Kakaki

Group organises solidarity prayer for Kwara governor

abdulrahman-abdulrazaq-2 — Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State

A political group, AA Support Group, in the Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara on Thursday organised a solidarity prayer for success in the administration of Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of the state.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that group, which converged at the secretariat of the Omo Ibile Igomina union in Ilorin, was led in prayers by two prominent Christian and Islamic clerics.

Pastor Edward Malomo of Church of Christ, Ilorin, said that the emergence of Abdulrazaq put end to the political slavery in the state.

Malomo, however, urged the group to support the administration in its bid to transform the state with good advice.

The cleric expressed optimism that the administration would take the state to an enviable height being one of the first created state.

Alhaji Kamaldeen Sofihullahi, who led on the Islamic prayer urged the governor to imbibe the principles of President Muhammadu Buhari in changing the fortune of the state for better.

Sofihullahi, the Head of Department, Arabic Language, Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies said that Kwarans would entertain no excuses because the state had suffered a protracted underdevelopment.

The Islamic cleric, thereafter, prayed for the success of Gov. Abdulrazaq in turning the story of the state for better.

The Deputy Governor of the state, Mr Kayode Alabi, represented by Mr Hassan Garba pledged that the new administration would transform the state and right the wrongs of the past.

According to him, the governor was charged to run an all-inclusive government, urging the group to emulate the trait in running its affairs.

Alabi applauded the group for remembering the governor in prayers, saying they shall all share in the prosperity ahead.

Chief Mohammed Lawal, the leader of the group said that the prayer was organised to invoke a divine intervention and support from the Supreme Being for the governor to succeed.

Lawal urged all members to spread the gospel of “AA must succeed” to all the nooks and crannies of the local government council.

He explained that the group aimed at promoting the activities, policies and programmes of the government through sensitisation in the grassroots.

“Among the objectives is to mobilise grassroot support for the government by enlightening people on its achievements.

“Another key objective is to identify where government attention is needed in the area of infrastructure and socio-economic development in Ifelodun local government area and recommend accordingly the solution to the governor.

He urged the governor to break the local government area into two or consider it for local development council because of its vast landmass and population.

Stakeholders canvass mother tongue as language of instruction in elementary schools

Stakeholders in the education sector in Kwara have canvassed the use of mother tongue as language of instruction for pupils in Primary One to Three.

The stakeholders made the call at a forum organised by the Civil Society Action Coalition of Education For All (CSACEFA) in Ilorin to commemorate the 2019 World Literacy Day.

Mr Babatunde Alade, the guest lecturer at the forum, had lamented that many parents now force their children to speak the lingua franca at a tender age.

He said the development could lead to the extinction of the local languages if not checked.

Alade, a retired director in the Kwara State Agency for Mass Literacy Education, spoke on the theme: “Literacy and Multi-lingualism.”

He called for a policy and legislation that would mandate teachers in early childhood education to teach in local languages from Primary One to Three.

According to Alade, literacy is not only the ability to read and write in the official language of the nation, but also in mother tongue.

He said : “We don’t develop our languages, but we are developing others. If children are not properly taught in their mother tongues, how will they develop? ”

The guest lecturer commended CSACEFA for convening the forum, urging it to serve as a catalyst to collaborate with other organisations.

Representatives of relevant agencies and organisations also urged parents to always speak indigenous languages to their children at home.

Earlier in her address of welcome, the State Coordinator of CSACEFA, Hajia Nimat Labaika, said the day was earmarked for celebration to reduce poverty in the society and entrench equality in access to education among male and female children.

Labaika noted that the theme of the forum was conceived owing to the findings that showed that pupils in elementary schools lack proper understanding of their studies due to the use of official language to teach in their early childhood education.

According to her, research also showed that pupils in Primary One to Three would have been more grounded in their studies if the language of instruction is local language.

The forum, she said, was meant to sensitise the public on the need to incorporate the use of indigenous languages in early childhood education.

Gbajabiamila appoints Ganduje’s daughter as aide

Fatima-Ajimobi The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has appointed Fatima, daughter of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State, as his Special Assistant on Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organisations.

Fatima’s husband, Idris, who is a son of the immediate past Governor of Oyo State Senator Abiola Ajimobi, made the announcement on his Instagram page.

He wrote, “Fatima Abiola-Ajimobi, I don’t know if you still believe me because I say it so often; you’re an extraordinary young woman. I have watched you struggle when you were at your lowest and noticed how you never lost faith and ‘you walk confidently in the direction of your dreams…’ The mantra you live by.

“My prayer for you, my wife, is that your courage never ceases and your light never dims.

“At such a young age, I am privileged to congratulate you on your appointment as the Special Assistant on NGOs and Civil Society to the Speaker of the National House of Representatives.”

BREAKING: Tribunal nullifies election of Senate Chief Whip Orji Kalu

Orji-Uzor-Kalu The National and State Assembly Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abia State has nullified the election of Senate Chief Whip Orji Uzor Kalu.

Until the annulment, Kalu was the Senator representing Abia North at the National Assembly.

The tribunal also ordered a rerun election for the Abia North Senatorial District.

Kalu was elected on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress and was inaugurated as federal lawmaker for the 9th National Assembly.

JUST IN: 6 Offa indigenes kidnapped on Kaduna-Abuja Highway

Six indigenes of Offa in Kwara State have been reportedly kidnapped along Kaduna-Abuja expressway on their way to Kaduna from Offa.

This is confirmed in a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Offa Descendants’ Union (O.D.U), Maruf Ajenifuja and made available to newsmen.

The six persons were reportedly travelling with Aduke Okin Motors from Offa to Kaduna.

“This worrisome incident happened at Rijana along Abuja – Kaduna expressway thereby throwing many families into a period of sorrow.

“O.D.U. has waded in and efforts are in top gear to secure the release of the victims and we hope they would be released soonest by the special grace of God.

“We may not be able to give you details at the moment due to security reasons”, Ajenifuja said.

Investigation is still ongoing on the identities of the victims.

Sports Writers threaten to boycott National Youth Games in Ilorin

The Kwara state chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), may direct its members to boycott the 5th National Youth Games, holding in Ilorin from Saturday, Sept. 7 to Tue. Sept. 17.

This was part of decision reached by the body after its State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting on Friday in Ilorin; following the failure of the organisers to consider the activities of the media in their plans.

In a statement signed by the Secretary, Olayinka Owolewa, the Association said the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development, has consistently disrespected its members over the years through the non provision of media centre and shuttle buses for journalists, and a cumbersome accreditation process.

It maintained that if a member of the Association had been considered to be part of the MOC or LOC these issues would have been addressed.

“Right from the beginning of the staging of the NYG in Ilorin, the Ministry has never provided a media Centre; how do you hold an event like this and Sports Journalists will be hanging under trees to work; no room to compare notes or shuttle bus to ease movement; we have complained over the years, yet no change.

“What we are asking for is a media Centre, Shuttle bus to assist our members to various venue and a seamless accreditation process for journalists covering the games.

The statement disclosed that if nothing changes between now and early hours of Sunday, the chapter will officially notify its National Secretariat with a view to seeking a wider blackout of this year’s National Youth Games in the media, and urged its members to wait for directives.

BREAKING: Former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe Dies Aged 95

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Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s first post-independence leader, has died at the age of 95.

He died after battling ill health, his family confirmed to the BBC. Mr Mugabe was ousted from power in a military coup in November 2017, ending his three-decade reign.

Zimbabwe’s education secretary Fadzayi Mahere tweeted: “Rest In Peace, Robert Mugabe.”

He was born on 21 February 1924, in what was then Rhodesia. He was imprisoned for more than a decade without trial after criticising the government of Rhodesia in 1964.

In 1973, while still in prison, he was chosen as president of the Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu), of which he was a founding member.

Civil servants accept 76% salary increment with negotiations for more still on

Zimbabwean civil servants have on Wednesday, accepted a 76 per cent salary adjustment offered by the government with effect from Aug. 1.

The state media reported that negotiations for higher wages are still on.

It is reliably gathered that the least-paid worker will now earn 1,023 Zimbabwean dollars (about 102 U.S. dollars or 37,000 naira) per month, up from 582 Zimbabwean dollars per month.

The decision to accept the government offer followed a meeting between the civil servants’ umbrella representative body, the Apex Council, and government representatives.

The civil servants umbrella body was led by the Secretary for Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare Simon Masanga at a National Joint Negotiating Council meeting on Tuesday.

Apex Council chairperson Cecilia Alexander said that a cost of living adjustment of the total package would be implemented from beginning of August.

Alexander said they had provisionally agreed to the offer while they continued with negotiations.

“It must be reiterated that this is a provisional agreement meant first and foremost to allow the government to cushion its impoverished civil servants.

“Our substantive demand of 4,750 dollars, which is benchmarked against the interbank rate, still stands and negotiations still continue towards that end,” she said.

The government had offered the 76 per cent cost of living adjustment which the Apex Council neither rejected nor accepted.

The council, however, went back to consult with its members and on Tuesday gave the feedback that sealed the deal.

However, teachers on Monday rejected the offer, insisting that the employer paid them nothing more than 4,600 Zimbabwe dollars per month, which the government said it could not afford.

Tribunal nullifies Dino Melaye’s election

The National and State Assembly Elections Petition Tribunal sitting in Lakoja, Kogi state on Friday nullified the 2019 election of Sen. Dino Melaye to represent the Kogi West Senatorial District at the Senate.

The Tribunal ordered that a fresh election be held with 90 days.

Details later

17 perished in Kwara auto-crash

The wreck of the Toyota Hiace bus that involved in an head-on collision with a DAF truck at Bacita junction, along Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa highway on Thursday 22/08/2019

Seventeen passengers have been reportedly killed in an auto-crash on Thursday at Bacita junction along the Ilorin-Jebba-Mokwa express way in Kwara.

The accident, Kakakiblog learnt involved an 18-seater Toyota Hiace bus and an articulated DAF container truck.

An eyewitness account revealed that the ghastly motor accident was due to was overspeeding and dangerous driving as the two vehicles had an head-on collision at a bend along the highway.

The source said that while 17 passengers in the bus were killed, two occupants of the heavy vehicle suffered serious degrees of injury in the road disaster.

Mr Udeme Eshiet, the Head of Operations of the Kwara command of Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), who confirmed the road mishap, explained that the DAF container truck was going towards Jebba, in the Kwara North District, while the passenger bus was coming to Ilorin, the state capital from the Northern Nigeria when the crash occurred.

The FRSC official said that the crash occurred at a sharp bend, as a result of over speeding which led to head on collision by the two vehicles.

“Due to excess speeding in which the two drivers were involved while driving their vehicles at the time when the crash occurred, they could not negotiate the sharp bend properly, and when they eventually met, it resulted in head on collision”, he said.

He, however, called on motorists to be more careful while driving on the nation’s highways to check avoidable accidents.

According to him, passengers should not hesitate to caution or report any reckless driver to law enforcement agents nearby.