Flowerbud News

Author: Wale Owoade

  • Engineering Regulations Get a Boost as Makinde Inaugurates Monitoring Committees.

    Engineering Regulations Get a Boost as Makinde Inaugurates Monitoring Committees.

    Engineering Regulations Get a Boost as Makinde Inaugurates Monitoring Committees.

    By Adewale Owoade

    Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, has inaugurated two key committees to ensure that engineering practices in the state meet global standards.

    The State Technical Committee (STC) and the State Expatriate Monitoring Committee (SEMC) will monitor and enforce engineering regulations, guaranteeing that all infrastructure projects in the state adhere to required standards.

    Gov Makinde, represented by Deputy Governor Bayo Lawal, emphasised the importance of engineering in driving economic growth, improving infrastructure, and enhancing the quality of life for citizens.

    “The STC and SEMC will play a vital role in monitoring and enforcing engineering regulations, ensuring that all infrastructure projects in the state meet the required standards.

    “I urge the committees to work tirelessly to uphold the ethics and practices of the engineering profession, and to ensure that all projects are executed with the highest level of professionalism and integrity.

     

    “As we embark on this journey, I would like to emphasise the importance of collaboration and teamwork.

    “The success of these committees will depend on the collective efforts of all stakeholders, including engineers, contractors, government agencies, and the private sector.

     

    “This programme is a testament to COREN’s commitment to promoting excellence in engineering practices and ensuring public safety,” he said.

     

    Earlier in his welcome address, COREN President, Engr Prof Sadiq Abubakar, FNSE, FAEng, emphasised the importance of engineering regulation in driving development, and appealed for support in establishing a new regulatory framework in the state.

     

    In his remarks, the Registrar of the Council, Engr. Prof. Okorie Uche, FNSE, FNICE, highlighted that the committees will assist the government and people of Oyo State in protecting lives and properties, and ensuring standard engineering practices through monitoring.

    A former Deputy governor of Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, FNSE, FAEng, CON, also spoke on certification, licensing and regulation of artisans in Nigeria under the Nigerian Skills Qualifications Framework (NSQF).

    “Through the programme, graduates from Nigerian institutions of learning can work anywhere in the world without doing conversion examinations for certification to practice their professions,” Omisore said.

    The committees’ members include representatives from the governor’s office, federal and state ministries, Nigeria Police, Nigerian Immigration Service, and professional engineering organisations.

    The inauguration marks a significant step towards ensuring that engineering practices in Oyo State meet global standards, promoting public safety and economic growth.

    The event was attended by dignitaries, including former deputy governors, speakers, commissioners. among others.

  • Consult registered surveyors before buying land – NIS

    Consult registered surveyors before buying land – NIS

    Consult registered surveyors before buying land – NIS

     

    By Olatunde Ajayi

    The Nigerian Institution of Surveyors (NIS), Oyo State chapter, has urged Nigerians to always consult a registered surveyor before buying land to avoid conflicts.

    The Chairman of NIS, Surv. Lamidi Waheed, said this at a rally organised in commemoration of the 2025 Global Surveyors’ Day on Friday in Ibadan.

    Global Surveyors’ Day is marked every March 21 to celebrate the contributions of surveyors and raise awareness about the profession.

    The theme of the 2025 celebration is: “Shaping the New World on the Wisdom of Surveying.”

    Surv. Waheed noted that only a surveyor could ascertain the status of a particular land, whether such land falls under the government acquisition or already purchased by someone which could lead to conflicts.

    “It is important to engage surveyor before paying for a land so that necessary investigations will be conducted on such land to avoid being scammed,” he said.

    He observed that one of the challenges facing the profession was the activities of land grabbers, especially while working on the site.

    He noted that surveyors have legal protection that protects every legitimate member from being victimised by land grabbers while on the site.

    “With this law, beating-up a surveyor on the site attracts 10 year imprisonment.

    “The highest thing that a land grabber can do is to ask us leave the site and we’ll leave peacefully and report to our client, we strongly condemn any form of brutality of land grabbers against our members,” he said.

    Surv. Olusoji Adeoye, the Oyo State Surveyors-General, called for more collaboration among the NIS, the Association of Private Practising Surveyors of Nigeria and the office of the surveyor-general to achieve effective land administration in the state.

    Adeoye lauded the administration of Gov. Seyi Makinde for creating enabling environment for surveyors to thrive in the state.

    He noted that estates and various road construction projects embarked on by the governor had enhanced the services of surveyors in the state.

    Earlier, Hon. William Akin-Funmilayo, the Oyo State Commissioner for Lands, Housing, Survey, and Urban Development, said contributions of surveyors could not be over emphasised considering the important role they place in settling land disputes.

    Akin-Funmilayo charged the NIS members to prioritise integrity in the discharge of their duties by avoiding all forms of sharp practices.

    He urged surveyors to let the fear of God and the interest of the people be their guiding principles, while rendering service to the public.

    The programme also featured lectures on the importance of surveyors, road shows and awareness campaigns on land matters across major motor parks in Ibadan.

  • Oyo Security Council Vows to Tackle Insecurity as Makinde Presides Over Expanded Meeting Security

    Oyo Security Council Vows to Tackle Insecurity as Makinde Presides Over Expanded Meeting Security

    Oyo Security Council Vows to Tackle Insecurity as Makinde Presides Over Expanded Meeting

    By Adewale Owoade

    The Oyo State Security Council says it will deal decisively with all illegal miners, bandits, illegal migrants, cultists and other men of the underworld in the area and warned perpetrators to desist from such acts.

     

    The Council gave the warning at a press briefing shortly after the state’s Expanded Security Council meeting, presided over by Gov. Seyi Makinde, in Ibadan.

    The expanded meeting, the first in the year, was attended by some members of the State Executive Council, security chiefs, traditional leaders and all the 33 local government chairmen.

     

    Speaking after the meeting, the Special Adviser to Gov. Seyi Makinde on Security Matters, CP Fatai Owoseni (Rtd), disclosed that the meeting was initiated to holistically appraise the security situation of the state through feedbacks from all cadres of leadership in the state.

    “We have used the opportunity to sensitise our traditional rulers and the local government chairmen to let our people know.

    “And for the criminals to get to know that there is an eagle eye watching them at the nooks and cranny of Oyo State through what we called the City view of Oyo State.

    “That the state has invested so much with a view to solving our security problems.

    “I also need to emphasise that, the meeting was not held as a result of any serious thing other than that it is a routine measure initiative of the state.

    “That twice in a year at least an expanded security meeting will be held like this to propagate the whole society approach to security,” Owoseni explained.

    Those who made contributions at the meeting included the state’s Commissioner of Police, Johnson Adenola, the Olu of Igboora, Oba Jimoh Titiloye, Chairman of the Association of Oyo State Local Government Chairmen, Sikiru Sanda and Commissioner for Justice and Attorney-General, Abiodun Aikomo. (NAN)

  • Laribikusi Ruling House Protests Adegbola’s Appointment

    Laribikusi Ruling House Protests Adegbola’s Appointment

    Laribikusi Ruling House Protests Adegbola’s Appointment

    By Adewale Owoade

    The Laribikusi Ruling House is protesting the installation of Prince Adebayo Adegbola from the Akalako Ruling House as the new Eleruwa of Eruwaland.

    They claim it’s their turn to produce the monarch, citing the Eruwa tradition and the Eleruwa Chieftaincy Declaration of 1958, which recognizes two ruling houses – Laribikusi and Akalako – that should alternate in producing the Eleruwa .

    According to Abolade Ijaola, Secretary of Laribikusi Ruling House, the government didn’t give them a specific timeframe to present their candidate, and the nomination process was unfairly truncated.

    They presented Prince Oladejo Akinlade as the eldest person in the Laribikusi royal family, on January 13, but the government secretly planned to return the nomination to Akalako Ruling House.

    The Laribikusi Ruling House is demanding that the nomination process be returned to them, and they’re willing to take the matter to court if necessary.

     

    “Our request is that the nomination process should be returned to Laribikusi ruling house and we will approach the court if the government thinks nobody can query him.

    “We believe that we have the obligation to respond to a statement credited to the Commissioner for Information, Prince Dotun Oyelade that Laribikusi ruling house was unable to present candidates within the fourteen day-notice given to them by the government.

    “And that as a result, government had to shift the nomination process back to Akalako ruling house which was the ruling house that produced the last recognised Eleruwa, late Oba Bolanle Olaniyan (Gbajumola II).

    “This narrative from the government can be best described with a proverbial saying that ” If you want to hang a dog, you give that dog a bad name.

     

    “We are here to tell the whole world that only message we received from the government of Oyo State through Ibarapa East Local government was an invitation sent to each of the section within Laribikusi ruling house for a meeting with the Management of Ibarapa East local government on 4th November, 2024. This letter was dated November 1st, 2024.

    “The message was signed by the local government Chairman, Hon. Kazeem Arogundade and the invitation letter did not contain the agenda of that meeting.

    “We all reported to the local government secretariat on November 4th, 2024 to honor that invitation. In that meeting, the chairman informed our representatives at the meeting to present the eldest member of Laribikusi as required by the Eleruwa Chieftaincy Declaration (1958) for the nomination process to fill the vacant stool of Eleruwa to kick off.

    “Unfortunately, that nomination process never commenced as it was truncated by the same local government before its birth.

    “To our shocking surprise, we received a letter dated 30th December, 2024 from the local government on January 7th, 2025 stating that they have compiled a report of the unsuccessful meetings with Laribikusi ruling house and have forwarded same to the state government for further directives which will be communicated back to us.

    “No further communication received from the management of Ibarapa East Local government till date.

    “Furthermore, management of Ibarapa East local government had not explained to us what they meant by unsuccessful meeting,” he said.

    They believe the government’s actions are unfair and violate the town’s chieftaincy tradition.

  • Ramadan: Hon. Peller Calls for National Unity, Urges Nigerians to Look Beyond Ethnicity

    Ramadan: Hon. Peller Calls for National Unity, Urges Nigerians to Look Beyond Ethnicity

    Ramadan: Hon. Peller Calls for National Unity, Urges Nigerians to Look Beyond Ethnicity

     

    By Adewale Owoade.

     

    A former House of Representative member, Hon. Shina Peller,  has urged Nigerians to prioritise love and unity, transcending ethnic boundaries.

     

    Hon. Peller made the call at a ‘Ramadan Iftar’ (Breaking of fast) hosted for the people of Iseyin town, at the palace of Aseyin of Iseyin,   in Oyo State.

     

    According to Peller,  Nigerians  should  move closer to God and treat others the way they will want to be treated.

    “So this is the time that we have to share love , share the word of Allah.

    ” Ramadan is a month where we give back to Almighty Allah by making sure that we are in our best behaviours.

    “Let us move closer to God and treat others the way we want to be treated.

     

    “We will continue to pray to God Almighty and wish the government well and pray to God to make governance easy for them”.

     

    An Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Jamiu Sanusi,  popularly known as Amin Olohun, who was the guest speaker, urged Nigerians to live in unity and love.

     

    “I emphasised a lot about Unity and love, when love leads, we all will get to where we ought to be, if you miss love you miss everything because God Almighty himself is love.

     

    “That is why I preached about love and unity, cooperation, if you can get hold of this and we amend our ways , Inshallah we will all get there one day and everything will be fine,” Sanusi said.

     

    The Imam of Lekki,  Imam Abdulhafiz  Owoyemi, who was guest of honour at the event, also emphasised the importance of love.

     

    Present at the event were Aseyin of Iseyin, His Royal Majesty, Oba Sefiu Oyebola, league of Imams and alfas, politicians, among others. (NAN)

     

  • Prof Adedoja Felicitates Pa Jolaoso on 90th Birthday

    Prof Adedoja Felicitates Pa Jolaoso on 90th Birthday

    Prof Adedoja Felicitates Pa Jolaoso on 90th Birthday

     

    By Adewale Owoade

     

    A chieftain of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Oyo State, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, has congratulated Pa Timothy Jolaoso on his 90th birthday, praising him as a pride of the Progressives family in Nigeria.

     

    Pa Jolaoso is a highly respected elder of the All Progressive Party (APC) in Oyo State and played a significant role in Prof. Adedoja’s emergence as the Oyo State Governorship candidate of Action Congress ,A C, in the 2007 election, along with the current acting Chairman of Oyo State APC, Chief Olayide Abbas, Late Lam Adesina of blessed memory and other prominent members and leaders of the AC, ( now APC), dead or alive.

     

    Prof. Adedoja, who is also former Minister for Sports and Special Duties, commended Pa Jolaoso for his fatherly role as a peace maker and respected member of the Oyo State Elders advisory council of APC.

     

    This milestone birthday is a testament to Pa Jolaoso’s remarkable life and contributions to the community.

     

    “Pa Jolaoso is indeed a remarkable individual, celebrated for his tireless contributions to the socio-political development of Oyo State.

     

    “As a respected elder, his humility, accessibility and wealth of experience has inspired generations, nurturing young leaders and fostering political stability.

     

    “His dedication to the progressive cause is truly invaluable, and his commitment to uplifting the masses has left an indelible mark on the state’s history.”

     

  • Alesinloye Market Fire: Oyo Government Assures Victims of Swift Aid

    Alesinloye Market Fire: Oyo Government Assures Victims of Swift Aid

     

    Alesinloye Market Fire: Oyo Government Assures Victims of Swift Aid

    By Adewale Owoade

    The Oyo state government has assured shop owners affected by the fire incident at Alesinloye market in Ibadan of necessary support and intervention.

    Deputy Governor Barrister Bayo Lawal gave the assurance during an assessment visit to the scene, describing the incident as unfortunate.

    The flowerbudnews reports that properties worth millions of naira was burnt to ashes when raging fire on Tuesday night razed the plastic  section of the popular Alesinloye market in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

    ‎Bayo, therefore implored leadership of the market to quickly present their reports, taking into stock the shops and wares damaged by the inferno, for the state government to expedite measures of intervention.

    The government has ordered a preliminary investigation to assess the damage and determine the cause of the fire, and will provide palliatives support to the victims through the state emergency management agency (OYSEMA) and NEMA to cushion the effect of losses

    The Deputy Governor has also tasked the Chairman of Ibadan Southwest LCDA, Hon. Kehinde Akande, to provide immediate logistics support for the affected traders.

    The government’s swift response aims to bring back normalcy to the market, which is a central hub of commercial activities in West Africa.

    ‎He said “as a responsive government, we must come and empathise and also assess the level of damage caused by the inferno.

    “‎We would do the needful first before proper investigation into the cause

    ‎We met with market leaders we thank God that no life was lost”

    However, affected traders have raised concerns about the late arrival of fire services, which may have exacerbated the damage

     

  • Ibarapa communities partner NALDA on 15,500-hectare agricultural project

    Ibarapa communities partner NALDA on 15,500-hectare agricultural project

    Ibarapa communities partner NALDA on 15,500-hectare agricultural project

    By Adewale Owoade

    In line with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope agenda on job creation and food security, stakeholders from Ibarapa communities of Oyo State have partnered with National Agricultural Land Development Authority (NALDA) to develop 15,500 hectares of virgin land for agriculture.

    The initiative, facilitated by Stallion Ridge Limited, marks the largest agricultural investment in Oyo State under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, promising economic growth and food security.

    Chief Akinyemi Akinlabi, Chairman/CEO of Stallion Ridge Limited, disclosed that the multi-billion naira project in Ibarapa Central and North Local Government Areas, would commence between April and May with an initial focus on land clearing.

    Speaking at NALDA’s office in Abuja, Akinlabi revealed that Igangan provided 6,000 hectares, Igbole allocated 5,000 hectares, and Dr. Olusola Ayandele of AAA Farms contributed 2,500 hectares.

    Additionally, the Oyo State College of Agriculture and Technology has provided 2,000 hectares, further strengthening the project’s potential for large-scale agricultural development.

    The initiative is expected to generate over 16,000 direct jobs for farmers and create employment for about 5,000 factory workers in agro-allied industries across the four farm estates.

    Akinlabi stated that the project would contribute over N18 billion annually to Nigeria’s GDP, reinforcing efforts to tackle food insecurity and empower rural communities economically.

    This initiative aims to boost food production, create employment opportunities, and enhance economic growth in the region, reinforcing the government’s commitment to sustainable agricultural development and self-sufficiency in food production.

  • No fewer than 250 golfers to participate in 8th Sovereign Trust Insurance Tournament

    No fewer than 250 golfers to participate in 8th Sovereign Trust Insurance Tournament

    No fewer than 250 golfers to participate in 8th Sovereign Trust Insurance Tournament

     

    By Oluwaseyi Oduneye-Ogunwomoju

     

    No fewer than 250 golfers will participate at the 8th edition of the Sovereign Trust Insurance Golf Tournament at the Ibadan Golf Club.

    The tournament will tee off on March 7 and end March 9.

    Chairman, Local Organising Committee, Chief Babajide Olatunde-Agbeja said the tournament has come to stay after years of absence due to COVID-19 restrictions.

    “This year’s tournament is going to be very different because the company has become more successful and outstanding, and now, they are celebrating their 30th anniversary of existence as first class insurance company.

    “We expect the tournament to be an outstanding tournament because we are celebrating STI at 30th. We are also celebrating Ibadan Golf Club which has continued to roll out tournament after tournament to encourage people to stay healthy because we all know health is wealth.

     

    “This year’s edition will be more competitive, and we have the professionals around Ibadan playing on Friday (today) and the tournament proper on Saturday and Sunday,” Olatunde-Agbeja said.

    According to Sovereign Trust Insurance Head of Corporate Communications/Brand Management, Segun Bankole, said his organisation’s intervention and collaboration were aimed at opening up new opportunities.

    Bankole added that STI’s collaboration with IGC is not based solely on financial gratification but an avenue to open the new phase of opportunity with the golfing community in Nigeria.

    “We are back here to celebrate something phenomenal in the last eight years, though we have some set of gaps due to COVID.

    “We will continue to associate with IGC brand, and whatever we have been given out, it’s been used judiciously not by us alone but other corporate individuals.

    Captain of IGC, Mr Seyi Alaba, said all the arrangements to make the golf championship a huge success have been put in place.

    “This is the 8th edition, and I’m happy that STI has kept its unbroken promise of sponsorship.

    “We are fully prepared as about 250 amateur golfers will be participating, and I believe that they are going to enjoy themselves on the course,” Alaba said.