Many houses and shops were burnt in the incident but there was no casualty.

When Vanguard visited the scene ,Tuesday, thousands of sympathisers thronged the area complaining about the carelessness of the driver of the fuel tanker that emptied its 33,000 litres of fuel on the road.

Many traders who spoke with Vanguard pleaded with Governor Abiola Ajimobi to come to their aid as they had lost their hard-earned livelihood to the fire incident.

The Caretaker Chairman of Ibadan North West Local Government Area, Mr. Wasiu Olatunbosun, said over N500 million worth of property was lost in the incident.

According to him, over 70 houses and shops were razed.

He blamed the incident on negligence on the part of the tanker driver, adding that the fire was so serious that he had to call on a company nearby to assist in putting it out.

Things burnt included deep freezers, beverages, tailoring materials among others.

He disclosed that the fuel had contaminated the water supply and electricity.

To prevent the affected residents from drinking polluted water, he said an order had been given for a tanker of drinkable water to be stationed in the area for the people.

One of the affected traders, Mrs. Aminat Afolabi, said: “I lost over N600, 000 worth of goods to the fire. What came to my mind was how to survive with those very vulnerable ones under me including my child. I join my people to appeal to the government not to abandon us in this terrible moment.”

Another shop owner, Mrs. Ajoke Joel, said she lost property worth millions of naira.

Vanguard also gathered that a new Toyota Camry car which the owner was showing to his friends was burnt.

Some government officials were seen taking down the names of the affected traders, yesterday.

-Vanguard

Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko; his Anambra counterpart, Mr. Peter Obi; and a former Governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Rashidti Ladoja, may soon defect to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

Competent sources at the national headquarters of the party said on Friday that the party had concluded arrangements to have these men in its fold.

Mimiko was a member of the PDP before he defected to the Labour Party in 2006 to contest the governorship election in his state.

He had wanted to contest the election under the umbrella of the PDP but then President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo insisted that Dr. Olusegun Agagu would run for a second term.

The insistence of Obasanjo made Mimiko to resign his ministerial position and defect to the LP.

Though the Independent National Electoral Commission declared Agagu as the winner of the election, the Court of Appeal sitting in Benin later reversed the decision and proclaimed Mimiko the authentic winner.

Mimiko, who also defeated other governorship candidates, including that of the PDP, Chief Olusola Oke and that of the Action Congress of Nigeria, Chief Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, in the 2012 governorship election, will be sworn in on Sunday to begin his second term in office.

A member of the National Working Committee of the PDP, who spoke in confidence with our correspondent in Abuja on Friday, said discussions had been concluded with Mimiko on his return to the party.

Mimiko, he said, would be made the leader of the ruling party in the South-West, with the  mandate to reconcile aggrieved members of party in the zone.

Not only that, he said the governor, who after defection, would be the only governor of the PDP in the entire six states in the zone, will also be saddled with the responsibility of mobilising for the party in the zone.

The source said, “Mimiko is coming to the PDP. That is certain. Though we have not agreed on any date for his official defection, I can tell you authoritatively that we have concluded agreements on this.

“His coming would also help us in the South-West because of the coming governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun states. We need to win at least one of the two states.

“Mimiko is going to be the leader of the party in the zone, because right now, the party is in disarray due to a lot of factions and court cases arising from the zonal congress of the party, which was nullified by the court.”

The plan to have Mimiko back in the PDP was said to have been hatched by Chief Ebenezer Babatope and Senator Bode Olajumoke.

The two men were said to have convinced President Goodluck Jonathan on the need for Mimiko to return to the party.

If he returns, he may do so with members of the LP in both the National Assembly and the Ondo State House of Assembly.

However, Mimiko and Obi said they had no plans to dump their respective platforms for the PDP.

Ondo State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Kayode Akinmade, said, “There is no iota of truth in the story. It was planted by the opposition to discredit our inauguration.

“We are focused on our inauguration and we will not give in to any form of distraction from anybody or group seeking cheap political relevance.”

Chief Press Secretary to the Anambra governor, Mr. Mike Udah, said, “Governor Obi is sitting pretty in APGA. He is comfortable in the party.

-Punch

Via Tribune

“It is just too bad and as well very ungodly. To advise them is not easy since they have become hardened. They didn’t just start the trade today. When you call them to counsel them, they will insult you and ask you if you will shoulder their responsibilities.
“They will tell you the country is hard. They will tell you men are not ready to marry them. They will tell you they have no job. Some of them will even tell you that the job is lucrative. How do you help someone like that?”
She said that their presence in the community had become an eyesore and a bad influence.
She said, “Unfortunately, they see prostitution as a way of life. They enjoy it and they corrupt the minds of other young people who see them and copy their lifestyle. In this environment, you have to monitor your children very closely; especially the girls.
“You know they say that evil company corrupts good manners. These ladies who are into prostitution always sit outside or go about almost naked. The young kids see them and are fascinated.
“They watch the male clients of these prostitutes come in and go out every time. They see people smoking and drinking to stupor all the time. They see people fighting over sex partners every time and witness other obscene sights everyday. It has become a way of life and it is not good.”
According to the state government, the clampdown on brothels operating in residential areas is necessary to curb their influence on young persons. The state Commissioner for the Environment and Habitat, Lowo Obisesan, had told the News Agency of Nigeira on January 4, 2013 that the action was to discourage the state government was set to shut brothels in residential areas around the state.
This was followed by an ultimatum expected to lapse by the end of January.
“Operating brothels in residential areas shows irresponsibility on the part of the owners, who do not care about the impact on children, who are exposed to such acts of indecency.
“Reports from the affected communities have reached us because parents abhor the acts of immodesty shown to their children as the result of the existence of such brothels,” Obisesan told NAN.
But one of the sex workers who introduced herself as Tina said news of the impending clampdown and the support of the residents for the move had set them on edge.
Tina, who gave her age as 16 and some of her colleagues expressed fears that their eviction would deny them of their only source of livelihood.
The young lady, who told our correspondent that she got into prostitution a year ago as a result of the death of her parents, said she got to Ibadan a year ago from her native Delta State.
“I have to do this job in spite of the high risk involved in order to keep body and soul together. I have been at this brothel ever since my arrival in this city.
“This brothel has been here for many years. Why do they want to send us away now? What have we done to them?
“I pay N500 as rent at the brothel everyday. My room is just big enough to contain my small bed and a few other personal effects like bags, clothes, makeup and cooking utensils.
“I use the money I make from this work to pay my rent, feed, buy clothes and take care of other daily needs. I also engage in daily savings.
“If we are sent away now, where do we go?” she asked.
Another sex worker, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said their lodgings were old and poorly maintained.
She added, “Usually, the rooms are poorly ventilated but our customers manage to use the place anyway since it is for short time. But we don’t know why government is asking us to leave the place since they are not the owners of these buildings and they are not going to take over the houses.”
Some of the brothels visited by our correspondent are situated in the business areas of Ekotedo, Queen Cinema and Sabo area of Mokola, Ibadan, where items such as computers, computer accessories, electronics and clothes are sold.
Two of the popular brothels are situated close to two big beer depots in Ekotedo. Beside the beer depots are pockets of small drinking joints where men and women unwind daily.
Activities usually surge at the drinking joints near the brothels in the evenings, especially on weekends. A commercial bus driver who gave his alias as Baba Ishan said that the proximity of drinking joints to brothels was a “wise business decision.”
He said, “Some people will like to step down with fun (sex) after they are through with drinking.”
The brothels are usually old buildings with small rooms and a small reception. The brothels, located either beside the road or in a corner within the residential areas, are usually awash with loud music, thick cigarette smoke and lights of various colours.
Charming and sparsely dressed ladies from ages 15 to 50 often line the corridors and balconies as from 6pm when “customers” begin to trickle in till late night when the arena is filled.
The sight is exciting to school pupils who dance to the sound of the music wafting from the brothels. Occasionally, some of them run errands for the ladies; most times they quickly run to get cigarettes for customers, a resident said.
A Primary 5 pupil, Ade, who reluctantly spoke with our correspondent, said, “I don’t know whether I like them to be moved away or not. I like them because they are friendly but my mother always prevents me from running errands for them.”
Another pupil, who gave her name as Rita simply said, “I don’t like prostitutes” and then ran away.
Rita is a pupil of a school located almost 500 metres away from one of the brothels. Close to other brothels are some private schools.
A house wife, Tonia, said, “I hate to live here. Others live here too. I don’t like what they do but I try to train my child very well.”
Another woman, Mama Bukola, said she had been living close to one of the brothels for a long time.
“I don’t like what they do but there is nothing I can do about it. I am not a prostitute and my daughters are not into prostitution. When you pray and bring up your children properly they will not go into prostitution.
“The removal of these brothels will give us rest of mind in this area. We are happy about government’s plan to evict them,” she said.
Another parent, Mr. Tony Chukwuma, agreed that brothels in residential areas should be shut down but he advised that government should rehabilitate the sex workers. Chukwuma reasoned that unless that was done the decision would create a problem of resettling the sex workers. “Moving the sex workers from the metropolis alone cannot solve the problem of immorality. The society is corrupt in every sense and sexual perversion is just one of the many vices. Relocating them will only shift attention of those who patronise the brothels from one area of the city to the other.
“A total ban on prostitution would have been the best way out to save the society and especially the youth from social perversion. As we commend the government for its courage in flushing the sex workers out of the metropolis, they still need to do something about prostitution in general,” he counselled.
A private school teacher working in Mokola area of Ibadan, Mrs. Teju Olawale, told our correspondent that brothels within residential areas we an eyesore which should be eradicated.
She said that the presence of brothels in residential and school areas was harmful to education and development.
Olawale said, “Every learner should have a sound mind which is neither polluted nor distracted. The minds of pupils living in such an environment will be tuned towards vices and they would not be able to concentrate on their studies. All they will be hearing is bad music; they will be accustomed to bad dressing and all other vices such as drinking and smoking.”
The Chairman, Ibadan North West Local Government, Mr. Wasiu Olatunbosun, explained that allowing these commercial sex workers “in residential areas will pollute the minds of ladies and young boys. We held a meeting with their coordinators and proprietors to agree on government decision.
“Go to places like Ekotedo, Queen Cinema area and you won’t be happy at the sight you will meet. You can imagine the kind of life that children raised in such places face everyday. We have given the sex workers till the end of the month. Those who violate the order shall be forcefully moved.”
When contacted, the spokesman for the state police command, Mr. Ayodele Lanade, said, “I cannot comment yet on government’s decision to close down brothels in residential areas because I have not been around in the state for some time now.
“However, the state government has not formally informed us about the decision to evict sex workers from residential areas. We cannot act until we are carried along. But, I can assure you that the command will not fail in its duties.”

Akinruntan, who led an advanced presidential team on a sympathy visit to the Alaafin on Saturday, said President Goodluck Jonathan was deeply saddened and shocked by the palace inferno.

The Ugbo monarch said he was at the palace in three capacities, as the fore-runner of the emissary by Mr. President, as the Chairman, Yoruba Conflict Resolution Committee and as the chairman of Ilaje Local Government Traditional Council and disclosed that the President specifically asked him to deliver his message to Alaafin, with a promise that he (President) would still send a powerful delegation to deliver his letter of sympathy as well as the necessary assistance towards the reconstruction of the burnt area of the palace.

Oba Akinruntan, who was later conducted round the razed apartments by Alaafin, described the incident as a disaster, not only to the Alaafin and the people of Oyo, but to the entire Yoruba people and urged for concerted efforts by every well-meaning sons and daughters of Yorubaland to rise to the challenge of making the palace the pride of place for all.

Alaafin was full of praises for Oba Akinruntan, whose ancestors he traced to be the first original settlers of the ancient Ife town, recalling that the Olugbo’s ancestors were the Ugbos that gave the Ifes nightmare before they left for their present site in the riverine area of Ondo State.

Oba Adeyemi also commended Olugbo for his untiring efforts to ensure that Yoruba Obas live in unity and oneness through the conflict resolution committee being chaired by him, stressing that he was ready to attend any meeting of the prominent Obas towards living in peace amongst themselves

Alaafin, however, maintained that there had never been a time in the history of Yoruba that Oyo was under any other town in Yorubaland and this had also informed his position, which to some people made him controversial.

-Guardian

According to the state Commissioner for Environment and Habitat, Mr Lowo Obisesan, the action was to discourage brothels from operating in residential areas.

“Operating brothels in residential areas shows irresponsibility on the side of the owners who do not care about the impact on children who are exposed to such acts of indecency.

“Reports from the affected communities have reached us as parents abhor acts of indecency their children are exposed to as a result of the existence of such brothels.

“Brothels should never be located in residential areas. This is illegal and we will not tolerate it. We will go round the state and ensure that anybody operating such centres will be brought to book,” Obisesan said.

On the distribution of relief materials to affected flood victims of last year, he said plans were underway to distribute these to all concerned before the end of the third quarter.

“The donations are already being used in the reconstruction of affected bridges, roads and drainages, and the relief materials will get to all concerned before the end of March,” he said.

Obisesan also said that mobile courts would be set up in all the 33 local government in the state to look after all the environment cases in the state.
-Tribune

Former president of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) and former member of the House of Representatives, Dr Wale Okediran, made this call while delivering the second Bola Ige memorial lecture, organised by the Oyo State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), held at the NUJ Press Centre, Iyaganku, Ibadan, on Monday.

Present on the occasion were the Ikolaba of Ibadanland, Chief Lekan Alabi; renowned scientist, Professor Akin Mabogunje; the Baale of Ekotedo, Chief Taiwo Ayorinde; daughter of the late AG, Mrs Funso Adegbola and her husband; members of the Oyo NUJ press council and politicians from far and wide.

In his lecture entitled: “The challenges of political leadership in Nigeria,’’ Okediran said “I wish to appeal to the Oyo and Osun state governments to, as a matter of urgency, reopen the case file of Bola Ige’s death, a promise made by both Governors Aregbesola and Ajimobi during the 10th Bola Ige memorial lecture exactly a year ago.

“By doing this, the governors will show the whole world that the forces of fascism and autocracy would always be defeated however long it might take them to threaten humanity.’’

While noting that the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU’s) latest report named Nigeria as the worst place for a baby to be born in 2013, Okediran advocated private sector-led growth, macroeconomic stability and fiscal discipline and anti-corruption measures as part of the strategies for bringing about change in the country.

-Tribune

Retired Brig. Gen. Rotimi Oluwole

It was learnt that Mrs. Oluwole was kidnapped around 6.30pm on Monday in front of her company, AOK Logistics Limited.

Mrs. Oluwole, whose husband was also a former Ambassdor to the United States of America between 2008 and 2009, was abducted by four armed men while leaving her office.

When visited on Tuesday, the Ikolaba, Ibadan residence of the Rotimis was deserted.

The Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Police Command, Mr. Ayodele Lanade, confirmed the incident.

“It is true that the woman (Titilayo) was kidnapped on Monday at about 6.30pm. I can tell you that our men are currently on the trail of the criminals,

“We leant that she was taken away in a green Nissan Primera belonging to the suspected kidnappers.” he said.

He, however, said no arrest had been made in connection to the incident.

It was learnt that the case, which was reported at the Egbeda Police Station, had been transferred to the state Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku, Ibadan.

Our correspondent learnt that the police raised questions on the manner in which the woman was abducted.

A source, who craved anonymity, said, “The kidnappers drove into the gate and forced their victim into the car while her driver merely looked and allowed them to whisk her away without any resistance.”

Lanade explained, “The manner of arrest is strange when compared with similar cases of kidnapping.

“We found out that there is a rift between the woman and her workers over three months salary which led to agitation by the aggrieved workers.”

Via Punch

Adoda said Akinsola, popularly known as ‘Tokyo,’ was undergoing interrogation in respect of pending criminal cases against him and for which he was declared wanted by the police. He added that the outcome of the investigation would determine subsequent actions to be taken by the police.

Adoda, however, said there was no need for residents of the state to be apprehensive following the arrest of Akinsola. “People are advised to go about their lawful businesses without any fear of molestation,” he stated. The police boss, in addition, warned disgruntled elements who might want to foment trouble or cause public disorder to think twice about their planned actions.

“The command is combat ready to deal with such a situation and any troublemaker caught would be made to face the full wrath of the law. “The interest of Oyo State takes precedence over any other consideration,” Adoda said. (NAN)

-Sun

IBADAN – Scores of women marched round major streets of Ibadan calling on legislators to make laws on violence against women.

The women under the aegis of Zonta Club International, Zonta Club, Ibadan and Oyo State Officers Wives Association who were observing sixteen days of activism as declared by the United Nations went to some broadcasting houses calling on people to say no to violence against women and children.

They displayed many anti-violence placards against women and children. Some of the inscriptions read, “Zonta says no to rape, female circumcision, childhood marriage, degrading traditional practices, discrimination in employment, denial of female education, sexual harassment, child labour, violence from law enforcement agency, childhood marriage and others.

The leaders of the forum, Governor, Zonta Club International, District 18, Mrs. Gloria Stene Agboola and the President, Dr. Omolara Smith spoke extensively on various ways menfolk perpetrate violence against women and children.

Mrs. Agboola who spoke with Vanguard during the sensitization rally said it was the first time the two clubs would come together for such a rally.

“We want the House of Assembly to pass the bill that would check violence against women and children. Once we get the bill passed, then we will make people who commit such crimes pay for it”.

“So, the essence of the rally is to make people talk about it, she said.