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Dr. Ope Banwo Speaks On Transitioning Naija Lives Matter Organization To Non-Partisan Mode

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Dr. Ope Banwo Speaks On Transitioning
Naija Lives Matter Organization To Non-Partisan Mode

***Says Organization Will Now Focus On Projects To Improve Nigerian Lives

 

 

 

 

Dr. Ope Banwo, the founder of Naija Lives Matter (NLM), a non-governmental organization committed to better lives for Nigerians has explained the organization’s decision to refocus its priorities.

 

 

 

 

In a statement released on Tuesday, Dr. Banwo stated that the organization’s mission and goals extend beyound the 2023 elections, electioneering campaigns, and politics.

 

 

 

 

According to him, the process of the organization had been clearly communicated from its very beginning to avoid any accusations of opportunism or policy inconsistencies, which are unfortunately common in our country when disagreements arise.

 

 

 

 

He said; “Since 2011, the NLM organization has consistently de-emphasized its partisan support for any specific candidate after the elections and campaigns are over, enabling it to concentrate on its global mandate of making Naija lives matter to all Nigerians, irrespective of their political affiliations.

 

 

 

 

“When Naija Lives Matter endorsed Peter Obi as our chosen candidate in August 2022, we made it clear that our partisan involvement would solely extend until the conclusion of the elections. Subsequently, we would focus on other aspects of our mission and goals, for which our organization was founded in 2011.

 

 

 

 

“In the past, we supported Jonathan through the GEJ project, rallied behind Buhari through the Buhari4Naija project in 2015, and even had a Moghalu4Naija project before eventually endorsing Peter Obi for the 2023 elections.

 

 

 

 

“Our commitment is not irreversibly tied to any particular politician; it lies in what we believe is in the best interest of Nigeria and its people,” Dr. Banwo said.

 

 

 

With the transition, NLM now moves beyond the recent election cycle, with a current focus on organizing projects aimed at making the lives of all Nigerians better.

 

 

 

 

“Henceforth, we shall therefore leave the legal and political affairs to lawyers and politicians, and respect the decisions of the courts, whatever they may be.

 

 

 

“In alignment with our mandate and the previously declared engagement period for the 2023 elections, we hereby inform our members that Naija Lives Matter will now shift its focus towards other aspects of our charter such as mass non-partisan mobilization on national issues, youth empowerment training, workshops, community assistance services for the less privileged in Nigeria, and other activities.

 

 

 

 

“In light of this new direction, we will convene meetings with our state directors and cell leaders to announce additional NLM initiatives that extend beyond politics in the coming days. These initiatives will focus on non-partisan national mobilization, youth empowerment through training and workshops, and community-building responsibilities.

 

 

 

“All our threads on WhatsApp and other social media platforms will once again be dedicated to NLM as we officially conclude the Peter Obi Nation Project for the 2023 elections,” Dr. Banwo noted.

 

 

 

Thanking members of the Peter Obi Nation Project of the NLM organization for their tremendous efforts during the 2023 elections, Dr. Banwo said that together they fought valiantly in a highly contested electoral process, adding that together they gave as much as they got in the very bitter partisan electioneering campaign for the organization’s endorsed candidate, Peter Obi.

 

 

“We did not compromise and many of us even paid the price of alienating some of our long-term friends in the heat of partisan battle.

 

 

 

“To this end, I am immensely proud of every individual involved in this monumental battle, and it has been an honor serving as the Chief Vawolence Officer for Naija Lives Matter side of things during this 2923 election cycle. We also offer No apologies for our passionate campaign for what we passionately believed in. It was what it was.

Acknowledging the fact that many individuals who joined NLM’s special Peter Obi Nation Project were primarily interested in supporting the Labour Party (LP) presidential candidate, and may not share NLM”s broader mandate and NGO charter, Dr. Banwo said that the organization would understand if those solely focused on partisan politics choose to disassociate themselves from the NLM organization across it numerous groups and threads, adding that the organizational continuity transcends any single election cycle.

“To be clear, this pivot by NLM does not mean we no longer support Peter Obi. We continue to stand behind his 2023 mandate which we believed in, wholeheartedly. Nevertheless, our organization was not established solely for this election cycle. We have followed the same refocusing approach after the elections in 2011 and 2015. Although the intensity of this cycle was undeniable, our policy remains intact.

“We hope that our fellow compatriots engaged in the highly intense campaign for 2023 will understand and respect our decision to shift away from combative partisan politics at this juncture. Instead, we aim to engage the Tinubu government in a non-partisan yet critical manner, reminding them of their promises and holding them accountable. Should the courts later remove him from office, we will also celebrate. But for now, we have a country to assist in governance.”

 

Dr. Ope Banwo Speaks On Transitioning
Naija Lives Matter Organization To Non-Partisan Mode

society

Baale Oluwole Adeshina of Arakanga celebrates Ilugun day cultural festival

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Baale Oluwole Adeshina of Arakanga celebrates Ilugun day cultural festival

 

Friday, 30 August, 2024, will linger for months in the minds of sons and daughters of Ilugun Arakanga in Abeokuta,Ogun State as they celebrated Ilugun day in grand style. The event was historic and fun- filled as friends and lovers-of culture graced the occasion.

The journey into the culture packed event started on 28 August with libation by the high ranked chiefs of the town lead by Oluwo of Ilugun, Chief Ifaseun Idowu who attest that the gods of the land were been appeased before the event and had given a sign of peace.

The three day event which marked the first of baale Oluwole Adeshina welcomed shower of rain in the early hours but the indeginous sons and daughters of the town trooped out to celebrate inspite of the rain.

To add colour and dignity to this year’s Ilugun day celebration, the happy indigenes were seen with colourful aso.ebi wihich add more beauty to the event and to the upliftment.of the kingdom.

Speaking further on the occasion, Oluwo on behalf of the baale appreciate kabiesi the Osile- of Oke Ona, Oba Adedapo Tejuosho for his fatherly love and support always and also to Ilugun people for trooping out in mass to celebrate the day.

.Oluwo also note that, there is another festival that binds Ilugun people together. Isomariwo day unlike Ilugun day is celebrated every three years to honour the ancenstral ‘Olugun’.

Also present to celebrate the day were nibẹ Ọdọfin, Bada, Apesin, Iyalode and some other chiefs.

Just like any other-Yoruba kingdom, Ilugun people are also descendant of Oduduwa who migrated from Ile-Ife to their present kingdom..

Others at the event were Honourable Sarafa Ishola, Mrs Irene Kokumo, Agbaakin Oke- Ona, Imam Obalomerue, Chief Ikija,.Pastor Gbadebo and host of others.

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Crime

Court jails father of four for raping wife’s 17-year-old sister

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Court jails father of four for raping wife’s 17-year-old sister

Court jails father of four for raping wife’s 17-year-old sister

 

A 30-year-old motorcyclist, Michael Olorunfemi, has been arrested for allegedly raping his wife’s 17-year-old sister inside the bush, in Akure, the Ondo State capital. The suspect, a father of four, was said to have raped the victim sometime in August 2024, at 10 p.m., in the Onigaari area of Irese Road, Akure.

 

 

A source said that the suspect confesses that “The victim approached me to take her to her boyfriend’s house, and on our way, I stopped near a bush and raped her.

“I promised to give her money, which I did not. She then reported me to her mother, which led to my arrest.”

Contacted, the police image maker, Funmi Odunlami said that the suspect had been charged to court.
Odunlami said the suspect has been remanded at Olokuta prison by the court, over the alleged rape.
The police prosecutor, Inspector Taiwo Oniyere, said the defendant committed the offence sometime in August 2024, at 10p.m., in the Onigaari area of Irese Road, Akure.

Oniyere added that the defendant unlawfully had carnal knowledge of the 17-year-old girl (name withheld).

The offence, according to the charge, contravened Sections 357 and 358 of the Criminal Code Law of Ondo State, 2006.

Police prosecutor, Oniyere, urged the court to remand the defendant in prison custody pending advice from the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecutions, DPP.

 

The trial Chief Magistrate, Kolawole Aro, has, therefore, ordered that the defendant be remanded in Olokuta prison and that the case file be transferred to the DPP for advice.
Magistrate Aro has adjourned the case till October 31, 2024, for review.

 

 

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society

Hardship: Cleric Urges Southwest Leaders To Speak Up

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Hardship: Cleric Urges Southwest Leaders To Speak Up

Hardship: Cleric Urges Southwest Leaders To Speak Up

 

 

Renowned cleric and Planter of Christ Apostolic Church (CAC) Adamimogo Grace of Mercy Prayer Mountain Worldwide, Prophet Sam Olu Alo, has charged Southwest leaders to tell President Bola Ahmed Tinubu the hard truth about the current hardship faced by Nigerians. He urged all Southwest stakeholders to speak up to avert crises, particularly during this era of economic challenges.

Speaking on a radio program on Adamimogo FM, Alo said all stakeholders in Yorubaland, including Christian and Muslim bodies, as well as those with direct access to the President, should meet with him and let him know what Nigerians are going through.

He said, The Ooni of Ife should convene a meeting with all Obas in the Southwest and choose a delegation to meet Tinubu at Aso Rock.

“CAN President Pastor Samuel Oladele, Pastor Adeboye of RCCG, and other respected men of God should also lead a delegation of clerics to meet President Tinubu in Abuja to express how deeply Nigerians are suffering.”

According to him, President Tinubu is not a wicked person, but he has a listening ear to heed advice and take necessary steps to provide solutions to the problems.

He stated that President Tinubu needs prayers because it seems some past Nigerian leaders, who had good intentions, failed to achieve them once they entered Aso Rock.

The cleric recalled that President Tinubu had once assured Nigerians to be patient, saying that relief was on the way, but it seems the promise is yet to be fulfilled.

Alo called for a change in the leadership of NNPC, stating that for Tinubu to succeed and for Nigerians to be content with his administration, there is a need to either reform NNPC or scrap it entirely as it is one of the root causes of Nigeria’s problems.

Despite the economic hardship, Nigerians still support President Tinubu. Many graduates now regret going to school because those who didn’t attend are doing better than them.

“Farm produce is rotting in some areas due to a lack of good roads for transporting the products.

“Regarding the minimum wage, I once prophesied to Nigerian workers that even if N500,000 is given as the minimum wage, it still won’t be enough. There is no amount of minimum wage that will bring relief to workers. What they should focus on is how the prices of goods and services can be reduced to the barest minimum.”

He, however, urged Nigerians to be patient and give Tinubu time to address the issues, stating that protests or agitation are not the best solutions to the current challenges.

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