NEWS
Osun Govt Installs Ex-APC Chair, Famodun As Owa Of Igbajo
Workers in Osun have extolled Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for restoring their lost glory as his administration lived up to its word by swearing in 30 Permanent Secretary to crown the promises he made to them at this year’s Workers’ Day.
The governor had also kept his promise to end the era of Coordinating Director which had hitherto been the nomenclature for same status.
Governor Oyetola charged the new Permanent Secretaries on competence, dedication, loyalty, discipline and effective service delivery as they assume the pinnacle of their career.
The State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Jacob Adekomi, lauded the Governor for his faithfulness to all the pledges made to workers, saying he has successfully restored their lost glory.
Recall that on the occasion of this year’s Workers’ Day, Governor Oyetola had promised among other things to conduct outstanding promotions nominally from 2019 to date and to appoint Permanent Secretaries to put an end to the use of Coordinating Directors in Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
The new Permanent Secretaries are: Engr. Kamoru A. Babalola; Engr. S. O. Ajao; Mr. M. A. K. Jimoh; Mr. R. A. Popoola; Dr. D. O. Ogunrinade; Mrs. J. K. Odediran; Mr. Oyesiku Adelu; Mr. Babajide Falade; Mrs. Funmilola Oyewole; Mr. O.A. Ogundun; Mrs. Bukola Aderibigbe; Mrs. Taiwo Oladunjoye; Dr.A. A Oni; Mr. Lekan Babalola.
Others are: Mrs. Sola Akinsola; Mr. K.N. Akintola; Mr. J. S. Adekomi; Mrs Jibola Falode; Mis AY Esan; Mrs C O Falade; Mr C O Fasina; Mrs Gbemisola Fayoyin; Mr MA Olawale; Mr SA Raji; Pharmacist Kunle Adebayo; Mr TO Akinwumi; Mr Richard Oyegbami; Mr Fatai Adekilekun; Mr. M.O. Obidiya; Engr. I. A Babalola
Inaugurating the newly-appointed senior proletariats, Governor Oyetola said the appointment was made having found them worthy both in character and performance to be appointed to the administrative pinnacle of the State’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies.
Oyetola noted that his administration has successfully implemented all that it promised workers in May this year regardless of the outcome of the Governorship election.
This, according to him, is a clear indication that his administration is not a vindictive government but rather, one that has demonstrated within four years, the progressive ideals of the All Progressives Party despite paucity of funds.
The Governor further noted that the appointment of the new Permanent Secretaries had proved the doubting Thomases and naysayers who had wickedly portrayed his administration as being anti-workers wrong.
He called on the new Permanent Secretaries to consistently imbibe the principles of strategic thinking/planning and prompt implementation while rallying their subordinates to embrace same and global standards for optimal results.
“The position of Permanent Secretary is a position of trust, responsibility and leadership. By attaining this status, your sphere of responsibility and leadership has expanded as you are expected to lead your respective MDAs to success by leading from the front at all times.
“The Osun civil service you are invited to lead at various levels is a significant part and driver of the knowledge-and technology-driven bureaucracy that has delivered sustainable good governance, award-winning programmes and innovative policies in the past four years. You are invited to further fortify the team and raise the bar of service delivery in the State.
“As an administration, we envision the civil service as an effective driver of sustainable development, and successful service delivery as a process and not a destination. Therefore, you must realize that in a world governed by the New Normal and rapid changes, what got you here cannot achieve the effective service delivery we all seek and desire.
“You must, therefore, consistently imbibe the principles of strategic thinking/planning and prompt implementation while rallying your subordinates to embrace same and global standards for optimal results.
“The civil service of today has engaged in a paradigm shift whose contents are knowledge, technology, innovation, effective time management and results orientation. You must realize that when these new nuggets are mixed with the statutory kernels of competence, dedication, loyalty and discipline, effective service delivery will be on autopilot.
“The tool for constantly achieving and sustaining the above-mentioned skills is capacity building. I, therefore, charge you to constantly build your capacity and those of your subordinates so that together, you can consistently drive and deliver the Osun of our collective dream”, he said.
Earlier, the Head of Service, Dr. Festus Olowogboyega Oyebade, had applauded the Governor for appointing best of the best to the position of Permanent Secretary.
Olowogboyega further appreciated the Governor for his unalloyed support and kind gesture that had turned around the socio-economic fortune of the workforce since his assumption of office.
Speaking on behalf of the newly-inaugurated Permanent Secretaries, Comrade Jacob Adekomi, described the appointment as a round peg in a round hole saying Oyetola has restored their lost glory.
Adekomi who is the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said their appointment is a testimony of the fact that Oyetola is a man of honour whose words are his bond.
“You have restored our lost glory. This has not happened in the last 10 years. There was even a time when promotion became a thing of difficulty, when half salary was the order of the day, when conversion became difficult, when three square daily meal became difficult for workers.
“You are creating hiOsun Govt Installs Ex-APC Chair, Famodun As Owa Of Igbajostory and removing stigma from the civil service. We can’t thank you enough. You have brought joy and happiness to us. Indeed, you are epitome of happiness. We shall not forget you. You made a promise to the whole world at our last Workers Day Celebration, and you have fulfilled your promise”, he added.
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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