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In Pursuit of Functional Education

By
Peter Ayoade
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By Ayobami Salami

It is disturbing that despite the immense human and material resources Nigeria is endowed with, the country is still firmly handicapped and unable to wriggle her way out of entrenched developmental quagmire. Aside the retinue of our moral woes, the biggest indictment, comes from a failing educational system.

The educational problems are never about the absence of policies because there is indeed a handful of policies and conference proceedings, not to talk of the National Policy on Education (NPE).

The NPE was developed by some of our brightest education experts. Pouring through, one could not but be enamoured by the depth of ideas and ideals that litter the almost a 50-page document, addressing critical areas of education – from the cradle to the tertiary levels. It also contains advisory details on funding and partnerships.

But then, that is almost where it all ends: Good ideas only – often not backed with the requisite impetus necessary to bring about transformation.

For example, the need for concerted education that can produce self-reliant, innovative and entrepreneurial citizens, the NPE rightly enunciated the specific goals of education  in Nigeria as follows: Ensure and sustain unfettered access and equity to education for the total development of the individual; ensure the quality of education delivery at all levels; promote functional education for skills acquisition, job creation and poverty reduction; ensure periodic review, effectiveness and relevance of the curriculum at all levels to meet the needs of society and the world of work; collaborate with development partners, the private sector, Non-Governmental Organisations, and local communities to support and fund education; and promote information technology capability at all levels.

The policy went on to highlight the necessary measures to be taken to achieve the said goals. While the propositions are laudable, what is befuddling is that, in many instances, those propositions have rather remained mere statements of intents only, without results.

As a strident advocate of Technical and Vocation Education Training (TVET), convinced of its capacity to close-up the abysmal skills deficit we currently face in the economy, it is fascinating, for instance, that the NPE recognizes TVET as a critical tool in charting  developmental pathways. TVET, accordingly, is defined as “the comprehensive term referring to those aspects of the educational process involving, in addition to general education, the study of technologies and related sciences and the acquisition of practical skills, attitudes, understanding, and knowledge relating to occupations in various sectors of economic and social life”. Hence, from pre-primary education the policy identified specific skills capable of nurturing self-reliant and innovative competencies in individuals. As a matter of fact, the number one clear-cut objective of junior secondary education enshrined therein speaks of the need to “provide Nigerian with diverse basic knowledge and skills for entrepreneurship and educational advancement”.

With these laudable ideals and ideas, it is pertinent to ask: what went wrong? Why has the nation continued to churn out graduates who are anything but assets to nation-building – as thinkers, competent professionals and wealth creators? Of course the answer to that isn’t far-fetched. The ‘devil’, unmistakably, is in our approach to implementation. For so long, we have only paid lip service to issues germane to and are at the heart of national development.

Nevertheless, it is not all gloomy, provided we negotiate a different path laced with the hope of redemption. Such pathway, informed by a deliberate investment in functional educational, is our best bet.

To this end, stakeholders in the sector need to urgently seek ways of arresting the skills deficit in the country. It is important to underscore that no meaningful development can take place in the absence of qualitative, competent and industrious manpower. The formal education sector must be retooled and funded to realize set developmental objectives. Backed by an efficient monitoring and evaluation framework, priorities must be placed on the production of students imbued with skills such as innovation and entrepreneurship, critical and disruptive thinking skills and civic competence skills.

The integration of the informal sector is key to stimulating a culture of productivity, excellence and consistent wealth creation. As obtainable in developed climes, Nigeria must push for the standardization of artisanal skills. Generating reliable database for the various informal sector groups will not only make it much easier to implement quality assurance mechanisms but to also monitor and invest in capacity building for greater developmental good. The instant gain that would accrue is that government is able to sanitise the informal sector, track contribution to national development in view of the strategic quest of generating requisite skills to propel socio-economic aspiration.

It bears restating that for Nigeria to compete favorably in an increasingly globalised economy, we must refocus our education to build skill sets in innovation, technology and entrepreneurship. That is the only way to equip our teeming citizens and get them immersed in the building of a virile, resilient and truly prosperous economy.

·Salami is the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Nigeria’s premier technical university, First Technical University, Ibadan

Jim Ovia’s Rise to the Zenith: A must read inspiring success story of Africa’s Godfather of Banking

By
Peter Ayoade
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A must read inspiring success story of Africa’s Godfather of Banking as told by Olusegun Adeniyi while analysing Ovia’s latest book ‘Africa Rise and Shine’ in his weekly column in THISDAY Newspaper”

Only few people are equipped with the requisite experience and exposure to offer perspectives on how best to waltz through the odds and beat all challenges to attain business success. In Nigeria and indeed Africa, Mr Jim Ovia surely ranks among those few who have what it takes to discuss such a topic at global level, and he recently did by putting down his thoughts. Therefore, if there is any book that would-be-entrepreneurs on the continent need to read, it is ‘Africa Rise and Shine: How a Nigerian entrepreneur from humble beginning grew a business to $16 billion’ because it challenges many of the assumptions on what differentiates those who realize their dreams from the defeated ones who walk quietly back home.

In ‘Africa Rise and Shine’, Ovia tells a compelling story of how what is today a multinational bank with branches in several countries started “as a single branch in Lagos on the ground floor of an improvised residential duplex that we shared with a private tenant and his wife”. That is because he and his team could not afford a stand-alone building at the time. Yet, less than three decades later, that same bank has annexed the entire street in the commercial capital of Nigeria, a stretch of road in a highbrow area of Victoria Island, Lagos that has almost become synonymous with Zenith Bank.

Without doubt, ‘Africa Rise and Shine’ is a most revealing book. Divided into 30 chapters which explored the gamble, the sacrifices and the expertise that combined to make Zenith Bank what it is today, notable players in both the corporate world and the media like Richard Branson of Virgin Group, Aliko Dangote of Dangote Group, David Applefield of Financial Times, Dominic Barton of McKinsey and Matt Lilley of Prudent Africa added their insightful blurbs.

Though initially inspired by an Africa Forbes magazine cover story, “Why $825 Million Means Nothing to Me – Jim Ovia: The Godfather of Banking,” which sold out within days of publication, Ovia said the moment he began writing the book, his determination was to respond to some negative stereotypes by illustrating the untold story of the positive vibes in Africa – a continent of abundant human and natural resources that is also brimming with immense and diverse investment opportunities. And to a large extent, he delivered.

While ‘Africa Rise and Shine’ sheds light on the principles and practices that brought Ovia to fame and fortunes, the author also sought to provide insight, not just for bankers, but for other young African professionals on how to nurture their endeavours to success. First, Ovia appreciates the daunting challenges such as infrastructural deficits, unstable government policies and other factors that often confront entrepreneurs on the continent. But going by his story, such deficiencies can actually be platforms on which successful dreams could be built and nurtured. Principal among the secrets of Ovia’s success, for instance, is an intuitive entrepreneurial ability to consider obstacles as entry points to brand building and the vision to translate “not yet” into “finally now”.

According to Ovia in ‘Africa Rise and Shine’, he listens to his gut and takes his instincts very seriously. A good illustration is that while studying in the United States in the seventies, though his college advisor convinced him to focus on business management and administration, he held on to his passion for computer science at a period Bill Gates and Paul Allen were just coming up with Microsoft. “My career could be plotted on a graph as series of gut decisions that propelled me further and further ahead of others of the pack. Most significant has been my interest from a young age, in emerging technologies that simply did not exist in Africa, and basing decisions on the belief that mastering and incorporating them onto business – especially computer and internet technology – was imperative for any business wishing to survive and grow in business,” Ovia wrote.

Apparently pushed by that intuition, in the course of his senior years at the university, Ovia took up a night job as a computer operator at the Baton Rouge Bank and Trust, a move he considered “greatly fortuitous” because he was being paid for a knowledge he craved. It was also while at the bank that Ovia got his most remarkable experience by gaining insight into how an America bank uses data processing in its operations, a knowledge he later deployed when he founded Zenith Bank.

Although the emphasis of the author is that his instinct paid off, it is also difficult to discountenance preparation which is necessary for any entrepreneur desirous of success as well as the ability to take calculated risks both of which were evident in the Ovia story. On the former, instinct may have fired Ovia’s interest in computer at a time it was not so popular but there was also a desire to prepare ahead for what he saw as the next big break.

Armed with a first degree in Business Administration in 1977 and an MBA two years later from the University of Louisiana in Monroe, Ovia upon return to Nigeria combined his mandatory National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC) primary assignment with a second job, which entailed writing feasibility reports for manufacturing companies. After his NYSC in 1980, he joined the International Merchant Bank (IMB), a subsidiary of First International Bank of Chicago as a financial analyst. Again, while there, according to Ovia, he received “excellent training from very experienced bankers.”

Knowledgeable about banking techniques and capitalising on the collapse of oil prices in 1980s, which led to the implementation of Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) in 1986, a measure designed to restore the Nigerian economy by extending opportunities to the private sector through commercialising or privatising previously regulated industries, Ovia toyed with the idea of applying to acquire a banking license. “When I learned of the opportunity, I decided to make an application to acquire a banking license” he recounted.

At this point, the story gets more interesting. “There were two types of banking licenses issued in Nigeria at that time – those for merchant banks and those for commercial banks. The latter required a higher equity contribution of N20 million ($4 million) from investors and entailed more difficult business operation, therefore many chose the easier route of applying for a merchant bank license (equity contribution of N6 million – $1.2 million). My gut told me to go the more expensive, complicated route – the road less traveled. So, I decided to apply for a commercial banking license instead”, Ovia wrote of the gamble that paid off.

Written essentially for young entrepreneurs within the continent who are still trying to find their bearing as well some of the aspiring ones who feel discouraged by the daunting challenges they confront, ‘Africa Rise And Shine’ contains several wise nuggets, including learning negotiation skills even from the most mundane of experiences. But the bottomline remains that negotiations involve ultimately finding common grounds for the benefit of the parties while the shrewdest would always secure the best deal. On many occasions, Ovia came on top in such negotiations as can be glimpsed from the chapter on ‘How and why MTN bought Visafone’.

Indeed, that latent skill in negotiations had helped Ovia when it came to what he tagged “the most important negotiation in my banking career.” That was when CBN was to determine which applications for banking licences were to be recommended for approval. During the interview session, officials from the apex bank’s supervision department had said to him: “Mr Ovia, we regret, although we ate impressed with your credentials, that we cannot grant our recommendation for you to be the CEO of a bank. In fact, we are surprised that you are applying at all, for you must be aware that applicants complete twenty years of banking experience to quality for such license. You have had only ten years of banking experience. “

Undaunted, Ovia said he told the CBN team that he was aware of the rule, but insisted that he had gained superior banking experience at global institutions like IMB, FNBC’s subsidiary in Nigeria and Merchant Bank of Africa, a Bank of America subsidiary, and that he had everything it took to run a successful bank. “In the end, the CBN directors issued their approval to the Minister of Finance, recommending that I be granted my application to become the pioneer CEO of the new Zenith Bank,” he recalled.

This is instructive because, according to Ovia, “of the twenty-five CEO applicants that CBN recommended to the Minister of Finance, only three in addition to myself had just ten years of experience. After that, they imposed a mandatory requirement of twenty years’ experience, and that rule is still in effect today. If I hadn’t negotiated as I did, I would have been forced to wait many years to make my applications.”

Reading through ‘Africa Rise and Shine’, Ovia’s zeal to create a first-class bank was evident in all the growth stages of Zenith Bank. That zeal saw him through the licensing stage, commencement of operations, introduction of innovative banking systems, as well as in the aggressive growth strategy both locally and internationally. Of course, there were also challenges along the way. The bank survived the 1999 Y2k millennium bug and the 2004 federal government directive that banks must be recapitalised at a minimum of N25 billion ($188 million) from N2 billion, or be liquidated. It was a development that sunk 65 of the 90 banks in existence back then, but Zenith was one of the only two banks that had no need to acquire or merge with any other financial institution. To cope with that, the bank simply announced an initial public offering (IPO), which was oversubscribed to the tune of a whooping N48 billion ($360 million back then).

While ‘Africa Rise and Shine’ is highly recommended for the insights it provides for budding entrepreneurs as well as teachers and students of business on the continent, the story of Ovia will however be incomplete without underscoring his insatiable urge to give back to the country that has given him the opportunity to soar so high and that was well captured in the concluding part of the book. In the end, ‘Africa Arise and Shine’ is a story of how business success could be achieved through a strong commitment to one’s inspired dream, an abiding tenacity of purpose and a can-do spirit that sets apart only a few from the crowd.

• You can follow me on my Twitter handle, @Olusegunverdict and on www.olusegunadeniyi.com

Unveiled, 13 Oyo ADC Gubernatorial Aspirants for Screening Tomorrow

By
Peter Ayoade
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The curtain fell on the procurement of nomination and expression of interest forms for intending Oyo state gubernatorial aspirants of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Wednesday night.
Checks by the Pacesetter News at the temporary office of the party owned by one of the gubernatorial aspirants on Old Ife road Ibadan earlier today revealed that 13 aspirants picked the forms.
Each of them paid N6million to be eligible to participate in the screening exercise which begins tomorrow, Friday.
The ADC gubernatorial primary has been rescheduled for next week Thursday, October 4th in Ibadan, the State capital.
The aspirants are as follows:-
(1) Engr. Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan
(2) Senator Gbenga Babalola
(3) Dr. Yunus Abiodun Akintunde
(4) Alhaji Taofeek Oladejo Arapaja
(5) Chief Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli
(6) Senator Solagbade Olufemi Lanlehin
(7) Mr. Ayodele Adigun
(8) Engr. Aderemi Oseni
(9) Dr. Nureni Adeniran
(10). Mr. Ayo Opatoki
(11) Dr. Muhammed Kola Balogun
(12) Chief Lowo Obisesan
(13) Hon. Festus Adegoke

Arulogun, Oyo Info Commissioner Loses Dad, Burial Holds 4pm Today

By
Peter Ayoade
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The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun early morning on Thursday lost his dad, Alhaji Adegboyega Arulogun at the age of 84.

Alhaji Arulogun, a three time former commissioner in the state, died at a private hospital in Ibadan at 7.04am after a brief illness.

According to a statement by Toye Arulogun, Alhaji Arulogun, until his death was a devoted Muslim, a community leader, defender of justice, and an exemplary man who believed in the cause of a common man.

Alhaji Arulogun, born October 1, 1934 who attended St Peters Primary School, Aremo, Olivet High School, Oyo and the University of Lagos, Lagos, was a prominent and very active member of Ibadan Elders’ Counci, Oluyole Club Lagos. He was a labour union leader in his active days in the media industry.

He was a pioneer broadcaster, a former British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) consultant, former General Manager, Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Channel 7 and 10 and former Marketing Director, NTA among other exploits in the media industry.

He was the Editor of Nigeria’s first Celluloid movie, Kongi’s Harvest and had many successful productions on the NTA Network among which are: Ogunde: Man of the Theatre, 5 Days in Badagry, Dance for Harvest, Festac 77 and Born to Live among several others.

The remains of Alhaji Arulogun will be buried later today.

Alaafin Rues Nigerians’ Absence in Global Reckoning of Top Footballers, Athletes

By
Peter Ayoade
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Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, is sad that the standard of sports development has dwindled so badly that these days no Nigerian is outstanding in the global stage and is so happy that some former Nigerian international athletes have decided to take the fate of the nation’s glory in their hands.

He thanked his subject, Aruna Quadri, the table tennis prodigy for remembering that he can use his own community development programme to raise new generation of athletes.

Oba Adeyemi who will be 80 years by January 2019 will formally launch the project to be named after the Germany-based table tennis star, during the anniversary of his birthday.

Oba Afeyemi who received the delegation of the Nigeria Sports Development Fund Inc (NSDFI) led by the Director General Olajide Fashikun and the Executive Director (Technical), Chief Mary Onyali. The revered monarch thanked Onyali for “your many outings which keeps me glued to the television those days. Tell Innocent Egbunike, Chioma Ajunwa and Nduka Odizor that I am waiting to receiving them in my palace.

“I will as a monarch, as my person and as an athlete support the Elite Athlete Development Grant project. You don’t know how much joy this project has brought to my heart. Now, I can be more confident that the athletes you will give the grants will work harder and be so disciplined to bring so much glory to this country.”

He added, “whoever will make this dream possible will be reached. I will personally lead you to everywhere and anywhere we shall raise the fund. I can see far beyond where you, the initiators, are looking. For once, the beneficiaries will feel so honoured to be great Nigerians. This support structure will fire them to a hilt. I see some miracles in some of the athletes. I am so happy for this great visit.”

“I also wish and will demand for any of the athletes who will get the grant understand what it takes you people to raise these monies. They most be focused, disciplined, eschew doping, re-energise their selves and see how the medals will be tumbling in in Tokyo.”

Sharafaeen Alli Supports Elite Athlete Grant Project in Nigeria

By
Peter Ayoade
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Former Secretary to Oyo State Government and leading gubernatorial aspirant of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Chief Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli has said, “sports is a key priority to develop our youths, give them career hope, and excel in their choice when we pick the primary and win the election.”

Alli was speaking when he received the delegation of the Nigeria Sports Development Fund Inc (NSDFI) at the Ajorosun Club house in Ibadan with a promise to create wealth, breed champions and ensure the greater prosperity of the 42year-old Pace Setters state from 2019.

He thanked the brains behind the elite athlete development grant. He singled out Chief Mary Onyali “we used to follow your races with special passion when you used to make us proud in international athletics.”

Alli said, “every effort to make you clone yourselves will be massively supported and should be supported by every Nigerian. Your concept is so unique and hope-giving.”

The lawyer turned politician spoke on why he chose to lead the state saying: “I am on a rescue mission to bail the state out of excruciating poverty, poor educational system, irritating and parlous state of health facilities across the state, unemployment among the youths and drastic leap in agricultural sector to engender food sufficiency and industrialisation of the state to earn buffer revenue.

Alli assured his guests that the people’s confidence in him and the ADC would not be taken for granted if given the chance to fly the party’s ticket and win the 2019 gubernatorial race.

Said he, “what more can I ask for than to thank God for His mercy on me. The kind of support we have gotten from across the length and breadth of the 351 wards of the state is outstanding. It has shown me that this is God’s project.

“You remember under our leader, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, the endemic guineworm we met on taking over the reign of governance was wiped away within 12 months of our government. LAUTECH was adjudged best state university in our time; we implemented 30 pupils per class policy and workers welfare were the top of our priority and industrialisation of the state took off in grand style and indeed a number of investments were attracted to cater for jobless youths and wealth creation for our people” Barrister Alli said.

“I promised to reinvent those good old days under Senator Ladoja and prioritise workers and pensioners’ welfare like never in the history of the state. Our party, ADC has special interest in women and youth empowerment in addition to other programmes geared towards making life more abundant for our people. I shall listen to what the peoples’ needs are and from time to time, hold town hall meetings to bring governance to the doorsteps of the people. The issue of capital flight shall be a thing of the past because our local contractors shall get more jobs for the wealth to go round our people.

“With my experience as a former council Chairman, SSG, Senator-elect and of recent Chairman of Odu’a Investment Company Limited, the state will witness new lease of life. All the aforementioned and more shall be my focus and I know that by the grace of God I will be the next Governor of Oyo state come 29thMay, 2019 and I promise not to let the people down,” Alli assured.

Earlier, the delegation led by the Director General, Olajide Fashikun espoused the fact that we need 4.5million Nigerians to join our campaign. All we ask for is N200 or its multiples. We must change the future of funding sports. We want to deburden our governments. We must make our athletes and officials feel a greater sense of nationalistic support.”

ASUU Disowns Unilorin Lecturer Over Plagiarism

By
Peter Ayoade
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The Leadership of Ibadan Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) on Wednesday stated that one Dr Usman Adebimpe Raheem of the University of Ilorin facing allegations of plagiarism and intellectual fraud is not known to the union as its Chairman.

ASUU leadership maintained that its chairperson for the University of Ilorin remains Dr Kayode Afolayan illegally sacked by the university of Ilorin administration.

The Ibadan Zone of ASUU covers the University of Ilorin, University of Ibadan, Osun State University, and Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomoso.

A newspaper publication by The Nation newspaper had in a report on 25th September reported that a certain UNILORIN ASUU chairman Dr Usman Adebimpe Raheem, is facing intellectual fraud and plagiarism case.

In a release in Ibadan signed by the Zonal Chairman Dr Ade Adejumo and Chairman of the University of Ibadan Chapter of the Union, Dr Deji Omole entitled “Re: Unilorin ASUU Chair Faces Plagiarism Crisis: A Disclaimer” stated that ‘for the avoidance of doubt, Dr Raheem is not known to ASUU and he is not the Chairman of ASUU Unilorin Branch’.

According to the Leadership of ASUU in the Zone, Dr Raheem ‘is an impostor and leader of a renegade group backed by the management of UNILORIN that calls itself ASUU’.

Drs Adejumo and Omole stated that the chairperson of UNILORIN branch of the Union is Dr Kayode Niyi Afolayan whose “illegal termination of appointment and that of the branch Secretary, Dr Solomon Oyelekan, by former VC Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali is being contested in court”

“As a Union of intellectuals, ASUU does not condone unethical practices and acts of fraud among its members. The union hopes that all the authorities directly concerned and mentioned in the story especially the University of Ilorin and University of Ibadan where Dr Raheem obtained his PhD that has, alleged plagiarised materials, will act immediately on this matter in order to restore sanity to ethical practices and standards in the academia being eroded by this alleged shameful conduct of Dr U.A Raheem” The release stressed.

Ayandele To Oyo APC Delegates: Go For Gold On Saturday

By
Peter Ayoade
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A leading gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress in Oyo State, Dr. Olusola Ayandele, has called on party faithful and stakeholders, particularly those eligible to participate as delegates in the party’s governorship primary slated for this Saturday, to consider merit above all other things and choose him as the Oyo APC standard bearer for the next year general election.
 The Central Working Committee of the APC had announced September 29, 2018 as the date for the conduct of primaries for the emergence of candidates who would fly the party’s flag in about 31 states of the federation as this concerns the determination of the successor to Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State whose second term in office ends on May 29, 2019.
In a statement issued and made available to journalists in Ibadan by the director-general of his campaign organization, Hon. Ademola Ojo, Dr. Ayandele urged the leadership of the APC in Oyo State to walk the talk and guarantee a level playing ground for all the gubernatorial aspirants cleared in Abuja to contest the party primary on Saturday.
“There is no denying the fact that all eyes are on Oyo APC to present a worthy successor to Sen. Ajimobi who has done so much to put the state on the global map of developed societies. Going by the array of credible contestants which the ruling parades at the moment, it is important to note that merit consideration is key in order to pick the best from the pack.
“Within a short period of time, an Olusola Ayandele, who was popular for recording many giant strides in both the private and public sectors of the global economy, took the political space by a storm and was able to showcase rare determination, passion and willingness to serve the people with a lot of promise in the areas of pragmatic and compassionate leadership.
“We painstakingly took the message of hope to the door steps of all stakeholders regardless of the distance and logistics involved. This enabled party faithful including members, elders and leaders to have a firsthand knowledge of our programmes, ideas and commitment. In addition, we went further to meet with traditional rulers, religious leaders, interest groups as well as the people of the grassroots who all gave their support.
“Meanwhile, the onus now lies in the hands of delegates for the party primary on Saturday to erase any doubt about the appropriateness of the choice of Dr. Olusola Ayandele as the undisputed standard bearer of the Oyo APC in the 2019 governorship election. Eligible party executive committee members at all levels, statutory delegates and elected political office holders including chairmen and councillors have a date with history.
“An Ayandele ticket would not only guarantee the party (APC) an easy win at the governorship poll in 2019 but it would also facilitate a total victory for all other candidates to be presented by the party. All the geopolitical zones in the Pacesetters State would be provided with equal sense of belonging while all the key sectors would get the right attention to ensure that Oyo State completed its journey to full greatness in no time as envisioned by the incumbent governor, Sen. Abiola Ajimobi.” The statement concluded.

Oyo Lawmakers Officially Defect From APC, Accord, Labour Party to ADC

By
Peter Ayoade
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Members of the Oyo State House of Assembly, including the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Abdulwasi Musah, have officially announced their defection from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Accord and the Labour Party to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

The breakdown of the decampees are five from the APC; three from Accord and one from the Labour Party respectively.

The letters of the lawmakers’ defection to the ADC was read on the floor of the assembly by the Clerk of the house, Mr Paul Bankole during a plenary on Tuesday.

Apart from the deputy speaker, other defectors are Lukman Balogun, Bolaji Badmus, Azeez Billiaminu, Ganiyu Oseni, Olusegun Olaleye, Samson Oguntade and Muideen Olagunju.

The defection of the nine brought ADC members in the house to 12 with the APC now having 18 members. The PDP have two members left in the house.

ADC became one of the biggest parties in the state after members of the Unity Forum, hitherto in the APC; Aggrieved Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Labour party joined the aborigen ADC members in what was described as the biggest coalition of the oppositions in recent time in the state.

Also recently, two serving federal lawmakers from the state, Senator Soji Akanbi and Hon. Abiodun Awoleye dumped the APC for the ADC.

Atiku Promises to Win Oyo, Other South West States for PDP in 2019

By
Peter Ayoade
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Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar on Tuesday in Ibadan promised to return the South West states to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2019 if elected as the President of the most populous black nation in the world.
Atiku, a Presidential aspirant of the PDP made this promise when he visited members and delegates of Oyo state ahead of the forthcoming presidential primary election of the party.
The former Vice President was welcomed to the Oke Ado PDP state secretariat by the two gubernatorial aspirants of the party, Mr. Seyi Makinde and Senator Ayo Adeseun, a former Deputy governor, Alhaji Azeem Gbolarumi, Elder Wole Oyelese, Alhaja Bose Adedibu, Senator Kamoru Adedibu and Dr. Saka Balogun.
Other bigwigs that welcomed Atiku were Chief Robert Koleoso, Senator Hosea Ayoola Agboola, Elder Wole Oyelese, Chief Jacob Adetoro, Taiwo Oluyemi, Muraina Ajibola and the State Secretary, Alhaji Wasiu Adeleke.
Recalling how he worked with others as the Vice President in 2003 to take over all the South West states with the exception of Lagos from the Alliance for Democracy (AD), Atiku assured the zone of greater participation in the PDP government at the centre.
He then urged members of the party to put their differences aside and forge ahead in unity for the party to win Oyo state in the next general election.
Atiku who was accompanied by his Director General of his campaign, Otunba Gbega Daniel further urged members of the party to work for the interest of the party at all times for them to reclaim the state and the Federal government.
Atiku while speaking further described Oyo state as the political headquarters of the South West region which should not be toyed with.
He said, “The people of Oyo state, Oyo is the political headquarters of South West. So let us work together. Let us work for the unity of the party, by the grace of God, we will have PDP in government in 2019 in Oyo state and Nigeria.”

2019: Kehinde Olaosebikan Joins Oluyole House of Reps Race

By
Peter Ayoade
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The entry of former gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Kehinde Olaosebikan into Oluyole Federal House of Representatives race is generating massive excitement among politicians and people of Oluyole Federal Constituency.

This is happening just as other aspirants are jolted by the entry of Olaosebikan who holds the prestigious titles of Asiwaju Agbe of Oluyole and Agba Akin Adinni of the local government.

Olaosebikan who had been a frontliner in the gubernatorial race formally informed the party at the weekly General Meeting of APC in Olomi yesterday of his intention to contest for the House of Reps seat.

He told the excited crowd that he took the decision in the best interest of the party and for the greater development of Oluyole Federal Constituency.

Having served as a Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of the state, two time Chairman of the local government with vast experience in local and national politics, Olaosebikan is the best representative any constituency could have in the House of Representatives.

Olaosebikan first contested for same position in 2003 under Alliance for Democracy (AD) after serving former governor of Oyo state, Late Lam Adesina as Chief Press Secretary (CPS) between 1999-2003.

Olaosebikan also as a former Oluyole Local Government Chairman received many accolades as a result of his efficient and effective governance within a short period of time.

Investigation revealed that people of Oluyole Federal Constituency are excited, hence, wide jubilation grip most communities within the constituency on hearing the news of Olaosebikan’s entry into the race.

It was also confirmed that other contestants in APC and other parties are jittery and as a result many may abandon the race for him.

Olaosebikan, popularly known as ‘call me Kenny’ is loved by all, the workers, youths, women, traditional rulers, artisans, farmers, community leaders, landlord associations and others.

After his short but highly remarkable period as Oluyole Local Government, due to his good governance and service to humanity, Olaosebikan was conferred with the AgbaAkin Adini of Oluyole and Asiwaju Agbe of Oluyole among other titles.

With Olaosebikan, majority of APC that defected have started returning while members of other parties are also showing support by mobilising and vote for him in general election.

Court Grants Mojeed Olaoya, Oyo APC Secretary Leave to Arrest Wife

By
Peter Ayoade
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Mrs. Alimot, embattled wife of the Oyo state Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Mojeed Olaoya is in trouble at the moment.
Reason? A customary court sitting in Mapo on Tuesday granted Olaoya leave to arrest estranged wife for allegedly flouting the order of the court.
Pacesetter News recalls that Alimot and her husband had been at loggerheads culminating in the ongoing legal tussle.
Their crisis, according to a cousin of the wife living in Ibadan South East Local Government area of the state who confided in this newspaper, followed irreconcilable differences over sundry domestic affairs which had defied amicable resolution among their family and that of Olaoya’s family, till date.
Following this unending disagreements and coupled with the litigation of the matter, Olaoya on Tuesday sought wife’s arrest for disobeying court order on the dissolution of their marriage.
The president of the Grade C customary court, Mapo, Ibadan, Chief Ademola Odunade subsequently granted his request to arrest Alimot.
In the suit number 421/2018, the court had in few months ago dissolved the marriage.

EXCLUSIVE: Ladoja, Akala in 60mins Parley as Tegbe, Adelabu Run Neck to Neck for APC Guber Ticket

By
Peter Ayoade
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Never say never! This aphorism means so much to politicians across divides as their interest supersede any other consideration. This scenario played out again on Monday evening in Ibadan as two former Governors of Oyo state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja and Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala met and discussed political direction for the 2019 elections.

Akala, Pacesetter News authoritatively gathered, in company of an aide stormed Ladoja’s Ondo street residence around 8:43pm and left about an hour later. The two leaders were said to have had a closed-door meeting to the exclusion of their aides who were around.
The outcome was kept under wraps but eyewitnesses said both emerged from the meeting beaming with smiles as Ladoja saw his guest out of the house.
Ladoja is presently the State Leader of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC). In ADC, 11 gubernatorial aspirants had already purchased the nomination forms ahead of their primary slated for October 2.
The Ladoja and Akala meeting coming six days to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial primary where Akala, also an aspirant, will be battling seven others for the APC sole ticket, has kept tongues wagging that the ex-police officer may have seen the handwritten on the wall?
It is not yet clear what Akala would be looking for should he join the ADC after this weekend’s primary of APC which bookmakers said is already titling towards former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Adebayo Adelabu and a KPMG partner, Mr. Joseph Tegbe, who are running neck to neck as at Monday evening.
Notwithstanding Adelabu and Tegbe’s perceived leading status, other aspirants making last minutes efforts to proof the bookmakers wrong are; a legal luminary, Chief Adeniyi Akintola; two former Commissioners for Health, Prof. Azeez Adeduntan and Owolabi Babalola; Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu; and billionaire businessman, Dr. Olusola Ayandele.
Sources close to some of the aspirants confided in our Correspondent that a number of them are considering stepping down to narrow the contest to about four aspirants on Saturday.
The State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi was on Monday evening quoted by the Director of APC Media and Strategy, Dr. Olatunde Azeez, after the Governor’s meeting with the party’s leadership that he had no anointed candidate among the aspirants, thus setting the stage once again for a contest which promises to be more fierce and highly explosive.

2019: My Mission is to Become Next Oyo Governor By The Grace of God, Says Akintunde

By
Peter Ayoade
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A frontline gubernatorial aspirant under the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Oyo state, Dr. Yunus Abiodun Akintunde has declared that there was no going back on his aspiration to win the governorship ticket of the party and the general election in 2019.

Speaking on a Fresh FM political programme monitored on Monday night in Ibadan, Akintunde who was a former Commissioner for Works and Transport in the state, said he would be sworn-in as the next Executive Governor of the state on May 29th.

Answering a question on the insinuation that he was looking forward to become the Secretary to the State Government should the ADC wins, Akintunde declared, “I will never be SSG. My mission is to become Governor of this state. That’s my dream. And by the special grace of God, I will become the next Governor of the state”.

On the prospect of the ADC in the state, Akintunde remarked that people make party, stressing that “ADC is taking over by May, 2019. I want to task the people of the state to look well, think well, act right and vote in ADC as their party of choice.”

On the dwindling fortunes of public education in the state, Akintunde said many schools would have been renovated by now had the government prioritise spendings on the sector.

According to him, “I don’t share the idea of model schools because the cost on each of the model schools would have renovated 20 or more of the dilapidating public schools.”

On the state of roads, Akintunde expressed misgivings about the state of roads outside the state capital, saying “get out of Ibadan, you will weep for the people living there. I am referring to the internal roads in those areas.

He then harped on the need to be strategic in thinking and restrategize to give value to governance.

Makinde Hits Ajimobi, Queries Gov’s Legacy, N157billion Debt Profile on Poor Masses

By
Peter Ayoade
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A gubernatorial aspirant on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde has queried Governor Abiola Ajimobi’s legacy on the suffering and hapless citizens of the state, as he winds down in office next year.

Makinde described the legacy being bequaethed on the people “as deliberately designed to frustrate the vulnerable ones in the society and punish the poor.”

In a statement issued by the Seyi Makinde Campaign organisation and signed by Prince Dotun Oyelade, Makinde who was speaking after he was screened and cleared for the party’s governorship primary, said that any candidate who believes he can ride on the back of Governor Ajimobi’s achievements lacks the compassion and capacity to make a difference in the lives of the common man.

According to Makinde, it would take the next 18 years for a succeeding government to pay up the N157bn debt which this government has incurred in seven years.

Makinde said that Oyo state ranks 30 in the comity of the 36 states in Nigeria that cannot sustain itself because it has a monthly 10bn expenditure and a monthly revenue of N6billion leaving a deficit level of N4bn.

Said he: “The implication of this figure is that the state sinks into further debt every month to fulfill its recurrent responsibilities in spite of increase in Statutory Allocations of 34bn from oil revenues and VAT of 1.3bn.

“Even if Governor Ajimobi turns a new leaf today and pay up all the outstanding debts owed the poor workers and pensioners, the damage has already been done,” Makinde averred.

According to the PDP aspirant, he has done his home work and with transparency and accountability which are currently lacking and management of overheads, the situation can be reversed within just two years.

Makinde added: “I am in the best position to turn around the fortunes of Oyo state because of my unblemished record as a successful businessman. What’s more, I have no Godfather to mislead me to work against the interest of the masses.”

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