Connect with us

society

Ogun palliatives: CAN, Muslim community, CDC, others debunk viral video

Published

on

Ogun palliatives: CAN, Muslim community, CDC, others debunk viral video

 

 

 

Stakeholders in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State on Monday debunked claims in a viral online video that a 10kg bag of rice was given to be shared as palliative in Sokeye Community.

 

 

 

 

 

At a meeting called by the leadership of the council to explain how the palliatives meant to alleviate the pains occasioned by the removal of fuel subsidy were distributed, stakeholders said the formula used to share the bags of rice is the best they’ve ever seen in the state.

 

 

 

 

 

Speaking at the event, Bishop Ezekiel Olukunle, who represented CAN on the committee that shared and monitored the palliatives, described the video as a hatchet job and urged the public to disregard it.

 

 

 

 

“CAN was given 1000 bags of rice for our members who are vulnerable. We shared these diligently and Sokeye, like every communities, got its own share. How then can he say only one bag was to be shared by all households in the estate? He is definitely up to something bad and we plead that he should be ignored,” he said.

 

 

 

 

 

Corroborating the Bishop, Dr. Saheed Adeleye, who represented the Muslim Community on the sharing committee, said the formula used to share the palliatives is the best he has seen in his almost 40 years of living in the council area.

 

 

 

 

The community leader who said the man who did the video lives in the same area with him, describe him as a known opposition agent.

 

 

 

 

 

“There is no truth in the claims of the man. He is being used. We know him. He has never contributed to the development of our area but he is good at ganging up against every government.

 

 

 

 

 

“I can tell you that we in the Muslim Community got 1000 bags of rice which we distributed to the vulnerable amongst us. I live in Sokeye and I can confirm that not less than 165 bags of rice were given to the needy in the community. This is the same community the man was lying about.

 

 

 

 

“And we are not the only one who got rice to share. CAN, youths, market women, traditionalists, Baales, the Obas, Hausa, Igbo, Igede communities the Isese, artisans and many other stakeholders also shared rice for people in Sokeye. We have never had it so good in the last 40 years that I have been there,” he affirmed.

Mr. Babalola Samuel Olakunle, who is the Chairman of the Community Development Council (CDC) covering Sokeye Estate, said not less than 2000 bags of rice were given to the CDC to be shared to the vulnerables in the various communities.

He added that the CDA chairman who did the video refused to be part of the efforts to distribute the palliative when contacted.

“The one bag of rice he displayed was specifically given to him for onward transmission to an identified vulnerable widow in his estate, not for the whole estate and he knew that.

He is being used by opposition politicians to tarnish the government. We know him very well and we can tell you his antecedents.

“Aside from the thousand of bags shared by the CDC part of which we got in Sokeye and other communities, the Muslim community, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), market association, youth groups, etc also collected bags of rice and shared for their needy members in the estate and other communities.

“How then can he claim only one bag was given to the whole estate? We find his online video mischievous and embarrassing. That is why we are here to profusely debunk it and apologise to the state government.

“We also think he should be made to explain his actions so as to prevent other people with the same motive from going the same way,” Babalola added.

Also, Chief Mrs. Kemi Ogunleye, the Iyaloja of the LGA, explained how market women were given 1000 bags of rice as palliatives.

“We shared it among out people and more than 60 bags were given to market women in Sokeye where that man lives. Just because the state government did not hand over all the rice to him to share as it used to be in the past, he is now spreading falsehood.

“He is angry because it is no longer business as usual,” she said.

In his own testimony, Chief Kasumu Jamiu Sonola, the Baale of Asese community and Chairman, Council of Baales in the local government, said he took delivery of 1000 bags of rice on behalf of the Council.

“We didn’t keep it for ourselves. We shared it for the needy in our various communities. All the Baales collected and took it to the poor people in their domains.

“Sokeye got its own share. So the man cannot be saying the truth. I personally ensured that it was given to the targeted beneficiaries,” he said.

Speaking on the development, Oba Taofeek Owolabi, the Olu of Obafe and Chairman of the Council of Obas in the LGA, lauded Governor Dapo Abiodun for ensuring the diligent distribution of the palliatives.

“This time around, the sharing of the palliatives was done in a manner that it got to the people who should benefit from it.

“I am surprised to hear about the video. It is unfortunate that some people wanted to rubbish a fantastic innovation. This is the best way to share the palliatives and I appreciate the governor and everybody involved.

“Even we Kabyesis got 500 bags of rice which we shared to our people. With the way the palliatives were shared, no well meaning person should complain. Governor Abiodun’s style is the best we have seen in Ogun State,” he explained.

Urging the public to disregard the content of the video, Chairman of Obafemi Owode LGA, Hon. Lanre Ogunsola Adesina said the committee put in place to oversee the sharing of the palliatives did a good job.

“We started the process with the composition of pallative distribution committee that was inaugurated at the local government secretariat on 26th September 2023.

“The members of the committee were drawn from the three zones made up the council area namely, Obafe, Owode and Oba zones with Kabiyesis, Baales, religious associations, youths, women, market associations, Community Development Associations, people with disabilities, security agencies and others ably represented.

“It is now unfortunate to see a viral video being presented by the CDA chairman to the public that a bag of rice was meant for the entire household in his estate. It is pertinent to say that the bag of rice shown in the viral video was meant to be sent to a vulnerable within the community through the CDA chairman.

“Several other members of the CDA in the area have gotten their own through Baales, market men/women, community development associations, christian association, Muslim association, youth council, people with disability and security agencies.

“A similar viral video earlier thrown to the public was later debunked by the CDA chairman who released it after he sought further clarification.

“This is why we suspected very strongly that the Sokeye CDA chairman may be out to intentionally work against the state government’s bid to reach out to the targeted vulnerables.

“After a careful look at the video, we wish to state that the action and statement of the CDA chairman is politically sponsored by the opposition.

“Please disregard the viral video as it is aimed as tarnishing the image of the performing governor, Prince (Dr)Dapo Abiodun (CON).

 

 

Ogun palliatives: CAN, Muslim community, CDC, others debunk viral video

society

Ramadan: Adron Homes Felicitates Muslims, Preaches Hope and Unity

Published

on

Ramadan: Adron Homes Felicitates Muslims, Preaches Hope and Unity

Adron Homes & Properties Limited has congratulated Muslim faithful on the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan, urging Nigerians to embrace the virtues of sacrifice, discipline, and compassion that define the season.

In a statement made available to journalists, the company described Ramadan as a period of deep reflection, spiritual renewal, and strengthened devotion to faith and humanity.

According to the management, the holy month represents values that align with the organisation’s commitment to integrity, resilience, and community development.

“Ramadan is a time that teaches patience, generosity, and selflessness. As our Muslim customers and partners begin the fast, we pray that their sacrifices are accepted and that the season brings peace, joy, and renewed hope to their homes and the nation at large,” the statement read.

The firm reaffirmed its dedication to providing affordable and accessible housing solutions to Nigerians, noting that building homes goes beyond structures to creating environments where families can thrive.

Adron Homes further urged citizens to use the period to pray for national unity, economic stability, and sustainable growth.

It wished all Muslim faithful a spiritually fulfilling Ramadan.

Ramadan Mubarak.

Continue Reading

society

Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence By George Omagbemi Sylvester

Published

on

Underfunding National Security: Envelope Budgeting Fails Nigeria’s Defence

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by saharaweeklyng.com

“Fiscal Rigidity in a Time of Crisis: Lawmakers Say Fixed Budget Ceilings Are Crippling Nigeria’s Fight Against Insurgency, Banditry, and Organized Crime.”

Nigeria’s legislature has issued a stark warning: the envelope budgeting system; a fiscal model that caps spending for ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) is inadequate to meet the country’s escalating security challenges. Lawmakers and budget analysts argue that rigid fiscal ceilings are undermining the nation’s ability to confront insurgency, banditry, kidnapping, separatist violence, oil theft and maritime insecurity.

The warning emerged during the 2026 budget defence session for the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) at the National Assembly in Abuja. Senator Yahaya Abdullahi (APC‑Kebbi North), chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, decried the envelope system, noting that security agencies “have been subject to the vagaries of the envelope system rather than to genuine needs and requirements.” The committee highlighted non-release or partial release of capital funds from previous budgets, which has hindered procurement, intelligence and operational capacity.

Nigeria faces a multi‑front security crisis: persistent insurgency in the North‑East, banditry and kidnappings across the North‑West and North‑Central, separatist tensions in the South‑East, and piracy affecting Niger Delta oil production. Despite declarations of a national security emergency by President Bola Tinubu, lawmakers point to a “disconnect” between rhetoric and the actual fiscal support for agencies tasked with enforcement.

Experts warn that security operations demand flexibility and rapid resource allocation. Dr. Amina Bello, a public finance specialist, said: “A static budget in a dynamic threat environment is like sending firefighters with water jugs to a forest fire. You need flexibility, not fixed ceilings, to adapt to unforeseen developments.”

The Permanent Secretary of Special Services at ONSA, Mohammed Sanusi, detailed operational consequences: irregular overhead releases, unfulfilled capital appropriations, and constrained foreign service funds. These fiscal constraints have weakened intelligence and covert units, hampering surveillance, cyber‑security, counter‑terrorism and intelligence sharing.

Delayed capital releases have stalled critical projects, including infrastructure upgrades and surveillance systems. Professor Kolawole Adeyemi, a governance expert, emphasized that “budgeting for security must allow for rapid reallocation in response to threats that move faster than political cycles. Envelope budgeting lacks this essential flexibility.”

While the National Assembly advocates fiscal discipline, lawmakers stress that security funding requires strategic responsiveness. Speaker Abbas Ibrahim underscored that security deserves “prominent and sustained attention” in the 2026 budget, balancing oversight with operational needs.

In response, the Senate committee plans to pursue reforms, including collaboration with the executive to restructure funding, explore supplementary budgets and ensure predictable and sufficient resources for security agencies. Experts warn that without reform, criminal networks will exploit these gaps, eroding public trust.

As one policy analyst summarized: “A nation declares a security emergency; but if its budget does not follow with real resources and oversight, the emergency remains rhetorical.” Nigeria’s debate over envelope budgeting is more than an accounting dispute; it is a contest over the nation’s security priorities and its commitment to safeguarding citizens.

Continue Reading

society

Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrates as She Marks Her Birthday

Published

on

Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrates as She Marks Her Birthday

 

Today, the world and the body of Christ rise in celebration of a rare vessel of honour, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba, fondly known as Eritosin, as she marks her birthday.

Born a special child with a divine mark of grace, Rev. Mother Eritosin’s journey in God’s vineyard spans several decades of steadfast service, spiritual depth, and undeniable impact. Those who know her closely describe her as a prophetess with a heart of gold — a woman whose calling is not worn as a title, but lived daily through compassion, discipline, humility, and unwavering faith.

From her early days in ministry, she has touched lives across communities, offering spiritual guidance, prophetic insight, and motherly counsel. Many testify that through her prayers and teachings, they encountered God in a deeply personal and transformative way. Near and far, her influence continues to echo — not only within church walls, but in homes, families, and destinies reshaped through her mentorship.

A mother in every sense of the word, Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba embodies nurture and correction in equal measure. As a grandmother, she remains energetic in purpose — accommodating the wayward, embracing the rejected, and holding firmly to the belief that no soul is beyond redemption. Her life’s mission has remained consistent: to lead many to Christ and guide them into the light of a new beginning.

Deeply rooted within the C&S Unification, she stands tall as a spiritual pillar in the Cherubim and Seraphim Church globally. Her dedication to holiness, unity, and prophetic service has earned her widespread respect as a spiritual matriarch whose voice carries both authority and humility.

As she celebrates another year today, tributes continue to pour in from spiritual sons and daughters, church leaders, and admirers who see in her a living reflection of grace in action.

Prayer for Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin)

May the Almighty God, who called you from birth and anointed you for His service, continually strengthen you with divine health and renewed vigour.

May your oil never run dry, and may your prophetic mantle grow heavier with greater glory.

May the lives you have nurtured rise to call you blessed.

May your latter years be greater than the former, filled with peace, honour, and the visible rewards of your labour in God’s vineyard.

May heaven continually back your prayers, and may your light shine brighter across nations.

Happy Birthday to a true Mother in Israel — Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin).

More years.

More anointing.

More impact.

If you want this adapted for a newspaper page, church bulletin, Facebook post, or birthday flyer, just tell me the format and tone.

Rev. Mother Kehinde Osoba (Eritosin) Celebrated as She Marks Her Birthday

Continue Reading

Cover Of The Week

Trending