PHOTOS: OTUNBA GBENGA DANIEL AND WIFE HONOURED AS "ASOJU OBA & YEYE ASOJU OF IJESALAND"

 Ogun State former Governor , Otunba Gbenga Daniel and his wife, Yeye Olufunke Daniel, have been honoured with the titles of " Asoju Oba and Yeye Asoju Oba of Ijesaland" by His Royal Majesty, Oba Gabriel Adekunle Aromolaran II, the Owa Obokun and Paramount ruler of Ijesaland.


The ceremony, which was part of activities marking the monarch’s 80th birthday anniversary, took place on Thursday at the Adimula’s palace in Ilesa, was graced by dignitaries from all walks of life.

Oba Aromolaran said that the choice of  “Otunba Daniel’s remarkable achievements in and outside office, philanthropic gestures and selfless service to humanity, with the support of his amiable wife, stand him out as a personality worthy of celebration hence, the selection by the palace for the exalted titles,” he said.

In his response, Daniel congratulated the paramount ruler on the occasion of his 80th birthday anniversary.


He described the revered monarch as an astute administrator, prolific writer and publisher imbued with great virtues in professionalism, dedication, integrity, courage and service.

PHOTOS: CONJOINED TWINS SUCCESSFULLY SEPARATED IN INDIA !

Conjoined Siamese twins who were joined at the skull was successfully separated by the team of 40 doctors in an operation that lasted for more than 36 hours in India .

The two-year-old twin boys, who suffered a rare condition occurring once in about 2.5 million births, underwent the operation at a government-run hospital in New Delhi on Wednesday.

“It was a team work of 40 doctors, 20 nurses and many other paramedical staff. Without their help this would not have been possible,” the All India Institute of Medical Science hospital said in a statement.

One of the surgeons involved said the most challenging aspect was repairing the holes left in the young boys’ heads after they were separated.

The twins were born in a village in the eastern state of Orissa with shared blood vessels and some shared brain tissue

They had undergone the first phase of the separation surgery in August.

“The most challenging job after the separation was to provide a skin cover on both sides of the brain for the children as the surgery had left large holes on their heads,” said Maneesh Singhal, a plastic surgeon who was a part of the operating team.

“The skin was generated from the expansion of two balloons which were placed inside their heads during the first surgery in August,” Singhal told AFP on Friday.

SOUTHERN GOVERNORS UNITE ON TRUE FEDERALISM

Governors of the Southern States of Nigeria on Monday met in Lagos, on Monday, October 23, 2017, where they unanimously reiterated the call for true federalism and devolution of powers to States.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode ,in a communique at the end of the meeting  resolved to collaborate with one another for the growth and development of their economies.
Governor Ambode said the Governors after extensive deliberations, also emphasized priority on security and lives and property of citizens of the regions, while also resolving to work on effective linkage on good infrastructure across the 17 States in the region.

 Aside Governor Ambode, the meeting was attended by Governors of Ogun, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Oyo, Seantor Abiola Ajimobi; Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Ebonyi, David Umahi; Edo, Mr. Godwin Obaseki; Ondo, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu; Abia, Mr. Okezie Ikpeazu; Enugu, Mr. Henry Ugwuanyi; Bayelsa, Mr. Seriaki Dickson and Ekiti State, Mr. Ayodele Fayose. Governors of Cross River, Anambra and Delta were represented by their Deputies – Mr. Evara Esu; Dr. Ikem Okeke and Mr. Kingsley Otuaru respectively.

 At the meeting, Governor Ambode was unanimously appointed as the Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum (SGF) while Governors Seriaki Dickson of Bayelsa and David Umahi of Ebonyi States were appointed as Co- Chairmen of the Forum.

The Forum also scheduled the next meeting for Port Harcourt in a yet to be announced date.
Earlier, Governor Ambode,the goals of true federalism, which included the strengthening of autonomy and the enhancement of fiscal viability will enable the states to develop at their own pace and based on their peculiarities.

However, he said there is a lot to be done and achieved, stressing that true federalism required urgent, meticulous and proactive attention by the forum.

 The governor added: “States are disparaged for always carrying begging bowls to Abuja in quest of hand-outs from the Federal Government. This is a function of our present national constitution that burdens the Federal Government with activities and responsibilities that rightly fall within the province of states.

“The productivity and revenue-generating capacities of most states are thus stifled, thus turning them into no better than street beggar states incapable of even meeting routine obligations of paying workers’ salaries and pensions without federal support.”
Ambode recalled that Lagos State had fought and won several legal battles since 1999 that have systematically strengthened her autonomy and enhanced her fiscal viability. He noted that the state had won the legal control over the management of its environment, the control of urban and physical planning, the regulation of overhead masts, the registration and regulation of hotels and restaurants, and the control of inland waterways. Ambode said these victories belonged, not only to Lagos, but also to other states, adding that, if Lagos could achieve so much by fighting alone, the Southern Governors’ Forum will accomplish more through collective planning and strategy.

The governor said the forum has been reactivated at the time the National Assembly is harmonising its differences over the 1999 Constitution amendment, which will soon be transmitted to the Houses of Assembly for approval He said: “It is important for this forum to comprehensively look at the proposed amendments with a view to working with our respective Houses of Assembly to ensure a coordinated response on our part that will strengthen the practice of democracy, federalism, constitutionalism and the rule of law. Ambode clarified that, while pushing for greater devolution of powers, responsibilities and resources from the centre to the states, the goal of the forum is neither to a weak centre and strong states and vice versa.

The governor paid tribute to former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu for his initiave, recalling that he hosted the first meeting of the forum in Akodo Beach Resort, Ibeju-Lekki, whe he was at the helm of affairs. He said while the initiative was received with mixed feelings at the time, Tinubu was vindicated later because of its achievements as the forum became a vocal voice on maters of critical importance, not only to the Southern Nigeria, but to the country as a whole. Ambode hailed the forum for advocating for a special allocation to oil-producing states in the Federation Account, adding that its agitation led to the current 13 per cent revenue derivation and allocation from the Federation Account.

He said: “Another major victory won towards strengthening the country’s practice of true federalism was the declaration by the Supreme Court in 2002 that the then prevalent practice of the Federal Government deducting monies from the Federation Account as a first charge for the funding of Joint Venture Contracts, the NNPC priority projects, servicing of Federal Government’s external debt, the judiciary and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other federal obligations were illegal and unconstitutional. “The Supreme Court in that case abolished the special funds created by the Federal Government to enable it draw funds from the Federation Account to pay for matters that fell within its exclusive responsibility before sharing whatever was left with states and local governments.”

Read more https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/10/breaking-southern-govs-unite-true-federalism-devolution-powers/

EX-WRESTLING CHAMPION POWER UTI FACES TRIAL FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING HIS WIFE

A former world wrestling champion , John Eke Uti,55, a.k.a. Power Uti, was on Tuesday brought before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court, Lagos, for allegedly killing his wife, Toyin,

Uti, 55, was arraigned before Magistrate Bola Folarin-Williams on a two-count of murder and disrespect of corpse.

After going through the case file, Magistrate Folarin-Williams said she did not see anything both in the accused’s statement and in the police investigations to show that the accused killed his wife and quashed the remand application brought by the police.

She, therefore, admitted the accused to a bail of N500,000 with two responsible sureties in like sum, who must be blood relations and also work with reputable organisations.


 She directed that the case file should be duplicated and a copy forwarded to the State Director of Public Prosecutions for legal advice.

Earlier, Sgt. Jimah Iseghede, the prosecutor, had told the court that the accused  beat his wife, Toyin, 38, to death and abandoned the corpse in a room to decompose, the offenses committed on Oct. 10 about 10.25 p.m. at No. 17, Oremeji St., Ilupeju, Lagos.


John Eke Uti, was first taken to Ilupeju Police Station before being transferred to the State Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department for further investigation.

The offences contravened Sections 165(a) and 223 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

If found guilty, the accused faces a death sentence. The case has been adjourned until Nov. 15.

(NAN)

MAN IN COURT FOR STEALING HIS GIRLFRIEND'S ATM CARD

Collins Udeze,27,  was on Tuesday brought  before an Ikeja Magistrates’ Court in Lagos for allegedly stealing his girlfriend’s ATM card and withdrawing N170,000 from the account.

Udeze, a resident of Ilasamaja, Mushin, Lagos, is being tried for stealing, assault and threat to life.

According to the prosecutor, Insp. G. B Ekundayo, the accused stole N170,000 belonging to Miss Busayo Ogunleke, his girlfriend. on April 7 at Layi Oyekanmi Street, Mushin.

“The accused came to his girlfriend’s house and stole her ATM card and used it to withdraw N170, 000.”

Ekundayo told the court that when the complainant discovered that it was the accused who withdrew her money, she confronted him and demanded her money but the accused beat her up.

“The accused assaulted the complainant by hitting her with an iron rod…for confronting him and asking him to return her money.”

NAN

PHOTO: COUPLE WHO SPECIALIZE IN SELLING CHILDREN ARRESTED BY POLICE

Detectives attached to Ibafo Police Station, Ogun State, have arrested a husband and wife  for  allegedly selling children stolen from Lagos and Oyo states.

The suspects, Morenike and Shittu, were arrested at Mosafote, Unity Road, Ogun State.
The couple’s neighbours were said to have become suspicious a few months ago after Morenike brought a child to the home in the evening and left the following day with the child.
She was said to have done this on four different occasions, before she was caught with a four-year-old girl. The girl was later found to have been abducted in Ibadan, Oyo State.

Residents further claimed that Morenike, whenever she abducted children in Ogun State, takes them to Oyo State, and if it was Lagos she stole the children, she would move to Oyo State, to sell them.
It was gathered that neighbours started to closely monitor Morenike after she brought in a four-year-old girl around 9pm Sunday last week.

She had strapped the abducted girl to her back and was leaving the neighborhood on Monday morning, when a community leader, Chief Toyeeb Balogun, confronted her.

He said: "People have been saying that Iya Ahmed (Morenike) used to bring strange children into the community in the evening and take them away the following day. On October 8, she came in with a girl of about four-year-old. The girl looked malnourished. The next day, she left home with the girl and didn’t return with her.

“After that incident, some neighbours reported to the Baale. He told them to start monitoring her. Around 12pm on Sunday, some residents came to call me that they saw her leaving the community with another girl. I rushed to meet and asked her about the identity of the girl. She said the girl was her sister’s child. She said her sister lives at Egbeda. We took her to the palace. When we got there, she told the Baale that the girl’s mother was in Ipaja. We then took her to FSARS office in Warewa. Her husband came to the station and told the police that she usually brought girls from Ilorin, Kwara State.

“They asked him what the children were used for, he said he did not know. Both of them have been detained. This is the fifth time Morenike would be seen with an unknown child.”

The landlady of the apartment where the detained couple live, alleged that Morenike had been arrested twice for similar crimes of stealing and selling children, but was released. 

The Baale, Chief  Sakiru Ademuyiwa, said that Morenikeji was asked to call the parents of the girl on the telephone, but she didn’t. 

Ademuyiwa explained that he decided to involve the police in the case after the alleged parents did not show up.

Ademuyiwa added:  "She called somebody who claimed to be the mother of the girl. The person said she live in Ipaja, Lagos. I asked her to come to my palace with the father of the girl. I waited for several hours, but the so-called parents did not show up. When she was further interrogated by the police, she said the parents of the girl were in Ijebu. When the abducted child was questioned about her parents, she said they live in Agodi, Ibadan. She said her father’s name is TK. I have told the police to handle the matter very well.”

When contacted the Ogun  State Police Public Relations Officer(PPRO) ASP, Abimbola Oyeyemi promised to get back to our correspondent on the matter.

PHOTO OF THE DAY: AMBODE AND WIKE

They will always be friends regardless of what party..........."