Author: Optimal Times

There is a Prophet Beelzebub crisscrossing social media platforms in Oyo State with a cataclysmic prediction. The prophet, who is apparently the megaphone of some political elements in the state, has been on overdrive since the break out of the local government autonomy brouhaha trying to gain relevance in the state by disparaging Governor Seyi Makinde. In the warped imagination of this prophet and his sponsors, the way up for them politically is to try and pull down the governor who they see as the albatross to their political significance. The prophet, who has already recruited some simple-minded disciples, does…

The Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, OYOSUBEB, has fixed Wednesday, August 14 to Friday, August 23, 2024, for interview dates for applicants. Recall that the Board recently announced the result of teachers, who sat for its Computer-Based Tests in Ibadan. In a statement by the Chairman, Oyo State Universal Basic Education Board, Dr. Nureni Aderemi Adeniran,interview sessions will take place at the Board’s headquarters at Agodi, Ibadan. Dr. Adeniran noted that 45, 827 sat for the CBT examination, while only 8,197, met the 50% cut-off mark. In the statement, Dr. Adeniran said the interview sessions, will be headed by…

At the midpoint of the 2030 Agenda, all of the SDGs are seriously off track. From 2015 to 2019, the world made some progress on the SDGs, although this was already vastly insufficient to achieve the goals. Since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 and other simultaneous crises, SDG progress has stalled globally. The SDGs were initially set for the fifteen-year period 2016–2030, following the fifteen-year period of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). It is clear that the SDGs needs to be extend beyond 2030 for Nigeria to achieve the global goals. According to the SDG Transformation Center, there…

By Wuraola Oyedokun  A former  Chairman  of Trade Union Congress, Oyo State,  Comrade Andrew Emelieze, has called on Transparency International, International Labour Organisation (ILO), and all anti-corruption agencies to intervene in the alleged corruption in the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN). Emelieze, who is a former Chairman of ASCSN in Oyo State,  made the call in a copy of  letter made available to journalists in Ibadan. According to the labour leader, the copies of the letter were sent to the United Nations, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Chief Justice of the Federation,the National Assembly, Minister of Justice, the…

As Archimedes, the great Greek scholar, stepped into his bathtub, he noticed a rise in the water level. It then occurred to him that the volume of water displaced must be equal to the volume of the part of his body he had submerged in the water. It also dawned on him that the volume of irregular objects could be measured with precision. This was hitherto an intractable problem. Realizing what he had discovered, Archimedes leapt out of his tub, forgetting to cover his body and ran through the streets of Syracuse shouting “Eureka!” I have found it! Because of…

By Wuraola Oyedokun Oyo State, under the leadership of Governor ‘Seyi Makinde, will soon become a hub of international investments and trades, Special Adviser to the governor on AfCTA and International Trade, Neo Theodore Tlhaselo, has said. Tlhaselo, who was appointed by the governor last Thursday, maintained that she would deploy her rich experience in international trade and business development towards ensuring the realisation of the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) in Oyo State. According to her, this vision will align with the realisation of Governor Makinde’s Omituntun 2.0 Sustainable Development Agenda, as the state will…

A culture of honour is essential in society. This is exemplified by Wọle Ṣoyinka, Oluwọle Akinwande Ṣoyinka, one of whose pseudonyms is Kongi, a man of honour, and a quintessential multi-talented artist – dramatist, poet, novelist, film maker, musician, and playwright. Friends, creatives, acquaintances, alumni of his alma mater, Leeds University, relatives, and mentees gathered at the Drapers Hall, Institute of African Studies, University of Ibadan to celebrate, this illustrious personality, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986, as he turns 90. The theme of the gathering was: “Ilujinle: Freedom, Equity and the Vision of a New Humanity.”…

By Wuraola Oyedokun The Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi has   prayed for a peaceful and prosperous Nigeria, saying all hard things will become easy.  Oba Ogunwusi stated this  on July 28,2024,while speaking at the 70th birthday and 40th anniversary of divine call to the  gospel music ministry of the Ibadan-based singer,  Evangelist Funmi Aragbaye. The event took place at Jogor Centre, Ibadan. Ooni said the impacts of Aragbaye were effectual in the Christian ministry. The monarch said: “I am happy to grace this occasion. I have to come here. We have a meeting about the country to attend and I need to leave…

By Wuraola Oyedokun Yoruba elders under the aegis of Yoruba Council of Elders {YCE} have called on those protesting against hardship in the country to stop the ongoing protests. YCE urged the protesters to be patient with the President Bola Tinubu-led administration. In a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, by its Secretary-General, Otunba Oladipo Oyewole, YCE called on every Nigerian to refrain from emotional outbursts. Oyewole argued that President  Tinubu could not have brought about the change within his first year in office. The secretary-general said: ‘’Nigeria has existed as a Republic since 1961…

By Wuraola Oyedokun  A former Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mr. Labaran Maku, and the Chairman of Nigerian Port Authority {NPA}, Senator Adedayo Adeyeye, have urged Nigerian students not to despair but  turn the current challenges into opportunities through hard work and focus,saying Nigeria can overtake China and Europe. The journalists turned-former ministers said with Nigerian students providing solutions to the myriad of challenges of the country, they would change the story of Africa. They stated these during the valedictory service and dedication of Oba David Opeyemi Adeyeye Hall of Crown Heights College, Arulogun Road, Ojoo area, Ibadan.…