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Dapo Abiodun Says Jimi Solanke’s Demise Is”A Colossal Loss”

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Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State has described the death of renowned African culture ambassador, Olujimi Solanke as a colossal loss to the theatre community and Ogun State.

The governor also condoled with the family of the veteran poet dramatist and the people of Ipara-Remo in Remo North Local Government Area of the State.

Mostly remembered by many for his television programme ‘Story land’, on the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Solanke reportedly died on Monday morning after a brief illness. He was aged 82. He is survived by his wife, Toyin, children and grandchildren.

In a statement, Abiodun said the late Solanke had “consistently put the name of the state in the limelight for very good reasons, especially in the arts right from his days at the University of Ibadan School of Drama.”

The governor urged relatives and other loved ones of the late poet to celebrate his life and ensure that the many legacies he left behind are preserved even for generations yet unborn.

“Renowned for his tireless dedication to the arts, Baba Agba as he was widely known by his numerous fans across the country was a great ambassador of our dear state. He promoted the culture and tradition of the Yoruba race on the global stage with his drama, music, poetry and other works of art.

“In 1961, he emerged as one of the pioneer members of the Orisun Theatre Group, founded by Professor Wole Soyinka. He went on to put in several decades of diverse exposures and experiences into the global entertainment industry across several broadcast stations, countries and festivals, impacting on the sector greatly.

“Many of his admirers still recall with nostalgia, his epic performances at the Western Nigeria Television, WNTV, Ibadan in the 1960s, his unforgettable stagecraft at the World Festival of Negro Arts in Senegal and the amazing skills he exhibited at the Pan-African Cultural Festival in Algeria, all in the 1970s.

“Also to his credit are brilliant performances in epics like Death and the King’s Horseman, Kurunmi, Kongi’s Harvest, The Divorce and Ovaramwen Nogbaisi. These performances and his numerous talents turned him into a global icon of the arts.

“He was at different times described by the Oxford Times and the New York Times as a ‘Skilled Nigerian Actor’ and an ‘Excellent Troupe’ respectively, owing to his performance of Wole Soyinka’s Kongi’s Harvest, during a tour of Europe.

“He sang with Highlife music Legends like Roy Chicago, Eddy Okonta, and Chris Ajilo. He also worked with many global musicians, including Chubby Checker of Twist fame and Millicent Small of Rock Steady. He was with Ralph MacDonald, the lead voice in the chartbuster, Ona La, The Path,” the statement said.

Recalling Solanke’s sonorous voice, impressive gesticulations, near perfect mimicry, and electrifying dances while reeling out folklores with ease, the statement added that the late poet will be greatly missed by all and sundry.

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Abiodun Promises to End Hooliganism and Tyranny in Ogun

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Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun state has promised to end acts of hooliganism and tyranny in the state.
He said the era of hooliganism must end in Ogun state and he was ready to safeguard peace and security as the state chief security officer.
Abiodun made the vow, while hosting the newly elected chairmen and councilors in the Saturday local government poll at the presidential annex, Ibara GRA in Abeokuta.
According to the governor, certain individuals hired thugs and brought illegal policemen into the state, to disrupt the Saturday local government poll in the state.
In the process, the governor said they attacked the vice chairman of a local government in his home town.
The governor vowed that anyone, irrespective of his status, found culpable in the attack, would face the wrath of the law.
He said the illegal policemen imported into the town were disarmed, arrested and now in police custody at the command headquarter Eleweran.
The governor tasked the new council’s chairmen to implement policies and programmes that would impact the lives of the people.
Speaking on behalf of the new council chiefs, the new Sagamu local government chairmen, Olasile Odulate promised that they would work towards improving the lives of people in their respective areas.

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Ogun Transport Unions Commend Govt. On Task Force Initiative, Caution IPMAN

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The major Transport Unions in Ogun State have commended the government in the State for setting up Special Task Force to monitor the activities of filling stations over alleged sharp practices.

The Chairman of National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) in Ogun State, Alhaji Mustapha Adewale, popularly known as Yaro on Friday berated the reaction of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) over the activities of the Task Force, saying such reaction is out of place and unbecoming of a noble association like IPMAN.

He said instead of criticising and threatening showdown on the issue, the association ought to have painstakingly and diligently conduct investigation to ascertain the veracity of allegation of sharp practices among its members in Ogun State, which necessitated the setting up of Task Force to curb the menace. 

The NURTW boss noted that the ultimate rationale behind the initiative by the Ogun State Government was to protect the people from crude extortion in the face of current economic hardship in the land, adding that the association must support the good intention of the government to sanitize the system against sharp practices.

” I am also a petrol dealer,  I have filling stations across the State and the government carried us along in the process that brought about the Task Force. The surresptious extortion of the people by many filling stations around the  State is very disturbing and annoying.

“You can imagine a situation when motorists got seven litres of fuel after and paying for ten litres, in the case of  commercial drivers, situation like this responsible for hike in transport fare, meaning that the people are the ones to bear the brunt of that anomaly.

“That is the reason the government of Prince Dapo Abiodun,  being a sensitive and responsive government came up with Task Force to put stop to this infraction in order not to add more burden to the people, it is  a very laudable and commendable initiative that requires the support of all”, Yaro said.

In the same vein, the Secretary of Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria(RTEAN) Comrade Tiwalade Akingbade, also known as Paulo Rossi has carpeted IPMAN over the development, arguing that there is no ground for their resistance to the activities of Task Force except they have ‘ skeleton in their cupboard ‘.

Akingbade explained that the setting up of the Task Force was part of the frantic efforts of Dapo Abiodun-led administration to ease the burden of hike in pump price of PMS in the effect that payment should commensurate with the volume of product and not the other way round. 

He further said that the government in the State has done a lot in making life comfortable for the people and ameliorating  the present economic predicament in the country by various interventions, including conversion of fossil fuel vehicles to CNG free of charge for many commercial drivers.

11According to him”, The original motive of the Task Force was to sanitise the system against some unscrupulous elements who are out to short change the people notwithstanding the harsh economy. How can one explain getting 25 litres of fuel instead of 30 litres; it is not acceptable and IPMAN should diligently approach  the Task Force to confirm the number and names of its members that have been apprehended for this infraction instead of threatening fire and brimstone without recourse to reality and good intention of the government in the State”.

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Ogun Amotekun to Recruits 700 personnel

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Ogun state Amotekun corps is recruiting additional 700 personnel to boost its strength to fight criminals across the state.
The fresh recruitment started October 29 and is ending November 18.
The new Amotekun corps commander, retired brigadier general Alade Adedigba said the recruitment of additional personnel was approved by Governor Dapo Abiodun.
The commander in a statement said application for the job is free through the corps’ website on ogunstateamotekun.com.ng.
General Adedigba also said that applicants could visit the agency’s office directly.
He said screening of applicants will take place between November 25 and December 11.
The new commander has said the corps intends to focus on the state’s border communities to cope with influx of criminals into the state.

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