THE NATION THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2012
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NEWS Hunter mistakes mate for antelope From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo
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HUNTER, Ajani Moshood (57), at the weekend shot dead his colleague, Amusan Hammed (46), in Mokore Farm Settlement, near Orile-Owu in Ayedade Local Government Area of Osun State. Moshood, who reported himself to the police, said he mistook the deceased for an antelope. It was gathered that the remains of the deceased was deposited at the mortuary of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife. Confirming the incident, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Solomon Olusegun, said the matter is being investigated. The suspect was initially detained at the Gbongan Police Division, but has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Osogbo, the state capital.
Ajimobi swears in commissioner
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YO State Governor Abiola Ajimobi yesterday swore in Dr. Olumuyiwa Gbadegesin as the Commissioner for Health. Gbadegesin, formerly Special Adviser to the Governor on Projects, swapped positions with the erstwhile Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdul-Lateef Olopoenia, who is now in charge of projects. Ajimobi said the swapping of portfolios among political appointees would bring out the best in them. He said: “There is no ministry that is permanent to any
commissioner. We will review their performances quarterly, bi-annually and annually and make necessary changes as we see the need. “This is a modern management strategy that will speed up the development of our dear state. “Health is one of our cardinal programmes and we want somebody who can give it the push and the drive that we require. I think Dr. Gbadegesin has the prerequisite knowledge to drive the ministry. Gbadegesin thanked the governor for the opportunity given to him and promised to strengthen the sector.
Army pulls out of LASG’s ‘Operation Mesa’
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OLDIERS have been withdrawn from the Lagos State security outfit, Operation Mesa. The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 81 Division, Maj.-Gen. Kenneth Minimah spoke yesterday while hosting 118 participants of the National Defence College (NDC) Course 20, Abuja, who were on a working visit to the division. He was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as saying: “The 81 Division withdrew its officers from the Joint Task Force, Operation Mesa, following the expiration of the time specified for its operations. The six months allotted for its operation expired on January 24.” Maj.-Gen. Minimah did not say if the terms would be renewed, but he said the army would continue to live up to its responsibility of ensuring security.
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Ilaro chiefs disown Olu-elect
OME members of the Ilaro Regency Council in Ogun State have disowned Monday’s announcement by the Adele Olu of Ilaro, Chief Jas Oyekan, that Prince Adedeji Adegbenle has emerged the Olu-elect. They are the Onosokun of Ilaro, Chief Kamoru Musa; the Asipa of Ilaro, Chief Fagbenro Shittu; the Osi-Agoro of Ilaro, Chief Gabriel Ajayi; and the Bashorun of Ilaro, Chief Gabriel Adeleye. The chiefs said Prince Kehinde Adegbenle is the Olu-elect and not Adedeji. They warned Oyekan to stop parading himself as the council’s chairman, noting that his tenure expired nine months ago. Explaining that it is the responsibility of the state government to announce the name of the Olu-elect and not that of the Adele Olu, the chiefs said Oyekan should be prosecuted for precipitating crisis in the town.
•Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan (middle) surrounded by students and staff of the Baptist Girls’ High School, Agbor, during the governor’s inspection of the new Girls Hostel built by the state government...yesterday.
Ogun scraps Tai Solarin Varsity
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HE Ogun State Government yesterday scrapped the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED), Ijagun, and renamed it Institute of Education. The government said it would be affiliated to the Faculty of Education, Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago–Iwoye. The seven-year-old TASUED, which began in 1987/88 as a College of Education, was transformed into a university in January, 2005, by former Governor Gbenga Daniel. The government also merged the four Information Communications Technology (ICT) polytechnics into one and renamed it Ogun State Institute of Technology (OSITECH), Igbesa. The merged schools are Abraham Adesanya ICT Polytechnic, Ijebu–Igbo; D.S. Adegbenro ICT Polytechnic, Itori; Kensington Adebutu ICT Polytechnic, Saapade;
•Students kick From Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta
and Ayo Otegbola ICT Polytechnic, Igbesa. The Ijebu– Igbo, Itori and Saapade locations will now serve as satellite campuses. Speaking with reporters at the Governor’s Office in Abeokuta, the state capital, the Commissioner for Education, Mr. Segun Odubela, and his Information and Strategy counterpart, Alh. Yusuph Olaniyonu, said the changes were recommended by the committee set up by the government to look into the report of the Visitation Panel set up to examine the condition of state–owned tertiary institutions. Odubela said: “TASUED has lost focus. Presently, it has more students on courses that are unrelated to education and gulps a lot of money from the govern-
ment. We want to restructure our schools to be of first-class standard.” Olaniyonu said: “Ogun State has the highest number of higher institutions in the country. Why do we need to replicate so many of them? “It will be better to have a very good OOU with a good Faculty of Education, than have to two universities that are poorly funded or equipped? “The changes are to enable us have qualitative and affordable education. We do not have to play politics with education. The government will take tough decisions when it is just and necessary. “We made these changes to improve tertiary education, not because the government is broke. The Institute of Education, OOU and OSITECH would still be funded, but it is better to have one than so many.”
The announcement sparked a peaceful protest by the Students Union Government (SUG) of TASUED. About 30 of them stormed the Oke–Ilewo Secretariat of the Ogun State Council of the Nigerian Union Journalists (NUJ), led by the National Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Mr. Clement Olusegun; TASUED SUG President, Mr. Oyekanmi Abdulahi, and NANS State Chairman Mr. Mustapha Adewale. Urging Governor Ibikunle Amosun to reverse the decision, Olusegun, a 300-level student of TASUED, said: “TASUED is the first specialised University of Education in Nigeria, the second in Africa and eight in the world. Merging TASUED with OOU would destroy the glory it has given to the state and Nigeria.”
Osun ex-commissioner detained over ‘loan fraud’
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ORMER Osun State Commissioner for Finance Elder Adetoyese Ojo was on Tuesday night arrested and detained by the police for alleged N60 million loan fraud. Ojo, who served in the administration of former Gov-
From Adesoji Adeniyi, Osogbo
ernor Olagunsoye Oyinlola, allegedly executed the deal with Strong Passion Concept Nigeria Ltd on behalf of the state government. It was gathered that the company sold the idea of the production of Vehicle Licence to the Oyinlola government with the promise that the deal would generate N2.5 billion annually as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR). It was learnt that in 2008, the company approached the United Bank for Africa (UBA) for a N60 million loan, which was guaranteed by
the s’tate government. When the project failed to generate the expected revenue, it was gathered that Oyinlola instituted a panel to investigate the matter. The panel was said to have indicted Ojo of securing the loan with the state government standing surety, without the consent of the former governor. It was learnt that the panel recommended that Ojo should refund the principal and the interest attracted by the loan. Before the Oyinlola administration was ousted in November, 2010, by the Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the prin-
cipal and interest of the loan had risen to N85 million and is now at N120 million. Investigation revealed that the Aregbesola administration has paid N100 million of the N120 million. It was learnt that the money was paid in three installments. Commissioner of Police Solomon Olusegun confirmed Ojo’s arrest. Olusegun said Ojo would be arraigned when their investigations have been completed. A source said the former commissioner failed to honour several invitations by the police and attempted to escape when he was arrested at his Erin-Osun country home.
Adefarati left ‘indelible marks’, says Aregbesola
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SUN State Governor Rauf Aregbesola has praised the leadership values of former Ondo State Governor Adebayo Adefarati. He said the late Adefarati left indelible marks in the state. Aregbesola spoke at the weekend when he visited Adefarati’s mausoleum in Akoko. He was accompanied by the former governor’s son, Otunba Gboyega Adefarati; the State Chairman of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), Mrs. Jumoke Anifowose; former Minister of Education Dr. Olaiya Oni; Mr. Ade Adetimehin; Mr. Saka Lawal and others. Aregbesola was in the state for the Golden anniversary of his alma mater, Akoko Anglican Gram-
From Damisi Ojo, Akure
mar School, Arigidi-Akoko. He donated an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) centre to the school. Aregbesola was later hosted by a former Minister of Power and Steel and ACN governorship aspirant, Dr. Olu Agunloye, in ErusuAkoko. The governor said Ondo State cannot remain isolated in the progressive wind of transformation blowing round the Southwest. Aregbesola urged the people to vote for ACN next year to enjoy its “meaningful programmes.”