Happenings

Former Oyo state Governor, Senator Rashidi Ladoja  has declared that himself and other politicians with wealth of experience in politics formed an alliance for peace to reign in the state.

Senator Ladoja made this  declaration on Tuesday, in a chat with  Journalists,at his Ondo street, Bodija,Ibadan,Nigeria residence.

''When you are in the opposition the minimum you can do is to ensure that there is peace in your ranks. If there is no peace among you in the opposition, then government will  take advantage 

of it. Chief Michael Koleosho is not contesting, I am not contesting, Alhaji Busari Adebisi is not contesting, that is why we formed an alliance of like minds.

The former Governor noted that the reluctance to accept the truth was the basis of the country's problems.

''The first thing is to ask people to tell the truth,then we are on the way to solving the country's problems. The major problem we have is that we don't accept the truth. We  have class  competition,  this is  not helping us.The government did not accept that we have Boko Haram problem, the government did not accept that we have Fulani herdsmen problem, that is the problem, we  don't accept the  truth'',Senator Ladoja asserted.

The ongoing voters registration exercise has been extended to 31 August, 2018 by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC).

Even though it is being trailed by series of complaints,disappointments and frustrations from eligible voters, who are bonafide Nigerians.

Indeed, the story remains the same nationwide.

In Bauchi, Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Oyo, Osun Ondo, Ekiti, Kwara and Imo states, INEC staff have continuously engaged in various malpractices-deliberate hoarding of registration materials and collusion with a favoured political party's officials, to sabotage the process.

A sizable number of Nigerians, who reported at the registration centres in different parts of the country, some as early as 4.00 AM in the early hours of the day, were either left unattended to or were given numbers on some sheets of papers and requested to check later in the day.

This is despite the fact, that several worried Nigerians opted to sleep at the centres.

Interestingly, the feeling is that an unspecified number of centres have been  deliberate denied of materials by the political class, who aspire to use same for purposes still unknown.

Of great worry, is the the double registration syndrome which is already the trend all over the country and the obsessive participation  of under aged children believed to  have been sponsored by politicians and their agents in the registration exercise.

Although the INEC headquarters in Abuja has disclosed that it is making efforts to address the shortcomings, public apathy, apprehensions and misgivings trailing the exercise, it still insists that eligible voters have the opportunity of exercising their civic responsibilities.

A well informed source at the  headquarters of the electoral body reveals that ''some evil and criminal minded politicians are conniving with our staff, to undermine the voters registration and mastermind the registration of under aged voters''.

''I wish to assure that no multiple registration will go unnoticed. INEC possesses the technology to detect illegalities'', the source hinted.

Without doubt, Nigerians are looking forward to free and fair elections in 2019, devoid of illegalities from the point of voters registration to the very day of the elections.

Unarguably, Illegalities are ,obstacles to a transparent emergence of the true representatives of the people. Debatable ?

The prices of Chicken has gone up in Dar es Salaam Tanzania as a result of its shortage.

At Chicken markets such as Kisutu, Tegeta, Ilala and Shekilango prices of Chicken was increased by almost 40 per cent in the last three months.

Government agents  in Zimbabwe have launced a manhunt for Opposition MDC-T National Chiarman Morgan Komichi over his refusal to accept the election results declared by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

Four unidentified armed men had visited the Harare residence of Komichi on Sunday night searching for him.

However, the Police stated that Komichi and the MDC Alliance principal Tendai Biti are wanted.

Komichi, in a chat with People, confirmed that his life was in danger.

"I now fear for my life and my family because I left home 10 minutes before the armed men pounded on my wife and children looking for me. Luckily, I had just driven out," Komichi said.

Nigerians have for several years embarked on the journey to promote a just and equitable society without encouraging results.

This is regardless of the countless number of prominent citizens, who belong to the private and public sectors, including the civil society community at home and in diaspora.

Sadly, most of the innovative ideas and policy options of governance have failed woefully to serve as springboard for the country's social, political and economic emancipation from the vicious circle  of underdevelopment.

Of note, is the fact that Nigeria is yet to attain the status of a free, dynamic and knowledge based economy, this is just as there are no genuine signs of commitment  to fairness, equity and justice.

The foregoing stems from bad and improper  governance at all levels of government. 

Decisions and policies of government are guided by self-centered ideals and obsessive greed.

 Most political office holders lack ideology and principles to recommend a soothing cure for the country's ailments, this is convincingly reflected in the very weak economic and political reforms which are without doubt not the compass for a new world order.

The myriad of problems confronting the country amplifies the need for transparent and incorruptible institutions to decisively address pressing issues which have taken a political turn.

Those institutions that were in place from time immemorial, might not have achieved the purpose for which they were established, even though enormous financial resources heralded their establishment.

The major questions on the lips of most Nigerians, include, Who is saddled with the responsibilities for policy formulation and governance under  the present dispensation?

Is it the state or does it rest on the exploitative hands of a few private individuals ?

These questions remain unanswered, definitely not one of the high points of Democracy.

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Nigerian Youths have been called upon to  hing their hopes of succeeding in life on education.

This call was made on Tuesday by a former Provost of the Federal College of Education(Technical)Oyo, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja at the 2018 Seyi Makinde Bursary  Scheme in Ibadan.

Prof. Adedoja who was the Chairman of the occasion, said '' It is about empowering our youths. The election is coming in 2019, what do you need for the election? Show your Permanent Voters Cards(PVC), the PVC will allow you to vote for the candidates of your choice, the PVC cannot empower you, the PVC you have today, will only take care of 2019, your PVC for life is education''.   

''It is about life empowerment. Empowering our youths for the future for self-development, for the development of the country. The beneficiaries are indigent students. The future of Nigeria lies in nothing other than education. When the election is over, you will put the PVC in your pocket. And after then, it is the scheme that that would determine how successful you will become in life.The founder of the scheme is not just assisting you to develop Nigeria, but to develop yourself. The fact that you have a figure in this country that believes in you and you believe in him is good''.

''The secret behind the success of anybody is education. This is a life long scheme, but I will like to urge the Board of Trustees to monitor the beneficiaries'', Prof. Adedoja concluded.

 In his remarks, one of the dignitaries at the occasion, Dr. Saka Balogun prayed that the beneficiaries would also become founders of similar schemes.

However, for Primate Ola Makinde, a former Prelate of the Methodist Church, the bursary must be used for the purpose it was given.

''The older generation know the value of education, it is not the same with the younger generation. You are  to use the bursary to buy books and pay for your school fees and not for  buying I-phones'', Primate Makinde counseled.

In his remarks, the sponsor of the scheme, Engr. Seyi  Makinde said ''My message to the beneficiaries is that if I can do it, you can do it. We sarted this programme in 2006 and we did not selec based on religion and  political affiliation, but the selection was based on the fact that you are indigenes of Oyo state''.

The maiden edition of the scheme in 2006, had as Chairman, the incumbent Governor of Oyo state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi

Out of a total of 10,000 applicants, 2,500 were shortlisted for the bursary awards.

The bursary awards are meant for students of Tertiary institutions of Oyo state origin.

Dignitraries at the occasion included Alhaja Bose Adedibu, Senator Kamorudeen Adedibu, Engr. Lere Adigun among several others.