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How did Ibadan and Oyo state become this peaceful? – Olusoji Akinloye.
IF you knew Oyo state, and indeed Ibadan, before now, you would have no choice but feel compelled by objectivity to write about the transformation that has occurred in the security sector of the state; It is just too impressive to ignore, and this is no farce.
15 months ago, after many years of service in Lagos, I was promoted and transferred to head the branch of my company in Ibadan. I declined it immediately. In fact, I was ready to resign. The major reason, was my experience with the high rate of insecurity in the city of Ibadan and Oyo state as a whole, while I was growing up as a young adult. Robbery and crime were always reported in droves; hardly a week went by without reports of thugs and hooligans unleashing terror on residents, or engaging in needless wars that claimed lives and destroyed properties; mayhem was a staple at major city centers.
I was a happy man when I left 10 years ago and there was no way I would move my family back there for work’s sake, or so I thought. Still, I decided to discuss with some friends who still lived in Ibadan and other parts of Oyo state. Thus, partly out of curiosity, and a need to preserve my means of livelihood in order to be able to continue putting food on the table, after so many quiet prayers were said, I decided to take the plunge.
While I was considering this move, I had made up my mind to be security conscious, and to do whatever it will take to protect my family, even to the extent of hiring private security, if need be; having lost a close friend, who was president of the Nigerian Medical Association at the time, to one of such violent outbursts in Iwo road some years ago, I was determined to leave nothing to chance.
My perception about insecurity in Oyo state was steeply rooted in that nasty experience and other sentiments that I couldn’t just shrug off. It was that bad.
However, I couldn’t have been more wrong! Months down the line, my paranoia about the security situation in Oyo state and Ibadan in particular has been impressively doused. I am proud to say that, not only have things improved, it is largely compelling and almost unbelievable.
Driving through Molete could now be hitch free? I coild now be around Iwo road past 7pm? Bere-Oje axis now rid of crime and marauding urchins? Incredible! I shared my surprise with a few of my colleagues, and they laughed at how paranoid I was.
They unanimously conceded that the present Abiola Ajimobi-led administration seemed to understand the challenges when it came in, judging by the pragmatic way it chose to tackle the menace of insecurity, a feat past administrations had unsuccessfully struggled with. In fact, I came across this comment attributed to the Commissioner Of Police in Oyo State, where he too was profuse in appreciation of the new and secure state of Oyo.
Hear him: “There are peculiarities of each state but basically one state is not much different from another; we work for the environment to work and Oyo state, since I came in here, has been very peaceful; it is one of the most peaceful states in the country”.
This comment above further cemented my new found thoughts about the security of Oyo state, and totally quelled my fears. Anyone who is even remotely familiar with Ibadan and Oyo state, will admit that this is indeed a great achievement, especially considering the crime-infested past.
I have always insisted that governance in Nigeria is not rocket-science, and that, when an administration is serious about getting something done, it would only take deploying the right strategy with the right intent, executed most importantly, by the right people; I am happy to say that the Ajimobi administration has proved me right.
Without a shadow of doubt, this is what the Ajimobi administration has achieved so obviously in Oyo state, and we must all give kudos to whom it is due.
Olusoji Akinloye, a Banker from Bodija, Ibadan, Oyo state writes.
A recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has highlighted the severe economic challenges faced by Nigerian households, revealing that two-thirds of the population struggle to afford healthy and nutritious meals. The survey, titled Nigeria General Household Survey – Panel (GHS-Panel) Wave 5 (2023/2024), underscores the worsening multidimensional poverty and the erosion of purchasing power due to the persistent rise in the cost of goods and services.
The report shows that approximately 63.8% of households have been forced to eat only a few kinds of food due to financial constraints. About 62.4% of respondents admitted worrying about food insufficiency, while 60.5% ate less than they thought they should. The situation has deteriorated significantly since the last survey, as the proportion of households expressing food insecurity concerns rose from 36.9% in the previous wave to 62.4% in the current one.
Power Outages and Access to Energy
The survey also sheds light on the nation’s energy crisis, revealing that Nigerian households experience an average of 6.7 power blackouts per week. While 82.2% of urban households have access to electricity, the figure drops to 40.4% in rural areas.
Cooking remains predominantly dependent on traditional methods, with 65% of households using three-stone stoves and 70.2% relying on firewood. However, the use of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is reportedly increasing.
Sanitation and Asset Ownership
In terms of sanitation, the report highlights that many households still lack basic toilet facilities, relying on bushes or streets for waste disposal. Access to clean drinking water is often through tube wells or boreholes, reflecting a lack of formal infrastructure in many areas.
On asset ownership, the survey indicates a decline since 2018/19. While two-thirds of households own mobile phones, only 21.3% have internet access. Housing ownership remains significant, with 70.4% of households owning their homes—80.1% in rural areas compared to 49.1% in urban centers.
The NBS report provides a stark reminder of the challenges many Nigerians face daily, from food insecurity and power outages to inadequate sanitation and declining asset ownership. It calls for urgent policy interventions to address these critical issues and improve the living standards of the population.
US car giant Ford on Wednesday announced 4,000 more job cuts in Europe, mostly in Germany and Britain, in the latest blow to the continent’s beleaguered car industry.
“The company has incurred significant losses in recent years,” Ford said in a statement, blaming “the industry shift to electrified vehicles and new competition”.
The move will affect 2,900 jobs in Germany, 800 in the UK and 300 in western Europe by the end of 2027, a Ford spokesman told AFP.
“It is critical to take difficult but decisive action to ensure Ford’s future competitiveness in Europe,” said Dave Johnston, Ford’s European vice-president in the statement.
The company also said it was adjusting the production of its Explorer and Capri models, resulting in reduced hours at its Cologne plant in the first quarter of 2025.
Europe’s car industry has been plunged into crisis by high manufacturing costs, a stuttering switch to electric vehicles and increased competition in key market China.
Germany’s Volkswagen has been among those hardest hit, announcing in September that it was considering the unprecedented move of closing some factories in Germany.
“The European automotive industry is in a very demanding and serious situation,” Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume said at the time.
Ford had already announced in February 2023 that it was planning to cut 3,800 jobs in Europe, including 2,300 in Germany and 1,300 in Britain.
The company said then it was planning to reduce the number of models developed for Europe, concentrate on the profitable van segment and speed up the transition to electric vehicles.
Ford currently has around 28,000 employees in Europe with 15,000 in Germany, according to the company’s works council.
President Bola Tinubu has approved the dissolution of the Governing Council of Nnamdi Azikiwe University (UNIZIK), Awka, Anambra State, and the removal of the institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bernard Ifeanyi Odoh, and Registrar, Mrs. Rosemary Ifoema Nwokike.
The council, chaired by Ambassador Greg Ozumba Mbadiwe, comprised five other members: Hafiz Oladejo, Augustine Onyedebelu, Engr. Amioleran Osahon, and Rtd. Gen. Funsho Oyeneyin.
A statement released on Wednesday by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, revealed that the council was dissolved following reports of procedural violations in appointing the vice-chancellor.
According to the statement, the council had allegedly appointed an unqualified candidate, disregarding due process, which triggered tensions between the university’s Senate and the council.
The Federal Government expressed dismay over the council’s actions, emphasizing the need for adherence to the university’s governing laws in decision-making.
“The council’s disregard for established rules necessitated the government’s intervention to restore order to the 33-year-old institution,” the statement noted.
In a related development, President Tinubu also approved the dismissal of Engr. Ohieku Muhammed Salami, the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo, Benue State.
Salami was accused of suspending the university’s Vice-Chancellor without following the prescribed procedures, a move the Federal Ministry of Education had previously directed him to reverse.
Despite the Ministry’s directives, Salami reportedly refused to comply and resorted to issuing threats and abusive remarks towards the Ministry’s officials, including the Permanent Secretary.
The Federal Government reiterated that the primary role of university councils is to ensure the smooth operation of academic activities, strictly adhering to the laws establishing each institution.
Tinubu warned university councils against engaging in actions that could destabilize their institutions, as his administration remains committed to enhancing the nation’s education system.
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