Author: Optimal Times

An elder statesman and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Philippines, Dr. Yemi Farounbi, has said Nigerians have the right to protest against bad governance and hardship in the country, berating the Bola Tinubu-led  administration for claiming that Peter Obi of the Labour Party is the brain behind the proposed nationwide protest. Farounbi, who was speaking on the heel of a nationwide protest against the Federal Government, stated this in an interview with with journalists , Ibadan, the Oyo State capital. The veteran broadcaster said the government  was only lionising  and making Obi more important than he is  by claiming that…

A group, South West Agenda for Asiwaju (SWAGA), on Sunday, lauded President Bola Tinubu for appointing Prince Dayo Adeyeye as the Chairman, Nigerian Port Authority (NPA).  In a release by a  chieftain of the group, Mr Yomi Abegunde, the group asserted  that  Adeyeye was qualified to hold the position considering his pedigree and loyalty to the country. He said the appointment of Prince Dayo Adeyeye as the Chairman, the Nigeria Port Authority stands out as a weighty, anticipated, and highly celebrated appointment in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration. According to him, the appointment is a reflection of the capacity and…

The Oyo State Government has called for deliberate actions by all stakeholders to end illegal mining, saying the act portends great danger to the environment, human existence and health. Abiodun Oni, the Director-General of Oyo State Mineral Development Agency and Chairman of Pacesetter Mineral Development Company (PMDC), made the call during a stakeholders’  meeting aimed at tackling  the pervasive issue of illegal mining in the state. The meeting was held at the House of Chiefs, Parliamentary Complex, Secretariat, Ibadan. It brought together key stakeholders from government agencies, mining companies, environmental groups, and local communities affected by mining activities. Speaking, Oni…

A Yoruba proverb states that ‘Iwa l’oba awure’. This roughly translates to ‘Good character is the harbinger of good fortune’. According to the inimitable Professor Mosobalaje Oyawoye (1927 to 2023), the first Professor of Geology in Africa, ‘if your creator loves you, He would do two things for you. First, he would give you good character.  Second, he would surround you with good people’. Dr. Deji Adeleke, is the proprietor and ProChancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of Adeleke University Ede, a serial entrepreneur, philanthropist and successful business man. A scion of the Adeleke dynasty of Ede, in Osun…

By Wuraola Oyedokun  Operatives of Ibadan Zonal Directorate of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have  arrested  10 suspected illegal miners in Ogbomoso, Oyo State. They were arrested with six trucks fully loaded with lithium. The suspected illegal miners are: Yunusa Adisa, Ganiyu Kazeem, Muideen Babayemi, Sulaiman Usman, Adeleke Waliu, Tiamiyu Rokeeb, Olusola Sunday, Oyedokun Oluwagbemiga, Sulaimon Ishiaq and Olufimihan Eniola. The arrests  followed credible intelligence  on their suspected involvement in criminal extraction of solid  mineral resources  in the state, especially lithium and their evacuation to unknown destinations. The suspects would be charged to court upon conclusion of investigations.

By Wuraola Oyedokun  The  Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin, has rolled out a plethora of empowerment packages for his Ibarapa constituents. This was demonstrated at a town hall meeting and empowerment of over 500 artisans, farmers, youths and traders within the constituency. At the programme held at DEC Event Centre, along Lanlate-Eruwa road on Wednesday, 300 artisans, traders and farmers were given N50,000 each to boost their businesses, 100 students got N20,000 each while 110 youths and some community members received N25,000 each. In his address, Ogundoyin thanked the people of Ibarapa East state constituency for…

By Wuraola Oyedokun  The National Universities Commission (NUC) has approved the establishment of full-time mode for PhD, Post-Graduate and Masters programmes in Finance for Ajayi Crowther University. The commission also approved PhD programme in Accounting, Masters and PhD programmes in Architecture, Post-Graduate Diploma in Education, as well as Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology. The approval was contained in two separate letters from the commission which were made available by the University’s management. The letters were signed by Acting Director, Academic Planning, NUC, Abubakar Girei, on behalf of the Acting Executive Secretary of the commission. The letter stated that the approval…

By Wuraola Oyedokun  The Director General of National Senior Citizens Centre (NSCC), Dr. Emem Omokaro has commended the humanitarian work of the Co-Chair and Facilitator, NSCC Oyo State Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum on Ageing and founder of Dementia Care Society of Nigeria, Chief Kikelomo Laniyonu-Edwards and the Anglican Communion, Ibadan South Diocese in Oyo State. Omokaro made the commendation in Ibadan, Oyo State during the dedication and opening of the first Community Senior Centre in Oyo State, named after the late Chief Leticia Edith Laniyonu. The actualisation of the project she said is born out of a Memorandum of Understanding and…

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has upheld the nomination of Asue Ighodalo as Governorship Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party(PDP) in Edo State. In a unanimous judgement delivered by Justice, A. M Lamido JCA in the suit marked CA/ABJ/CV/642/2024, the Appeal court on Monday 22nd July 2024 dismissed an Appeal brought by Former Deputy Governor Philip Shaibu challenging the May 27th Judgement of Justice James Omotosho of Federal High Court Abuja, which held that Dr. Asue Ighodalo is the rightful and duly nominated candidate of the PDP in Edo State. The Appellate court held that the trial court…

By Wurola Oyedokun       Media managers and editors have urged young media entrepreneurs to be creative, business-oriented and credible in order to stand out in the marketplace. They made the call during the two-day Media Entrepreneurship, Thought leadership and Business Sustainability Fellowship 2024 organised by Africa Foundation for Young Media Professionals.  The training, aimed at building   the capacity of some selected  online media entrepreneurs, took place at the Centre for Management Development, Magodo, Lagos. The project was supported by MacArthur Foundation and Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism. With the  #AFYMPFundedMediaProject 2024#,Optimal Times News is one of the media…