Author: Optimal Times

By Wuraola Oyedokun  The Regional Vice President of West African Action Network on Small Arms [WAANSA], Mr. Igwe Martin, has called for stakeholder’s collaboration against proliferation of firearms. Martin said this while speaking with journalists in Ibadan after the end of a two-day security assessment tour which was part of the preparation for youth reorientation conference in South West states. The security expert frowned at the rate at which Nigerians, especially the youths are exposed to small arms. He said that it would be catastrophic if nothing is done to drastically reduce or stop the flow of firearms among the youths…

The Oyo State government has inaugurated a seven-man Committee to oversee adequate and even accessibility to potable water in all the geopolitical zones of the State. The Chairman, Oyo State Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Agency (OYORUWASSA), Alhaji Babalola Afobaje, disclosed this during the inauguration at the State Government Secretariat, Ibadan. Afobaje declared that the state government is poised at ensuring adequate accessibility to potable water, especially in the rural communities across the state. He affirmed that the Governor, has magnanimously taken this bold step, towards alleviating the sufferings of rural dwellers, over inadequate accessibility of potable water, discovered in the rural…

The senator representing Oyo South Senatorial District in Nigeria, Senator Sarafadeen  Alli has called for the empowerment of widows in the country. The lawmaker, who was the chairman of  the first anniversary and widow empowerment ceremony, said there is a need for widow’s empowerment across the country for a better socio-economic balance. The programme was held, on Sunday, at the Ibadan Recreation Club, Ibadan. The event, which featured raffle draw session, widow empowerment and birthday ceremony, drew dignitaries from home and overseas, with plenty of gifts won, including a sum of one million Naira. The lawmaker, who noted the importance…

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), on Tuesday, called on President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly  to probe the management of the N90 billion allocated to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) for the 2024 Muslim pilgrimage. The Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government had paid a sum of N90 billion to subsidise the 2024  Hajj operations. In a statement signed by Akinteye Babatunde Afeez (President of the Senate NANS) and  Muhammad  Sab (National Vice President NANS) and made available to journalists, NANS expressed deep  concern over the recent revelations regarding the alleged  inefficiencies and failure of the 2024…

The Academic Staff Union of Universities [ASUU], Emmanuel Alayande University of Education (EAUE) chapter, Oyo Town, on Tuesday, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to rescue the Nigerian universities system, which it said is bleeding to death. The ASUU Chairman of  the university, Dr Micheal  Ojo,  made this while speaking with journalists on the deplorable  situation in the nation’s  public university education and the pathetic conditions of services which put lecturers in precarious states. Ojo stressed that one of the ways to address the bleeding was for the president to rise up and sign renegotiated agreements with the Union. He…

The Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, was among high-profile guests and personalities who attended the wedding ceremony of the Nigerian Music star, David Adeleke popularly called Davido and his wife, Chioma Rowland in Lagos. Other notable figures in attendance included former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja the First, and businessman Obi Cubana among other notable guests. The Speaker attended the society wedding alongside his amiable wife, Olamidun Ogundoyin Hon. Ogundoyin expressed his joy at witnessing the union…

This week, my good friend and sister, Professor Folake Onayemi begins her final journey to her final resting place. May her gentle soul rest in perfect peace.  I cannot exactly remember how our paths crossed but I just know that she and her two friends (Professors Kunbi Olasope and Medina Momoh) regard me as someone worthy of respect and honour. Folake thus treated me with dignity throughout her lifetime. She invited me to a marriage ceremony at Ilaro, Ogun State many years ago. When I got to the place, I met an old classmate of mine who was hugely surprised…

Nigerians have indeed suffered tremendously in the last one year. Not strictly the hunger tugging at our bellies. That pestilence of hunger was brilliantly conveyed by the whammy soundbite, “Ebi npa wa o” as Lagos Island people’s response to the president’s fleet of gleaming SUVs last year. As an aside, permit the pun, I think that national soundbite deserves a Grammy. Lacerating words from those who rule us even rub salt on our hunger injury. They make Christians race for their bibles to read the famous and incredulous story of King Rehoboam, Solomon’s son and successor. Some young men had…

In commemoration of the Sickle Cell Day, the clan of the Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Adebo Ogundoyin, yesterday, donated the sum of N5 million to the Sickle Cell Hope Alive Foundation (SCHAF) to attend to the needs of persons with sickle cell disease. Handing the cheque to Founder, SCHAF, Professor Adeyinka Falusi, Speaker of the State Assembly, Speaker Ogundoyin enjoined the foundation to judiciously distribute the funds to sickle cell warriors for them to get consumables and needed medications. The donation was made at an event organised by SCHAF in conjunction with the Ogundoyin family…

Oyo State governor, ‘Seyi Makinde, has  approved the appointment of Oba Akinloye Owolabi Olakuleyin as the 43rd Olubadan of lbadanland. The governor gave the approval in a memo signed on June 14, 2024, in exercise of the powers conferred on him by Section 19 (Cap 28) Law of Oyo State 2000 as amended. According to a statement by the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters, Honourable Olusegun Olayiwola, the approval is a culmination of a series of processes stipulated by the extant laws of the state regarding ascension to royal thrones. The statement added that the governor congratulated the…