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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.”

250 Surveyors Receive Boost in Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in Ibadan

By
Peter Ayoade
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The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Oyo state branch in its bid to ensure that surveyors in the state compete favourably with their counterparts across the globe in the area of modern tools usage has trained no fewer than two hundred and fifty members of the association in the state.

NIS Chairman in the state, Prince Aderemi Kobiowu while speaking at the opening ceremony of the two-day compulsory professional training themed “2018 mandatory continuing professional development programme”, on Thursday added that the program was organised in order to train surveyors in the state on technical-know-how and how to handle some modern equipment in the state.

At the event were former NIS Chairman in the state, Surveyor J.O. Shiyanbola, former Surveyor- General in the state, Surveyor I.O. Akintola and former Public Relations Officer of NIS in the state, Surveyor Dasola Adefabi and over 250 registered and practising surveyors in the state.

Kobiowu who welcomed members to the workshop, enjoined them to pay attention to the benefits of the UAV for nation building and sustainable development.

Kobiowu while speaking at the programme themed, “Mapping with Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)”, which was held in Ibadan, the state capital said, “The program we are starting today, we called it mandatory, compulsory development programme. The programme is compulsory for all surveyors in the state. The programme we are having today is how to operate unmanned aerial vehicle, these equipment will fly without anyone manned it”.

He said, “The workshop is in line with NIS aim and objectives which include promoting and encouraging the training and retraining of surveyors, improvement of surveying profession and mapping through seminars, workshops, symposia, publications, the Mandatory Continuing Professional Development (MCPD)  and education of surveyors generally.

“Reliable and accurate maps, aerial photographs and other geospatial data are indispensable for sustainable land development and land subdivision. The production of up-to-date, reliable and accurate maps or cadastral plans require well-trained manpower and Nigeria needs these highly skilled surveyors in modern mapping techniques for national development.

“The federal and state government, construction industry, private organisations and individual are called upon to engage registered surveyors in the process of reconstruction and development in various dimensions of the nation. Surveyors should be involved for full growth and expansion of the nation industries, agriculture, education and cultural institutions to achieve all-round and balanced development.

“When you use that kind of equipment, all the data you needed will be captured. Then from then, you can easily advise the individual or government how to go about it. At the end of the program, we expect that our members that have been trained on these equipment will be able to do mapping with unmanned aerial vehicle. If you want to map the whole of Ibadan or your whole village, you can use this unmanned aerial vehicle to map it”.

National President of NIS, Surveyor Charleseye David Charles while speaking urged members of the association to continue to do their work without fear or favour and display high level of professionalism in their daily activities. He urged surveyors in the state to embrace digital technology in their practice and let the training reflect in their final products.

Charles said, “I urged all members to continue to do their work with professionalism at all times. I want us to do out work professionally. I want us to work for a strong and virile professional association that will stand the test of time. That anywhere you get to they will recognise you as a professional”.

Chairman of the planning committee, Surveyor Felix Iyiola admonished participants to apply the knowledge and skill acquired to improve the nation economic growth, industrial and agricultural production.

He emphasised that national development depends largely on professional knowledge and skill as he called on the government at various levels to partner with surveyors to put necessary measures in place to reduce the impacts of natural disasters as being witnessed in the country recently.

He said, “Major towns and cities in the country are flooded and surveyors with technical know-how could produce accurate maps showing floodplains and areas vulnerable to flood, government and relevant agencies can rely on these maps to evacuate people in flood vulnerable areas and stop development within the designated areas.

“Extent of flooding and population affected can be mapped with unmanned aerial vehicle (Drone). Earth tremor being experience in some parts of the Federal Capital Territory requires geodetic measurements by surveyors to monitor and map extent of damage. Other aspects surveyors can be engaged include corridor mapping for roads, rail-lines, gas and water pipelines, transmission lines, landuse mapping, oil, gas and mineral exploration”.

Some of the areas where the surveyors were tutored include “Introduction to Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” and “Application of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle” lectured by Surveyor Saheed Olaniyi and Surveyor Adewale Salimon.

Other areas taught at the beginning of the two-day event included “Mission Planning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle”, “Data Acquisition (Theory) taught by Surveyor Abeeb Adeyemo and Surveyor Wale Bankole respectively. Other are “Data Acquisition (Hands-On-Practical), “Data Processing” and Information Presentation taught by Surveyor Bankole and Surveyor Adeyemi respectively.

UCH, MDCAN Offset Indigent Patients Medical Bills

By
Peter Ayoade
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With many indigent patients undergoing treatments at the University College Hospital and groaning to meet their medical demands as a result of paucity of funds, the Medical and Dental Consultants’ Association of Nigeria (MDCAN) on Monday came to the rescue of 12 of them.
The UCH branch of MDCAN said N400, 000 was distributed to the patients, mostly children who were being held back and kept on the bed due to their financial incapability in various wards across the medical, surgical and psychological departments of the hospital.
The cash donation which was done in collaboration with the hospital management was part of activities to commemorate the MDCAN Annual General Meeting.
The weeklong AGM with the theme, “Team Building in the Health Management and Leadership in Contemporary Nigeria”, which commences on Monday will end on Sunday, September 30, 2018.
Speaking at a press conference to herald the AGM, MDCAN Chairman, Dr Victor Makanjuola, explained the collaborative charity effort between its association and the UCH management.
He noted that while the MDCAN presented the cash sum of money to the patients, the UCH management granted waivers on different fees to the patients, including bed and surgical fees.
Makanjuola who was later accompanied by the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee, UCH, Dr. Victor Akinmoladun, and other executives of MDCAN to the patients in the different wards, where they were receiving treatment in the hospital, noted the beneficiaries were selected for the gestures after their cases were reviewed and discovered that some of the patients still undergoing treatment could not settle their hospital bills, while some others that had completed their treatment were still being held back because they could not pay their bills.
He added that despite the non-payment of the salaries of the medical doctors in the last three months, doctors under the aegis of the association were undeterred to engage in the kind gesture and also continue delivering clinical services.
Some of the beneficiaries included a 17-year-old boy, Sanni Akinkunmi Abdullahi in East One Ward, who received N40,000; one year and five months old baby, Afolabi Oluwaseyi; and a 22-year-old woman, Esther Olaoye, who was delivered of a boy through surgery. The patients got a varying amount based on the decision of the association.
Makanjuola said “I must also bring to the notice of the general public that we, the Medical and Dental Consultants as well as some of our younger colleagues (interns) in UCH have not been paid our allowances and salaries for the past three months. Nevertheless, we have been consistently delivering clinical services.
“This information is important to correct the erroneous belief by the general public that doctors always go on strike for money. The non-payment of salaries has also not prevented us, as an association, from being charitable to the underprivileged”, he stated.
Speaking on the theme of the AGM, the chairman explained that the theme was chosen in recognition of the unhealthy inter-professional rivalry in the health sector, its attendant negative effects on service delivery and health-related indices, adding “there is the need to reverse this ugly trend as a matter of national emergency. We are indeed concerned about the quality of leadership in the health sector and the need to have a team approach to both management and service delivery.
“We recognise that the health sector is not in dearth of very intelligent individuals in all the different professions. However, the frequent inter-professional squabbles may suggest a relative lack of emotional intelligence in these groups of professionals. Emotional intelligence in a leader makes him or her sensitive to the need of others in his or her area of influence.”

2019: KNOW YOUR NEXT OYO STATE GOVERNOR

By
Peter Ayoade
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By The Editor

With the 2019 elections around the corner, all political parties in Oyo like other states are now in the season of picking their flagbearers for elective positions especially the exalted position at the state level, governorship.
Front runners for the gubernatorial race in the state are the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Action Democratic Party (ADP) and a few others.
The electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently rang the bell to the political parties to commence electioneering ahead of the next year’s polls.

For all the aforementioned parties, their candidates would emerge between now and first week of October, thus setting the stage for the epic battle ahead.

In the Pacesetter’s state, party leaders are neck deep in throwing up loyalists and associates they believe would do their biddings, forgetting that the electorate should be availed the best of minds; the one imbued with fear of God and milk of human kindness to take the state to the next level beyond the current status under the ruling APC.

As expected, nocturnal meetings are on and aspirants are not leaving anything to chance in their quest for the seat of power in Agodi government house Ibadan.

In APC alone, about 30 aspirants signified intention to succeed the state Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi until they buckled to eight recently. The APC’s men slugging it out in this weekend’s ‘Indirect Primary’ are the immediate past Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Chief Bayo Adelabu; a KPMG partner, Mr. Joseph Tegbe; a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Adeniyi Akintola; a businessman, Dr. Olusola Ayandele; and a former Commissioner for Health in the state, Dr. Babalola Owolabi.

Other APC aspirants are a former Governor of the state, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala; the immediate past Commissioner for Health, Prof. Azeez Adeduntan; and the Minister of Communications, Alhaji Adebayo Shittu.

In the PDP, both Engr. Seyi Makinde and Senator Ayoade Ademola Adeseun are the last men standing because their third, Mr. Femi Babalola, owner of Jogor Events Centre had been prevailed upon by the party leaders to drop his ambition for a possible consensus between Makinde and Adeseun ahead of the general election.

For the ADC, you have Senator Olufemi Lanlehin; former Secretary to the State Government, Chief Sharafadeen Abiodun Alli; erstwhile Commissioner for Works and Transport in the state, Dr. Yunus Akintunde, pioneer General Manager of State Road Maintenance Agency (OYSTROMA), Engr. Rauf Aderemi Olaniyan; former Commissioner for Education, Dr. Nureni Adeniran; a legal icon, Chief Lowo Obisesan; and Engr. Aderemi Oseni.

Other aspirants from ADC are Senator Gbenga Babalola; a former Commissioner for Commerce, Dr. Kola Balogun; and a former Deputy Governor in the state, Alhaji Taofeek Arapaja.

And a former Chief of Staff in the state and current Chairman, Nigeria Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Professor Adeolu Akande is being touted as the sole aspirant in Oyo ADP. Instructively however, he is yet to make public his official declaration to contest under the party as its gubernatorial aspirant.

Pacesetter News observes that the Media as the fourth Estate of the realm with gatekeeping power needs to begin series of interrogative and investigative works on the antecedents of potential occupier of the Agodi Government house in 2019 for the electorate to be guided along the path of objective assessment of their potential Governor as they go into the ballot in March.

And since the political parties are presently recruiting their flagbearers, it behoves on the media to set agenda for the party hierarchies and their delegates alike to elect candidates in a rancour-free, credible and transparent manner to ward off implosion that may follow any imposition or consensus not favourable to the larger percentage of the party men and women and by extension, the electorate.

It may interest the readers to note that, theoretically, the agenda setting theory of the media as put forward by Maxwell McCombs and Donaki Shaw (1972) during their very influential research on the role of the media in the 1968 US Presidential elections, observe that:

“In choosing and displaying news, editors, newsroom staff, and broadcasters play an important part in shaping political reality. Readers learn not only about a given issue, but also how much importance to attach to that issue from the amount of information in a news story and its position [
] the mass media may well determine the important issues – that is, the media may set the “agenda” of the campaign.”

To this end, this newspaper appeals to aspirants to consider ‘Oyo First’ and therefore not make the 2019 election a do or die affair as only God enthrones whosoever He wishes.

Ditto supporters of every aspirant should conduct themselves with decorum and civility because no aspiration worth the blood of anyone.

Because of the space constraint, Pacesetter News hereby urges party leaders and delegates alike to ensure that there is open contest where the option of consensus arrangement could not produce a flagbearer.

NOTABLE IDEALS PEOPLE WANT IN GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATES…

*Fear of God to guide against capital flights
*Independent-minded person with courage to do the right things at all times
*Excellence Academic track records and untainted service in private and public life
*Grassroots touch with love for the masses
*General understanding of political settings (all geopolitical zones) of the State
*Ability to carry along political institution such as the INEC, DSS, Nigeria Police, NOA, Nigerian Army, NSCDC, The Media and others
*Political and Administrative experience
*Financial capability
*Ability to carry along other component units that make up the political party he is interested in flying its flag, among others.

 

Editor’s Note: To be continued…

Osun: Makinde to INEC: Rerun Unnecessary, Adeleke Wins ‘Fair and Square’

By
Peter Ayoade
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A gubernatorial hopeful of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo state, Engr. Seyi Makinde has described as unacceptable the reason given by INEC for declaring the gubernatorial election in Osun state inconclusive.
Makinde said that the PDP candidate, Senator Ademola Adeleke won the highest number of votes and scored 25 percent in more than two thirds of the 30 local government areas in the state of the Living Spring and as such ought to have been declared the winner of the election.
Irked by the INEC’s disposition to the ‘electoral victory’ of Adeleke, Makinde said the Senator representing Osun West in the National Assembly won the election fair and square.
He stated that INEC must have buckled under pressure from desperate politicians whose cupboards are filled with filth.
The PDP governorship aspirant said that the decision by the election umpire is a disservice to democracy and will not stand the test of time.
According to him, such miscarriage of justice no matter how short will not be allowed to happen in Oyo State.
Makinde, on behalf of members of PDP in Oyo state, applauded the good people of Osun state for the role they played against “anti-democratic forces who did everything humanly possible to reverse the wheel of progress.”
He stated further that it is disheartening to note that since the advent of APC at the federal level, all elections conducted by INEC have been riddled with controversies and failed to meet basic international standard.

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