Author: NPO Admin I

By Funso Adegbola I have known the Nobel Laureate, Prof Akinwande Oluwole Soyinka, who we fondly call Uncle Wole, Kongi, Prof and WS, for almost as long as I have known myself. He and my dad, Bola Ige were very close friends. They must have met at University College Ibadan, UCI- now University of Ibadan. They acted plays together in UCI and later Orisun Theater with Uncle Femi Johnson and others. Uncle Wole has documented some of their dangerous political escapades in his memoir ‘Ibadan; the Penkelemes Years’. I remember in 1967, when my youngest brother, Muyiwa was born,…

By Halimah Olamide President Bola Tinubu on Friday said the Jos Plateau state’s building collapse is a difficult thing to imagine. In his first reaction to the tragedy which has claimed more than a dozen victims and trapped about 137 the president said the death of many people was unfortunate. In a statement released by Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media, he quoted the President as expressing grief over the incident. He said Tinubu received the news of the collapse which resulted in multiple deaths and many surviving victims in Jos, Plateau State, with profound grief. “The…

By Halimah Olamide President Bola Tinubu, the Sultan of Sokoto Sa’ad Abubakar, Governor Dapo Abiodun and other dignitaries on Friday witnessed the installation of the new Olubadan of Ibadan Oba Owolabi Olakulehin. Gov Seyi Makinde while presenting the staff of office to Olakulehin, said he was doing so with  “By the power conferred upon me as the Governor by sub-sections (1) and (2) of Section 20 of the Chiefs Law Cap 28 Vol.1 Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.” Other very important personalities at the event include former Oyo State Governor, Rashidi Ladoja; Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, who…

By Kamil Opeyemi No fewer than 17 people have been killed while about 137 others were trapped under the rubble Affer a building collapse in Plateau state on Friday. In a statement by the state’s  Commissioner for Information Musa Ashoms, said the tragedy was avoidable. The statement read, “The Plateau State Government has expressed deep sadness over the tragic incident at Saint Academy Jos, where a building collapsed resulting in casualties and injured students and teachers still being evacuated to different hospitals within Jos The government describes the incident as an avoidable tragedy, citing the school’s weak structure and unsafe…

By Halimah Olamide A day to his 90th birthday, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Friday named the National Theatre, Iganmu Lagos after Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka. Soyinka clocks 90 on Saturday July 13, 2024. Tinubu, in a statement released on Friday, described Soyinka as a “colossus, a true Renaissance Man blessed with innumerable talents.” Tinubu said, “I am pleased to join admirers around the world in celebrating the 90th birthday of Nigeria’s iconic son and the world-renowned Professor Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde, famously known as Wole Soyinka. “Tomorrow the 13th July will be the climax of the series of local…

By Halimah Olamide West Africa’s biggest city, Ibadan the capital of Oyo state is set to be agog today as the new Olubadan, Owolabi Olakulehin, is set to mount the throne of his forefathers. He will he granted his staff of office months after the demise of the late Olubadan, Dr. Lekan Balogun. Governor Seyi Makinde, who has confirmed today as the day of installation is expected to perform the ceremony at the newly rehabilitated Olubadan palace. The 89 year old new Olubadan Pa Ishola-Okin Owolabi and Madam Adunola Aweni Ope Ajilaran Omoyoade Owolabi. Olakulehin’s ascension to the throne has…

By Kamil Opeyemi Former Governor of Delta state, James Onanefe Ibori, has criticised the judgment of the Supreme Court which granted fiscal autonomy to the 774 local government areas of the country. Ibori, in a post on X shortly after the judgment, expressed his disagreement with the verdict, referencing constitutional provisions to substantiate his claim that the decision undermines the foundations of federalism. He called the decision of the court a setback for the country’s federalism. Citing Section 162 (3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), Ibori said, “The section expressly provides thus: “Any amount standing to the credit of…

By Halimah Olamide Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said that the ruling of the Supreme Court ceding fiscal autonomy to the 774 local government areas in the country is a major win for Nigerians. “The court’s ruling is a step in the right direction and a major corrective action in greasing the wheels of national development across the country,” Atiku said in a statement Thursday night, hours after the Apex court ruled in favour of the Federal Government which filed the suit seeking financial autonomy for the local government areas in the country. Calling it a major  “win…

As Union Excited Over LG Autonomy The Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees on Thursday said unless the local government administration is properly fixed, no one can fix Nigeria. The Union stated this while reacting to the decision of the Supreme Court which granted financial autonomy to local government, barred the federal government from paying allocations belonging to the state into the coffers of the state governments. The suit was initiated by Bola Tinubu-led government against the governors. The judgement also said no state should appoint local government caretaker committee but ensure elected officials are in charge of local government…

Agency Report The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted thunderstorms and rains from Friday to Sunday across the country. NiMet’s weather outlook released on Thursday in Abuja envisaged morning thunderstorms on Friday  over parts of Kano State and Kaduna State. It anticipated thunderstorms over parts of Bauchi State, Gombe State, Zamfara, Sokoto State, Kaduna State, Adamawa and Taraba later in the day. “In the North Central region, morning thunderstorms and rains are expected over parts of the Federal Capital Territory, Kogi, Benue, Niger and Nasarawa State. ” While later in the day, thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of the Federal…