Ibadan

A syndicate that specializes in the stealing of electric service wires from residential buildings now operates in Ibadan, Nigeria.

The criminal group comprising some unscrupulous elements in the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) co-opted financially indisposed individuals to give out vital information that would be of mutual benefit to both of them.

On Tuesday, 17 December, 2024, between 2:45 pm and 3:10 pm in the afternoon, a marketer and a technician, both workers of the IBEDC, stole the four service wires that supply electricity to the four apartments at No. 3 Kehinde Aderibigbe Street, Olorunsogo, Molete.

Before the ugly act, the criminals had sat down and strategized at a shoemaker's shop at No. 6.

The shoemaker had in turn entertained them.

After the act, the criminals, who brought along a ladder, made away with the stolen items while residents of the community watched with keen interest.

In recent times, cases of the theft of the DISCO's equipment and materials have become rampant.

Young boys aged between 8 and 15 years old on Thursday burgled a residence in the Olorunsogo Molete Ibadan area of Oyo state.

The boys, led by one Imole Adewale, a junior secondary school student of Ibadan Grammar School, numbered about 12 and pretended to be playing football along Kehinde Aderibigbe Street before some of them broke into the apartments at No. 3 and made away with valuables running into hundreds of thousands of Naira.

Surprisingly, residents who own shops in and around the scene of the incident provided cover for the young criminals.

Before this time, parents and guardians in the community had repeatedly aided and abetted their children and wards in criminality.

Indeed, homosexuality, prostitution, drug addiction, and several other forms of social vices have become the order of the day as most of the young people have veered off the path of education.

Sadly, those in charge remain unperturbed despite the irredeemable damage that has been done to the young lives, even as lawlessness, indiscipline, and criminality have been adopted as daily ways of lives.

Cultists on Thursday afternoon attacked and dispossessed a gainfully employed Nigerian of his personal belongings and valuables.

The cultists, led by one diminutive hoodlum named Okunnu, numbered about 18 and operated from an events planner's shop at the Baptist Convention shopping complex, Scout Camp Junction, Challeneg/Molete road, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria.

Acting under the influence of marijuana and other illicit substances, they attacked the innocent Nigerian and made away with all he had on him.

Despite the alarm raised by the robbery victim, bystanders who were complicit cheered the criminals.

Of worry is the role played by parents and guardians in crime, even as the general belief is that an unspecified number of law enforcement agents and government officials provide material and moral support for these criminals.

This informs the increasing rate of lawlessness, indiscipline, and criminality in many communities in the state.

Sadly, the feeble efforts of the state government to deal decisively with the outlaws have so far yielded no positive result.

A former vice chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Idowu Olayinka, has attributed the low student enrollment in private universities to the prohibitive fees they charge.

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Prof. Olayinka made this assertion on Wednesday at the 17th convocation lecture with the theme at the Lead City University in Ibadan.

''Since 1999, the private sector has been involved in the provision of university education in Nigeria, with the players comprising religious institutions and entrepreneurs. The private universities are set up to provide education to the yearning youths, and since these institutions do not receive any subsidy from the government, they have to charge fees that are much higher than those of public servants. The reality of higher costs of the private universities has had the effect of reducing student enrollment in such higher educational institutions such that while the public universities are oversubscribed with overcrowding of the facilities, the private universities are, in general, undersubscribed,'' Prof. Olayinka stated.

He lamented that several challenges were holding down the public primary and secondary school systems in the country, adding, ''As a result, many Nigerians turn to private secondary schools as an alternative, although they are generally more expensive than their public counterparts.''

Cultists have, for over 5 years running now, taken over most of the communities of Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State.

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These cultists, who operate with impunity, boast of their untouchable status openly, to the consternation of members of the public.

Their presence in the midst of unscrupulous law enforcement agents has not helped matters.

Indeed, residents have decided to keep quiet when all their complaints have never attracted any uplifting response from those in charge.

Of great worry is the nonchalance of the state government and the state legislature towards breathing constitutional and statutory life into the anti-cultism law in the state.

The cultists have, for long, broken into the houses of residents and forcefully made away with property documents.

On Monday, at about 7.40 am in the morning, cultists led by one Lekan Adewale made a failed attempt to break into an apartment at 3, Kehinde Aderibigbe Street, Olorunsogo, Molete.

Sadly, occupants of No. 5 (a two-story building) served as accomplices.

The leader of the cultists operates from No. 8 Kehinde Aderibgbe Street, Olorunsogo, Molete.

For long, the cultists have been forcefully evicting residents from their landed property and disposing of such property with the aid of erring law enforcement agents and government officials.

The management of the University College Hospital(UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria has appealed to patients to bear with the hospital as it makes efforts to address the present electricity challenge.

This appeal was made by the management through the Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Obafunmilayo Adetuyibi in a chat with New Federation.

''Patients in the wards of the hospital should bear with us,the hospital is making efforts to address the electricity challenge. Our internally Generated Revenue(IGR) has gone low, several letters have been written to friends of the hospital in both the public and private sectors, we are hopeful that they will help us out.'' Mrs. Adetuyibi stated.

The Public Relations Officer explained that on assumption of duty on the 1st of March 2019, the Chief Medical Director(CMD), Prof. Jesse Otegbayo met an accumulated bill of over 200 million Naira, adding,'' the bill is not for UCH alone, the College of Medicine, University of Ibadan has its own bill, one for UCH and one for the College of Medicine. As at January this year, we paid 50 million Naira and for February, we paid 55 million Naira and for March, we paid 45 million Naira. All these we have paid, even though electricity is not available for 24 hours.''

Mrs Adetuyibi also noted that health workers in the hospital had the right to protect themselves, while stressing that there were Public Service Rules that guide the policy thrust of the hospital.

''JOHESU wrote a letter to the management intimating the management of a 14 day ultimatum to restore electricity. The management will still get back to them. They should wait for a management decision.''

The PRO maintained that services have not been disrupted by the power outage saying,''our laboratories and the Universal Laboratory are functioning. Patients go to the laboratories to pick up their results, we are working round the clock to restore electricity supply, they should bear with us.''

The Igbo community in Ibadan and Oyo state state has condoled with the family, indigenes of Ibadan and the government and people of Oyo state on the death of The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun.

The Balogun Ndigbo of Ibadanland, Chief Alloy Obi, on behalf of Ndigbo in the state gave the condolence in a chat,

Chief Obi described the late first class monarch's death as shocking.

''Well I heard of the sad news this morning, I was shocked. My relationship with the late Olubadan dates back to before he became an Oba. I am also a member of the family. But we cannot query God, it is God that called him. Just two years on the throne, God's decision is final. The entire Igbos in Ibadan and Oyo state and the Ohaneze Ndibog condole with the family, the people of Ibadan and Oyo state and the Oyo state Governor on the great loss. I pray that God will give the family the fortitude to bear the great loss,'' Chief Obi stated.

The Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU) University College Hospital(UCH) Ibadan, Nigeria has expressed hopes that the suspended union elections will take place in the first quarter of the year.

The union made this known through its chairman, Comrade Kehinde Abiona.

''We are very hopeful that the the suspended elections of the union will come up within the first quarter of the year'', Comrade Abiona stated.

He also expressed joy at the reopening of the union's office, saying,''to God be the glory, the NASU secretariat was reopened on the 4th January 2024 after a letter of appeal dated 29th 0f December 2023 was written to the management.''

A member of the Ibadan branch of the Nigeria Bar Association(NBA)Ibadan branch on Thursday 23rd  November 2023 accompanied by thugs broke into a building at 3, Kehinde Aderibigbe Street, Olorunsogo, Molete, Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria.

The trespassers placed a banner with the inscription, ''For Sale PROPERTY/LAND-contact-

The lawyer on 08057321344/0806762694, in a desperate attempt to sell off the property without the consent of the sole occupant.

Before this time, On Thursday 9th November 2023 at about 9.30 am at 3, Kehinde Aderibigbe Street, Olorunsogo, Molete, Ibadan, Oyo state, a lawyer with phone number-08053721344- alongside four thugs made an abortive attempt to serve a harmless citizen a letter in the midst of intimidation and threats from the thugs. However, the citizen bluntly refused to accept the letter.

This development was trailed by unthinkable actions of four operatives of the Nigeria Legion Corps of Commissionaires, who supervised the damaging of the padlocks of the two gates to the house and the pulling down of the doors of three flats in the building and making away with all the locks, two chains, and padlocks.

However, it is curious that the assailants opted to forcefully convey the only occupant of the building to the Iyaganku Central Police Station on a motorcycle after they concluded the lawless act.

At the police station, they were told by a senior female police officer that Olorunsogfo, Molete was not within the station's jurisdiction.

This turn of events made them quickly seek the assistance of the administrative officer of the Iyagnaku Area Command.

Sadly, at the administrative officer's office, threats, intimidation, and warnings were tools used by all those present to persuade the harmless citizen to sign an agreement, which he politely refused.

For so long, those in charge of law and order have acted contrary to what the law states in issues concerning members of the public. This has indeed made millions of Nigerians lose confidence in the law enforcement agencies.

An unspecified number of patients in the University College Hospital(UCH) Ibadan, Oyo state, Nigeria have expressed reservations over the high cost of obtaining medical reports.

The patients, who spoke incognito, lamented that they were made to part with N6,000 before they could be issued with the hospital's medical report at the records office.

''We were told that we could only be given a medical report on the payment of N6,000 in these hard times, it is beyond reach,'' they lamented.

However, the hospital's reaction, the Public Relations Officer, Mrs Adetuyibi Obafunmilayo disclosed that the hospital charges N6,000 for medical reports, adding,'' The patient makes a request for a medical report, while all the tests conducted on the patient are in his or her case note. Medical records officers do not write medical reports. It is the duty of medical consultants.''

''Yes, we do charge for our medical reports. The money we charge is N6,000. This forms part of the Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) of the hospital that we use to produce medical reports. The money goes to the Treasury Single Account(TSA). Medical consultants don't collect cash from patients, it is against our policy,'' Mrs. Obafunmilayo stated.

On the Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU)UCH branch, the PRO insisted that the Chief Medical Director was not behind the miscreants who invaded and sealed up the NASU office.

''When the issue of NASU election came up, there was a crisis and a report was made by the chairman and a panel was set up. The panel submitted its report and management wrote to the national headquarters of NASU, but they are yet to respond,'' the PRO concluded.

Give Priority to your Well-BeingThe Personal Assistant to the late Eze  Ndigbo of Ibadan and Oyo state, Eze(Dr.)Alex Anozie, Mr Samuel Ulelu, in this piece, describes the late Managing Director of Conac Nigeria Limited, as a kind and detribalized Nigerian.

Excerpts:

His passage was shocking to me because I was with him on Tuesday 26th September 2023, that very day he showed no sign of ill health, that one may have suspected. There was no premonition, that very day the Hausa community came to pay him a visit, appealing to him to be their patron, which Eze agreed. After the program, everyone left. The next day I was called early in the morning, I was preparing to go to work, when the caller told me Eze was dead, I was surprised I did not believe the caller. But when I got to the office, I discovered it was true. It is a very great loss at this time when Ndigbo and Nigeria need him most. He was a very kind, loving, and detribalized Nigerian. He was humble to a fault.

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The death of Eze(Dr.) Alex Anozie has been described as shocking and unexpected.

This is the view of  Akaekpkuonwa Ndigbo Ibadanland, Ichie Sunday Okafor.

The death of  Eze(Dr.) Alex Anozie came as a shock to all Ndibgo in Ibadan and Oyo state, it was unexpected. In fact, up till now, we have yet to believe that he has left us. It is a great loss to all of us. May God grant the family the fortitude to bear the great loss. Ichie Okafor stated.

 In these challenging times, lawlessness and criminality continue to linger as those in charge pretend not to be aware.

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On Thursday 9th November 2023 at about 9.30 am in the morning at 3, Kehinde Aderibigbe Street, Olorunsogo, Molete, Ibadan, Oyo state, a lawyer with phone number-08053721344- alongside four thugs made an abortive attempt to serve a harmless citizen a letter in the midst of intimidation and threats from the thugs. However, the citizen bluntly refused to accept the letter.

This development was trailed by unthinkable actions of four operatives of the Nigeria Legion Corps of Commissionaires, who supervised the damaging of the padlocks of the two gates to the house and the pulling down of the doors of three flats in the building and making away with all the locks, two chains, and padlocks.

However, it is curious that the assailants opted to forcefully convey the only occupant of the building to the Iyaganku Central Police Station on a motorcycle after they concluded the lawless act.

At the police station, they were told by a senior female police officer that Olorunsogfo, Molete was not within the station's jurisdiction.

This turn of events made them quickly seek the assistance of the administrative officer of the Iyagnaku Area Command.

Sadly, at the administrative officer's office, threats, intimidation, and warnings were tools used by all those present to persuade the harmless citizen to sign an agreement, which he politely refused.

For so long, those in charge of law and order have acted contrary to what the law states in issues concerning members of the public, this has indeed made millions of Nigerians lose confidence in the law enforcement agencies.

Hoodlums on Friday, 20th October 2023 sealed the branch secretariat of the Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU) in the University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria.

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According to the chairman of the union, Comrade Kehinde Abiona who made this disclosure, the sealing off was with the consent of the management of the hospital.

''On Friday, 20th October 2023 by about 9.00 am in the morning, miscreants, among whom were a few financial members and non-financial members invaded the office of the union in the name of protesting the non-conduct of the union's elections and made attempts to seal the office off, which I resisted, until the Chief Security Officer of the hospital came around to deceive me that the Chief Medical Director wanted to see me, at that point, I had to go; but on getting back to NASU, I met the office being sealed off and there was going in the presence of cameramen from the Public Relations department of the hospital who were busy recording on the instructions of the CSO,'' Comrade Abiona stated.

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The chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU) University College Hospital(UCH)branch,Ibadan, Nigeria has been elected to the National Executive Council(NEC) of the union.

 This disclosure was made on Monday by Kehinde Abiona in a chat.

''The embattled NASU UCH branch chairman has broken the jinx by becoming member of the National Executive Council of NASU. We have over 2,000 members in UCH. Foir the first time ever, a sitting chairman of NASU UCH has been elected a member of NEC. This is the major reason why the hands of all members must be on deck to return the chairman for a second term for the intererst of the branch and for members' interest.''

Members of the University College Hospital(UCH)branch of Ibadan,Nigeria of the Non-Academic Staff Unionand AssociatedInstitutions(NASU) have declared that they are not among the beneficiaries of the 40 per cent increase in the allowances of civil servants in the country.
They made this declaration through the union's chairman,Comrade Kehinde Abiona.
''The issue has been put to rest with the payment of April salaries,then we discovered that UCH and other teaching hospitals in the Consolidate Health Salary Scale(CONHESS) were not captured. The only respite we have in the health sector for now, is the latest video released by the Minister of Labor and Productivity,Dr. Chris Nigige wherein he promised that some category of us would enjoy a 25 per cent increase,''Comrade Abiona disclosed.

Concerned residents and indigenes of Ibadan, Oyo state have called on the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun,Alli Okunmade II, to, as a matter of urgency, scrap the title of Ezendigbo of Ibadanland.

They hinged their call on the attempt to desecrate the position of the Olubadan.

''We call on the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun to urgently scrap the title of Ezendigbo of Ibadan. If you are observant, they are covertly working to bring the Olubadan position to ridicule. In addition, the activities of the Ezendigbo should be comprehensively probed for the good of society'', they stated.

In most recent times, there has been an upsurge in lawlessness and all forms of criminality in several communities in the state capital.

However, those-in-authority are either complicit or lack the will to convincingly put an end to the ugly situation.

The Balogun Nidgbo of Ibadan land, Chief Alloysious Obi, had in an interview with The Sun accused Eze(Dr.)Alozie of desecrating the stool of Olubadan with the conferment of a chieftaincy title of Ezi Ogo Ukwu N’digbo Nala on Oba Balogun.

''He said: “I found it ridiculous that an individual would just wake up and say he is conferring a chieftaincy title on the occupant of the revered stool of Olubadan. For Anozie to do such, it is nothing but desecration of the Olubadan stool and it should be condemned by those who mean well for Ibadanland. It is my candid view that the people of Ibadanland should, this time around, come together and put a stop to what I can only describe as an insult to the Olubadan stool, as I know that Igbos have great respect for traditional institutions.”

However, in his reaction, the Eze Ndigbo of Ibadan and Oyo state Eze(Dr.) Alex Anozie insisted that his detractors were at work, explaining that he gave the Olubadan an award and not a chieftaincy title.

''Because of the love and understanding between us, Ndigbo and Kabiyesi Olubadan of Ibadanland and Ibadan people, we decided to give an award to Olubadan in appreciation for our cordial relationship and because he is our in-law as he is married to one of our daughters. So we gave him an award and this matter, that same yesterday, 14th February, I was called and myself and my council members held a meeting with the Olubadan-in-Council and a satisfactory explanation has been given and the matter has been resolved . The Igbos and Ibadan people and the whole Yoruba race have been living peacefully. All that we did was to show love and appreciation for all that has been happening between the two ethnic groups. But we know that detractors are behind all the noise, but thank God the matter was resolved yesterday. We know that our detractors are the ones fanning the members of hatred unnecessarily,'' Eze(Dr.) Anozie concluded.

A number of cultists who have for long terrorized residents of Olorunsogo, Molete, Felele, and environs in Ibadan, Oyo State on Sunday 24 October 2021 unleashed terror on the residents.
Some of the cultists who reside at No. 5, Kehinde Aderibigbe Street, a two-story building, owned by one Mrs. Ajayi have been involved in several grievous and heinous crimes. In addition, other occupants of the building live questionable lives
On the fateful day, acting under the influence of Indian hemp and alcohol, the criminals attacked residents with dangerous weapons.
But for the intervention of some security operatives, the criminal would have gone on to break into houses and embark on a looting spree.
Before now, some community leaders had influenced the criminals to vandalize, loot, and convert the premises of  3 Kehinde Aderibibge street to a refuse dump.

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