By Oluwakemi Ishola 

A Nigerian Islamic human rights association, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the officials of the Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) of Christianising the CBT examination organised to screen applicants for teaching appointments in the state. MURIC alleged that Muslim candidates were made to answer questions on biblical stories.

The allegation was contained in a press statement made available to pressmen on Friday, 14th August, 2020 by the Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola.

The statement reads:

“Muslims who took part in the CBT examination organised by the Oyo State TESCOM were shocked when questions on Christian Religious Knowledge (CRK or BK) surfaced among the questions. They had earlier received information that candidates would be tested in Mathematics, English Language, Current Affairs, Knowledge of Teaching Education and the candidate’s special area. But to their dismay, they found questions on CRK like explaining how Moses was a shepherd to his father-in-law and how Elijah was thrown into the fire.

“These CRK questions have the potential of putting Muslim candidates at great disadvantage while Christian candidates are most likely to score high marks. This will eventually lead to the disqualification of Muslim candidates and the employment of Christian teachers. The bias becomes more pronounced when it is realised that no Islamic knowledge question was asked to create a balance.

“MURIC frowns at this lopsided arrangement. It is grossly unfair to Muslims. It should be noted that this is an exercise which has direct bearing on the welfare of the candidates’ families. The implications are far-reaching, including a calculated attempt to impoverish Muslim families while Christian families are enriched.

We therefore reject the exercise. We call on the state governor to order TESCOM to conduct another CBT examination. We are astounded by the level of Christianisation going on in Oyo state agencies since the appointment of Christian chairmen and directors.

“We call the attention of Nigerians and the international community to this episode. It is a pointer to what has been going on in most South West states. Muslims have been turned into underdogs. Unfortunately those who complain among us are labelled as terrorists. We are threatened with assassination and blackmailed as receivers of funds from terrorist groups. All these in an effort to get those who oppose the persecution of Muslims out of the way so that the oppressors can continue in their evil ways ad infinitum.

“For the umpteenth time, MURIC affirms that threats of assassination, blackmail, character assassination, falsehood and forgeries aimed at implicating MURIC will not deter it from speaking for the oppressed and marginalised Muslims anywhere in Nigeria.

“In our concluding remarks, we denounce the imposition of bible questions on Muslims. We appeal to the governor of Oyo State to order a resit of the CBT examination on a level playing ground.”

Akinjide SAN, CON, who passed on peacefully to glory on 21st April, 2020, was laid to rest on Thursday, 13th August 2020 after a private funeral service by the family at The Chapel of St. Peter, The Rock, Jericho, Ibadan, within the family estate.

This was done, in consultation with the Archbishop of Ibadan, Anglican Communion and the Oyo State Government, due to the prevailing global public health crisis.

At the appropriate time, a Celebration of Life Church Service and public events will be held in his honour.

The entire Akinjide family would like to thank the Federal and State Governments, our Royal Fathers and traditional institutions, the legal community comprising the Bar and Bench, our friends and well-wishers for their prayers and support.

Abayomi Akinjide
MA. LLM (CANTAB).
For the Akinjide Family

Chief Akinjide SAN was a former Minister of Education in the Government of Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa during the Second Republic and the Minister for Justice in the Administration of President Shehu Shagari. He was a member of the Judicial Systems Sub-Committee of the Constitutional Drafting Committee of 1975-1977 and later joined the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1978. He became the Legal Adviser for the party and was later appointed the Minister for Justice.

APC as the ruling party at the national level of Nigeria’s political landscape is making efforts to stabilise the party structures across the nation within the polity especially among states where there are perceived challenges.

Oyo State like many of the States also has a few issues to resolve in the repositioning agenda and the earlier the Party is well positioned to take bold steps to confront those issues with a resolve towards regaining control of government in Oyo State, the better for both the Party and the good people of Oyo State.

Fortunately, Oyo APC has at hand a reconciliatory environment requiring the commitment of all members and all stakeholders of the Party in readiness for lasting solutions while resolving critical issues by considering the following:

1. While I commiserate with the entire members of our great Party at both the National and State levels on the sudden demise of Senator Abiola Ajimobi the former Governor of Oyo State who until his death was also the Deputy National Chairman South of APC, I sincerely believe that his painful passage should be utilized to commemorate him by bringing all factions together including all those that had left the party in his memory.

2. The various factions of the Party need to sheath their sword and embrace true reconciliation to reflect the last wishes and desire of the departed leader. Late Senator Ajimobi’s pre-emptive prompting of intuition of his demise had put in place a reconciliation committee headed by Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala, also a former Governor with long standing exposure and experience in politics.

3. It is believed that the Akala committee will compliment that of the national committee equally headed by Chief Bisi Akande who is also an experienced and respected former governor and former national Chairman of the party. While the Chief Bisi Akande national reconciliation committee will be concerned with the broad based reconciliation issues in the overall national interest and state realities, the Otunba Akala Oyo State reconciliation committee has the advantaged opportunity to provide the necessary template for local and specific recommendations for party stakeholders at the grassroots levels .The Akala committee should therefore be commended for breaking into geopolitical zones with a view to reaching out not only to aggrieved members but to all stakeholders of the party at the grassroots levels . By implication therefore, both the Chief Bisi Akande national reconcilation committee and the Alao Akala Oyo state reconcilation committee are complementary, both requiring the support and cooperation of well meaning members of the party.

4. For any meaningful reconciliation and repositioning of the Oyo APC to take place, the Executive in whatever form will be sustained has to engage in a synergistic approach with all Stakeholders irrespective of ideological differences, past misgivings or affiliations. This will bring to bear the essence of collective political participation in overwhelming number, strength, and spheres of influence largely enjoyed by the Progressive fold. This is a needed antidote to achieve the collective desire of the party towards regaining control of governance.

5. The leadership envisioned by Oyo State APC should be able to lead by setting a clear vision, develop a sustainable efficient and effective succes oriented strategic positioning and action plan for the party henceforth. This will only be possible through the engagement and deployment of several quality minds and party faithfuls to be saddled with the responsibility of quality leadership in the Party hierarchy.

6. Party Management in recent contemporary times should attract brilliant and intelligent sound managers at all levels, directly or indirectly, subtly and overtly, otherwise nothing worthwhile will be expected from the end result of governance if the system will continue to sustain mediocrity and ineptitude situation in Party leadership.

7. The post Senator Abiola Ajimobi era in Oyo State APC leadership must exhibit participatory leadership devoid of dictatorial tendencies. Decisions to be made must be by collective effort and inclusiveness with very wide consultation among all the affected stakeholders. The truth of the matter under the present realities in Oyo State APC is that any dictatorial tendencies will be resisted by members.

8.Trust, confidence, commitment and fairness must be the harbingers of coordination among the critical stakeholders to persuade everyone in the new dispensation that participatory and collective collaboration will prevail in the management and control of the Party at all levels henceforth.

9.The National leadership of APC recognises the relevance of Oyo State in the strategic political game plans and manoeuvres towards 2023 agenda when the late former Governor and leader of the Party Senator Abiola Ajimobi approached the reconciliation programme with speed and commitment shortly before his demise. The departed leader must be honoured in death and this is a collective responsibility by all well meaning party members ,leaders and followers.

10. It will be expedient that all the members holding elective positions and political appointments be in commited collaboration with the Executive of the Party, the Otunba Adebayo Alao Akala led reconciliation committee and the major stakeholders from the various political zones of Oyo State to achieve the much desired repositioning of the Oyo APC ahead of the 2023 general elections.

11. It is with hope and high expectations that many party faithfuls and strongly commited members of the Party are anticipating the commitment of the leadership towards resolving the critical issues affecting the fortunes of the party as experienced in the last general elections.

12. Other critical groups to be approached and included in the process of party rebuilding should include the Aspirants who were affected by the decision to adopt indirect nomination during the Local government elections and the general elections in 2017 and 2019 respectively. Very significant are the several candidates so affected and especially the gubernatorial aspirants who had to withdraw from the nomination process. The then flag bearer and the other aspirants must henceforth embrace each other and take a sober reflection on the past experiences to channel a new course for the party, irrespective of their individual ambition and future expectations.

13. There is no better time than now for all the aggrieved party members and the various factional groups to bury the hatchet of personal interests and aspirations, imbibe the spirit of collective political participation and collaboration, eschew bitterness and blame game while approaching the repositioning agenda with total resolve, uncommon determination and sustained commitment. Victory is certain for Oyo APC in the 2023 general elections.

14. Going by happenings and objective assessment of the style of governance in the ruling party PDP in Oyo state, the party in power is on its way out for several clear reasons which will be a subject for another time. We must take the advantage of the situation and plan towards taking over governance in 2023.

Conclusively, there is no better time than now for Oyo state APC to utilize the number and quality of its highly experienced members across all wards of the state to prepare for governance come 2023 considering the 14 point agenda presented in this write up for the evolution of a repositioned and vibrant party, where inclusiveness, total reconciliation, jettisoning of tendencies towards autocratic leadership, regard for party supremacy and upholding of the party’s constitution, discipline effective and efficient management of resources (human, financial et al) will be the order of the day.

Kunle Olatunji is a Professional Media and Management Consultant and Leading Member of APC Oyo State. He was also a former Special Assistant on Media and Publicity during the first tenure of Senator Abiola Ajimobi. He writes from Ibadan Oyo State.

By Oluwakemi Ishola 

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government has been strongly admonished to jettison the idea of resuscitating any ‘national carrier’ in the name of ‘Air Nigeria’ and instead collaborate with the private sector.

The team leader of the popular travels and tours’ outfit, Ufitfly Ltd, Evangelist Ajibola Ogunkeyede who made the call while featuring on Space FM Ibadan’s programme, Parrot Xtra Hour On Radio anchored by Olayinka Agboola on Tuesday stated that the hope of getting Air Nigeria back has continued to dim after two years of its re-launch in London.

“Two years ago, the Federal Government unveiled Nigeria’s new national carrier in London. The Air Nigeria project has, however, remained a dream with little or no hope of it becoming a reality”, the popular travels’ consultant noted.

He also added “It will be of great benefit to us in the Tourism and Travel business sector if our national carrier is in full operation but the multibillion naira investment has, in the last one year, been stalled.

“My belief is until the federal government is sincere enough to privatize or hand over the project to private investors who will prioritize the profitability aspect of the aviation business before anything meaningful can be achieved. The business cannot be left in the care of civil servants.

“The adverse effects of COVID-19 on businesses have worsened the fates of the travel business practitioners in the country and what could have given us some level of leverage is Nigeria having a national carrier”, Ogunkeyede averred.

While speaking on how he came up with the ‘UfitFly’ concept, the young entrepreneur said “It was God. We were looking for a concept that would stand the test of time, that would stand us shoulder above others – it was while were brainstorming that one of us came up with the slogan, ufitfly.

“Of course, it is now more than a slogan because we registered it as a full company over three years ago. Today, by God’s grace, we have offices in Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ilorin, Osogbo, London and others.”

Ogunkeyede also took time to explain why he decided to introduce serious entertainment into his brand of business.

His words “I will still repeat that it was God that gave me the inspiration. I was sleeping and something told me to reach out to Mama Bola Are to join our then proposed tour of Israel. Mama Are did not hesitate. Since that time, we have been asking popular entertainment personalities to join our numerous packaged tours of foreign lands to afford those who wished to meet them to see and also travel with them.

“So far, we have taken the likes of Sir Shina Peters, Evangelist Tope Alabi, Woli Agba, Lafup and several others. We have reached an agreement with Alhaji Obesere and others. Our people should just watch out.”

‘Parrot Xtra Hour on Radio,’ a production from the stables of Prokonnect Limited, the publishers of PMParrot.com and Parrot Xtra Magazine hit the airwaves on January 7, 2020 and has since featured the likes of Professor Banji Akintoye, Arc Muyiwa Ige, Dimeji Lawal, Dele Odule, Yinka Odumakin, AIG Bashir Makama and several others.

The Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has fired the Honourae Commissioner for Works, Infrastructure and Transport, Prof. Raphael Afonja of his appointment.

The governor, in a letter dated August 10, 2020 and signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mrs. Olubamiwo Adeosun, said the termination takes immediate effect.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, quoted the letter titled “Termination of appointment” as saying: “I wish to convey the approval of His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, on the termination of your appointment as Honourable Commissioner, with immediate effect.

“Consequent upon the above development, you are hereby directed to hand over all the government items in your possession to the Permanent Secretary (Ministry of Works, Infrastructure and Transport).