News
‘I won’t chase street hawkers because I once sold bread’- Makinde
Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has said that he would not be a party to chasing street traders off the streets without providing them with alternatives, as according to him, he once sold bread at Yemetu area of Ibadan.
Governor Makinde, who joined the congregation at the Oja’ba Central Mosque for a special prayer to commemorate his 52nd birthday also said that he would not be too proud to reverse himself anytime he found it necessary, saying that only God is infallible.
He added that his government would always be open to corrections.
The governor said, “Somebody said that I was quoted as saying that I would not chase away street traders without providing them with alternatives. Yes, that is true because I know the mentality of street trading. I once sold bread by the roadside in Yemetu Area.
“I said so because we cannot send them away until we provide an alternative for them. And we have started enforcing that. We did that at Ojoo where we asked people not to trade at the point where we want to situate our modern terminus.
“Recently, I went there in the midnight to make sure that where they will relocate the traders to must be a comfortable place, equipped with necessary infrastructure so that when they make their sales, they may not feel like going back to the road-side.
“I actually understand the situation because I once sold bread in front of Adeoyo Hospital in Yemetu. And I know that the money that I used to assist my mother from bread-selling was expended on my education.
“So, I beg of you, do the right thing. We will do all that is needful to ensure the development of Oyo State. If we fail to do the right thing, don’t hesitate to tell us.
“We don’t know it all. If people tell us what we need to do, we will act. I am not proud to the extent that I can’t reverse myself because I know that pride comes before a fall,” he added.
The Governor thanked the faithful for joining the prayers at short notice.
“Your prayers are important to me. It doesn’t matter if we have a multitude. What we have here is quality crowd”, he said adding that he will always love to work for the people because he is out to provide service”.
He said that his government would be fair and just to all religious organizations in the State, noting that the prayers of Muslim clerics contributed immensely to his victory at the polls.
“I assured the people of the State that I will serve them with the fear of God. I have made a promise to serve the good people of Oyo State with the fear of God and not to favour of any religious organisation above the other,” he said.
He stated that all the religions will be treated equally, as according to him, homes in the State have members spread across the religions.
“In my administration, whatever is due to Muslims, Christians and traditional worshipers will be given to them equally without any bias or favour,” the Governor said.
Governor Makinde also took time to x-ray the key achievements of his administration in the first six months, adding which he said include regular payment of the workers on 25th of every month; provision of security vehicles for the Security Agencies in the state; free education from primary level to secondary level; light-up of Ibadan and cities among many others.
He added: “Also, there is an improvement in our health care system. When we came in, they were saying members of the NURTW was causing trouble. But now, this has stopped. I can assure you that where we have noticed some pockets of challenges will be addressed.
“We have also started the lighting up places in Ibadan so that you can be all safe to go to wherever you want to go. And this is the first phase, we will light up all our major cities.
“With this, the criminal elements to know they cannot perform any evil act successfully. So, I have come to serve the people and I believe that if we can all work together, what is not enough for us today will be abundant tomorrow.”
He, therefore, appealed to religious leaders in the State to continue to pray for the success of the present administration and not to allow the religious fanatics to cause crisis among the religious organizations in the State.
According to him, “Concerning what Imam said about Alfa Oloore, there is no rancour between us. Sincerely, with what I saw at the mosque that first day, I would have ordered that it be demolished with immediate effect and the surrounding houses. But three days after, people told me that it was not only Oloore mosque we have such facilities and that some parents do take their children there. I interviewed some parents at Sanyo Area, where we took them and they said they actually took their children there. I have to listen to what people were saying.
“So, when they talked to me, I asked them not to demolish the mosque again and informed the Police too to leave Alfa alone. I also told social workers to go and inspect it because we need to modernise anything we do. The way they do things yesterday is not the way we will do them today. We need to see how we can modernise the way we can discipline troublesome children in such a way that when they grow up, they won’t be a burden to anyone or for the country.
“Since that is the situation we have found ourselves, there should be regulations for those who have these kinds of facilities. Also, social workers need to always assign some people to take charge of activities there. That is the way it should be done.
The Governor, therefore, called on all the religious leaders to always advise him as he is ready to welcome corrections when necessary.
According to him, nobody is above mistakes, only God cannot make mistakes.
“What we are facing now is how we can make life comfortable for everyone and to develop Oyo State. We cannot do it alone. As residents and citizens of Oyo State, you cannot also do it alone. We have to come together, put hands on deck to achieve this.
“They will twist many things but I am here today to tell you that I will be truthful to you, no matter the situation. Because I am not also above mistake, I need to make the engagements to continue.
As a human being, I can make mistakes but it is only God who cannot. But we can correct ourselves if we get response on what is going on in the street.
Speaking earlier, the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Alhaji Abubakr Agbootomokekere showered encomiums on Governor Makinde for his enormous achievements within 200 days in office.
He urged the Governor to continue with his good policies for the overall development of Oyo State.
He, therefore, prayed for the success of the Makinde-led administration in the State and promised that the League of Imams would continue to support the Government.
The lawmaker representing Ibarapa East/Ido Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, has mourned the death of a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Oyo State and former member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo, popularly known as Able, describing his demise as a painful loss to the progressive family.
Oladipupo, who represented Ibadan North-West Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, was widely regarded as a grassroots politician and committed party loyalist until his passing.
Oseni, who is also the Chairman, House Committee on Federal Roads Maintenance Agency and the APC candidate for Oyo South Senatorial District, said the late politician’s death had created a vacuum within the party and among those who benefitted from his unwavering commitment to public service.
In a condolence statement issued on Monday by his Media Aide, Idowu Ayodele, and made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the federal lawmaker described the late Oladipupo as a dependable progressive, humble political actor and loyal party stalwart whose impact would remain indelible.
He said the deceased dedicated his life to serving humanity, strengthening the progressive movement and supporting the aspirations of many at the grassroots.
Oseni said, “The death of Hon. Akeem Abimbola Oladipupo (Able) came to me as a rude shock. Oyo State and the progressive family have indeed lost a committed, loyal and selfless leader whose passion for service, humility and dedication to the people stood him out.
“He was not just a politician but a bridge-builder, a dependable ally and a grassroots mobiliser who believed strongly in the ideals of our great party. His contributions to the growth of the APC in Oyo State and his service to humanity will remain unforgettable.”
The APC senatorial candidate noted that the late former lawmaker remained steadfast in promoting peace, unity and political development, adding that his simplicity and accessibility endeared him to many across political divides.
According to Oseni, the late politician’s legacy of service and sacrifice would continue to inspire younger politicians and party faithful.
He, however, urged members of the APC, associates and family members of the deceased to take solace in the remarkable life he lived and the positive impact he made during his lifetime.
Oseni also prayed for the repose of the deceased’s soul and for God to grant his family the fortitude to bear the painful loss.
State governors have proposed a new national minimum wage of N100,000 for Nigerian workers as part of efforts to cushion them from the biting effects of inflation and the rising cost of living.
Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), disclosed the proposal on Saturday in a post by the state government’s official Facebook page. He said the move aims to improve workers’ welfare while ensuring that government finances remain sustainable.
“State governments recognise the urgent need to improve workers’ welfare in response to the current economic realities facing Nigerians,” AbdulRazaq said.
“We are actively engaging with the Federal Government and organised labour to arrive at a wage structure that is fair to workers and sustainable for government finances.”
The NGF chairman explained that ongoing discussions are focused on balancing the need to boost workers’ purchasing power with the capacity of governments to deliver essential public services and development projects.
“The goal is to improve the living conditions of workers while ensuring that states can continue to meet their obligations and sustain projects that directly impact citizens,” he added.
The proposed N100,000 minimum wage is expected to intensify national debates on salaries, inflation, and broader economic reforms as Nigerians continue to contend with rising food prices, transportation costs, and other living expenses.
Currently, Nigeria’s statutory minimum wage stands at N70,000 per month. Some states, including Lagos, Rivers, and Imo, are already paying above the national benchmark to support workers amid the country’s economic challenges.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has continued to call for a comprehensive review of salaries, insisting that workers deserve a living wage that reflects present-day economic realities rather than merely guaranteeing survival.
The average retail price paid by consumers for Premium Motor Spirit, popularly known as petrol, rose to N1,532.93 per litre in April 2026, representing a 23.69 per cent increase compared to the N1,239.33 recorded in the corresponding period of 2025, findings by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) have shown.
The sharp rise in petrol prices came amid mounting inflationary pressure and worsening living costs, with Nigerians grappling with soaring transportation and food expenses that have continued to shrink household purchasing power.
The NBS disclosed this in its Premium Motor Spirit (Petrol) Price Watch for April 2026, released on Friday.
The report further showed that on a month-on-month basis, petrol prices rose by 18.97 per cent from N1,288.54 recorded in March 2026, underscoring persistent volatility in the downstream petroleum market.
A breakdown of prices across states revealed that Yobe recorded the highest average retail price for petrol at N1,599.05 per litre during the review period.
Edo and Bauchi followed closely with average prices of N1,595.74 and N1,589.07, respectively.
However, Niger residents paid the least for petrol at an average of N1,403.89 per litre, while Sokoto and Katsina recorded N1,404.16 and N1,406.28 respectively.
At the zonal level, the South-South recorded the highest average retail price at N1,566.76 per litre, while the North-West posted the lowest at N1,508.81.
The latest petrol price increase comes as millions of Nigerians continue to battle the ripple effects of rising inflation, with higher energy costs worsening transportation fares and the prices of essential commodities.
Similarly, the NBS said the average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder of Liquefied Petroleum Gas, also known as cooking gas, rose by 13.73 per cent month-on-month to N8,706.93 in April 2026 from N7,655.73 recorded in March.
On a year-on-year basis, the price increased by 10.42 per cent from N7,885.60 recorded in April 2025.
Lagos recorded the highest average price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,745.10, followed by Nasarawa at N9,451.70 and Bayelsa at N9,422.74.
In contrast, Anambra recorded the lowest average price at N7,204.76, while Ondo and Ogun followed with N7,239.49 and N7,825.75, respectively.
At the regional level, the North-West recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 5kg cylinder at N9,025.07, followed by the North-East at N8,847.16, while the South-East posted the lowest average price at N8,224.37.
Also, the average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder of cooking gas increased by 13.89 per cent month-on-month to N22,382.20 in April 2026 from N19,652.83 in March.
Compared to April 2025, the price rose by 10.43 per cent from N20,268.06.
According to the NBS LPG Price Watch for April, Katsina recorded the highest average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N25,596.71, followed by Kogi at N24,558.25 and Gombe at N24,438.97.
Ogun recorded the lowest average price at N19,564.36, while Bauchi and Anambra followed at N20,178.87 and N20,511.90 respectively.
The North-West recorded the highest zonal average retail price for refilling a 12.5kg cylinder at N23,276.95, followed by the North-Central at N22,865.29, while the South-East posted the lowest average at N21,060.92.
The latest figures signal growing pressure on household energy costs, raising concerns over the implications for inflation and the cost of living in the coming months.
-
News1 week agoEid: Oseni Calls for Vigilance, Lauds Security Operatives
-
Politics5 days agoAlli, Folarin, Adedeji, Oseni, Dare Named to APC Ekiti Re-election Campaign Team
-
News1 week agoEid-El-Kabir: JTF warns of Boko Haram, ISWAP attacks
-
News1 week agoOyo Abduction: SWEGOP Demands Swift Rescue of Pupils, Teachers