Tutors who handled the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) organized by the Oyo State government have urged the government to pay their stipends after successful competition of the tutorial session.

Oyo State government on 17th January, 2020 commenced tutorial as a means of support for students who are preparing for tertiary institutions.

Scores of tutors were contacted across the state for this great job where they were promised stipends as compensation for the job.

Oyomind.com.ng gathered that the tutorial held successfully for two months and it ended a week to the commencement of the UTME. Results coming from the students showed that the tutorial was effective as most of the students had over 200 in the UTME.

Tutors who involved in this process are yet to be compensated as they didn’t know why there is a delay in their stipends.

According to one of the tutors who preferred to stay anonymous, he congratulated the Oyo State Commissioner on the outcome of the tutorial classes and urged that the sweat of the indefatigable tutors should not be left unnoticed.

“I felicitate with the Oyo State Commissioner of Education on the outcome of their organized Jamb Tutorial Classes as the students are reporting good grades of 250 and above to us since morning.

“I hope this outcome will facilitate the payment of the long overdue of the emolument or stipends of the TUTORS who submissively and devoted their time and schedules to contribute their quotas so as to find the lasting solution to the past recorded mass failures of the students in Jamb in Oyo State.

Noteworthy, if these tutors could not be indemnified for the job well done as their work of two months could be giving these amazing and beautiful results, then their sweat ought to be paid for in due time and believed this pieces of information is enough to trigger the Commissioner of Education in Oyo State to call the people in charge of the stipends to release it in time.”

The Central Council of Ibadan Indigene (CCII) has announced the postponement of the grand finale of the 2020 Ibadan week festival which was initially slated for 21st March 2020.

In a statement released by the President General of CCII, Mr. Yemi Soladoye, the council met with the state government functionaries and considering the verbal attacks that followed the rally organized by the governor for PDP returnees, it is important that the grand finale of this year Ibadan week is postponed till further notice.

The statement reads thus:

My dear Compatriots in the CCII. We had discussions with the Oyo State Government Functionaries late yesterday and considering the verbal attacks that followed even the Rally organized by the Governor himself for the PDP, Returnees, it was agreed that the best option is to postpone the Grand Finale of this year Ibadan Week Celebration till further notice.

We had bought all the hand sanitizers, the face masks, heat detectors, etc available in Ibadan with the resolve to use State and military medical teams to administer them but then, we have to consider the political and detractors angle.

The State Government will, therefore, make the necessary announcement to this effect and we should comply. Today’s meeting will however still hold since it’s always our internal small gathering. We thank God that we have succeeded in executing 9 out of our 10 Events and they were all successful.

We have also been very prudent and cautious in spending as there won’t be a major financial loss to your Council as a result of this development.

Your executives will always do the best for the CCII and Ibadanland.

We shall soon communicate a new date for a bigger outing to all our members.

Please, accept the sincere apologies of our executives for the inconvenience that this may cause to you individually and collectively.

Thank you.

Yemi Soladoye,
President General, CCII. 20/3/2020.

The Federal House of Representatives member, representing Oluyole Federal Constituency, Honourable Tolulope Akande Sadipe-K in a quest to contribute her quota to the development of education in Oluyole has flagged off the construction of classroom blocks within the constituency.

The flag off took place at 2 schools within the constituency on Thursday. The first batch of beneficiary schools are Alaho Secondary School in Alaho Village and Oluyole Local Government Council Basic School, at Ayegun Oleyo

Each school will have an additional three blocks of classrooms added on to the existing infrastructure.

Speaking at Alaho Secondary Grammar school, Hon. Olalekan Adeyemo Vice Chairman APC Oyo State said that the flag-off is historic. “In the history of Alaho, Oluyole Local Government, the last administration that touched this community was Late Lam Adesina between 1999 and 2003 but today, Hon. Tolu Akande – Sadipe (k) as she promised during the campaign has brought back the glory. With pride he said “this is a big and laudable project I must confess”

At the 2nd location the Head Mistress of Oluyole Local Government Council Basic School, Mrs. O.T. Taiwo in her remark appreciated the effort of the federal lawmaker for counting the school worthy of the project.

The community Chairman, of Ayegun Oleyo community Mr. Adetunji Alabi also contributed, he thanked the lawmaker for the surprise, saying “The flag-off of three blocks of the classroom today is a surprise to us he said “Although we had heard of series of empowerment and projects she had embarked on we where wondering when, we as a community would receive ours, today We appreciate this and we as well clamour for more.”

Honourable Tolulope Sadipe ably represented by Engr. Kunle commended the schools for accepting the project.

“Education is of great importance to Hon. Akande-Sadipe, she believes that education is the key to person development and that is why she has thought it wise to ensure that these projects come to fruition. On behalf of Hon. Akande-Sadipe, I want to commend our schools for collaborating to make this flag off possible today.

“You can always trust your indefatigable representative that no stone will be left untouched, every nook and cranny of the constituecy will benefit and feel the impact of Hon. Tolu’s projects”.

While the world is being careful and taking the necessary precautionary measures to avoid contracting and spreading of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Oyo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) is set to host a South West rally to welcome some new decampees into the party.

According to the party, Former Governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, Former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja amongst others would be welcomed at the popular Mapo Hall, Ibadan.

As a ruling party in the state, the lives and property of her citizens should be of utmost priority. While advance countries that have well-placed and standard health facilities have stopped a gathering of more than 50person, the Oyo State government without any precautionary measure is willingly ready to welcome a gathering of thousands of people across the South West, Lagos and Ogun States where there have been strange cases inclusive.

Its time the government sit up to face reality as the lives of the people is worth more than party jamboree.

There has been news flying around that Governor Makinde has appointed the council chairmen for The Polytechnic Ibadan and Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo.

In a statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, it was revealed that the report is not true and best mischievous.

“The attention of the Media Office of the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, has been drawn to a report published by an online medium which indicated that the governor has named certain persons as chairpersons of the Governing Councils of the Polytechnic Ibadan and the Emmanuel Alayande College of Education, Oyo.

“The Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, wishes to admonish Media houses to always take advantage of the open door policy of his administration to crosscheck facts and figures before going to press,” a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa stated.

According to the statement, the public will be duly informed through official channels once the said appointments and many others that are in the pipeline are made.

“We, however, demand that the media house in question immediately correct the wrong impression and desist from misleading the people,” the statement read.

They say it is not easy to have 100% loyalty in politics to a leader, but this seems not to be the case with the Zenith Labour Party(ZLP) in Ibarapa North and Central, Oyo State.

In a well-attended meeting held yesterday, Sunday the 15th of March, 2020 in Igboora, Oyo State, and in attendance were all the ZLP local Government chairmen and executives Ward Chairmen and executives, Party Leaders, over one thousand party faithful and the flag bearer for the position of the Federal House of Representatives in the last election Dr. Anthony Adebayo Adepoju popularly known as (Ibarapa Kan).

The entire party members of both local governments unanimously agreed to defect to the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) under the leadership of his excellency Gov. Seyi Abiodun Makinde.

In his remarks at the meeting, the party stalwart and grassroots politician Dr. Anthony Adebayo Adepoju praised Governor Seyi Makinde and the entire leadership of the PDP for making the lives of the Oyo state people better.

He said, “Oyo State is better off today than we were ten months ago, we are ready to join hands with the PDP to further strengthen the party and deliver more dividends of democracy to our people.”

The main aim of every business establishment is to make profits for the total benefits of the owner(s). In Nigeria, especially, few fairly wealthy individuals establish business for philanthropic sake. Many wealthy individuals in advanced countries are known to establish businesses mainly for philanthropic purposes. Such generous altruism is rare in Nigeria!

The rare form of business enterprise for philanthropic purposes described above tells the story of Safeway Drilling, a Nigerian-based water engineering company, established in the year 2012. Owing to my decision to give back to Ibadan, my city of birth, I decided to take the uncharted route of empowering my people and society through the establishment of the water engineering company. The ideas were to equip the company with state-of-the-art drilling equipment, source for borehole drilling projects from interested individuals and government agencies, divide the profits made into two, using fifty percent of the profits to service the equipment and pay overhead costs and using the other fifty percent to provide water to communities where water is bitingly scarce.

Hundreds of millions of Naira have gone into acquiring plots of land, erecting buildings and structures for administrative and technical uses, acquiring state-of-the-art drilling equipment and putting up other logistics. Since 2012 when Safeway Drilling began its operations, the company has been drilling boreholes in many schools and communities, especially in the south-west, where access to clean water was a huge challenge, thereby reducing the incidence of water-related diseases and accompanying fatalities.

Safeway Drilling has delivered functional wells with ninety-five percent success rate to various institutions of higher learning such as the University College Hospital, Ibadan, The Polytechnic Ibadan, The University of Ibadan (PG Hostel) and other higher learning institutions in Oyo and Ogun States. The company has also delivered functional wells to governmental institutions like Ogun-Osun River Basin Development Authority and others. This is in addition to the provision of functional wells at SOS Children’s Villages in Ibadan and Ijebu-Ife as well as partnering other stakeholders to successfully deliver a number of free drinkable borehole water to some communities at Abeokuta in Ogun State.

Safeway Drilling’s expertise in borehole drilling attracted some stakeholders who collaborated with it as third parties to construct boreholes to several communities as part of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) water programmes. Also, the third-party engagement gave the company an opportunity to participate in the African Development Programme (AfDP) schemes to deliver safe, drinkable water to communities where clean water is a scarce substance.

Apart from its core business of providing free water to schools and communities, Safeway Drilling also provided technical training and education through Industrial Training Programme to a total number of 104 students in various engineering fields like Petroleum Engineering, Civil Engineering, Geology and many other science related courses from neighbouring educational institutions such as the University of Ibadan, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Ilorin, The Polytechnic Ibadan, to mention a few.

Safeway Drilling has in its employment many youths who are graduates and non-graduates, having opportunities to learn to become entrepreneurs and employers of labour in the business of water drilling while reducing the growing unemployment rate in the country. A number of water and beverage bottling companies have benefitted from technical supports from Safeway Drilling, using local materials and expertise.

On a sad note, however, the influx of water drilling companies from Indians and Lebanese owned businesses, offering cheaper services and free auxiliary services, into Nigerian water drilling environment has threatened the operational gestures and business existence of Safeway Drilling. Business has become so unattractive for water drilling companies that many of them, like Safeway Drilling, have had to lay off their workers. In Safeway Drilling’s case, the business of social responsibility is facing an acute austere time due to lack of patronage as a result of the Indian’s water drilling companies offering cheaper services. Many of the employees have been laid off while the multimillion Naira water drilling equipment have become idle due to non usage. In actual fact, the company is considering putting the equipment up for sale so as to be able to salvage whatever fraction of the huge investments made to bring the water drilling business into existence.

Safeway Drilling can no longer provide free, clean boreholes to many other schools and communities suffering from water scarcity. Water-related diseases in those underprivileged schools and communities are threatening the existence of infants aged 1-5 who are most vulnerable to waterborne diseases.

As if the situations explained above are not worse enough, Safeway Drilling has ceased to offer technical supports to engineering students from higher institutions of learning. We cannot overemphasize the benefits of training engineering manpower to engineering professions and the country. What is the benefit of studying engineering courses in higher schools with theoretical orientation without practical engagements?

Safeway Drilling is a story of social responsibility going sour! The company was established for philanthropic purposes only; the investor behind the company does not make personal benefits out of the profits recorded through the business activities of the company. It is a company established to cater for water welfare of people in the society.

This is calling on government at all levels to come to the urgent aid of indigenous water drilling companies which are faced with the threat of extinction occasioned by the influx of unscrupulous foreigners whose only interest is to make monies here and repatriate them back to their home countries. They are here to make monies without giving back to our country in form of giving technical supports to higher institutions of learning, regular employments, training of engineering manpower and providing free boreholes to our schools and communities. We are calling on government to ensure that right policies and relevant infrastructure are put in place for the survival of indigenous water drilling companies.

It needs also be emphasized that despite the social responsibility activities of Safeway Drilling, the company still pays necessary taxes to the government. It’s however doubtful that the Indian water drilling companies operating in the state are remitting any tax to the state. For businesses to thrive and for government to get more revenues, it has compulsory duties to provide conducive environment for businesses to survive and thrive.

Oloye Abiola Iyiola is Mogaji of Anlamole Compound, Ibadan.

A big blow has hit the Oyo State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as a staunch member and one of the close ally of Governor Makinde, Ademola Aremu Adelowo dumped the party.

Adelowo, a strong supporter of the PDP from Ibadan North East Local Government took to his social media page (Facebook) to denounce his membership of the party in the early hours of Sunday.

Oyomind.com.ng recalled that the ranting from the party faithful has been on the increase over continuous neglect by Governor Makinde.

In his words “I wish to let the people know that from now on, I cease to be a member of PDP for the reason best known to me. Thank you all.” Adelowo posted.

History made Man and Man made history, as Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde on thursday, made history as Oyo lawmakers announced the nomination for appointment of former National President, National Association of Oyo Student’s (NAOS), Comrade Wahab Daud Temitope as Oyo South-West Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Council Secretary.

Comrade Wahab Daud, also known as “Prof T ” was among the list of 68 secretaries of caretaker committee of local governments areas (LGAs) and local council development areas (LCDAs) in Oyo State, whose names were reeled out in Thursday’s plenary of the state house of Assembly.

Prof. T hail from Oyo West local government areas of Oyo State, a product of Premier university, University of Ibadan, Ibadan Nigeria, studied Library, Archival and information studies at the faculty of education. He also hold Nigeria Certificate in Education, NCE, 2008.

Until his appointment, Prof T has served and still serving in various political and leadership capacities, some include: Secretary General, Student’s Union Government OYSCOED (2007), Vice President of (NAMSN) OYSCOED (2006), Vice President, NAOS National Council 2010, Chief Justice, NAOS National Council 2012, Secretary General, LARISSA University of Ibadan,2012, Publicity Secretary, NAOS UI 2012, National President, National Association of Oyo Student’s (NAOS) 2013, State Coordinator, Student’s Integrity group, 2016, National Coordinator, Youth Integrity Network, Oyo State, 2017, Director of Student’s and Youth Atiku South-West Coalition 2018 and Member of Youth Mobilisation Committee (PDP Oyo State) till date.

The news of the appointment of Comrade Wahab Daud, has thrown the entire students in Oyo town into wild jubilation as they’re confident that with his level of relationship with community, experience in the field of struggle, vast exposure and proven administrative prowess –he’s eminently capable of managing the affairs of Oyo SouthWest local council development areas.

The Oyo South-West local council development areas (LCDAs) council secretary with other nominee are expected to undergo screening on Monday 16th March, 2020 at Oyo State House of Assembly, new complex with confirmation of successful nominee on Tuesday during House Plenary session.