WordPress

Author: Olajide Idowu

  • NNPC Foundation donates mattresses, dental accessories to special needs children in Osun

     

    Left: Dr Zainab Umar, Health Care Deputy Manager of  NNPC Foundation in a hand shake with Mrs Rosemary Egunjobi, the Headmistress of the school  during the presentation

     

    NNPC Foundation donates mattresses, dental accessories to special needs children in Osun

    Donation
    By Olajide Idowu
    Ile-Ife (Osun), June 27, 2024 (NAN) The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Foundation in partnership with the Nigerian Association of Paediatric Dentistry (NARD) on Thursday, donated 60 mattresses and dental accessories to Special Needs Children School in Ilare, Ile-Ife, Osun.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the presentation of the items was part of lined up activities for the 7th Biennial Conference of NARD in Ile-Ife.

    Mrs Emmanuel Arukwe, the Managing Director of NNPC Foundation, said during the presentation of the items that the Foundation was committed to making meaningful impact in communities across the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory.

    Represented by Dr Zainab Umar, Health Care Deputy Manager of the Foundation, Arukwe said the mission of the foundation was rooted in the belief that the lives of every child matters.

    “Our mission is rooted in the belief that every child matters, including the special children here with us today.

    “We are committed to providing conducive learning environment that nurture growth and development,” she said.

    Arukwe said the Foundation was handling over the items to the NARD for the benefits of the Special Needs Children.

    “We are here partnering with NARD as part of our mission to provide adequate healthcare, education, taking care of the environment and access to energy, which is the reason the Foundation was setup.

    “We partnered with NARD to provide some materials to the Special Needs Children School to make life easier for the children.

    “Also, that education can be better for them and also for them to have a better life,” she said.

    According to her, the special children’s resilience and courage inspire them beyond measure, with the hope that the items presented to them will bring them comfort and improve their daily lives.

    In her remarks, Dr Ifeyinwa Adegbulugbe, NARD National President, said that the association had been in existence since 2005, with the mission of advocating for oral health of Nigerian children.

    Adegbulugbe said oral health of the children was pertinent for national development.

    She said Special Needs Children deserve the same scrutiny and care as children without special needs, adding that NAPD trained experts were also involved in providing oral healthcare to this “special group.”

    “We are delighted to be here with our partners and sponsors to extend our support to the Special Needs Children School.

    “We choose the Special Needs Children School because we wanted to raise awareness for this school and other special children across the country.

    “The awareness is that they should not be kept at home but rather be giving the same care and attention as the other children.

    “We are also advocating what we call the ‘dental home’ where we are telling the people that every child should have their first encounter with the dentist by 12 months for general check up”, she said.

    Adegbulugbe said that children from 12 months old should visit the dentist twice a year so that their oral health and dentition could be monitored and develop normally.

    Mrs Rosemary Egunjobi, the Headmistress of the school, thanked the NNPC and NAPD for the gesture.

    Egunjobi said the items were the first intervention the school would be getting from any individual or group.

    She said the school had 95 regular students and 10 irregular students.

    Egunjobi commended the group for having the care of the children at heart and reaching out to them.

    The highlights of the event were oral care pep talk to the children, oral test carried out on them as well as the presentation of tooth pastes and brushes to them.

    The President of Nigeria Dental Association, Dr Tope Adeyemi and Osun Chairperson of Medical Women Association of Nigeria, Prof. Olayinka Olasode, also gave goodwill messages at the event. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

    ID/VE/IKU
    Edited by Victor Adeoti/Tayo Ikujuni

  • Police alert commercial motorcyclists to robbers’ tricks in Osun

    Police alert commercial motorcyclists to robbers’ tricks in Osun

    Motorcyclists

    By Olajide Idowu

    Osogbo, June 24, 2024 (NAN) The Police Command in Osun has alerted commercial motorcyclists in the state to be mindful of  criminals posing as passengers to rob them of their motorcycles.

    The warning is contained in a statement issued on Monday in Osogbo by the command’s Spokesperson, SP Yemisi Opalola.

    Opalola explained that the warning became necessary in view of the increasing reported cases of motorcycle snatching in the state.

    “The police command is using this medium to caution motorcyclists, especially the commercial ones (Okada), to be cautious of passenger(s) they carry or who employ their services.

    “The modus operandi of the criminals involve hailing commercial motorcyclists and luring them to isolated areas late at nights where they are forcefully dispossessed of their motorbikes.

    ”The unsuspecting riders are often offered enticing fares that they cannot refuse.

    “These attacks in some cases have left the motorcyclists severely injured or even killed.” she said

    Opalola said that CP Mohammed Abba has enjoined the leadership of Okada Riders Association in the state to continually sensitise its members in order to avoid being victims of this trending crime.

    “The command also advises them to report any suspicious passenger(s) and their activities to the nearest police station.” she said

    Opalola added that the command was committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents and visitors to the state.

    She further said that the command was working tirelessly to apprehend and prosecute those involved in these heinous crimes (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    ID/DCO/AOS

    ============

    Edited by Deborah Coker/Bayo Sekoni

    08032822525

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Psychiatrist seeks teaching of mental health literacy in schools  

    Mental health

    By Olajide Idowu

    Osogbo, June 20, 2024 (NAN) A Clinical Psychiatrist and a lecturer Dr Olanrewaju Ibigbami, has called for the teaching of mental health literacy in primary and secondary schools to solve mental challenges of young adolescents.

    Ibigbami made the call on the sideline of a stakeholders’ dissemination meeting and mental health literacy training for school counsellors in Osun.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the meeting was organised by ‘The Mehlit Project’ in Osogbo on Wednesday.

    Ibigbami said there were ways students with mental health challenges could be spotted in schools stating, “once a student is noticed not doing well academically,it could be a sign of a mental health challenge.”

    According to him, it is not only those mentally ill walking on the streets that have mental health challenge.

    He, however, listed some of the signs of mental health challenge in young people especially the students to include; not sleeping properly, not eating well, eating too much and getting unnecessarily afraid or unnecessarily sad.

    Also, unusually happy, being hyper active, staying alone, stealing and having destructive behaviour in school.

    Ibigbami said that through ‘The Mehlit Project’, school counsellors were trained on mental health literacy in order to detect the mental health challenges their students exhibit and to stop the situation from getting to the level of crisis.

    “The Mehlit project is a mental health literacy training programme for school counsellors in Osun, supported by the Counselling Association of Nigeria (CASSON) and the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (RSTMH).

    “We have been able to train over 100 school counsellors.

    “We already have data from 81 of them who responded to the test we did and It showed that the training actually improved their counseling self efficacy.

    “Also, mental health literacy with regards to understanding what mental health problems are and how to manage them among the young people who are in secondary schools.

    “We have also been able to work with the Counseling Society of Nigeria, to develop a template for us to scale up this training so that more counsellors in the state and beyond Osun can actually receive a similar training,” he said

    Dr Olayinka Oderinde, a mental health practitioner and Special Adviser to Gov. Ademola Adeleke, on Special Needs, who chaired the programme, stated that the mental health literacy training commenced in September 2023.

    Oderinde said the focus of the project was to train educated school counsellors on mental health and how they can be of help to young adolescents having mental health challenges.

    She said the training has, however, equipped the participants to identify a child that has a mental health problem, what to do and where to refer a student where it was beyond their capacity.

    She said that steps were being taken to ensure that all the schools in the state have counsellors that would be included in the mental health literacy programme (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    ID/MAM/BRM

    =================

    Edited by Modupe Adeloye/Bashir Rabe Mani

  • Adeleke bags fellowship award on infrastructure devt.

    Award
    By Olajide Idowu
    Osogbo, June 18, 2024 (NAN) Gov. Ademola Adeleke of Osun has bagged the fellowship award of a socio-cultural group, Ede Unique Club of Nigeria, in recognition of the various infrastructural development projects embarked upon since his assumption of office.
    Spokesperson for the organisation, Prince Wale Ojetimi, said in a statement on Tuesday in Osogbo that the investiture of the fellowship award would hold in Ede on Thursday, as part of the organisation’s 40th anniversary celebrations.
    Ojetimi said that the award was a testimonial to Adeleke’s personal achievements and his progeny’s remarkable contributions to the socio-economic and political development of Osun and Nigeria at large.
    He said that the governor would also perform the inauguration of the N5.5 million solar-powered facility donated by the club to the State Hospital in Ede.
    The spokesperson said that the solar-powered facility was part of the organisation’s corporate social responsibility component of its 40th anniversary.
    He said that the event, to be presided over by the Timi of Ede, Oba Munirudeen Lawal, will feature an anniversary lecture to be delivered by a former Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Prof. Mojeed Alabi.
    According to him, among the prominent individuals to receive special recognition awards at the event is a retired Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Wale Abass.
    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Abass recently retired from Nigeria Police Force (NPF) as AIG after 35 years of service to the country.
    NAN also reports that the club is a non-partisan, socio-cultural organisation of leaders in business, academia, the professions and public service who have excelled in their various chosen fields and are contributing positively to the society, both in Nigeria and the Diaspora.
    The organisation, established in 1983, engages in human capital and social development, focusing particularly on development of young people. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    ID/VE/WAS
    Edited by Victor Adeoti and ‘Wale Sadeeq

  • Police arrest 2 armed robbery suspects, one other in Osun 

    Arrest

    By Olajide Idowu

    Osogbo,  June 13, 2024 (NAN) The Police in Osun have arrested two members of a suspected armed robbery gang that specialises in using motorcycles to rob residents in Osogbo.

    A statement by SP Yemisi Opalola, Police Spokesperson in Osun, said that the suspects, Adesina Hammed, 29 and Oyeladun Iyanu, 28, were apprehended after robbing two young men on a motorcycle at Olaiya Area in Osogbo.

    ‘The Osun State Police Command has been able to effect the arrest of two suspects named; Adesina Hammed and Oyeladun Iyanu, who have been terrorizing the city of Osogbo,” Opalola said.

    According to her, on June 5, two young men were stopped along Olaiya towards Osun Mall Area by a group of four individuals on motorbikes and were forcefully robbed of their phone (iPhone 13) with a cutlass.

    “After that, the robbers took their victims to a POS operator to transfer N400,000 from their mobile bank app on the phone.

    “Upon tip off, a team of Anti-cultism squad swung into action and was able to apprehend the two suspects with the remaining two gang members at large.

    “Investigation is ongoing, while efforts are on to arrest the fleeing suspects,” Opalola stated.

    She said the case would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation.

    Similarly the Police Command also said it arrested a suspect over alleged theft of armoured cable in Ede.

    Opalola said the suspect identified as Yusuf Adamu was apprehended at night in possession of armoured cable, suspected to have been stolen from a transformer.

    “He has confessed to the crime, meanwhile, investigation is still ongoing and he would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigation,” Opalola said.

    The police spokesperson enjoined the people of Osun to exercise patience as the command was working assiduously to rid the state of crime and criminal elements. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    ID/OIF/AOS

    ==============
    Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Bayo Sekoni

     

  • Eid-el-Kabir: WNSN assures residents of safety, security in Osun 

    Security

    By Olajide Idowu

    Osogbo, June 13, 2024 (NAN) The Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun Corps) Osun Command, has assured residents of security of lives and property during and after the 2024 Eid-el-Kabir celebration.

     

    Brig.-Gen. Bashir Adewinmbi, State Commander, Amotekun Corps,  gave the assurance in a statement on Thursday in Osogbo.

    He said that there was no cause for alarm as the operatives of the corps were on red alert in all the local government of the state to ensure a hitch-free Eid el Kabir celebration.

    He warned officers and men of the Corps to ensure strict adherence to the extant rules of engagement and guard against acts capable of tarnishing the image of the agency.

    “As directed by Gov. Ademola Adeleke for hitch-free sallah celebration in the state, I have directed Area Commanders, Local Government Commanders, and Operational Units of the command to deploy all operational and intelligence assets at their disposal.

    “They are to effectively protect their areas of responsibilities and ensure smooth celebrations during and after Eid-el-Adha festivities.

    “I entreat all and sundry to celebrate responsibly and peacefully as well as call on Muslims Ummah to use the period to pray for the peace and progress of Osun State and Nigeria at large,” Adewinmbi said

    The corps commander urged residents to reawaken and genuinely demonstrate the true nature of Prophet Mohammed, which is exemplified by his love and selflessness.

    He also called on residents to remain supportive, law-abiding, and vigilant, while promptly reporting acts of crime and criminality to the nearest Amotekun command and other security agencies. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    ID/OIF/AOS

    ============
    Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Bayo Sekoni

     

  • Eid-el-Kabir: Police deploy personnel to worship centres, highways in Osun

    Eid-el-Kabir: Police deploy personnel to worship centres, highways in Osun

    Police
    By Olajide Idowu
    Osogbo, June 13, 2024 (NAN) Police Command in Osun has deployed personnel to worship centres and highways to ensure a hitch-free Eid-el-Kabir celebration in the state.
    SP Yemisi Opalola, the command’s Spokesperson, in a statement on Thursday said all area commands and divisions have been directed to provide adequate security in their jurisdiction for the Sallah celebration.
    Opalola said that as part of efforts to ensure hitch-free Sallah celebration, the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Abba, has ordered the deployment of operatives to strategic locations and flashpoints.
    She said these include highways, worship centres, and all nooks and crannies of the state.
    “The CP, in a directive issued to all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers as well as Tactical Commanders in the command, charged them to ensure that no stone was left unturned in making sure that adequate security was provided in their various areas of jurisdiction.
    “While stressing that maximum attention should be paid to critical public places and other points prone to public disturbance, the CP assured members of the public that security had been beefed up to ensure a crime-free Sallah celebration”, she said.
    Opalola also said that the CP charged heads of formations to personally supervise their personnel deployed for this special assignment and warned them not to infringe on the rights of citizens but to protect them from untold incidences.
    “They are to ensure a 24/7-hourly surveillance of their respective area of operations.
    ”While soliciting for the cooperation of all and sundry, the state police command urges citizens to be law abiding”, she said.
    She enjoined parents and guardians to take good care of their wards, and advised them to stay away from any act capable of causing public disorder.
    ”Members of the public should report any suspicious movement or any infraction of the law to the police command through the following numbers 08039537995 and 08067788119”, she added. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    ID/DCO/IKU
    =========
    Edited by Deborah Coker/Tayo Ikujuni

  • Osun Assembly Speaker seeks improved welfare for girl-child

    Osun Assembly Speaker seeks improved welfare for girl-child

    Girl-child
    By Olajide Idowu
    Osogbo, June 11, 2024 (NAN) Mr Adewale Egbedun, Speaker of the Osun House of Assembly has advocated for improved welfare for the girl-child, saying they are the future leaders of the country.

    Egbedun stated this on Monday while hosting the ‘First Nigeria Girls Parliamentary Day’ at the assembly in collaboration with the Value Female Network Africa, a non-governmental organisation that prioritises welfare of girls/women.

    “I am honoured to welcome you to the first special Nigeria Girls Parliamentary Day, organised by Value Female Network in collaboration with Osun assembly.

    “Today we have the opportunity to come together and amplify our voices to advocate for change and inspire one another to make a difference.

    “I believe that by working together, we can overcome the challenges that is limiting you, including limited access to education, gender based violence and menstrual health.

    “The future of our country rest in the hands of our young people and the young girls here today have the potential to become leaders of tomorrow,” he said.

    He tasked the participants to take lessons learnt from the parliamentary discourse to inspire change in their communities.

    “You are the catalyst of change and I believe in your ability to make a difference.”

    Speaking, Dr Costly Aderibigbe, Coordinator of Value Female Network Africa, said the programme was organised to promote the girl’s rights in Nigeria.

    Aderibigbe described the girl-child as a treasure to the society, saying it was necessary to impact them positively and promote them for a better society.

    “When we train a girl-child, we train a society because they will give birth and that is why we need to train our girls for a better future,” she said.

    In her remarks, Mrs Ngozi Adeleke, the Wife of Osun governor, charged young girls to be more courageous and disciplined.

    Adeleke, who was represented by Mrs Olushola Omotunde, equally advised the girls to cultivate the spirit of resilient and hard work for a brighter future.

    Some of the girls that spoke at the programme, highlighted the challenges they are facing, which include menstrual hygiene, gender violence and discrimination faced by people with disabilities.

    They solicited for support, better welfare and treatment for young girls in the country. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    ID/CHOM/IKU

    =========

    Edited by Chioma Ugboma/Tayo Ikujuni

  • Osun: NSCDC arrests man for allegedly stealing school roofing sheets

    Osun: NSCDC arrests man for allegedly stealing school roofing sheets

    School
    By Olajide Idowu
    Osogbo, June 7, 2024 (NAN) The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Osun Command, has arrested a 40-year-old man, Jide Fadipe, for allegedly stealing roofing sheets of a government primary school in Ilesa.

    Mr Michael Adaralewa, the State Commandant of NSCDC, in a statement on Friday said the suspect, a resident of Ilaje-Area, BJ4 Ilesa, was arrested for vandalizing a public primary school property.

    “A member of the public from Ilesa earlier reported to the command that some unscrupulous elements had been vandalizing the school building by removing the iron sheets and other valuables in the school.

    “The command subsequently mounted surveillance around the school area to apprehend the perpetrators.

    “On Tuesday, the suspect was seen around 5.00a.m removing the roofing sheets of the school.

    “He thereafter moved the stolen items down to his house and was apprehended while he was trying to sell the materials to metal scraps buyers in Ilesa,” Adaralewa said.

    He said the offence committed by the suspect contravened Section 451 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap 34, Laws of Osun.

    The commandant said that the suspect would face the full wrath of the law to serve as deterrent to others who are fond of destroying public property. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
    ID/IKU
    Edited by Tayo Ikujuni

  • Osun residents, business owners decry power outage caused by labour strike

    Osun: Residents, business owners decry power outage caused by labour strike

    Strike

    By Olajide Idowu

    Osogbo,  June 4, 2024 (NAN) Residents and business owners in Osogbo, Osun, on Tuesday,  decried the power cut nationwide by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) following the industrial action declared by organised labour.

    The residents and businesses owners, who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria’s (NAN) on Tuesday, said that they had to resort to generators and alternative energy to run their businesses.

    Mr Adetunji Adewale, a barber, said that his salon since Monday has been running on generator.

    Adewale said he had been operating almost at a loss since commencement of the strike, and the money spent on fueling the generator had taken all his profit.

    “We are used to having constant electricity supply in Osogbo and I hardly have any need to use the generator.

    “But because of the strike, I had to service my generator and fùel it. I have not used it in a long while before yesterday .

    “I have spent almost N10,000 on the generator alone and I didn’t even have much customers yesterday.

    “This means that I have not really made the money I spent on powering my shop.” he said

    Adewale, who described electricity as very essential to his type of business, therefore, appealed to labour leaders and government to resolve their differences as soon as possible “so that electricity can be restored”.

    Also, Mr Kazim Adeoye, a resident and a real estate agent, said the battery of his two phones were already dead, because there was no electricity to power them since Monday.

    Adeoye said he and his family also had to endure heat throughout the night, as there was no way to turn on the fan without electricity.

    “As I speak to you now, I am looking for where I can charge my phones. I am a real estate agent and I transact most of my business on my phones.

    “Only God knows the number of people that would have been trying to reach me now, since my phones were off.

    “I just pray that the NLC and Federal Government resolve their differences today for TCN to restore the lights.

    “The absence of electricity is just adding more pains to what we are already going through in this country,” he said

    Similarly, Mrs Felicia Ogungbemi,  a vendor of frozen food, said she has been apprehensive due to the power outage.

    According to her, the apprehension stems from the fact that she is a vendor of frozen poultry and fish

    Ogungbemi said that if power was not restored in the next 24 hours, all the frozen items in her freezers would get spoilt.

    The frozen food vendor explained that because she was on band A and has had constant electricity for the past two months, there conse has not seen the need to repair her broken down generator.

    Ogungbemi, therefore, appealed to the Labour Unions and the Federal Governmnet to quickly resolve the issue of national minimum wage “so that Nigerians can enjoy power supply”. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)

    ID/MA/AOS

    ============
    Edited by Muftau Adediran/Bayo Sekoni