Category: Nigerian Tribune

Ogun State has lately been grabbing headlines; and for good reason. From a new international airport to major refinery plans, the infrastructures being placed across the state are shifting the investment map. Among its towns, Ijebu-Ode is emerging as a strong hotspot, and Mone Realty is positioning itself to be your best guide into that opportunity.

First, let’s talk about what’s changing on the ground in Ogun.

Gateway International Airport

The Gateway International Airport at Ilishan/Iperu is set to begin commercial flights in October 2025. With a runway that can handle wide-body aircraft, the airport is expected to boost trade, tourism, and accessibility across Ogun. For nearby towns like Ijebu-Ode, this translates into easier connectivity and rising land values.

Ijebu-Ode Inland Dry Port

The federal government has approved an Inland Dry Port in Ijebu-Ode, with 130 hectares already released along the Epe/Mojoda Expressway. Linked by rail to the Lekki Deep Sea Port, the dry port will ease pressure on Lagos ports and establish Ijebu-Ode as a new logistics hub. The project is expected to attract warehouses, factories, and businesses that will reshape the city’s economy.

Dangote Deep Seaport, Olokola – Ijebu waterside

Dangote Group is also moving ahead with plans for a deep seaport at Olokola in Ogun State. Located within the Olokola Free Trade Zone, the port will handle fertilizer, petrochemical, and LNG exports while reducing dependence on Lagos seaports. Designed as one of Nigeria’s deepest ports, it is expected to rival Lekki Deep Sea Port and attract major industrial and export activity, bringing new infrastructure and opportunities to the Ogun corridor.

The Push for Ijebu State

Ijebu leaders are renewing calls for the creation of Ijebu State, with Ijebu-Ode proposed as the capital. If approved, the new state would bring more federal attention, infrastructure, and administrative presence, cementing Ijebu-Ode’s status as a political and economic center. For real estate investors, that means stronger demand and long-term appreciation.

Why Ijebu-Ode is worth your attention

The signs are already visible. Investors are quietly moving into Ijebu-Ode to establish small industries, retail outlets, event centres, schools and hospitality ventures. Land values are rising fast, plots along Ibadan Road now go for as high as ?100 million for 500sqm.

Commercial landmarks are also driving value. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s OOPL Obanta Centre in Ijebu-Ode stands as a hub for business and social activities, boosting the city’s profile as both a cultural and commercial magnet.

Every year, Ijebu-Ode comes alive with the world-famous Ojude Oba festival, a celebration of unity, colour and heritage that attracts thousands of indigenes and tourists from across Nigeria and beyond. Beyond its cultural significance, the festival boosts local commerce and hospitality, with hotels, restaurants and transport operators recording peak sales during the period.

Ijebu-Ode’s location is another major advantage. Sharing close boundary links with Lagos, it benefits from the state’s economic overflow. Many individuals and businesses seeking affordable but accessible alternatives to Lagos are now looking toward Ijebu-Ode. With improved road networks and ongoing infrastructure development, the city offers both proximity and peace, ideal for residence, commerce and investment.

Tap in through Mone Realty and ‘The Origin’

For those asking ‘where do I start?’. Mone Realty is already on the ground.

Mone Realty stands at the forefront of this transformation. The real estate firm has positioned itself as a trusted partner for anyone looking to invest in Ijebu-Ode. With a clear vision to ‘build communities and redefine the future of property investment,’ the company develops, builds, sells, and manages real estate projects that promote long-term value.

Its flagship project, The Origin; located along Ijebu Ode – Our expressway, reflects this commitment, a development designed to combine comfort, accessibility, and community living.

The Origin is a planned development with:

Title-registered and surveyed plots (300sqm, 500sqm, 750sqm, 1000sqm)

Electricity, road network, and street lighting

Lifestyle features including a farm-to-table restaurant, gym house, mini bar, and mini sports centre

On 27th September, Mone Realty held its first allocation ceremony at The Origin, and another allocation is already scheduled for February 2026. For investors, this is proof of delivery and reliability in a market where many promises often remain on paper.

For anyone looking to own property in a fast-rising city with guaranteed appreciation, The Origin offers the perfect opportunity to start.

Check out their Instagram page: @monerealty

The Window of Opportunity

Picture this:

You own a plot that sits along a road leading to the new airport. In years, that road becomes a busy corridor.

You take advantage of lower land costs now, and later you sell part or all at high returns as demand comes.

You get the security of a title-registered plot from a developer who delivered an allocation already.

For enquiries, you can reach +234 707 545 2769 or +234 816 488 3340; or email sales@monerealtyltd.homes, visit: http://monerealtyltd.homes; office address: First Floor, Fontana Building, Molipa Express, Ijebu Ode

It’s not just about buying land. It’s about positioning yourself for the future.

I always find it hard to pass stools. Kindly advise me on what to do.

– Fatima (by SMS)

It is important to find a way to soften your stool immediately. To do this, it is important to drink lots of water. In addition, you can procure some stool softeners and suppositories from a reputable pharmacy.

However, if nothing works after 24 hours, you need to see a doctor because fecal impaction can cause really serious problems.

A long-term solution for constipation, in addition to the consumption of water, is to increase your intake of roughages such as fruits, vegetables and cereals. Regular exercises have also been found to be very effective.

If you think that the ongoing massacre of Yoruba people in Kwara State by Fulani terrorists is some farmer-herder clash, proceed straight to Aro, Abeokuta, for a mental evaluation. The terrorists who are maiming young and old, male and female, burning houses and farmlands and molesting wife and maid are not cattle rearers looking for fodder: they are merchants of bloodshed seeking the extermination of local communities. They have seized many lands across the country, right in the presence of law enforcement, and are continuing their genocidal onslaughts in the face of state inaction/complicity.

Have you seen the video of the distraught Kwara Yoruba woman on the bare earth bewailing the slaughter of her darling husband whose body lay on the ground before her? The husband of her youth, the same man for whom she had cooked breakfast that very day, lay beside her, forever silenced. May this woman’s voice be recorded eternally against the killers: ‘They have killed my husband, I have no one, I am the one videoing myself. Kwara State government, they have killed my husband. The Department of State Services gave guns to Miyetti Allah after collecting guns from Yoruba vigilantes. My husband was coming home, they broke the glass of the vehicle he was in and killed him and his brother. They killed 14 persons. They killed 10 vigilantes and took away husband and wife. This is my husband, Ishola, I cannot run away from his corpse. I cannot run from my husband’s corpse.’

To the lunatics who mocked this woman, I have to say: there is a God in heaven who watches over all. A woman has just lost her husband in the most horrendous of circumstances, and you see reason to load the internet with vile abuse?

You may have seen the terrible videos showing distraught community members mourning their loved ones and others exiting their land of birth in droves. Go to Oke-Ode community in Kwara State and see what it means to experience agony. May I tell the authorities: please, stop this genocide. If you push the Yoruba race, the Igbo race or any other race to war after decades of longsuffering, there may be no country to even think of afterwards. Only the beginning of rebellion is tolerable. How can one ethnic group perpetually torment nearly 500 ethnic groups, slaughtering people at will? Who disarmed the Oke Ode hunters and why? Why do you disarm the Yoruba so Bororo Fulani can kill them? This provocation is becoming too outrageous.

Hear an Oke Ode resident: ‘We have made efforts and we are tired. People are running away from the community, even students.’ Oke-Ode community in Ifelodun LG of Kwara State, like other Yoruba communities, is under siege. According to the police,12 vigilante members, including the Baale of Ogbayo, were killed during the recent onslaught by Fulani terrorists. The non-Yoruba communities are also under siege. In Essanti village of Patigi, the perpetual provocateurs are at their genocidal game. Ditto in Marri. Or Matogu where, in September, no fewer than 10 people, including a pregnant woman, were slaughtered. The Nupe Descendants Union (NDU) has sent many Save Our Souls messages to the Kwara State Government to no avail.

In the face of the endless slaughter in Yoruba communities, an activist said in deep anguish: ‘The rest of Kwara needs to break away from Ilorin, so they can be protected by Amotekun.’ This need not cause any trouble: if the Yoruba communities, including those in Kogi State, wish to be united with their kith and kith in the South-West, let this be arranged by law. After all, Nigeria’s six zones are ‘geo-political,’ meaning that you can tinker with the politics, the same politics that created something called ‘Atisbo’ in Oyo State.

In August, the ‘Ìgbìm?` Májékóbájé Ìl?` Yorùbá’ (Yoruba Union) gave Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq seven days to stop the bloodshed or face public rejection. ‘We can no longer sit idle while our ancestral lands are turned into killing fields,’ it declared in a statement signed by its convener, Olusola Badero, and its Home Director, Princess Balogun. It was speaking in the aftermath of the Saturday, August 9, 2025 incident that forced residents of Babanla and surrounding communities to flee their homes: more than 200 terrorists had stormed the area on motorcycles from multiple directions. They sacked the Divisional Police Headquarters, killing five people (including a police officer), looted the main market, abducted villagers, and forced more than 3,000 residents to abandon their homes. For how long will this outrage go on in a land that has both king and chief? The Fulani killers have been launching their genocidal attacks for over a month, yet we are supposed to be One Nigeria. I laugh in Swahili.

Indeed, just like the elders of Plateau State and some Hausa groups once did, a coalition of 130 Pan-Yoruba groups has reportedly written to the United Nations, warning of a looming genocide against the Yoruba people of Western Nigeria. The petition signed by Popoola Ajayi, Secretary-General of the Alliance for Yoruba Democratic Movements, cited the September 17 killing of 15 people in Oke-Ode by suspected Fulani militants. I cannot fault the group’s claim that the incident was ‘a prelude to the mass invasion of Yoruba territories by heavily armed terrorists who are known for their thirst for blood and human flesh.’ The Yoruba people, like other groups, have endured more than a century of violence and torture in the hands of extremists since the 1804 Jihad. Ask the people of Igangan in Kwara State. Visit Ishieke in Ebonyi State.

The following is from the website, https://www.irohinodua.org/help-us-yoruba-in-kwara-cry-out-as-terrorists-sack-communities/: ‘The Igbomina-Yoruba community of Isanlu Isin in Kwara State has called for urgent intervention to save it from terrorist attacks. Suspected Fulani terrorists have plunged many Yoruba communities in Kwara into turmoil with residents living under the constant threat of bandits. The communities claim bandits have turned their once-peaceful land into a ‘theater of fear, bloodshed, and uncertainty’ Many Yoruba communities in Kogi are facing the same challenges. A statement signed by Dr. Jacob Ayanda Esq, Vice President of the Isanlu Isin Development Association, on behalf of the people of Isanlu Isin..called on the Federal Government and other Yoruba Communities to come to their aid. ‘We have been under siege by criminal bandits for over two months now.’

If the Yoruba are to survive this brutal onslaught, it is time to put up a resistance. The Yoruba communities must defend themselves; they must meet brutality with utter viciousness. It is better to fight and lose than to refuse to fight. Relying on divine law, international law and justice, I say: you will either defend yourselves or perish and vanish without trace. As former Defence/Army chief Theophilus Danjuma has said, if you wait for anyone to defend you, then you will all perish one by one. I will conclude by saying this: any attempt to deny any community the opportunity to defend itself is an open declaration of war on that community. These communities existed long before anything called Nigeria.

AbdulAlim Alimi, Basic Two, 6yrs

A good friend is somone who loves and cares about you. A good friend will not lie to you, he will be honest and tell you the truth. Friends are supposed to play with each other and have fun always. You also share things with your friend. You can share your toys, your stuff or anything at all because you do not need to keep all you have to yourself. Friends also do things together.

This is what is called friendship.

Abubakr Babangana, Basic Five, 10 yrs.

A good friend makes me feel happy, calm, cool and relaxed. I enjoy being around such a friend because the vibes are nice when he is there. I just enjoy the way I feel when my friend is around.

AbdulHamid Aliyu, 6 yrs.ss

Being a good friend means you stay together. You like being with him or her all the time. You also care for each other. When you care for someone, you help him or her, and are always there for each other. You stay by your friend when he or she is facing challenges, and do not run away. Friends also share things together. When you do all these things, you feel good being around such a person.

Abayomi AbdulMartin, Basic 2, 6 yrs.

A good friend helps me and plays with me. He will share toys and ball with me. A good friend will make me smile, he will not fight with me all the time and we will play together like superheroes.

Raheem Mariam, JSS 3, 12 yrs.

To me, a good friend is someone who cares about me and makes me happy. My friend will make me laugh even when I do not feel like and she will never make fun of me. A good friend is someone I can share my secret with and would not go about telling others.Basically, a good friend is someone who is honest, kind and always there for me.

Joshua Justina, JSS 2, 11 yrs.

A good friend will always care about me. She is someone I can study with without getting bored. My friends do explain things I do not understand to me and I also remind them of things they forget. In all, a good friend is someone I can study and have fun with.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State says the South-West will not abandon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in 2027.

The APC Spokesman, Mr Seye Oladejo, in a statement on Saturday in Lagos, was reacting to a comment credited to supporters of a PDP presidential aspirant, Dr Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, that the South-West would not re-elect Tinubu in 2027.

Oladejo said that Olawepo-Hashim had never built a durable political structure nor demonstrated the electoral muscle required to win a national contest.

According to him, Tinubu will crush all gang-ups against his re-election in 2027.

Oladejo said, ‘Olawepo-Hashim is a perennial aspirant and convenient mascot for opposition desperation.

‘He (Olawepo-Hashim) may parade endorsements in tiny rallies and press statements, but endorsements on photocopied letterheads do not translate to votes.

‘In the unlikely event that he somehow emerges as the presidential candidate of the free-falling PDP – a party apparently bankrupt of depth in both human and material resources – he will be roundly beaten at the poll.

‘That is not bravado; it is political arithmetic. The PDP’s hollow theatrics and recycled claimants will not rescue a party that has for years relied on sentiment and nostalgia rather than competence and delivery.’

He said Olawepo-Hashim’s attempt to caricature the Tinubu administration’s record was ‘particularly distasteful and unacceptable.’

According to him, Tinubu’s administration is laying visible and irreversible foundations across infrastructure, education, agriculture, security, and fiscal reforms.

‘Those who traffic in selective statistics and currency rhetoric do so because they cannot defend the alternative: a return to the waste, arrogance, and economic mismanagement that nearly extinguished our nation’s potential.

‘Nigerians will not be hoodwinked into trading present progress for recycled excuses.

‘To the political jobbers behind this noise: stop insulting the intelligence of Lagos residents and Nigerians,’ he said.

He said that the opposition should not convert press releases into governance competence.

‘In 2027, voters will choose continuity with a president who has delivered direction and results – not the empty spectacle offered by political tourists.

‘The South-West will not abandon its own for a project of theatrical ambition without substance,’ he added.

Amid a wave of relentless bandit attacks, residents of Kebbe Local Government Area in Sokoto State have appealed to the Federal Government to grant them the right to bear arms for self-defence.

Their appeal follows fresh assaults by the deadly Lakurawa bandit group, which have left several people dead, many displaced, and entire communities living in fear.

Addressing journalists at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Secretariat in Sokoto on Saturday, the leader of the group, Alhaji Adamu Haruna Kebbe, said residents have lost confidence in the government’s ability to protect them.

‘We can no longer sleep with our eyes closed. Our people are being killed almost daily, and the government has abandoned us to our fate,’ Haruna lamented.

He accused the state authorities of failing to assess the worsening security situation or provide adequate support to local security volunteers battling the bandits.

The community leaders also demanded direct federal allocations to local governments to enable them to fund and equip local security operatives. They argued that empowering communities would help them defend themselves and curb further bloodshed.

Sokoto has been one of the epicentres of banditry in northern Nigeria, with new militant groups such as the Lakurawas and the notorious gang led by Bello Turji terrorising villages across Isa, Sabon Birni and Kebbe local government areas.

Although the state government has acknowledged the growing threat, residents insist that government efforts have been too little, too late.

Security analysts say the residents’ desperate call for self-defence reflects the erosion of trust in the state’s capacity to safeguard lives and property.

‘If the government cannot protect us, it should allow us to protect ourselves,’ another community leader said.

As the attacks persist, the people of Kebbe warn that they will no longer sit idly by while bandits destroy their communities. Their message to the government is clear: act now or give us the right to defend ourselves.

The Federal Government has commended the Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, for spearheading the transformation of the health sector in the state, describing it as a model for health system strengthening in Nigeria.

The commendation came from the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, during the commissioning of a state-of-the-art Accident and Emergency (A and E) unit at the General Hospital, Kaltungo.

Built from the ground up by the Inuwa Yahaya-led administration, the new A and E complex boasts consulting rooms, a triage area, seminar rooms, a library, restrooms and offices.

State Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, explained that the facility is part of sweeping upgrades aimed at repositioning the hospital for effective service delivery.

In his remarks, Pate praised the governor’s comprehensive reforms, spanning primary healthcare revitalisation, hospital upgrades, human resource development, and specialised medical centres.

He said, ‘His Excellency and his team have done an amazing job in improving the health system. From revitalising PHCs and upgrading general hospitals, to converting the former Kumo General Hospital into a Federal Medical Centre, these efforts are in tune with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.’

The minister also lauded Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s recent approval of CONMESS and CONHESS salary structures for health workers, calling it a bold and strategic step toward retaining skilled personnel.

Inuwa, in his remarks, attributed the success to teamwork and collaboration.

‘All the praise belongs to the team. Facilities alone are not enough, which is why we incentivised our health workers so our facilities, from primary to tertiary, can function effectively,’ the governor said.

While on inspection of the Snakebite Treatment and Research Centre, Kaltungo, the minister emphasised its regional and international importance, particularly during farming seasons when snakebites are most common.

‘This centre treats between 2,000 and 3,000 patients annually, many of whom come not only from Gombe but also from across the Northeast and even neighbouring countries.

‘The Federal Government, in partnership with Gombe state, will formalise arrangements to expand its role, not only as a treatment hub but also for training, research, and, ultimately, local production of anti-snake venom,’ Pate said.

Legal representatives of Ms. Amaka Obasi, principal of Arden Lifestyle Company, have issued a statement addressing the contractual dispute between their client and musician Divine Ikubor, popularly known as Rema.

In the statement dated September 28, 2025, Valerian Vianney and Partners LP said Obasi was engaged under a duly executed Designer Services Agreement to renovate a residential property belonging to Rema in Lagos.

The agreement covered structural works such as demolition, expansion of the building from four to five bedrooms, pool reconstruction, flooring, tiling, POP installation, roofing, and carport construction.

The law firm noted that Obasi had previously handled two projects for the Ikubor family without dispute and maintained regular communication with Rema during the renovation, including site inspections and updates through photos and videos. It added that no concerns about quality were raised until recently.

On the issue of delays, the lawyers explained that they arose from factors beyond their client’s control, including changes unilaterally introduced by Rema, restrictions imposed by estate managers, and rising costs due to inflation. They stressed that Obasi did not increase her fees despite the expanded scope of work.

The firm said the disagreement only surfaced when discussions on additional work not originally covered in the contract began. It argued that the matter remains a contractual dispute and should be resolved under civil or arbitral procedures, not through criminal allegations.

They also condemned Obasi’s arrest by the Nigeria Police based on Rema’s petition, describing it as a violation of her constitutional rights.

‘The allegation of fraud and obtaining money by false pretense is unfounded. The law should not be used to recast a contractual disagreement as a criminal infraction or as a tool for debt recovery,’ the statement partly read.

The firm urged the public to disregard circulating claims linking Obasi to fraud and said she will pursue appropriate legal action to protect her professional reputation.

A man, Lamidi, has told Grade A Customary Court, Court 2, sitting at Mapo, Ibadan, Oyo State, that he could no longer stomach his wife’s, Nofisat’s atrocities and as such prayed that their wedlock be dissolved.

Lamidi alleged that Nofisat cared less about his well-being, was jealous, disrespectful, and violent, adding that he no longer loved her.

Lamidi stated that Nofisat became defiant and uncontrollable after she moved in with him.

According to him, she insisted that he must build her a house and therefore went violent.

Lamidi said that Nofisat once chased him with a knife during a misunderstanding, threatening to kill him, their only child, and then herself.

The plaintiff explained that the defendant was always filled with fury, adding that she became destructive when in this state.

Lamidi gave an instance of when Nofisat soaked one of her co wives’ mattress with water during a fight.

The plaintiff prayed the court to end their relationship and grant him custody of their child, whose welfare the defendant had constantly neglected.

He further sought an order, restraining her from harassing, threatening, and interfering with his private life.

Nofisat acceded to divorce.

The defendant denied all the claims brought against her except one, that she fought with her co wives all the time.

According to her, her husband always took sides with his other wives and would humiliate her in their presence any time she had a misunderstanding or fought with them.

Lamidi testified, ‘My wife and I got married in 2020.

‘We had Nikkah, but I did not pay her bride price.

Lamidi testified, ‘My wife and I got married in 2020.

‘We had Nikkah, but I did not pay her bride price.

‘My wife was easygoing and respectful before we got married, but she suddenly changed after she moved in with me.

‘Nofisat from the outset of our relationship demanded that I built her a house.

‘She became troublesome and refused that I had rest of mind.

‘Nofisat cares less about my welfare.

‘She leaves home on Monday, according to her, to go and work and returns on Friday.

‘I showed my displeasure at her neglect of me and provided her a shop to display and sell her goods.

‘My wife, not satisfied with my display of affection towards her, still sought every opportunity to fight me.

‘Nofisat is rude and has no respect for me.

‘She speaks to me harshly, disregarding my age.

‘She is also rebellious and has consistently rejected my authority and did as she pleased.

‘My wife and I had a heated argument, and to my chagrin, she went straight for a knife.

‘Nofisat looking wild like someone who was demonic possessed went after me with the knife.

‘I would have been a dead man by now but for the timely intervention of people around.

‘My wife swore she would stab me and our only child to death and then kill her.

‘Nofisat is an evil wind that blows no-one any good.

‘She gets angry easily and will destroy my property.

‘The most recent been that of when she flew into a rage while fighting with one of his co wives.

‘She went for a bucket of water and emptied it on her mattress, thus soaking it.

‘My lord, my wife has caused me enough stress and pain.

‘I believe it is best that we go our different ways.

‘I, therefore, beseech this honourable court to dissolve our union and grant me custody of our only child whom she has failed to be a good and responsible mother to.

‘I also request an order restricting her from harassing, threatening, and interfering with my private life.’

Nofisat responded, ‘I am also no longer interested in our wedlock. I accede to divorce.

‘My lord, all that my husband said except one is lies.

‘It is true that his other wives and I fight.

‘I told him I preferred leaving in my rented apartment, but he insisted that I moved into his house.

‘I moved in, and hell was let loose.

‘My husband and my co wives were always on my neck, which was the reason we always fought.

‘My husband, instead of being plain and straight while mediating in our differences, would take side with his other wives and throw blame at me.

‘He would humiliate me in their presence beating me.

‘He would also lock my shop and refuse that I sell my wares.

‘My lord, I refuse that my husband has custody of our child.

‘I am alive, hale and hearty. The responsibility to take care of our child is mine.

‘I plead that the court grants me custody of our child and make my husband responsible for her upkeep giving feeding, education and health care a priority.’

The court president, Mrs O.E Owoseni, after she had heard both parties, stated that since both had acceded to divorce, the court had no option but to dissolve their union.

She granted the defendant custody of their child, being still in her tender age, and mandated the plaintiff to be responsible for her upkeep.

Owoseni further restrained both parties from harassing, threatening, and interfering with each other’s private life.

OSUN State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, on during the week spoke with journalists on Nigeria’s 65th Independence anniversary, assessed his government’s performance and addressed concerns surrounding the lingering local government allocation crisis in the state.

On Nigeria at 65

Governor Adeleke described Nigeria’s journey since independence as remarkable, despite several hurdles. According to him, ‘Nigeria has survived civil war, military rule, economic instability and insecurity. Yet, our national spirit has never been broken. The fact that we remain united at 65 is a testimony to the resilience of our people. Yes, we still face challenges of governance, growth and development, but we must acknowledge that Nigerians are pushing forward in hope and in unity.’

He urged citizens to use the independence anniversary as a moment of sober reflection, stressing that peace, unity and collective sacrifice remain the pillars on which the nation’s progress rests.

On his stewardship after nearly three years in office

Responding to questions about how fulfilled he feels in delivering on his five-point development agenda, the governor said his administration had stayed focused on its promises.

He explained: ‘I am fulfilled because we set out a clear roadmap, and we have been consistent. Workers’ salaries are no longer an issue; pensioners are smiling again; our schools and hospitals are receiving attention; roads and infrastructure are springing up across Osun. Of course, governance is a continuum, and there is still more to do, but I am proud that our government has restored hope and dignity to governance.’

He further noted that his administration’s people-first approach had redefined the relationship between government and citizens in Osun State.

On the seized local government allocations

When asked about the latest development on the issue of Osun’s local government allocation allegedly withheld by the Federal Government, Senator Adeleke stressed that his administration is vigorously pursuing justice through the legal system.

He said: ‘The unlawful seizure of Osun’s LG allocation is unacceptable. It is the right of our people, not a favour. We are already pursuing the matter within the law and I assure the people of Osun that we will reclaim what belongs to us. The resources are meant for development at the grassroots and we will not compromise on that.’

On rumours of illegal payments to sacked APC chairmen

The governor was also confronted with questions about rumours suggesting that the sacked APC-backed council chairmen had been paid by a commercial bank despite a subsisting court order.

In clearing the air, he said: ‘Let me be very clear, any tampering with Osun’s funds will have consequences. If you touch local government funds, the law will go after you. Our government is law-abiding and we will not engage in illegality. Any kobo not paid through statutory accounts is not known to the law. Those payments are in the realm of rumour. As far as we are concerned, Osun local government funds must be paid into accounts formally opened with signatories as specified by the state finance laws and regulations. The matter is before the court of law.’

On sustaining salaries and projects despite financial setbacks

Asked how his administration continues to pay salaries, pensions and simultaneously deliver on massive infrastructural projects despite the seizure of LG funds, Governor Adeleke pointed to financial discipline as the secret.

He explained: ‘There is no magic wand. It is about blocking leakages, ensuring transparency and prioritising people’s needs. We operate a government where every kobo is accounted for, where waste is eliminated and where resources are deployed strictly to areas that benefit our people. That is why we can meet our obligations and still pursue ambitious development projects at the same time.’

Senator Adeleke reassured the people of Osun State that his administration remains unwavering in its commitment to service delivery.

He emphasised that transparency, accountability and people-centered policies will continue to define his governance.