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Authorities of Ondo State University of Science and Technology (OSUSTECH), Okitipupa, have asked students to go on a two-week break over a students’ protest on Tuesday. Felix Akinnusi, the acting Registrar of the Institution, made the development known in a circular in Okitipupa. Mr Akinnusi said the holiday was for the management to deliberate on some of the demands of the students during the protest which disrupted academic activities in the school. “The Senate of OSUSTECH in an emergency meeting over students’ protest which disrupted academic activities directed all students to go on a two-week break. “The two weeks break, which took effect from April 24 to May 6, is to allow the management to take a critical look into some of the demands of the students,” he said. The students had protested over an increase in their tuition fees from N70,000 to N250,000. The students also protested over increment of departmental fees, unofficial fees, bad lecture halls, among others

The Deji of Akure Kingdom, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, has rejected the appointment of one Amos Idowu as the Osolo of Isolo town in the Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State. The Osolo stool, which is under the Akure monarch, became vacant following the death of the former occupant, Oba Kayode Oluwatuyi. In a statement on Saturday by the Deji’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Michael Adeyeye, the monarch described the appointment of Idowu by the kingmakers of the community as illegal. He alleged that the attitude of the kingmakers was aimed at destabilising Akureland. The statement read, “It is laughable that the said appointment was made in the middle of the night at a secret location in Akure. This appointment defies all logic known to Akure’s tradition and customs regarding the appointment of a chief. “We wish to state without mincing words that the Osolo title remains a chief in Akureland as affirmed by the Court of Appeal judgment, and the title remains vacant a

Akure, the Ondo State Capital was thrown into chaos on Sunday evening as a Masquerade’s head of the community was removed by an Hausa man around Sabo area of the city. This brought the anger of the Masquerade’s supporters on the Hausa man and later resulted to fight. Everybody was seeing running for their lives as no one could predict the end result of the scenario. Ondo State government said last night that peace had returned to Sabo, Akure where there was a minor misunderstanding between Hausa men, masqueraders and their followers. It was learnt that trouble started when a local masquerader allegedly had a misunderstanding with an Hausa man. Confirming the conflict, the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on Security Matters, Alhaji Jimoh Dojumo, said security agents had restored peace. He said the Commissioner of Police, State Director of DSS and other security chiefs had met with the aggrieved parties in order to forestall escalation of the crisis. Dojum

 local government elections in Ondo State may be held in before the middle of the year. Governor Rotimi Akeredolu dropped the hint while swearing in members of the Ondo State Independent Electoral Commission (ODIEC) at the Governor’s office in Akure. The Governor also declared his administration’s commitment to delivering the dividends of democracy to the people of the southwestern state. He expressed the readiness of his administration to ensure that elections are held in the local government areas in the state before the end of the year. Akeredolu charged members of ODIEC to ensure that the next round of elections to be conducted are free, fair and credible. “It is possible for us to have the leadership of a local government belong to a different political party from the one in control of the state. Our political experiences make the possibility appear remote in this clime. It is attainable if we are committed and sincere,” said Governor Akeredolu. He said for democracy

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State on Thursday said the state government intends to build a cancer centre at Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Owo. He made this known when members of the Governing Council of FMC, Owo paid him a courtesy visit in Akure. He said the location of the cancer centre at FMC Owo was purposeful as personnel and facilities at the medical centre would be shared. He added that “we can share personnel and facilities if the centre is located close to FMC. Doctors from FMC can also assist at the centre.”  The governor added that “we use the medical centre for emergency evacuations because of the ambulance and we also have personnel stationed there. All these are part of plan to develop the centre.” Mr Simon Anyankambe, the Chairman, Governing Council, FMC Owo, had appealed for government assistance toward developing the cancer centre.  He explained that although the centre belonged to Federal Government, the fact it was located in Ondo State made it necess

A 200 level first class student of the Federal University of Technology Akure (FUTA), Deborah Olajide has been reportedly  killed by a hit and run driver. The development sparked protest by her colleague as the university community was thrown into mourning. Police spokesman in the state, Femi Joseph said the main cause of the student’s death was unknown. However, he assured that the state police command would investigate the incident, urging the students to remain calm.Joseph said “the lifeless body of the deceased student was found by the road side which gave the impression that she might have been knocked down by a hit and run driver. But, we are not certain about the real cause of her death.” Late Olajide was said to be a 200 level student in the department of Food Science and Technology of the university. The deceased was described as very brilliant and lived off campus of the institution. A procession had been held in his honour by he colleague,which caused traffic

WITHIN the space of four days, two separate protests rocked Ondo State and shook it to its foundation. Pregnant women and students took to the streets of Akure during the week, to protest against what they termed 'anti-people policies.' In fact, security agencies in the state had a hectic time trying to rise up to the occasion. Pregnant women's antenatal protest The first set of people who expressed their displeasure over the state government's decision to hike fees for antenatal were pregnant women. In a rare public show, the women displayed their protruding stomachs to express their anger. The governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, who was in Abuja to attend a meeting of the All Progressives Congress, APC, and got wind of the protest, dispatched his Health Commissioner, Mr. Wahab Adegbenro to placate the protesting pregnant women. The state was grounded for almost four hours as activities at the state specialist hospital antenatal clinic . We learned that the p

The damages caused by protesting students of Rufus Giwa Polytechnic Owo (RUGIPO) at the institution would be paid for by them, Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State said on Thursday. Akeredolu spoke in Akure while receiving the report of the Committee of Inquiry on the violent protest by students of the institution. The four-man committee was set up on Feb. 5 to look into the violent protest by the students on Jan. 22. The students destroyed the school’s ICT centre, vehicles and other valuables of the institution while protesting the ‘No school fees, no exam’ policy introduced by the management. The governor, who expressed surprise at the extent of damage, said government’s action would serve as a deterrent to others. Akeredolu said that the students were expected to appreciate the tools of learning put in place for their sake instead of destroying them. “The ICT centre was already JAMB-compliant. Some of the students were found with computers and the students who ar

Thirty corps members, who participated in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme in Ondo State for the 2017 Batch A service year, will have to repeat the programme for abscondment. The Ondo State NYSC Coordinator, Mrs Grace Akpabio, made the disclosure at the passing out parade for the corps members held in Akure on Thursday. She said that 2,088 corps members successfully passed out, with three getting state awards for outstanding performance during the service year. Akpabio said that 17 corps members got extension ranging from two weeks to three months for truancy and other offences. The coordinator said the offences were against the scheme’s rules and regulations. “Permit me to stress that gone are the days of being expectant of a life-time job immediately after service. ‘‘It is deception of oneself if you think along that line, it is better for you to brace up and think of what you can do yourself. “Do not align with people that put up attitude as if creative

THE new Chief Judge of Ondo State, Justice Olutoyin Akeredolu, has announced the introduction of Family Court in the State to ensure accelerated hearing on cases relating to violence against women and children. Akeredolu who stated this during her inauguration as the 11th Chief Judge of the State, said the Family Court with its specialised jurisdiction in child rights and family matters, with a full complement of the registry, is now fully operational in the state. She said “Counsel and litigants are at liberty to file processes at the said registry as the case may be “For the sake of the uninformed, the court is set up pursuant to Part XIII ( Section 149- 162) of Ondo State Child Right Law of 2007 for the purpose of hearing and determining matters relating to children. She explained that the court operates at two levels which included: as a division High Court at the High Court level and as a Magistrate Court at Magistrate level. The new CJ said the establishment of the

The Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi, has called for the cooperation of all traditional rulers in the area to facilitate unprecedented development in communities within the kingdom and Ondo State as a whole. Oba Aladelusi, who stated this in his palace while reacting to an Akure High Court judgment which upheld his supremacy over other community, in the two councils, said the peace and development of the area should be the priority rather than battle over supremacy. The traditional ruler, promised to work with other traditional rulers towards bringing development to communities in Ondo State. He said the judgment would further engender unity among the communities just as he promised to ensure peaceful coexistence among all traditional rulers in the area. It will be recalled that the Oloba of Oba-Ile and others had dragged the Deji of Akureland to court over the legality of the chieftaincy appointment made by him in Akure North Local Government Area of the state.

         STUDENTS of the Ondo state-owned University, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, on Monday, blocked all the major roads in the capital city of Akure, protesting the over 500 percent increase in tuition fee.          STUDENTS of the Ondo state-owned University, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, on Monday, blocked all the major roads in the capital city of Akure, protesting the over 500 percent increase in tuition fee. The students numbering about 1,000, led by the leadership of the National Association of Nigeria Students (NANS) who trooped to streets as early as 8:00 am, were armed with placards of various inscription and chanting anti-government song, vowing to resist any increment in the tuition of the school. However, the State House of Assembly has dissociated itself from the increase in tuition fee, saying the action of the governing council of the school negates the earlier agreement. Speaking on behalf of the lawmaker, the Chairman, House Committe

The Governing Council of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, has announced April 8, 2018, as the resumption date for the students. The institution has also fixed N180,000 as the tuition fees for the returning students, which is about 500 per cent increase from the previous N30, 000 paid last session. The school remained closed after the end of the 2017/ 2018 academic session in January following the inability of the government to conclude on the new fees but the students and parents had appealed to the government to intervene in the matter. But it was gathered that the State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, had approved the new fees in line with the recommendation of the Governing Council of the institution. In a statement signed by the Chairman of the Governing Council of the AAUA, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, on Thursday, the students were directed to check the school’s portal to see the new development. The statement read in part, “In order to avoid a

Traditional rulers in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State have rejected the recent judgement of a High Court that affirmed that the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Aladelusi has a consenting and prescribed authority to install minor chiefs and Olojas in both Akure south and Akure North Local Government Areas of the state.     The monarchs under the umbrella of Akure North Local Government Chieftaincy Committee, described the verdict as strange and contradicted the 1984 Chiefs Law of Ondo State as amended in 1991 and the Land Use Act which limited the prescribed authority of any traditional ruler to only communities in his local government area. The monarchs added that the High Court verdict would be challenged at the Appeallate Court by the parties involved. In a statement signed on behalf of the Obas, Olus and Olojas in Akure North Local Government Area, the Ogbolu of Ita-Ogbolu, Oba Idowu Faborode who is also their Chairman and the Oloba of Oba-Ile, Oba Joseph Oluwada

S cores of pregnant women on Thursday shut down the Ondo State Specialist Hospital, Akure, in protest over what they described as the outrageous medical bills being charged at the facility. The women, numbering about fifty, accused the Governor Rotimi Akeredolu led government of over-taxing pregnant women for antenatal care in government-owned hospitals before any childbirth. The expectant women complained that they were being asked to pay between N25, 000 and N35, 000 before any delivery. The protesting women specifically berated the government for fixing the cost of Caesarean section at between N50, 000 and N80, 000. They complained about other ‘anti-people policies’ introduced at state-owned hospitals since the inception of the Akeredolu government According to the angry women, hospital officials were in the habit of charging piling up frivolous medical bills ranging from N700 to N50, 000 on patients.

Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State  assured Nigerians that they would soon overcome whatever challenges confronting them. Akeredolu gave the assurance during the 2018 Easter Service at the Chapel of Grace, Government House in Akure, Ondo State. The governor, who tasked the Christian community to have hope that Nigeria would be great again, urged them to rededicate themselves to the service of their fatherland. Ondo State Governor Rotimi Akeredolu He described Easter as a period of sober reflection on the significance of the death of Jesus Christ and his great sacrifice to give humanity the hope of eternal life. According to him, the exemplary life of Jesus Christ is a great lesson that must be emulated by all. He advised Christians to continue to be tolerant of one another, show and promote love, as well as be advocates of peaceful coexistence. In his sermon with theme: ‘The Resurrection of Jesus Christ: A Demonstration of divine love”, Revd Lawrence Ekundayo said the re

Students of the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko (AAUA)  have issued a 7- day ultimatum to Ondo state government and the governing council of the institution to reopen the school or face their wrath. They made the demand in an electronic statement obtained in Akure on Sunday. However, President of the Student Union Government, SUG, Ijanusi Olawale, in a statement said: “Today makes it 80 days that we have been made to sit at home since the 2016/2017 academic session ended. “It is quite pathetic that the government has been quite undisturbed by this disheartening predicament. The government has been so unperturbed by the fact that we are wasting away at home. We have wasted a whole semester at home doing nothing. “The hope of our 500 level Law students going to Law School is now hanging in the wind. “We have been silent enough. We will not allow the administration of the government to toy with our future. We have been pushed to the wall, and it is now highly sacrosanct, ge