ -​Member

Olalotan Olusegun​​ - ​Member

Sunday Sowunmi​​ -​Member

Chief Sogbamu Ayinde​ -​Member

Mr. Kolawole Isola​​ - ​Member

Alhaji Abiola Logere​ -​Member

Hon. Idowu Olumuyiwa​ -​Member

Mr. Adeyinka Adeleye​ - ​Member

Adenle Nojeem​​ -​Member



OGUN STATE WATER CORPORATION

​Johnson Fatoki​​ -​Chairman

​Akeran Jimoh​​ -​Member

​Engr. Femi Oyebanjo​ -​Member

​Hon. Gafar Balogun​​ -​Member

Hon. Omowunmi Adewale -​Member

Mrs Ganiyat Abiola Busari -​Member



OGUN STATE TRAFFIC COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT BOARD

Hon Wale Habeeb Ajayi - Chairman





OGUN STATE AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

Hon. Waliu Taiwo - Chairman






Signed

Mr.Tokunbo Talabi
Secretary to the State Government

Tax reform: Abiodun commends Tinubu, says reform will benefit Nigerians



Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has congratulated President Bola Tinubu on signing the tax reform bills into law, saying that the bills would benefit Nigerians and assist in the growth of the economy.



Abiodun, who highlighted the expected gains of President Tinubu's tax reform to include relief for low-income earners, support for small- businesses, increased revenue generation and simplified tax payments, said it was particularly gratifying that the President allowed broad-based consensus by welcoming inputs and criticisms from diverse groups and accommodating people's concerns.



He added that it is particularly significant that the bills are focused on fair and equitable distribution of VAT revenue, enabling states to fund more projects independently.


He said: "To all intents and purposes, President Bola Tinibu's signing into law of four new tax reform bills passed by the National Assembly represents a huge milestone. They are, as the President said, pivotal to Nigeria' s prosperity.


"The bills have been well thought out, grounded in economic research and reflective of the inputs of diverse groups, including the business community, regional organisations, and the Nigerian Governors Forum, among others.


"The bills represent a crystallization of advocacy over the years for transparency and efficiency in tax administration, linking tax transparency to public fund utilization. This is something all Nigerians should be proud of.


"By streamlining taxation and exempting the poor from undue tax burdens, the bills respond to a major demand of economic growth. They will make it easier to attract investment, enhance the ease of doing business, and incentive job creation.


"The message, really, is that good times are ahead for all Nigerians."

Dapo Abiodun and the fake news enterprise

By Kayode Akinmade

IN case you read anything this week claiming that the Ogun State Government announced a multimillion dollar diary deal with Qatari firm, Baladna, just know that it was the fake news enterprise at work. Was Baladna in Ogun State to explore investment opportunities? Yes. But did the Ogun State Government announce that it had reached an agreement with the diary giant? Absolutely not. So how was such a straightforward news misrepresented so badly? Well, the opposition never sleeps, and its reach is wide. It thrives in chaos because the Dapo Abiodun administration is fulfilling its promises and the Ogun populace is taking ample notice, excited at the prospects that lie ahead. This is too much for the naysayers, the men and women of yesterday who told everyone, before the 2015 polls, that Dapo Abiodun was going to be a monumental failure, to bear. Daily, they see the remarkable progress that Ogun is making and it drives them nuts because it is cementing their political burial, confining them into depths of oblivion. That is all there is to it, folks.



What happened? The Head of Products and Solutions Architecture at Baladna, the dairy producer that supplies over 95 percent of the Qatar’s fresh dairy products, Mr. Aidan Thomas Tynan, accompanied by the Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC), Aisha Rimi, paid a courtesy visit to the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, expressing the intention to establish a multi-million dollar food factory in Ogun State. Stating that Nigeria and Ogun State, like Algeria, would achieve remarkable results in dairy farming with the expertise, technology, and capital from the organization, he said the purpose of the visit was to explore possibilities in the country regarding land acquisition and also to hold talks with the government of Ogun State on collaboration in order to develop plans and feasibility studies to push the plan through. Hear him: “We can build farms that are highly efficient with world-class yields, and we can address not just dairy, meat, but also crop production.”




In response, Governor Abiodun observed that Nigeria’s demand for milk has jumped to 1.6 billion liters per year, with about 50-70 percent coming from imports. His words: “A lot of people have been running around pretending to set up dairy farms. They applied for import substitute permits, but what we have seen today is that all they do is bring in powdered milk because powdered milk has been very profitable, and that is very unfortunate. I think that you represent the kind of company that we would like to work with, and we are confident that you will work with Nigeria to achieve the Renewed Hope Initiative in agriculture. If within one month you were able to achieve 35 percent of milk supply in Qatar and within six months you became self-sufficient, I have no doubt that you can achieve that here in Nigeria. Your operations here will be like a walk in the park since we do not have deserts here.” While calling on the company to consider establishing itself in the state, Prince Abiodun noted that the company’s vision aligned with that of the state, assuring of seamless cooperation devoid of official bottlenecks.


Clearly, Baldana’s visit was exploratory, and this was the information that the Ogun State government communicated to the outside world, confident that Baldana’s dream would come to fruition. Sadly, this information was twisted to mean that Governor Abiodun had announced a deal with the company. This is extremely concerning, because inaccurate reporting of a governor’s statements can have significant consequences for the public, including loss of trust in media, spread of misinformation,. public confusion and polarization, erosion of public confidence in institutions, and sabotage of informed decision-making. Besides, it can also create a situation where skepticism towards all information becomes the norm. As media scholars recognise, fake news can indeed breed conflict in various ways. It can exacerbate ethnic tensions, fuel polarization, undermine institutions, and negatively influence public opinion and behaviour. It can erode public trust and societal cohesion. Tthat is why supporting fact-checking initiatives is so crucial.


During its visit, Baldana spoke eloquently about its portfolio and Governor Abiodun urged it to invest in Ogun State, because a core part of his job is to bring business into the state. But political adversaries went to work and twisted what the Ogun State Governor said, with intent to score cheap popularity. Thinking that they could embarrass the government, they contacted the parent company, which then issued a disclaimer, saying that it was a publicly quoted company and would not do anything in secret. And a report amplified the falsehood, saying “Company denies signing agreement on dairy production.” Whoever said there was an agreement?


Going forward, though, do not expect the naysayers to relent. They hate good things and would rather oppose their own government even if it means undermining the interest of the state they claim to love. Struck by the fact that with verifiable achievements, Dapo Abiodun has become one of Nigeria's Grade A governors, they do everything in their dirty books to incite the public against the governor. But the governor is unmoved by the noise of the market: he is busy trading on behalf of the Gateway State, bringing in stupendous profit. In the last two years, more than 30 investors have knocked on Ogun’s doors, drawn by the business-friendly climate the Abiodun government has created. President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, said as much when he returned to the state earlier this year, announcing investments in cement production and deep seaports. What’s there not to be excited about?


The media would do well not to join saboteurs in their game.

Akinmade is Special Adviser, Media and Strategy to Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun.

Ogun, Four Other States Bag CIPM Awards

Ogun and four other states have bagged Awards of Excellence by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM).
The awards were bestowed on the States at a dinner in honour of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and Heads of Service of the 36 states and the FCT, held at the Fraser Suites, Abuja.

Other recipient states are Lagos and Osun in the Southwest, Abia in the Southeast, and Akwa Ibom in the South-South regions.

The National President of CIPM, Mallam Ahmed Ladan Gobir, said the institute presented the Award of Excellence to the top five states in recognition of their outstanding achievements in membership drive for the institute by encouraging Human Resources (HR) staff to join the Institute and enhance professional development in their states.

He said the states also encouraged the professionalization of HR, which fosters a culture of professional HR management among members, adding that their efforts have, in no small measure, promoted excellence and best practices in the Civil/Public Service, among other things.

Gobir said the awardees deserve the honour and urged them not to relent in their efforts to take the Civil/Public Service to greater heights.

The Ogun State Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, noted that the deliberate efforts at promoting professionalism, discipline, and ethical values within the Service are key factors for effective and efficient service delivery.

According to him, the special recognition award for supporting CIPM membership drive in Ogun State Civil Service is dedicated to all the hardworking Civil/Public Servants of the State who inspire daily progress through diligence and quiet impact, noting that the award is a source of pride and honour to him personally and to the State at large.

The Head of Service thanked the State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, for repositioning the State Public/Civil Service for efficient service delivery, pointing out that capacity building and professional development of workers are very key in the scheme of things.

He said the recent one-week intensive training for Permanent Secretaries and the top echelon of the Civil Service by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies at the Oba (Dr.) Sikiru Kayode Adetona Institute of Governance Studies, OOU Ago-Iwoye, was unprecedented, pointing out that various cadres of the workforce have continued to be rejigged to enhance excellence in the conduct of government business.

Mr. Onasanya commended the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, for her visionary leadership and various ongoing efforts at transforming the Federal Civil Service and supporting states across the federation in the same regard. He noted that her emphasis on collective cooperation and innovation is driving reforms that are both strategic and sustainable.

He also described the Study Tour of the Singapore Civil Service by some Heads of Service, including that of Ogun State earlier this year, as a bold step that will continue to shape the trajectory of service innovation in the country.

"I am most delighted and deeply honored to be named as a recipient of this Public Service Award of Excellence. I remain immensely grateful to the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM) for this thoughtful recognition and commend the Institute for hosting such a noble and unifying event. I must say, the Ogun State Branch of the Institute has remained a dependable partner in progress and a regular guest in my office. I am proud to always identify with their commitment to professionalism, human capital development, and the advancement of ethical public service.

"This award is for the State and for our highly focused Governor, and indeed for the entire Civil/Public Service of Ogun State, and it is indeed a source of pride and honor. In addition to the celebration of the progress and reforms within the Office of the Head of Service of Ogun State, it also reflects personal recognition of the collective efforts of all bureaucrats in the Gateway State. These gains, I must admit, have been made seamlessly possible by the enabling environment and earnest support of our visionary Governor, His Excellency, Prince Dapo Abiodun, whose strong belief in a purposeful and empowered Public Service continues to guide our path," the Head of Service said.


In her executive charge, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs. Didi Esther Walson-Jack, appreciated the organizers of the award for the honour done to her and all the Heads of Service of the Federation.

She urged the topmost echelons of the Civil Service to continue to sustain professionalism and commitment in their various states for efficient service delivery.

SANWO-OLU AT 60: ALPHA-BETA CONSULTING LLP HAILS LAGOS GOVERNOR’S TRANSFORMATIVE LEADERSHIP
...Describes him as symbol of progressive governance

LAGOS — Leading revenue administration and consulting firm, Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP, has joined millions of Lagosians and well-wishers across the country in celebrating the 60th birthday of the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.

In a congratulatory message released on Tuesday, June 25, and signed by its Group Managing Director, Barrister Akinsanya Doherty, the firm lauded Governor Sanwo-Olu’s visionary leadership, describing him as a “symbol of progressive governance, innovation, and resilience.”

“Governor Sanwo-Olu’s six years in office have witnessed significant strides in infrastructure development, digital innovation, healthcare delivery, and fiscal reform. His commitment to building a Greater Lagos has set a benchmark for transformational leadership,” the statement noted.

Alpha-Beta Consulting, which has maintained a long-standing partnership with the Lagos State Government in revenue optimization and administration, praised the Governor for fostering an enabling environment for private-sector collaboration.

“Our working relationship with the Sanwo-Olu administration has been defined by mutual trust, shared goals, and a focus on results. His understanding of the importance of strong institutions and sustainable fiscal systems has been instrumental in the state’s revenue performance,” Doherty added.

The firm also extended prayers for continued strength and wisdom for the Governor as he celebrates this milestone age. “We pray that God grants Mr. Governor continued wisdom, sound health, and divine strength to carry on the good work. May his administration continue to flourish and deliver lasting legacies to the people of Lagos State.”

Alpha-Beta reaffirmed its commitment to supporting Lagos State in enhancing its fiscal structures and achieving long-term development goals through transparent and accountable revenue systems.

Governor Sanwo-Olu turned 60 on June 25, 2025, and celebrations have poured in from across the nation, reflecting the widespread admiration for his service and accomplishments.

Political Landscape Shifts in Ogun as Opposition PDP, APM Leaders Align with APC



Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun on Monday welcomed key members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Allied Peoples Movement (APM) to his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, in a notable political shift in the state,


The delegation, led by Dr. Sikirulai Ogundele, a former chairman of the PDP in the state and Hon. Adekunle Abdulkabir Akinlade, engaged in discussions that are widely viewed as a precursor to their anticipated formal alignment with the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party in the state.

Other prominent members of the delegation were Dr. Ekelojumati, Hon. Olowo Fuja, and several influential grassroots mobilizers from various local government areas.

The meeting, which was held behind closed doors, was characterized as both cordial and strategic, signaling a pivotal moment in the political reconfiguration ahead of upcoming elections.

Governor Abiodun expressed his appreciation for the delegation's commitment to fostering unity within Ogun State, highlighting the APC's dedication to inclusive governance and sustainable development.

"This is not merely a political maneuver; it is a patriotic decision aimed at consolidating progress, promoting stability, and building a future of shared prosperity for our people," he stated.

Dr. Sikirulai Ogundele, while speaking on behalf of the delegation, praised the Governor's open-door leadership and the transformative initiatives being implemented across the state. He affirmed that the visit marks a significant step toward solidifying their decision to join the APC.

Hon. Akinlade, another respected political figure and former member of the House of Representatives and former gubernatorial candidate of the APM, reiterated the group's intention to enhance the APC's mission and contribute to the ongoing growth and peace of Ogun State.

The delegation is set to make their formal declaration and integration into the APC in the forthcoming weeks, a development that promises to strengthen the ruling party and highlights Governor Abiodun's emerging role as a unifying force within Nigeria's political arena.

FedPoly Ede Governing Council reschedules principal officers' interview

....as Council Chairman harps on rebranding of citadel of learning

The 7th Governing Council of the Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, has rescheduled the interview for the two principal officers of the institution; the Registrar and the Bursar.

This decision was taken at the 70th Regular meeting of the Governing Council held on Monday, 23rd June, 2025, alongside critical stakeholders of the institution.

The Chairman of the Council, Prof. Taiwo Akanbi Olaiya, Esq , stated that the decision was necessitated in respect of the official letter received from the Federal Ministry of Education, which called for more comprehensive process to ensure high degree of efficiency and requisite effectiveness.

It would be recall that the two positions became vacant following the expiration of the tenure of former principal officers on Monday, 31st March, 2025

The Council Chairman also used the occasion to assure the Polytechnic community that the rescheduled interview would be an all- inclusive exercise with total transparency and fairness.

In a related development, the Chairman of the Governing Council also used the occasion to canvass for the rebranding of the institution, asserting that the Federal Polytechnic, Ede has attained great goals in academic pursuit, which according to him made every certificate issued in the institution to be well rated and recognised in other institutions of higher learning.

He also implored the entire workforce to shun any act capable of tarnishing the good reputation of the Polytechnic in the public space, advising them to jettison acts that negate institution's superior interests.

He added that many issues of interest could be settled amicably without resorting to unnecessary litigation and embarrassing posts on social media.

Prof. Olaiya, however, promised to look into all the suggestions tabled before the Council by some stakeholders, including regular dissemination of information by the management, proper orientation for students in all departments, retreat for members of staff, trust among categories of staff as well as spirit of unity and forgiveness, among others

In attendance were members of the 7th Governing Council, Rector, the four (4) union leaders in the institution, Chairman, Committee of Deans and other top Polytechnic functionaries.

E- signed
Sola Lawal, mnipr
Ag. Director, Information, Protocol and Public Relations.

Ogun, in the hands of a responsive leader

By Olaniyi Ajibola

Among several connotations adduced to the word, 'responsiveness' it is only one that appears most instructive and appropriate to me , and that is " Ability to adjust to changes and fulfil needs effectively ".

Many descerning Nigerians will subscribe to the assertion that the greatest malady and trauma that have ravaged the civil service in Nigeria in the last decades is the menace of nonpayment of gratuities and pensions to civil and public servants, with resultant records of avoidable deaths and protracted sickness without medical care.

Scores of these senior citizens had embarked on several protests out of frustration in the past, when they couldn't bear the intensity of hunger and misery anymore; regrettably, those protests mostly ended up in calamity as many of them tragically lost their lives.

Of course, many analysts have argued that this anomaly partly responsible for erosion of diligence, loyalty, high productivity and commitment in the service, coupled with high degree of corruption due to cat race by civil servants to secure their future by all possible means while in active service.

However, the situation is practically different in Ogun State, since the emergence of Prince Dapo Abiodun, whose world view remains a total departure from that of his predecessors, with distinct pedigree of decency and compassion.

The Governor, on assumption of office summoned courage to crush the humongous backlog of pensions and gratuities left behind by his immediate predecessor, and swiftly moved to pay the state and local government retirees steadily and consistently without noise.

Like a miracle, Prince Dapo Abiodun demystified the myth attached to payment of gratuities and pensions in Ogun State, which made it appeared as an onerous responsibility of sorts with almost impossibility.

The Governor had convincingly made it clear at different fora and events that those who have diligently and meritoriously served their father land must live decently and comfortably during retirement, thereby making the payment of their gratuities and pensions a prioritised consideration at all times.

Governor Dapo Abiodun, on every occasion of interventions in the State has continued to consider retirees alongside those in active service to give the senior citizens necessary sense of belongings and make them appreciate the active parts of their existence they have used to serve the State.

In the way the Canadian Writer and Litigation Lawyer, Robin Sharma, rightly puts it", Real Leadership is about Transforming Limitations into Possibilities", and that is exactly what the Prince of Iperu has done for the thousands of retirees in Ogun State.

Speaking on Thursday, 1st May, at the 2025 Workers' Day Celebration held at the Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, Prince Dapo Abiodun proudly announced in utmost fulfilment that his administration had paid the whopping sum of N179bn in pensions and gratuities since his assumption of office in 2019 for both state and local government retirees.

Governor Abiodun, excitedly disclosed to the sheering crowd of workers in the State that backlog of pensions from 2012 to 2017 had been cleared, just as the backlog of National Housing Scheme remittances has also been cleared to ensure easy access to mortgage loans.

He added that about 12,500 workers have benefited from car and motorcycle loans, which his administration has increased to the tune of N1.6 billion.

Prince Abiodun asserted,"As a worker-friendly administration, we have made deliberate efforts to deepen our partnership with labour to improve working conditions and enhance the welfare of our workers across the state.

"This administration, since its inception in 2019, has cleared the pension backlog, and pensions are now paid alongside salaries. We have paid for the period from 2012 to 2017.

"A total of N179.7 billion has been disbursed as pensions and gratuities to both state and local government pensioners. The backlog of National Housing Scheme remittances has been cleared, easing access to mortgage loans.

"We have increased car and motorcycle loans to the tune of N1.6 billion, disbursed to about 12,500 beneficiaries as N8 billion was used to provide palliatives to state workers and pensioners between July 2023 and March 2024 to cushion the effects of subsidy removal on fuel".

In addition to the above, the Governor also disclosed at the event that 350 hectares of land at Ijemo/Onisela has been acquired and launched under a Sites and Services Scheme to support the aspirations of workers in the state to become property owners through mortgages.

He hinted that the sites would be named as 'Prince Dapo Abiodun Bureaucrats Estate' to symbolise the organic bond between him and the workforce and his total commitment to their wellbeing and welfare.

The Governor said that the Sites and Services Scheme is a government initiative that provides essential infrastructure like roads, water, and electricity to an area, allowing individuals or businesses to develop properties at a lower cost, saying that the cooperation between the state government and the workers has positioned the state as a beacon of innovation, enterprise, and human capital development, placing the state on the path of sustainable development.

"With your support and cooperation, our administration has fully deployed available resources, culminating in a conducive business environment that has attracted and encouraged both local and foreign investors to strengthen our economy," the Governor said.

Meanwhile, considering the level of creativity, proactiveness and determination Governor Dapo Abiodun has displayed in transforming the State from stagnation to this level of solvency and industrial viability, with the best ease of doing business index across the country, resulting to business boom with attendant job opportunities for the teeming youths, one can safely and confidently go to town and announce that: OGUN STATE IS IN THE HANDS OF A RESPONSIVE LEADER.

Olaniyi Ajibola is a Senior Special Assistant to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Strategic Media.

*They Asked for Roads. He Brought Transformation — Ijebu-Ode Celebrates Abiodun’s Promise-Keeping Leadership*

In the symphony of governance, few leaders strike the chords of trust, progress, and fulfillment as harmoniously as Prince Dapo Abiodun. What began as a campaign promise etched in the sands of aspiration has now solidified into concrete reality—quite literally—on the streets of Ijebu-Ode.

They asked for roads.
He brought transformation.

Not just gravel and tar, but a renaissance of faith in leadership.

For years, Ijebu-Ode was a town caught between nostalgia and neglect, where potholes told tales of abandoned promises and every rainy season brought a flood of disappointment. But under the watchful stewardship of Governor Abiodun, the narrative has shifted. Now, roads are not just pathways; they are metaphors of movement, signals of a state inching towards its full potential.

In Tam-Balogun, where residents once danced around craters to get to school or market, new asphalt now tells a story of redemption. Osinubi Road and the historic 12.5-kilometer stretch of Obalende-Abeokuta are no longer symbols of stagnation, but signs of sincerity—of a governor who meant every word he said on the campaign trail.

“When a leader speaks and the ground responds with action, the people begin to believe again,” said Alhaji Kehinde Sanni, a lifelong resident. “We’ve waited, we’ve hoped, and now we’re witnessing the results with our own eyes.”

The mantra “Building Our Future Together” has become more than a slogan; it is a living covenant between a leader and his people. It resonates in the steady hum of construction equipment, in the renewed ease of daily commute, and in the laughter of children playing on once-forgotten streets.

Dayo Oluwaremilekun, a young entrepreneur, summed up the mood in one poetic line:
“Where once there were puddles, now there is progress. We see it, we feel it.”

The roads are coming, yes. But more importantly, confidence is returning. In a political climate where promises often vanish after the ballot is cast, Dapo Abiodun is crafting a legacy built on the bricks of accountability and cemented with the mortar of integrity.

He is not just repairing roads.
He is rebuilding the social contract.

And the people of Ijebu-Ode? They’re not just thankful.
They are inspired, mobilized, and ready to walk—on sturdy new roads—into a future they finally believe in.

*Tayo Mabeweje*
*Media Consultant to the Executive Governor of Ogun State*

Ogun Monarch Lauds Abiodun on Infrastructural Development, Others

The Ologere of Ogere-Remo, in Ikenne Local Government Area, Oba James Obafemi Saliu, has lauded Governor Dapo Abiodun for ensuring equitable distribution of developmental projects across the state.

Oba Saliu stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in his palace at Ogere. He noted that Ogere has benefited from the administration with the construction of the Awomosu-Agbato road and the rehabilitation of Christ Church School in the town.

According to Oba Saliu, the governor has positively touched many lives in the state, scoring him high in road infrastructure, health, education, agriculture, and human capital development.

He said: "In Ogere here, he has reconstructed the Awomosu-Agbato road; that road is very important to us because it has enhanced the economic performance of our people at the toll gate market and Ogere in general.

"There is a toll gate market in Ogere which is very popular, and that market is a place where we have all the tribes in Nigeria: the Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Igede, and many more. You cannot talk of commerce without roads; roads are very important to commerce, and he has really tried.

"He is a listening governor despite the fact that he has to deal with the many challenges facing the state. Ogun State belongs to him; all the towns belong to him. People will be saying they need this and that, and he has been listening and responding accordingly.

"For example, in Ogere, our request that was taken to him was listened to, and he responded very well. The request was for the renovation of Christ Church School, and he has renovated the school.

"If you go to that school now, the pupils are very happy, the teachers are very happy, and I am also very happy as the king of the town because that was the primary school I went to. So he listened and responded very well positively."

He emphasized that Ogere is gradually becoming the most industrialized town in the state as a result of the daily emergence of industries, hence the need for the government to give it a special place in terms of allocating more infrastructure.

The monarch commended the governor for providing the enabling environment for investors.

"Let us thank the governor for giving them the opportunity through a friendly business environment because if the governor did not give them the chance, companies would run away; they would not stay.

"He performed very well in terms of roads compared to any governor I have seen in my lifetime in Ogun State," he added.

He called for adequate provision of security in the area, as the town has a large population of people from other parts of the country who live and engage in commercial activities.

*When Singapore Met Ogun: The Spirit of Visionary Governance*

History is shaped not just by grand events, but by the quiet resolve of leaders who choose the harder path—the path of nation-building. When one examines the bold, transformative steps taken by Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON, in Ogun State, one cannot help but be drawn to the spirit of a leader from a different time and place: Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore. Though worlds apart, their visions converge. And in that convergence lies a compelling metaphor: When Singapore met Ogun.

Lee Kuan Yew’s Singapore was a small island with no natural resources, yet he envisioned a nation that would rise on the wings of planning, discipline, and unshakable focus. “I always tried to be correct, not politically correct,” he once said. It is a sentiment that echoes unmistakably in Abiodun’s approach to governance. In Ogun, political correctness has given way to correct policies. The result? A state that is beginning to rise beyond rhetoric—one reform, one project, one institution at a time.

The Ogun State Agro-Cargo Airport is more than infrastructure—it is vision turned into velocity. Where many saw only vast stretches of untapped land, Abiodun saw an international trade and logistics hub that would connect Ogun to global agricultural markets. That is not mere ambition; that is what Lee once described as the “audacity to imagine the improbable—and the discipline to make it inevitable.”

Ogun, under Abiodun, is not experiencing development by accident; it is undergoing transformation by design. Just as Lee transformed Singapore into a first-world economy through institutional reforms and strategic foresight, Abiodun is systematically rewiring Ogun’s governance framework. Tax systems are going digital, service delivery is becoming more efficient, and public institutions are slowly shifting from reactive to proactive governance.

But this transformation is not loud. Like Lee, Abiodun governs in a manner that avoids flamboyance. “I am not interested in being popular; I am interested in being right,” Lee once asserted. Abiodun shares this DNA. He doesn’t grandstand; he builds. He doesn’t chase clout; he cultivates continuity. And this deliberate modesty is what separates builders from mere occupiers of office.

Consider the renewed investments in infrastructure across Ilaro, Sagamu, Ijebu Ode, and Abeokuta—roads constructed not for press photos, but for trade, transport, and territorial cohesion. Housing estates in Kobape and Ijebu Ode are not vanity projects, but carefully designed solutions to urban migration and shelter inequality. His education reforms, with increased focus on technical and vocational training, reflect Lee’s belief that “a nation’s future is decided in the classroom.”

In both men, we find a mutual disdain for mediocrity. Lee didn’t build Singapore with platitudes, and Abiodun isn’t building Ogun with press releases. He is doing it with plans, partnerships, and performance. His Gateway Agenda is not political poetry—it is a development playbook rooted in metrics, timelines, and measurable impact.

This is not to say the terrain is easy. Like Lee, who faced opposition, skepticism, and resource constraints, Abiodun too governs in an era of economic pressures and competing interests. But he remains, as Lee once described leadership, “a gardener—planting seeds, pruning weeds, waiting for harvest.” It is a patience grounded in purpose.

What happens when Singapore meets Ogun? A model emerges—one that fuses African ambition with Asian-style execution. A leadership ethos that sees beyond elections and thinks in generations. A man who knows, like Lee, that true success is not in applause, but in the prosperity of the people long after the applause fades.

In Dapo Abiodun, Ogun has not just a governor, but a quiet revolutionary. One who is writing history not with fanfare, but with footprints. If Lee Kuan Yew built a city-state from the impossible, Abiodun is building a subnational legacy from the improbable.

And someday, when Ogun’s story is told as a reference for visionary governance in Africa, we may look back and say: That was when Singapore met Ogun.

*Tayo Mabeweje*
*Media Consultant to the Executive Governor of Ogun State*

Ede Fed. Poly's Rector bags ASUP Ambassador Award

...as institution embarks on beautification of solar street lights and construction of Ogberin security gate

The Rector, Federal Polytechnic Ede, Engr. Dr Sani Man Yahaya, fnse has been conferred with award of Ambassador of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics(ASUP)describing him as a well- refined administrator and a season technocrat

The National President of the Academic staff union of Polytechnics, Comrade Sunday Shammah Kpanja, superintended the conferment at the Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa.

Kpanja stated that the award given to the Rector became imperative in recognition of Engr Dr Sani Man Yahaya exemplary leadership, strategic administrative style, and sustainance of industrial harmony in the institution

In his remarks, The Chairman Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic, Ede Osun State, Prof. Taiwo Akanbi Olaiya, Esq, who was represented by a member of the Governing Council, Prof. Gbadebo Olagunju described Engr Yahaya as a man of vision, full of wisdom, who is on the verge of taking the institution to the next level

The Council Chairman also used the occasion to enjoin the entire workforce and students of the institution to join hands, and sustain the current peaceful atmosphere being enjoyed presently in the Polytechnic

Also present at occasion were internal members of the Governing Council and other Polytechnic functionaries and well wishers

In another development, The Rector, Federal Polytechnic Ede, Engr Dr Sani Man Yahaya has equally commenced the beatification of the institution with the installation of Solar street lights and the construction of Ogberin security gate both in the north campus of the institution

Speaking about the development, the Chairman, Governing Council Prof. Taiwo Akanbi Olaiya, Esq commended the foresight of Engr Sani Man Yahaya led Management, he , therefore, pledged the full support of the Governing Council to complete all laudable projects currently in the pipeline before the expiration of their tenure.

Ede Fed. Poly's Rector bags ASUP Ambassador Award

...as institution embarks on beautification of solar street lights and construction of Ogberin security gate

The Rector, Federal Polytechnic Ede, Engr. Dr Sani Man Yahaya, fnse has been conferred with award of Ambassador of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics(ASUP)describing him as a well- refined administrator and a season technocrat

The National President of the Academic staff union of Polytechnics, Comrade Sunday Shammah Kpanja, superintended the conferment at the Ogun State Institute of Technology, Igbesa.

Kpanja stated that the award given to the Rector became imperative in recognition of Engr Dr Sani Man Yahaya exemplary leadership, strategic administrative style, and sustainance of industrial harmony in the institution

In his remarks, The Chairman Governing Council, Federal Polytechnic, Ede Osun State, Prof. Taiwo Akanbi Olaiya, Esq, who was represented by a member of the Governing Council, Prof. Gbadebo Olagunju described Engr Yahaya as a man of vision, full of wisdom, who is on the verge of taking the institution to the next level

The Council Chairman also used the occasion to enjoin the entire workforce and students of the institution to join hands, and sustain the current peaceful atmosphere being enjoyed presently in the Polytechnic

Also present at occasion were internal members of the Governing Council and other Polytechnic functionaries and well wishers

In another development, The Rector, Federal Polytechnic Ede, Engr Dr Sani Man Yahaya has equally commenced the beatification of the institution with the installation of Solar street lights and the construction of Ogberin security gate both in the north campus of the institution

Speaking about the development, the Chairman, Governing Council Prof. Taiwo Akanbi Olaiya, Esq commended the foresight of Engr Sani Man Yahaya led Management, he , therefore, pledged the full support of the Governing Council to complete all laudable projects currently in the pipeline before the expiration of their tenure.

*Over 1,200km of Roads and Counting: Abiodun’s Administration Keeps Building*

In Ogun State today, roads are no longer just physical paths—they are lifelines of commerce, veins of opportunity, and the visible handwriting of a government committed to legacy. Governor Dapo Abiodun understands this deeply. As Chief Obafemi Awolowo once remarked, “A government that cannot provide good roads is not ready for the responsibility of development,” and in alignment with that philosophy, the current administration has made infrastructure a top priority.

Governor Abiodun's most recent intervention in the Ijebu-Ode axis is a vivid reaffirmation of this belief. On June 5, 2025, he commissioned the reconstructed Awokoya–Igbeba–Yidi Road, a stretch once riddled with floodwater and frustration, now reborn as a durable and dignified carriageway. This road, which binds together communities like Igbeba, Yidi, and Idofoyin, was once a scar in the city’s geography—today, it is a smooth ribbon of progress rolled out under the watch of a listening government.

The Governor revealed that 22 road projects have been awarded in Ijebu-Ode since 2019—16 completed, 6 ongoing. The transformation of Awokoya–Yidi isn’t just about laying asphalt; it is about restoring dignity, unlocking commerce, and breathing ease into daily commutes. It is in moments like these that one remembers the words of Chief Awolowo: “When the roads are good, education is possible, health becomes reachable, and prosperity has a path to walk on.”

Governor Abiodun’s calm resolve reflects this timeless truth. His administration has constructed and rehabilitated over 1,200km of roads statewide. These projects, executed in both urban and rural settings, are not mere political tokens—they are foundations of a modern Ogun. According to Chief Olusegun Osoba, “You can make promises with words, but roads are promises cast in stone. They cannot be denied or hidden—they are the loudest testimony of leadership.”

This testimony is loudest in communities like Ifo, where the Ojodu–Abiodun–Denro–Ishasi–Akute Road now pulses with traffic and opportunity, and in Yewa South, where the Oke-Erinja–Ilobi Road has rekindled rural commerce. In Ijebu North-East, roads like Molusi College Road and the Atan–Erunwon Road stretch across once-forgotten lands like arteries of new life.

Each of these roads forms part of a grander vision—one that sees Ogun as more than a state, but a strategic frontier. With construction ongoing on the Sango–Ijoko–Akute, Alagbole–Akute, and Agbara–Atan–Lusada corridors, Governor Abiodun is planting stakes into the soil of economic relevance. These roads aren’t just for driving—they are for drawing in industry, decongesting Lagos, and rerouting prosperity into Ogun’s industrial heartlands.

Closer to home in Ijebu-Ode, other projects such as the Oba Erinwole Dual Carriageway and the continuation of Molusi College Road are rewriting the urban narrative. Roads are opening up landlocked communities, reducing travel time, and catalyzing new development. As Chief Awolowo said, “A nation that cannot connect its people cannot connect its potential.” The Abiodun administration is clearly connecting both.

And the benefits are not abstract—they are real and rippling. From easier access to markets to the rising property values in serviced areas, from construction jobs to revived local economies, the ripple effect of each completed road is felt in homes, wallets, and dreams.

Governor Abiodun has reaffirmed his commitment: no zone left behind. From the dusty outskirts to the bustling centers, Ogun’s new roads are more than infrastructure—they are the veins of a future envisioned and steadily being realized. As Chief Osoba aptly observed, “Roads may wear out, but the memory of the leader who built them never fades.”

In Ogun today, that memory is being forged in stone, in asphalt, in bridges, and in dust turned smooth. Governor Abiodun isn’t just fixing roads—he is laying down the very grammar of legacy, one kilometre at a time.

*Tayo Mabeweje*
**Media Consultant to the Executive Governor of Ogun State*

Ogun Kicks Off Akute-Lambe-Agbado Road Reconstruction Project



Succor is on the way for motorists plying the Akute-Lambe-Agbado road in Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun State as the contracting firm, Craneburg, has moved to the site to begin the reconstruction of the ever-busy road.

Soon, the people of the area will join millions of other residents of Ogun State in driving on motorable roads as part of the effort of the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration to make life easier for the populace through sustained infrastructure development across the state.

Craneburg has commenced the mobilization of heavy-duty equipment to the site. The execution of earthworks has also started across multiple sections of the road, and construction work proper is expected to begin immediately.

The strategic project, which will benefit several communities in the area, covers critical stretches and landmarks, including Akute Bridge, Oke Aro Stream, and Agbado Bridge, among others. When concluded, it will serve as a vital link between several densely populated communities in Ifo Local Government Area of the state.

Eyewitness reports from the site of the project revealed that road grading and leveling works are actively ongoing, while the roadbed is being shaped with SEM 920F Motor Graders and bulldozers.
Construction of drains and laybys is expected to commence soon.

"Excavators and dump trucks are moving in to deposit lateritic soil as part of the base preparation, with clear evidence of material layering to ensure durability," an eyewitness added.

This road project is part of a broader effort by the Ogun State government to enhance infrastructure, improve transportation, and stimulate economic growth in the area. The project is also aimed at addressing long-standing infrastructure challenges and improving the overall quality of life for residents of Ifo Local Government Area and its environs.

Several road projects have been carried out in the area by the Dapo Abiodun-led administration, focusing on improved connectivity. These include the Akute-Ajuwon road in Ifo II State Constituency, Alagbole-Akute road, Akute-Ijoko-Oke Aro road, Sango-Ijoko-Akute road, and Denro-Ishashi-Oluwakemi road.

The onslaught on Dapo Abiodun by political Judases

By Funmi Branco


THERE is something common to all Judases: baying for the blood of their benefactors. On the political scene, that is incredibly easy to do once you have the cash. Hack and hired writers are ten a penny, ever ready to betray their heritage and family for a bottle of beer. Keep that in mind as you read the high-sounding but intellectually empty and pathetic piece titled “Dapo Abiodun, Gbenga Daniel, and Ogun State’s theatre of political deceit” by one 'Toks Oguntuga, and you cannot but marvel at the sheer buffoonery of political revisionists. For a writer boasting his credentials as a “seasoned academic researcher, strategic communication expert, political analyst, and speechwriter,” you can be forgiven for expecting at least a modicum of logic. But what emerges from his Bolekaja offering is nothing but character assassination built on blatant falsehoods, innuendo, and diatribes against the Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, and false valorization and lionization of his master, Gbenga Daniel, the man under whose government the Gateway State was almost always in the news for the wrong reasons.

For a writer with vaunted credentials, Oguntuga’s piece is astoundingly banal. Setting up a binary dichotomy in which his lord and savior, Daniel, is an angel and in which anyone remotely opposed to him is the devil himself, Oguntuga invests every possible invective that he can muster on the Ogun State Governor, a man about whom he has nothing positive, even by implication, to say, and yet he expects reasonable people to take him seriously. It is clear that when these ruffians write, they lose every sense of objectivity, driven by their fawning obsession with the political pirates on whose behalf they throw reason out of the window, placing personal gain over reasoned debate.

In the ridiculous piece under reference, the writer fawningly robes his paymaster in the garb of “a calculating maestro of the past,” “a battle-tested political gladiator whose grassroots tentacles penetrate every village square and urban corner, whose cross-party goodwill spans many local government councils, whose Rolodex of loyalists reads like the guest list of political royalty across the entire state.” This is excessive demagoguery and hero worship that no one who claims sanity should be associated with, but we are dealing with a vainglorious clown. Even if Daniel is your liege lord, at least spare a thought for your family, for as the Yoruba say, “Bibi re o se f’wo ra.” (Good breeding cannot be bought with money). Why lie with such Luciferic recklessness, saying that Governor Abiodun’s election in 2019 was the handiwork of Daniel? Are we talking about the same Daniel who only joined APC a few days before the governorship election that saw Dapo Abiodun defeating Ibikunle Amosun and all the arsenal of the state ranged against him on all sides?

A bit of history for these history rewriters: in 2002, Abiodun and Daniel contested for the PDP ticket in Ogun State. Actually, it was Abiodun who was in PDP before Daniel was brought in through the instrumentality of the then powers. Once Daniel emerged as the party’s candidate, Abiodun handed over his structures to ensure his victory. He gave Daniel money, donated vehicles, and handed over his secretariats. Throughout the eight years of Daniel in office, the years in which Ogun State was notorious for violence and political assassinations, the years in which, as Nigerians would no doubt recall, photographs of state lawmakers taking an oath of allegiance to the governor in their birthday suits adorned the pages of newspapers, Abiodun never requested any kind of support from him. He was an oil mogul and simply faced his businesses. And, in any case, the then governor was notorious for his imperial rulership, which brooked no opposition.

If Oguntuga still had a bit of memory, he would have remembered that in 2019, Daniel was the coordinator of the PDP presidential campaign and joined APC only a few days before Abiodun’s election, knowing that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar was certain to lose the presidential race. So when these clowns claim that he raised Dapo Abiodun’s hands and whatnot, it is clear that they are only dressing their god in the finery of falsehood. Nigerians are quite cognizant of the fact that throughout the eight years in which Ibikunle Amosun held sway at Oke Mosan, Gbenga Daniel was in political limbo, busy going in and out of EFCC offices. Indeed, Amosun, who gave him absolutely no quarter, was on the verge of demolishing his hotel in Abeokuta when Abiodun assumed office.

Daniel was rehabilitated and integrated into the Ogun APC fold, the same fold that Oguntuga and his ilk, in their worship of Daniel, say “has always resembled a magnificent but unstable mansion,” as if their god was forced to stay in the party. Sources say no sooner had Daniel been pulled out of political debris than he started seeing himself as all in all. Apparently, it was Amosun who understood how to deal with him, exterminating him from Ogun politics. The man rescued from political shipwreck started struggling with the state Governor, saying he had not consulted him before appointing commissioners! And yet, for all the falsehood perpetuated by his attack dogs, Abiodun actually accommodated Daniel’s men in his government. The list includes Hon. Lai Taiwo, Chairman of the House of Assembly Service Commission; Engnr. Akeem Adesina (S.A. Works), Otunba Fatai Sowemimo (Chairman, Water Corporation), Deji Kalejaye (SSA Inter-party), Ifekayode (SSA on Media), and Princess Ogunde (SA, Women Affairs, among several SAs). Daniel’s (wo)men are in Abiodun’s government, but he apparently wants the Governor, the same person that God used to bring him back to political reckoning after eight years in the wilderness, to be taking instructions from him.

As watchers of the Ogun political scene are no doubt aware, Senator Lekan Mustapha would have returned to the Red Chamber unopposed. He was a performing senator, but the Judases of our time lobbied the Awujale of Ijebuland and other monarchs, and the Ogun State Governor was prevailed upon to let him have the ticket of the party he had just joined. He got the ticket and was elected Ogun East senator but then teamed up with the PDP’s Ladi Adebutu to undercut Abiodun. It is a fact that all his boys worked against Abiodun, and that certain forces used their network in the North to sway the Election Petitions Tribunal against the Governor. Till today, Daniel’s so-called supporters are his PDP supporters.

A few days before the governorship election in 2023, he allegedly sent a note to his members asking them not to vote for Abiodun. Now, he reasons that the Governor, being from Ogun East, might contest the 2027 senatorial election, and has unleashed his attack dogs on him and his government. Amid his highfalutin offering, Oguntuga couldn’t help disclosing his boss’s morbid fear. Hear him: “Abiodun harbours ambitions that soar far beyond the confines of Oke-Mosan, with rumours swirling around about his burning desire for the very senatorial seat that OGD currently occupies.” Pray, is the Ogun East senatorial ticket Daniel’s birthright? Was the seat not occupied by someone before him? Assuming, but not conceding that Abiodun is intent on running for senator, why should that pose any threat to a man Oguntuga boasts is “a battle-tested political gladiator whose grassroots tentacles penetrate every village square and urban corner”?

Nigerians, expect more anti-Abiodun diatribes in the coming days as the political Judas prepares his return journey to political oblivion.

Ogun Govt dismisses PDP’s diatribe on Gov Abiodun, says party a carcass blind to good things

Ogun State Government, on Saturday, reacted to the criticism of Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration by the state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), saying that the party had become a carcass blind to good things at the state and federal levels.

It said that as a discredited opposition whose governorship candidate is being prosecuted for vote buying and sundry electoral crimes, Ogun PDP only latched on to the opportunity of June 12 appraisal to try and bring itself back into reckoning through the back door after being firmly rejected by the Ogun electorate following years of underperformance, corruption and violence.

In a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Strategy, Hon Kayode Akinmade, the Ogun State Government wondered how an administration widely acknowledged as turning Ogun State into a giant construction site and Nigeria’s top investment destination could be said to be underperforming.

It said that if the PDP cannot see the Gateway International Airport and the over 1,200 kilometers of road spread across the state, that is due to willful and deliberately self-induced amnesia.

It said: “PDP’s recent statement accusing Governor Dapo Abiodun administration of sundry concocted crimes, including alleged lack transparency, lopsided execution of infrastructure and neglect of hospitals and schools, is confounding, to say the least, because even the devil would grin with envy reading such barefaced lies that call the sanity of its authors into question.

“Having become a carcass in Ogun and nationwide, PDP goons can be forgiven for being blind to good things, and desperately trying to give themselves undue relevance on the pages of newspapers.

“With its membership in disarray, its governorship candidate undergoing prosecution for vote buying and sundry electoral crimes and its electoral fortunes dimmer than ever, PDP, overwhelmed with the success Governor Abiodun has recorded in six years, foolishly decided to bring itself into evil reckoning on the pages of newspapers.

“Among many other landmarks, the investment portfolios attracted by Governor Abiodun include the April 2022 $400m investment by Arise Integrated Industrial Platform, on the development of Olokola Free Trade Zone and Remo Agro Processing Zone; the over $500 investment by a steel conglomerate, African Industries Group; the $500 million investment by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to enhance power infrastructure in Ogun State; the $300 million investment by the Chinese company, Inner Galaxy Steel Company Ltd, to establish a new steel plant for the production of specialised steel products in Ogun State, and the October 2024 establishment of a $5 million battery recycling plant by a British company.

“How is Governor Abiodun dragging Ogun State backwards with the investment by Codix Bio Pharmaceutical Company, a pharmaceutical outfit that specializes in the production of medication kits for the treatment of diabetes, hypertension and heart-related diseases; the $400 million hot rolled coiled steel factory in Ewekoro; the Special Agro-Cargo Processing Zone created by President Tinubu to serve the airport as a Free Trade Zone (FTZ), located very close to airport, etc?

“ On roads, is the PDP willfully blind to the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway; Obantoko Road; Idi-Aba-Elite-OkeLantoro; Ikoritameje-Adenrele; Panseke-Adigbe; City Gate Monument Development Flyover Bridge, Kuto; Arepo road, Somorin-Kemta-IdiAba; OlusegunOsoba-ToyinAgbado, Yakoyo Bridge to Mr. Biggs section along Akute; Owode-Siun roads, etc?
“Can it not see the Oru-Awa-Ilaporu-Ibadan expressway; Molipa-AsafaIsale-Ayegu-Ojofa; Asafa Oke-Fusigboye-Ojofa Street; Oba Erinwole road, Sagamu; Awujale road, Ejinrin-Idowa-Awa-Ibefun-Itoikin; Ijebu Ode-Epe-Sagamu-Benin Interchange Flyover Bridge; Esure-Ijebu Mushin road; Ogbagba Street, Ijebu Ode; Molusi College road, Ijebu Igbo, among others?

“What about the Ibooro-Imasayi-IganOkoto-Ayetoro road (Phase 1) in Yewa North, Ikola-Navy-OsiIkola; Raypower; Joju, Sango; Ilashe-Koko-Alari; Oke Ola, Imeko; Tollgate-Singer GRA, Ota; Ilaro-Iwoye (Phase 1); Iwoye-OwodeYewa Secondary School road, (Phase2); Owode Yewa Secondary School-Owode Yewa Junction road (Phase 3) roads?”

Akinmade added that PDP, whose deputy governorship candidate, Hon Abiodun Akinlade, recently joined APC, can say whatever it wants, but the Abiodun administration’s strides in roads, investment, housing and education cannot be ignored by decent people.

He said that Ogun indigenes excel in all spheres, adding that even in the area of sports, the recently concluded National Sports Festival held in Ogun State, at which the state’s contingent came second, was adjudged the best ever, and has become an international benchmark.

“Governor Abiodun, a leader recognized by Forbes Magazine in 2022 as the Best of Africa Governor in Industrial Revolution, is a compassionate leader par excellence.
“Does PDP want to condemn the N50 million Ijebu Development Initiative for Poverty Reduction (Eriwe) introduced to develop the fish subsector and the empowerment of over 40,000 agripreneurs in cassava cultivation, the 20,000-hectare rice farmland in Yewa; the Ogun State Teaching Experience Acquisition Channel (Ogun TREACH) that brought on board 5000 interns, with 1000 transitioned to permanent teachers; the over N3.5 billion disbursed through EDUCASH to assist students and their parents, with 150, 000 students benefitting the full accreditation secured for the first time in 45 years and the upgrade of the Ogun State Schools of Nursing and Midwifery to collegiate status; the inaugurated Sexual Therapy and Assaults Referral Centre in OOUTH), among others? It would be an insane undertaking.”

Appeal Court : No Vacancy in Osun Local Government Administration - ALGON

The Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Osun State Chapter, has assured the people of the state that the local government administration in Osun State is intact under the leadership of All Progressive Congress (APC) elected Chai.rmen and Councilors asking the members to ignore the sponsored misinformation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

ALGON said that the June 13th, 2025 Appeal Court judgment has no effects on the status of the APC's Chairmen and Councilors presently holding sway in all the local governments, arguing that it only reaffirmed the existence of February 10, 2025 which reinstated the chairmen and Councilors.

Osun State Chairman of ALGON, Hon Abiodun Idowu in statement in Osogbo, Osun State Capital, said the State government and PDP are only trying effortlessly to distort the verdict of the Appeal Court sitting in Akure.

He said the the association is not in anyway disturbed nor distracted with the PDP antics to undermine the local government administration in the state saying the February 10 Appeal Court judgment has come to stay except contrary position at the supreme court.

Abiodun urged elected chairmen and councilors to remain calm and be law abiding and continue to discharge their responsibility without fear adding that law enforcement agents have been alerted about the antics of the PDP to instigate crisis and breach of public peace.

Abiodun said " As legal authority in 30 local governments and area office in the state, we wish to reassure the people of the state that there is no vacancy in local government administration in Osun State and urge the public to ignore the blatant lies and misinformation being circulated by PDP about the court of Appeal Akure.

"For record purpose, the Appeal Court ruling only established potency of the judgment delivered on 10th February, 2025 which reinstated the Chairmen and Councilors elected on 15th October, 2022 and by implication and clearly there is no vacancy in Osun Local governments.

" Tody's Court of Appeal ruling is just the refusal of APC and our members application to relist the dismissed APP's judgment, the February 10 Appeal court judgment is still subsisting and valid except any other pronouncement by Supreme Court.

" We, therefore, assure our people that the local government administration is intact and of members should continue their official responsibilities in various council Secretariats in the state. We have alerted the security agents for protection and our members in all local governments."

" We, then, restate our commitment to our electoral promises to make life more abundant for the people at the grassroots level and assure the members of the state protection of life and property." Abiodun said.

Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP Denounces Defamatory Report, Affirms Commitment to Legal, Ethical Standards

Lagos, Nigeria – June 12, 2025

Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP has categorically condemned a defamatory article published by Sahara Reporters on June 11, 2025, titled: “Tinubu-Linked Alpha Beta Consulting Pays N400,000 Gratuity After 20 Years Of Service, Hands Millions, Top Contract Jobs To GMD Loyalists.”

In an official statement signed by the Head, Human Capital Management, the firm described the publication as “malicious, unfounded, and grossly misleading,” dismissing the allegations as a “coordinated attempt to distort facts and damage the good reputation built over the years.”

“This is not a whistleblower account,” the statement says. “It is a calculated and deliberate effort to defame individuals, misinform the public, and inflict reputational damage.
The assertions in the report are not only false but constitute a deliberate misrepresentation of facts and a serious infringement on our legal rights.”

The organization firmly rejects all claims of nepotism, underpayment of gratuity, and alleged contract favoritism as baseless and misleading. It reaffirms that all staff exit procedures and benefit disbursements are conducted in strict compliance with internal policy, the Nigerian Labour Act, and global best practices.

“We foster a culture of transparency and open dialogue,” the organization affirms. “Every concern raised is being treated with the seriousness it deserves, and we remain committed to resolving all legitimate matters with fairness and speed.”

The firm reiterates its zero-tolerance stance toward any form of abuse, harassment, or unethical behavior. It further assures stakeholders that any reports of misconduct submitted through appropriate internal channels are addressed confidentially and in line with due process.

“We have commenced consultations with our legal counsel and reserve the right to pursue all appropriate legal remedies—both civil and criminal—against the perpetrators of this orchestrated defamation,” management warns.

The firm urges clients, partners, and the general public to disregard the publication and rely solely on verified communications from Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP.

“This organization is built on principles of integrity, accountability, and excellence,” the Head, Human Capital Management says. “We remain steadfast in upholding these values and will not be derailed by baseless attacks or faceless campaigns.”

Signed,
Mrs. Anjolaoluwa Ige
Head, Human Capital Management
Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP
Dated: June 12, 2025.

*When Culture Met Couture: Dapo Abiodun Dazzles as Chief Host at Ojude Oba 2025*

If Ojude Oba 2025 were a movie, Governor Dapo Abiodun played the lead role—not in competition, but in command. As the undisputed Chief Host, the Governor arrived not just to observe tradition, but to embody it—wrapped head to toe in resplendent Yoruba regalia that could make even the gods pause for a selfie.

No, he wasn’t gunning for best-dressed. And no, he didn’t ride in with a Balogun cavalry. But once he stepped into the Awujale Pavilion, it was clear—this man didn’t come to play, he came to slay… diplomatically.

His agbada? A masterpiece woven in royal tones, kissed by embroidery that shimmered under the Ijebu sun like dew on a silk leaf. His cap? Tilted with precision, announcing presence with presidential poise. From a distance, he looked like heritage personified, a cultural remix of leadership and legacy.

The crowd couldn’t get enough.

As the Regberegbe age grades danced and dazzled, and the Balogun families galloped in on stallions trimmed for television, Governor Abiodun watched like a proud director on a blockbuster film set. He wasn’t on stage, but every camera found him. He was the cultural compass in a carnival of colour.

The festival grounds? An open-air runway of ancestral drip. Beats dropped from talking drums like DJ sets, ululations cut the air like sound effects, and everywhere you turned, it was glamour seasoned with tradition. From gele game tight enough to rival Paris Fashion Week, to horsemen strutting like they just stepped out of a Nollywood epic—Ojude Oba 2025 was, in simple terms, a flex of heritage.

Governor Abiodun’s presence elevated the whole scene. He wasn’t just a political figure; on this day, he was the culture plug, the unofficial hype man of Ijebu identity. No political speeches. No stiff protocol. Just presence—warm, regal, and resonant.

And when he waved to the crowd? A thousand cameras blinked in gratitude.

His role as Chief Host wasn’t ceremonial—it was symbolic. It sent a message: This festival isn’t just about tradition; it’s about ownership, pride, and projecting Yoruba excellence to the world.

In an era where culture is the new cool, Ojude Oba 2025 was the Grammy Awards of Yoruba heritage, and Governor Abiodun came dressed like he already won Album of the Year.

So no, he didn’t come to compete.
He came to complete the picture.


*Tayo Mabeweje*
*Media Consultant to the Executive Governor of Ogun State*

*“Culture Is Currency, Festivals the Mint – Abiodun Declares at Ojude Oba”*

At the confluence of heritage and hope—where colour, culture, and community converge in rhythmic harmony—Governor Dapo Abiodun has redefined the Ojude Oba Festival as more than a celebration. To him, it is “a living flame,” preserving the soul of the people while illuminating their collective path toward a more vibrant future.

Describing culture as both compass and catalyst, the governor declared: “Our cultural heritage is a powerful tool for national development.” He noted that festivals like Ojude Oba are no longer just seasonal events—they are “engines of economic motion,” “gateways to global visibility,” and “repositories of our cultural capital.”

Speaking beneath the regal skies of Ijebu-Ode, Governor Abiodun affirmed the festival’s alignment with his administration’s broader vision: “This celebration aligns seamlessly with our ‘Building Our Future Together’ agenda. Festivals like Ojude Oba are critical in promoting the local economy, attracting global visibility, and strengthening our cultural capital.”

He likened Ogun’s cultural heritage to “a golden thread woven into the fabric of our state’s development,” with Ojude Oba standing as “a powerful symbol of communal harmony where faith, tradition, and modernity coexist under a single banner of identity.”

Elevating the festival to the status of a living, breathing legacy, he said: “Ojude Oba has grown into a living heritage—a torch lighting the way in an era marked by fragmentation and flux. It is a vibrant fulcrum of a beautiful culture—our pride, our value, and our continuity.”

Reflecting on this year’s theme, ‘Celebrating Our Roots, Preserving Our Future’, Abiodun called it “a declaration of intent, a compass pointing us to remain grounded in our values even as we reach for the stars.”

The governor highlighted the festival’s intergenerational appeal and its evolution into a platform for youth inclusion and diaspora engagement: “Ojude Oba has succeeded in capturing the imagination of our youths, both at home and across the seas.” Yet he was also pragmatic: “This festival has outgrown this place, and we must do something about it.”

Describing Ojude Oba as “a dynamic entity of tourism, youth engagement, and entrepreneurship,” he pledged to scale its reach and reimagine its infrastructure for broader international attention. “This is no longer just a gathering,” he asserted. “It is a platform—an emblem of Ogun’s potential and Nigeria’s cultural wealth.”

Concluding with imagery that fused tradition with economic relevance, Governor Abiodun declared: *“Culture is currency, festivals are the mint, and the people are its custodians. Ojude Oba is no longer just a celebration—it is a cultural lighthouse, guiding our people with pride, drawing the eyes of the world with dignity, and illuminating the path to our shared future with the

*Tayo Mabeweje*
*Media Consultant to the Executive Governor of Ogun State**

Ede Poly launches Journal to drive Global Research, innovation

The Federal Polytechnic, Ede, Osun State, has once again demonstrated it's commitment towards academic excellence and global research prominence through the recent official launch of REACT Journals.

REACT, is a multidisciplinary, peer-reviewed publication platform aimed at amplifying cutting-edge research across engineering, environmental sciences, humanities, and social disciplines.

The landmark initiative, sanctioned by the institution’s visionary Rector, Engr. Dr. Sani Man Yahya (FNSE), underscores the Polytechnic’s enduring commitment to fostering research that is sustainable, visible, and reproducible (SVR).

According to Ag. Director, Information, Protocol and Public Relations of the institution , Sola Lawal, in a statement said the journal is set to bridge the gap between theory and practice while positioning Federal Polytechnic Ede alongside leading international research publishers.

Meanwhile, at the helm of this groundbreaking development was Dr. Ben Festus (FNIST, FIPMD, MnistP), the Acting Director of the Directorate of Research and Development, whose leadership and foresight laid the foundation for the REACT brand.

"Dr. Festus had conceptualized REACT as a credible scholarly outlet for academics, professionals, and policy advocates seeking innovative and impactful research dissemination.

"REACT is more than just a journal; it is a response – our institution’s response – to the global call for more inclusive, relevant, and practice-oriented research,” said Dr. Festus. “With dedicated editorial teams and a streamlined review process, we are poised to contribute meaningfully to national development and global scientific dialogue.

"Following this official launch, a call for proposals will be issued immediately. All submitted manuscripts will undergo rigorous peer review in line with international standards. Each published article will be assigned a unique DOI via Crossref to ensure traceability, citation, and indexing in major scholarly platforms.

" Our long-term vision is to have REACT journals indexed in databases such as Scopus and Web of Science, while also expanding our portfolio to include additional discipline-specific journals. I am pleased to confirm that REACT has already secured both online and print ISSNs from the National Library of Nigeria", the statement read.

The journal currently hosts two flagship publications:
•REACT Engineering, Environmental and Applied Sciences (REEAS)
.REACT Humanities and Social Sciences (RHASS)

Both journals will be published biannually in print and online formats, ensuring broad access and engagement with the academic community and society at large.

Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency: Pelumi Olajengbesi remains our candidate - Jackson Lekan Ojo

A leading Security Expert in Nigeria and global affairs analyst, High Chief Jackson Lekan Ojo, has declared that the consensus among prominent individuals in Obokun /Oriade Federal Constituency of Osun State is on Barrister Pelumi Olajengbesi to represent the constituency in the green chamber come 2027.

He said this decision was predicated on the principle of equity , fairness and justice, adding that while Obokun has been producing representative for over twenty years, it is always logical and rational for Oriade to produce representative this time around.

According to Ojo, unlike in other climes where Federal Constituency has only one Local Government, two local governments constitute the constituency.

The Security Expert explained that the age-long dominance of the constituency by Obokun has perpetually placed Oriade in the second fiddle and relegated it's people to the background.

He said ", while the incumbent representative of Oriade/Obokun Federal Constituency, Hon. Oluwole Oke has really done well for the people of the constituency, it is always logical to make recourse to equity and fairness in any political consideration.

"Though he has not declared to anybody that he still contesting, moreso when he has defected to APC despite the great opportunities PDP gave him to use their platforms for about two decades, anyway, this is an issue for another day, meanwhile , Hon. Wole Oke is eminently qualified to contest for higher offices in the land, based on his wealth of experience and capacity.

"Going forward , therefore, Barrister Olajengbesi is a moral and social asset to our federal constituency. This is a philanthropist of the highest order.
He will be culturally, socially, and economically valuable to our people. The young man is coming to politics economically - self-made devoid of becoming a man going there for economics self building detrimental to the growth and development of the people he represents.

"Coming also on the platform of the PDP is an added advantage to his victory because of the near magical performance of the governor Nurudeen Jackson Ademola Adeleke in the state.

"What I am saying in particular is that our constituency comprises of two local governments, and Hon. Wole Oke from Obokun has been representing us since over twenty years. It is just like what happend in 1999, when there was consensus among the power brokers in Nigeria to allow only candidates from the South West to contest the presidential seat, for the purpose of pacifying the Yoruba over the injustice done to MKO Abiola.

"In the same vein, we demand fairness and equity in this regard, to avert any friction or acrimony. It is on that note that we all throw our weights behind a vibrant, courageous and sophisticated personality like Barrister Pelumi Olajengbesi from Oriade to represent the constituency.

"I want to clearly state here that the decision to support Pelumi Olajengbesi is beyond party lines and cultural divide, it is purely based on competence and fairness, both PDP and APC are ready for him and would massively support him".

You 're a leader of immense importance-Gov. Adeleke eulogises Dapo Abiodun on birthday

Governor of Osun State, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has congratulated his Ogun State counterpart and Chairman of Southern Governors' Forum, Prince Dapo Abiodun, on his 65th birthday, describing him as a leader of immense importance.

Honouring Abiodun's exemplary life of service, Adeleke acknowledged his bold vision for growth and enviable sense for excellence, adding that Governor Abiodun's remarkable leadership has engendered unprecedented progress for his state and the citizenry at large.

Adeleke, in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, further commended Prince Abiodun for his political sagacity in conflict management, thereby entrenching sustainable peace and tranquility in the state with resultant advancement in critical sectors of the state's economy.

He added that Governor Abiodun's distinct attributes of inclusive governance and non-violent culture have endeared him to numerous admirers across party lines.

"A hearty cheers to a leader of immense importance, His Excellency Governor Dapo Abiodun. Through Governor Abiodun, I've come to appreciate the worth of true friendship,* Governor Adeleke was quoted as saying in a congratulatory message.

"In six years as Governor, Dapo Abiodun has restored hopes and created a future of possibilities for the people of Ogun State. From the wise investment in bolstering the education sector to revamping public infrastructure for increased accessibility, Governor Abiodun showed his worst critic the power of good governance.

"As he marks a new age, I celebrate him for the visible impacts he has made over the years, and I also honour the creativity he has brought to governance.

"May God Almighty bless Governor Dapo Abiodun with good health and sound mind while also hoping for more years of impactful contributions to Ogun State and the nation as a whole", the statement read.

Egbe Bobagunte Honours Governor Dapo Abiodun on 65th Birthday and Two Years of Second Term

Ijebu Ode, Ogun State – May 29, 2025
Egbe Bobagunte Okunrin Akile-Ijebu has extended warm felicitations to the Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, CON, as he marks his 65th birthday, which coincides with the second anniversary of his second term in office.

The congratulatory message was conveyed by the Giwa of the Egbe and Bobaseilu of Ijebu, Otunba (Giwa) Adesanya Yusuf, who described the governor—also the Bajipe of Egbe Bobagunte—as “a beacon of purposeful leadership and a symbol of progressive governance whose accomplishments continue to uplift Ogun State.”

Otunba Yusuf lauded Governor Abiodun’s impact in multiple sectors, noting that “our distinguished brother has demonstrated uncommon dedication to the growth and transformation of Ogun State. His achievements in infrastructure, healthcare, education, agriculture, and the digital economy are not only commendable but a testament to his visionary leadership.”

The Giwa further emphasized that the governor’s conduct exemplifies the values of Egbe Bobagunte, saying, “as the Bajipe of Egbe Bobagunte, Governor Abiodun makes us proud every day. His steady hands, consultative approach, and commitment to inclusive development continue to leave enduring legacies across the state. Indeed, he embodies the ideals and excellence our Egbe stands for.”

Offering prayers on behalf of the Board of Trustees and entire membership of Egbe Bobagunte Okunrin Akile-Ijebu, Otunba Yusuf wished the governor continued good health, strength, and divine wisdom in his service to Ogun State and Nigeria at large.

The Egbe joins the people of Ogun State in celebrating what it described as a significant double milestone, praising Governor Abiodun’s exemplary leadership and unwavering commitment to progress.

Prince Dapo Abiodun was first elected Governor of Ogun State in 2019 and began his second term in May 2023. A respected son of Ijebuland, he continues to enjoy the goodwill of many socio-cultural and professional groups across the state.

Ogun State Reports the Lowest Increase in Food Prices - NBS



The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has identified Ogun State with the most modest year-on-year increase in food inflation.

This coincides with the bureau's designation of Benue, Ekiti, and Kebbi as the states facing the highest year-on-year food inflation rates in Nigeria.

According to the NBS's April Consumer Price Index, Ogun State also exhibited a decrease in food inflation on a month-on-month basis.

The report indicates that Benue recorded the steepest year-on-year food inflation rise at 51.76 percent, followed by Ekiti at 34.05 percent, and Kebbi at 33.82 percent.

In contrast, the states with the slowest year-on-year food inflation increases included Ebonyi at 7.19 percent, Adamawa at 9.52 percent, and Ogun at 9.91 percent.

When analyzing month-on-month trends, Benue, Ekiti, and Yobe emerged as the states with the most significant increases in food inflation.

For April, the month-on-month food inflation rates were recorded as 25.59 percent for Benue, 16.73 percent for Ekiti, and 13.92 percent for Yobe.

The surge in food inflation in Benue may be linked to the recent uptick in violence in the state, which has resulted in numerous fatalities and widespread displacement.

Conversely, Ebonyi (-14.43 percent), Kano (-11.37 percent), and Ogun (-7.06 percent) experienced declines in food inflation on a month-on-month basis.

Olumo Rock and the false claims of a revisionist


By Flourish Adeko

Ordinarily, there would have been no need to respond to the latest trash concocted by a lackey of an ex-Governor of Ogun State accusing Governor Dapo Abiodun of shutting down a prime historical monument, Olumo Rock, during the ongoing National Sports Festival (NSF). It is interesting that Ope Banwo, the self-styled Mayor Of Fadeyi and his ilk can talk glibly about the same festival they had dismissed with accustomed arrogance. Ahead of the Ogun 2024 festival which is already enjoying rave reviews in Nigeria and beyond, these agents of doom had declared, as if the public was unaware of the antics of their community of nitwits, that it would be no better than "a local inter house sports" and could not be compared the 2006 edition hosted under their principal. But curiously, the Commissioner for Sports under the Gbenga Daniel administration who was appointed by Governor Abiodun as and the chairman of Ogun 2024 Local Organising Committee, and who is now Director General of the National Sports Commission, had quickly dismissed the claim, saying that it was the 2006 event that would look like inter house sports compared to this year’s edition, which he said would be the best in sub-Saharan Africa. How accurate!!



Looking at the feelers from various quarters, Ogun 2024 is a masterpiece. The Opening Ceremony captured the national and global imagination, and many people are saying that they have never seen that type of opening even in any African event, and that it it can only be compared with the most glamorous and successful FIFA or Olympic events. A caveat, though: many people have come to realize that Ogun State is always first in everything and were therefore not surprised by the exceptionally beautiful ceremony.


The problem with ex-Governor Daniel and his dogs is the haughty belief that no one can surpass them. Yet it is only the Almighty God that cannot be surpassed. When Daniel was in government, he saw himself as a lion, dominating everywhere, and it is beyond evident that he and his lackeys are still living in illusion of grandeur. Perhaps that was why when Daniel came to the opening ceremony and saw the massive event and the creativity and accolades it garnered, he hurriedly left the stadium. He could not control himself, having seen something clearly beyond his mental horizon. He had never seen something so unique and beautiful.


To say the very least, the opening ceremony has been commended all over the world, with many people that they never thought that Nigeria could put up such an incredible ceremony. Besides, the games themselves are enjoying rave reviews, with such big sporting names as Segun Odegbami saying that Gateway 2024 has restored the original vision of the founding fathers of the National Sports Festival (NSF).



So now, in order to cast aspersion on the NSF, the perpetual naysayers cry babies turned attention to Olumo Rock, a facility shut down before the Games to give it and other monuments a massive facelift. Ahead of the NSF, the Ogun State Government struck up a partnership with Nike Art Gallery to establish a new exhibition space at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, a move Governor Dapo Abiodun pointed out is aimed at boosting annual tourist visits from 20,000 to over 100,000. Receiving the founder of the Nike Art Gallery, Chief (Mrs) Nike Davies-Okundaye, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, the Governor said: “I went to Olumo Rock about a month ago and I decided that we needed to do something about restoring Olumo Rock to its old glory. From statistics, Olumo Rock hosts about 20,000 people a year in its current state, and I felt that we could increase that to at least ten times." As part of the plan, an events hall within the tourist centre is being repurposed as a permanent gallery operated by Nike Art Gallery. The Governor listed attractions such as the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, the Ransome-Kuti family home, and the Adire market among key heritage spots to be showcased.

It takes utter abdication of moral authority for anyone who claims sanity to equate a temporary shutdown announced weeks before the NSF began and meant to facilitate repairs to a closure of the Olumo Rock to visitors during the NSF. Contrary to the barefaced lies and distortions by the spin doctors, Olumo Rock has not been shutdown to visitors as the NSF gets underway; it is just that the renovations are not complete. No one has been able to counter Governor Abiodun's argument that it is a historic site that must add value to the people of Ogun State and by the time Governor Abiodun is through with Olumo Rock, it will be second to none globally, just like the Ogun Adire industry is second to none. Speaking of adire, thousands of fabrics have been sold in less than a week, and news reports say that the sellers have run out of stock. In his multi-pronged plan, the Governor is also looking at monuments such as Iwe Iroyin, the Kuti residence, Fela's residence and the Obasanjo library, monuments which were placed under renovation because of their pivotal place in touristic architecture.


Of course, the naysayers cannot stop writing out of mischief. They are never-do-wells who thrive in chaos and who are hurt that Dapo Abiodun continues to do a good job, opening up Ogun State to investments through good policies and infrastructure. In the coming weeks, the Governor will be commissioning so many roads. History has positioned him favourably. He cannot be deferred by lunatics and agents of destabilisation.

Flourish Adeko
SA new media
Ogun State

Ogun 2024 Has Restored Original Objective of National Sports Festival—Odegbami



Veteran sports icon and ex-Super Eagles great, Chief Segun Odegbami has lauded the organization and template of the ongoing National Sports Festival, tagged Gateway Games 2024, saying that it has restored the original objectives of the founding fathers, which was initiated in the aftermath of the Nigerian civil war to foster bonding and unity among Nigerians.

Odegbami, a Grand Sports Ambassador for the games, gave this commendation during an interview with TVC.

Lauding the vision of the Dapo Abiodun-led administration for the games, Odegbami said housing of athletes, transport logistics, and the provision of facilities during the 22nd edition of the festival were unique and would enhance the discovery of young talents.

He also lauded the Federal Government for integrating a contingent of young athletes outside of the state contingents to compete at the games.

He said: "The objective really is to compete; we are talking sports, so young people are back. In fact, the Federal Government, through the National Sports Commission, brought in a contingent of young, talented athletes, different from all the other athletes from the states, to come and compete with whatever the states brought together.

"That has brought focus to the discovery of young talents again, and you could see the celebration that this has caused.

"That team has started winning medals; they are not representing any state in the country. In the past, we used to have this shenanigan where states would go and hire athletes from different places, and so on, which diluted the products that we had.

"But now it appears that everything is going back to focus; all the athletes, over 12,000 of them, are housed in a village, so they are together.

"You can imagine what is going on there: true integration. Young people from different parts mingling, eating, and all of that.

"By the time they leave that place, it is eternal friendship, the original objective for which the games were set up.

"So little things like that are happening in the Gateway Games that were not there before, and this is helping us to restore those objectives for which the National Sports Festival was set up."

Odegbami, who recalled that his football career started at the NSF in the 1973 festival, said the festival gave him the opportunity to represent the country, adding that the organizers of Ogun 2024 had done a terrific job in structuring the festival along the same path of talent discovery.

"I was a young student; I was in school in Ibadan, and I was invited to play for the Western State team. I went in there, played my first international match, and realized that I was even good for the first time.

"I went to the festival, and after it, I was invited to the national team in December of 1973. That was the beginning. I was not part of the team that put this together. Whoever did it did a terrific job. I just came in two weeks ago when I was made Grand Sports Ambassador, and I have been looking at what is going on, and I must confess that I am amazed.

"It is like there was a vision, and that vision encapsulates what I had been thinking needed to be done to harness the opportunities that exist in this kind of game.

"The first is this: you see, the sports themselves, the running and jumping, are the least activities in the games.

"The greater activity is putting the festival together—where would they (the athletes) stay, where would they eat, how would they be transported, what kind of security would you need, and so on and so forth.

"That takes up almost 90 percent of this entire project. To put together those things is mind-boggling.

"Once you start focusing on those systems, you create an ecosystem: cultural, economic, and so on. So, for the first time, we are looking at developing an ecosystem out of these games," he added.