18082019 -Anxiety over " Next Level" Ministers

PAGE 30, SUNDAY VANGUARD, AUGUST 18, 2019
ONDO RUBBER WAR:
Senator, General clash
over governor’s alleged
bias
By Dayo Johnson, Akure
The feud between two
communities in Ondo State
over rubber plantation has
continued as the umbrella body of
the Araromi community, Araromi -
Obu Development Council, ICU,
took on the leader of lkale
community, General Oluyemi
Bajowa, dismissing his assertion
that Araromi-Obu people are
settlers.
It equally disputed the general’s
claim that Governor Rotimi
Akeredolu was biased in his
handling of the land dispute
between the warring communities
in which four people were
murdered, houses and vehicles set
ablaze, necessitating a 24-hourcurfew
in Ago - Alaye since July 18.
In a statement by its
spokesperson, Senator Omololu
Meroyi, ICU noted that Araromi-
Obu has been in existence for over
500 years with the present Ajobu,
Oba Aderemi Adelola, the 18th
occupant of the throne.
“It is therefore shocking that in
spite of an avalanche of
documentary evidence freely
signed by the Ikales as tenants of
our forefathers spanning over a
century, they could turn round to
assert that Araromi-Obu people
are settlers on their land”, ICU
said.
Dismissing the allegation of bias
on the part of the governor and the
state police command, the group
said Ondo State government and
security agencies merely moved
against mindless bloodletting,
arson, wanton destruction of lives
and property.
“It is on record
that in order to
prevent the
outbreak of
hostilities, several
peace meetings
were initiated by
Ondo State
government, the
police and the
Directorate of
Security Services by
the Ajobu and his
people but
surprisingly
shunned by the
Abodi of Ikoya”, it
said.
“Also, Ondo State
Commissioner of
Police, in a bid to
avert the looming
clash, visited the area and
We are
satisfied with
the fatherly
role Governor
Rotimi
Akeredolu has
played as an
impartial
arbiter in the
conflict
appealed to the Araromi-Obu and
Ikale people to maintain peace and
allow the judicial process to be
exhausted since Araromi-Obu had
appealed the judgment”.
However, ICU alleged that
shortly after the visit of the
Commissioner of Police, the attack
on the people of Araromi-Obu by
the Ikales assumed a more
frightening dimension as
farmlands were
invaded, farm
produce
harvested and
carted away,
people
molested,
harassed
and
abducted
on their
farms,
all in a bid to take over the
Rubber Estate Nigeria Limited.
“The breakdown of law and order
prompted the visit of Ondo State
governor as Chief Security Officer
of the state accompanied by the
heads of security agencies”, it
added.
“The governor should be
commended for the visit as his
prompt intervention and the
deployment of security men has
ensured the return of peace to the
area.
“We also wish to debunk the
claim of the Ikale people who were
arrested for their alleged
involvement in the wanton
destruction of lives and property
that they were part of the
delegation to appraise the governor
of their position.
“We are satisfied with the fatherly
role Governor Rotimi Akeredolu
has played as an impartial arbiter
in the conflict.
“We condemn in strong terms the
vituperation of General Oluyemi
Bajowa whose aim is to tarnish the
image of our governor as
the Chief Security
Officer of the state
“We need to remind
General Bajowa that we
are no longer under
military dictatorship and
need to accord respect
to constituted authority
derived from the
mandate of the people of
Ondo through the ballot
and not through the
barrel of gun.
“We support all the
measures taken by
Ondo State government
to bring lasting peace to
Araromi-Obu and
environs including the
newly constituted panel
of enquiry to ascertain
the cause(s) of the crisis
and promise to cooperate with the
panel to achieve set-objectives”.
Meanwhile, the lkale community,
through the lkale Central
Organisation (ICO), in a statement
by its Chairman and Secretary,
Bayo Ehinmosan and Akinyemi
Aiyebiwo respectively, has cried
•Gov Akeredolu
out over what they described as
hardship being experienced by
them following the 24-hour curfew
imposed by the state government
on July 16 after the bloodshed
occasioned by the land dispute
with the Araromi community
According to them, the curfew has
made life almost impossible for Ikale
residents to live.
They, however, lauded the
governor for setting up the probe
panel to look into the crisis.
The ICO pleaded with Akeredolu
to provide a level-playing ground
for them to appear before the panel
by removing completely the curfew.
“Members of the two communities
are expected to step out before the
committee to present their respective
sides of the story”, the group said.
“However, as things are now, only
one side to the conflict, the side that
initiated aggression, is free to
present her story.
“Since the governor visited Ago-
Alaye, our community has remained
under 24-hour curfew with the
attendant hardship that has made
living almost impossible for the Ikale
residents.
“On the other side, the aggressors,
in and out of Araromi-Obu, have
been living their normal lives and
organising for the committee”.
In another development, the state
Information and Orientation
Commissioner, Donald Ojogo, said
the 24-hour curfew in Ikale had
been relaxed and “detained persons
unconnected to the crisis ordered to
be released by the governor” .
“The new curfew regime will
henceforth be dusk to dawn; that is,
twelve hours (from 6pm-6am) until
further notice”, he said.
The Tunde Atere Panel of Inquiry
probing the Araromi-Obu and Ikale
(Ago-Alaye) has three weeks to
submit its report.
In a twist, government officials in
the state have been barred from
making public statements on the
matter.
A statement by Ojo Oyewamide,
Senior Special Assistant (Media
and Publicity) to the Governor, said
this will allow the panel set up by
government to be dispassionate in
its assignment.
POLIO: One year
allowances of
107 senators
can vaccinate
30 million
children
By Dayo Johnson, Akure
IMMEDIATE past President,
Nigerian Academy of
Science and a professor of
Public Health, Oyewale Tomori,
has said that one year
allowances of all the 107
senators would vaccinate
nothing less than 30 million
children against polio in
Nigeria.
Tomori spoke at the 6th
Distinguished Lecture of the
University of Medical Sciences,
UNIMED, Ondo on the topic
‘Nigeria: A Nation Playing
Poker With Public Health’.
“The N13.5 million monthly
allowance of all the senators
when put together in a year
would vaccinate nothing less
than 30 million children
against polio in Nigeria”, he
said.
According to him, the amount
of money being looted by those
at the helm of affairs was
enough to provide health
facilities across the country and
protect the public from disease
outbreaks.
The guest lecturer added that
individuals had also
contributed to the deplorable
conditions of public health in
the country, saying concerted
efforts was needed to save the
sector.
“ It is in Nigeria where the
EFCC recovered funds from
corrupt elements. Imagine the
positive effect on the socioeconomic
development of the
nation, were such looted funds
used judiciously”, Tomori
stressed.
“ Add to the insult of the
barefaced looting, the fact that
109 senators,as revealed by one
of them receive N13.5 million
allowance per month
amounting to N17 billion per
annum.
“Just one year allowance of
all our senators can fully
vaccinate 30million Nigerian
children”.
The pioneer vice Chancellor
of Redeemer University Ede
called on Nigerian leaders to
desist from frequent traveling
abroad for medical attention
rather develop the health
facilities in the country for the
citizens to benefit.
The Vice Chancellor of the
University, Prof. Friday
Okonofua, described the guest
lecturer as one of the leading
international icons of public
health.
Okonofua noted that the
lecture “would help the
institution in no small measure
to rethink the health strategies
of the country and reposition it
to develop appropriate
research around public health
and development.