Makinde Appoints Operation Burst DG, 11 Other Aides

Gov. Makinde

Oyo State Governor, Engineer Seyi Makinde has approved the appointment of Col. Oladipo James Ajibola as the Director-General, Operation Burst.
The governor also approved the appointments of Mrs Bosede Sodiq as Senior Special Assistant (Broadcast Media), Mr. Kehinde Oluwaseyi Ogunsanya as Senior Special Assistant (Economic Planning) and Mr. Moshope Adebayo Akande as Senior Special Assistant (Information Communication Technology (ICT).
Governor Makinde, according to a letter signed by his Chief of Staff, Otunba Segun Ogunwuyi, also approved the following appointments:
(1) Mr. Albert Adebowale Ogunyemi: Special Assistant (Photographer) to the Governor
(2) Mr. Otuowho Jesse Onoriode: Special Assistant (Photographer 2) to the Governor
(3) Mr. Oyebode Babatunde: Special Assistant (Transport) to the Governor
(4) Mr. Adeyanju Daniel Akinloye: Special Assistant (Transport 2) to the Governor
(5)  Mr. Moses Adebayo Alao: Special Assistant (Print Media) to the Governor
(6) Mr. Fisayo Daramola: Special Assistant (Digital Media) to the Governor
(7)  Mr. Ogunbowale Oladayo Olajuwon: Special Assistant (Communication) to the Governor
(8)  Mr. Ademola Aderinto: Special Assistant (Environment) to the Governor
According to the letter, the appointments are with immediate effect.
The governor, while congratulating the new appointees, asked them to see their appointment as a further call to service and urged them to discharge their duties  with absolute loyalty, dedication and diligence.

Anthony Joshua Set To Pocket £60m For Wilder Clash

Anthony Joshua

Two-time former Boxing unified world heavyweight champion, Anthony Joshua is set for an eye-watering purse against Deontay Wilder - as reps flew into London to finalise a deal.
The heavyweight stars are negotiating a blockbuster in the Middle East with Eddie Hearn at the forefront of talks.
Hearn met with reps from Saudi in the capital and expects a contract to be put together within two weeks.
He told Derek Chisora's channel: “It went great. We spoke through dates, numbers.
"We expect to receive formal paperwork in the next 7-10 days. I'm very confident you're gonna get a fight.”
Hearn has secured Joshua two mega-money paydays in Saudi before.
In 2019, he took his rematch with Andy Ruiz Jr, 33, to the Diriyah desert six months after the Mexican-American's upset.
And AJ is believed to have made a career-best £66MILLION for his 12 round points win.
Joshua, 33, returned to Saudi last August, this time in Jeddah were he was beaten by Oleksandr Usyk, 36, for the second time in 11 months.
On that occasion, he is reported to have banked £32.5m having shared the money 50/50 with Usyk.
A fight with Wilder is half a decade in the making and potentially a legacy-defining night for AJ.
So he will be compensated well, with Hearn revealing Joshua will be in in line to make a stunning sum.
He said: "He's about to make £60million to fight Deontay Wilder in December."

My Cabinet 'll Ready In 2 Weeks - Gov Makinde

Gov. Makinde

Oyo State Governor, 'Seyi Makinde, has revealed that he will put his cabinet in place in the next two weeks, saying that names of other commissioner-nominees will be sent to the House of Assembly for screening and confirmation.
The governor equally maintained that his administration will focus on tourism as one of the key sectors that will drive the state’s economy.
According to him, the government will decouple the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism as part of efforts to enhance the optimal performance of the existing ministries.
Governor Makinde, who gave these indications in his official Newsletter, dated 29th June, 2023, said that the Ministry of Information will now be headed by one commissioner, while another commissioner will head the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
The decoupling, he said, would bring the number of Ministries in the state to 18 as against the 17 that existed during the first tenure.
The governor equally noted that in line with his promise, the Light-Up Oyo streetlights, which went off for a few weeks, have now returned to being active.
He explained that the project will, for the time being, continue to use diesel generators until it will finally fall back on the ongoing tribrid power system - the 11MW Independent Power Project (IPP, which is ongoing) as the main source of power, with gas generators and inverters as a backup.
The governor said: "For me, having sent the first batch of commissioner nominees to the Oyo State House of Assembly, I know I now have just about two weeks to send the names of the rest of the nominees and have my cabinet in place.
“This promise will be kept just as all other promises we have made to the good people of Oyo State.
"You may have noticed that the street lights are coming back on as promised. We will continue to use the diesel generators to power the street lights for now so that our people can get the benefits of this infrastructure while we work on finally moving them to the tribrid power system - the 11MW Independent Power Project (IPP, which is ongoing) as the main source of power with gas generators and inverters as a backup.
"One of the other things we are going to do is to ensure that all our ministries function optimally. As you already know, Tourism is one of the sectors that we will be focusing on during this tenure to drive our economy.
“We will be decoupling the Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism. So, we will have the Ministry of Information headed by one commissioner, while another will head the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.
"This means that under Omituntun 2.0, Oyo State will have 18 and not 17 commissioners. Some may think that we should be reducing rather than increasing the number of ministries, departments and agencies at this time in order to reduce the cost of governance. But, after due consideration, we believe that the benefits of these adjustments far outweigh the costs, and Oyo State will be the better for it.
"With this, the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism will be better able to oversee the Tourism Board and extract the value trapped in that agency, while the Commissioner for Information will focus on communicating the activities of government to the people through the various channels we have made available."
Concluding, the governor said that the next few weeks would be exciting for governance in the state, adding that before the next edition of the newsletter, some commissioners would have been sworn-in, while the appointments of Executive Advisers, Executive Assistants, Special Advisers and Special Assistants would also have been made.
He, therefore, charged the residents to keep praying for the state and the entire country, saying he believes that “we will overcome the trying times with the 'Nigerian can-do spirit and trust in God.”

Makinde: Son Of Church Warden Who Builds Mosques

The mosque is the heart of the Islamic life. It is the place where the Almighty Allah (SWT) is communally worshipped and glorified through the five daily prayers offered by Muslim faithful. It is also a place for the regeneration of spiritual power, recital of the Qur’an and making supplications.
Due to its centrality and importance to the practice of Islam, Muslims, who can afford it, strive to build mosques as a way of expressing their devotion to Allah and delighting Him.
As a demonstration of their commitment to Allah and their love for Islam, many frontline Ibadan citizens such as the late Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Alhaji Abdulazeez Arisekola Alao; the current Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta, Alhaji Daud Akinola; the Seriki Musulumi of Yorubaland, Chief Yekini Ayoade Adeojo; Alhaji W.O. Lawal and a horde of notable others have built mosques.
But among those who have put up mosques in the city of Ibadan, Engineer Seyi Makinde stands out. This is not because he probably built the largest or the most beautiful mosque or because he is a governor. No.
His case is exceptional because he is a Christian. Not only that, his late father, Pa Olatubosun Makinde, was a Church warden for about seven years. So, the question is, what is the son of a Church warden doing building mosques?
Well, the answer is that Makinde is not a religionist but a humanist. He does not view people from the prism of religion but rather from the spectrum of humanity. His relationships are not determined by religion or region but the content of character, quality of contributions and love for that which is noble.
Makinde believes that human beings thrive only in an atmosphere of freedom; freedom to live according to their personal conviction, for as long as such is within the ambits of the law.
However, as a leader, he does not just believe in the recognition of such freedom, he also subscribes to providing the environment for everyone to live in accordance with their conviction so that they can experience fulfillment.
This is why Makinde built the Omitutun Mosque at the Omituntun House to create opportunities for his Muslim associates to practise their faith without let or hindrance even on his premises.
The construction of the Omitutun Mosque commenced in 2013 and was completed in 2014. On its completion, Makinde employed a resident Imam, who does not only lead prayers but also teaches Arabic Studies to young Muslims, inculcates in them Islamic values and exposes them to the practice of the religion.
In the course of reconstructing the Iwo Road Interchange in Ibadan to ease the traffic gridlock that had become the ensign of that area, it became imperative that the Adogba Central Mosque in that axis had to give way.
When the decision to pull down the mosque as well as a nearby church was generating furore, the governor did not only visit the mosque but he joined the worshippers during a Juma’t service to observe the prayer and explain the rationale behind the government’s decision.
He could have sent an aide but, out of respect for the leadership and membership of the mosque, he personally visited the mosque and worshipped there to explain the situation to the jama’ah.
While addressing the worshippers, Makinde said: “The main reason I decided to come here is, there are reports that the state government wants to demolish the Adogba Mosque. Yes, it is true. The church that is close to this mosque will equally be demolished.
“But I want it to be on record that, first, I worship in the mosque today. Second, what we want to do to this mosque can be likened to the popular saying that suggests that the palace of a king that gets destroyed can only get beautiful later.
“I make bold to tell you that we won’t demolish it and not rebuild a better mosque. They have looked for another land that is close to where we are and I will ensure that I donate personal money to begin the building of the new Adogba Mosque.
“I built a mosque at Omituntun House. The new mosque will be twice bigger in terms of size than this current one and will be a reference point. We will have a meeting with those that are running the mosque to see how we can achieve this.”
True to his promise, Makinde facilitated the building of a new Adogba Central Mosque that is in every respect superior to the demolished one.
Commenting on the new structure, the Chief Imam of Adogba Central Mosque, Alhaji Abdul-Kabir Amzat, described Governor Seyi Makinde as a man of his word who never fails to keep to his promises.
According to Alhaji Amzat: “When Governor Makinde came to us that he would demolish our mosque for the provision of infrastructural development for public benefit and promised to build another mosque with modern and improved facilities at a nearby site, we were afraid of the fulfillment of that promise.
“But to the glory of Almighty Allah, the governor has exhibited his uniqueness, reliability and piety with the modern construction that beat our expectations within an unimaginable period.”
The Chief Imam added that the newly-built complex is an Islamic centre with a standard mosque, an Arabic School, an Islamic Model School, a Research Centre, a Library, an Event Hall and an ample parking space with a good road network for the benefit of the community.
In his tradition of supporting the Islamic and other faiths, Makinde, long before his rise to the saddle as the Oyo State helmsman, had been organizing annual Ramadan lecture to encourage and challenge Muslims during the Holy Month of Ramadan. This is in conformity with his belief that everyone must be allowed to give expression to their faith.
So many practitioners of the Islamic faith have also realized their dream of going on pilgrimage to the Holy Land through the gesture of Governor Makinde.
The governor, who is guided by the principle of fairness, justice and equity, has instituted a system that does not place any religion above the other in the state.
To underscore this, he approved that Hijra New Year Day be observed as a public holiday in the state. He also ensures that the two major religions are adequately taken care of during appointments, while guarding against the sidelining of any religion with respect to government support.
At the presentation of buses to Ansar-Ud-Deen Society during his first term in office, the governor said: “I want to say it again that I love the Muslims and the Christians as well as the traditionalists.
“We must not discriminate and we have to be fair to everybody. And we believe that whatever we do, we will get the reward from God.
“We are serving you as your servants. I came to you to give us the opportunity to serve you and you did. So, I believe we must serve you with the fear of God.
“So, today, I want to fulfill part of the promises I made before I got elected as the governor of Oyo State. I promised that, when I become the governor, I would do my best to support people from both religions.
“That is why I want to donate a bus each to the Ansar-Ud-Deen of Oyo State and that of Oyo Town, to propagate the message of Islam.”
Oyo State has experienced religious harmony in the last four years because of the governor’s fair disposition to all religions. With the governor’s style, religion adherents in Oyo State have come to respect other people’s religions.
This is why during the last election when some people wanted to stoke the fire of religion to sway the electorate, they ran into a brick wall as they were ignored by the populace.
Consequently, Muslims massively voted for Makinde just like Christians and traditional worshippers did. The implication of this is that he who leads with fairness has nothing to fear in the day of reckoning.
•By SULAIMON OLANREWAJU, the Chief Press Secretary to the Oyo State Governor

Eid-El-Kabir Celebration: Oyo NSCDC Deploys 2,200 Personnel For Security

Commandant Adaralewa

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Oyo State Command has deployed 2,200 personnel for the maintenance of peace and order in the State during the forthcoming Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
The State Commandant, Dr Michael Adaralewa recently made this known while addressing the Heads of Formation of the Corps during a weekly assessment of the State of Security in their various formation at the command state headquarters in Agodi Ibadan.
He stressed further that officers from Special Armed Squad, Counter Terrorism Unit, CBRNE, Anti-Vandals Unit, Operations, Intelligence Department, Disaster Management Unit, Agro Rangers, and Female Armed Squad have been deployed for the protection of lives and property of the citizens during the festive celebration.
"All strategic locations in the state had been well deployed to such as Recreation Center, Eid praying ground, Parks, Markets and all critical national assets at the local, state and federal level are going to be protected, “ said the commandant.
He, therefore called on Muslim faithfuls to celebrate moderately during the Sallah celebration and also put the new administration of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu into prayer for a successful tenure. He also enjoined the citizens of the state to feel free and celebrate without fear from any quarters.
Finally, he wished all Muslim faithfuls happy Eid-el-Kabir celebration

Roma Joins Iheanacho's Chase

Kelechi Iheanacho

Italian Serie A, Roma are targeting a move for Nigeria's Super Eagles striker, Kelechi Iheanacho as a replacement for former Chelsea striker, Tammy Abraham.
According to Italian sports daily La Gazzetta dello Sport,  last season's UEFA Europa League finalist has identified Leicester City star as a potential replacement for Abraham who faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines following his injury against Spezia.
The club executives Tiago Pinto and Lina Souloukou have flown to England to conclude discussions over two other summer targets and will make an enquiry about the Nigerian striker.
This is not the first time Iheanacho has been linked with the Giallorossi as he was considered as an alternative to Abraham whom they signed from Chelsea in the summer of 2021.
The former Manchester City forward made 28 appearances for Leicester City in the Premier League last season, scoring 5 goals and scooped the Foxes' Player of the Year award.
The 26-year-old joined the Championship side in the summer of 2017 and has made 206 appearances in all competitions notching 55 and thirty-three assists.
With his contract expiring in 2024 and Leicester City's relegation to the English second-tier division, the club might be open to selling him and the forward might want to leave as well.

Eid-El-Kabir: Hon Abiodun Babalola Felicitates Muslim Faithful

Honorable Babalola

Hon.(Engr) Abiodun Babalola, member representing Ibadan North East Constituency 1 at the Oyo State House of Assembly has felicitated with the Muslims faithful on this year Sallah celebration festival.
Babalola who further congratulated Oyo state contingents at the Holy land of Mecca in Saudi Arabia ably led by the deputy governor of the state, Barrister Abdul-Raheem Adebayo Lawal, while praying for their safe return back to Nigeria.  
The lawmaker, however, urged well-meaning citizen of the state to put away religion and political sentiments and support the Governor Seyi Makinde-led administration.  
He said, “The time of campaign is over, it is now time for everybody to come together and work for the betterment of our dear pace setter state.
Since the resumption of Engr. Makinde as the governor of the state, we have experience a new dawn in term of infrastructures development across the state and this is why the good people of Oyo state re-elected him which I strongly believe it will be for sustainable development of our dear state”
Hon. Babalola added that he would not betray the trust  bestowed on him, while affirming that he will fulfill all his electioneering promises during the 2023 general elections campaign.
The Lawmaker in the spirit of celebration distributed rams, bags of rice for party stakeholders and people
in his constituency.

Napoli Reject PSG’s €100m Bid For Osimhen

Victor Osimhen

Italian Serie A Champions, Napoli have rejected a €100million bid from French Ligue 1 champions, PSG for Nigeria's Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen.
Osimhen has been one of the best strikers in Europe since last season with a superb for Napoli, helping the club to their first Scudetto in 33 years.
His brilliance also earned him the Capocannoniere last season after scoring 26 goals in the Serie A, becoming the first African player to do so.
Osimhen’s ability has attracted interest from some of the biggest teams in Europe, with Manchester United, Chelsea, PSG, and Bayern Munich all in the mix for his signature but the club wants a huge fee before they let him go.
Actua Foot have now revealed that PSG have made a move for the free-scoring former Lille attacker and have made an opening bid of €100million for him, but the Italian champions rejected the offer.
Napoli are holding out for a bumper fee because of the caliber of clubs interested in Osimhen and they may not listen to any offer that is less than €150million.

Kayrom Lee Boss Obtains 3 Professional Certification in One Month

Ambassador Ayinde

In a bid to enhance knowledge for improved service deliveries, the Chief Executive Officer of the Kayrom Lee Squash, Gym and Fitness Centre, Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, Ambassador Romoke Ayinde has gone back to class.
The multilingual Iyalaje Adini of Oyo State, who is also a principal partner with the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, South/West zone 1, on grassroots sports development, has obtained three professional certifications in diverse fields of studies which include: Dementia Care, Nutrition for Older Adults and Conflict Resolution via e-learning programmes from reputable international educational outfits.
Speaking with newsmen via telephone from where she’s observing vacation, Ayinde who is also a United Nation Ambassador of Peace said “there is no room for complacency in this highly competitive world , hence my resolve to embark on further studies while on vacation”.
She has completed a course in Gentle Persuasive Approaches in Dementia Care (GPA), which basically is to supporting person with responsive behaviours from Advanced Gerontological Education with certificate dated 19th June, 2023 and also Nutrition for Older Adults Certification Courses for Success, with certification powered by Be-a Education Ltd. dated 23rd of June, 2023
Amb Ayinde has also successfully obtained a certificate in Fundamental of Conflict Resolution from Alison Group and CPD Certification Service with a certificate dated 24 June 2023.

Asian Title Belt: Ridwan ‘Scorpion’ Seeks Support Ahead August 30 Bout

The reigning Japanese Featherweight boxing champion, Ridwan Oyekola, famously known as ‘Scorpion’, has solicited for the support of Nigerians and government ahead of his forthcoming bout against Keisuke Matsumoto on August 30 in Japan.
‘Scorpion’ who will be challenging for Japan Title Belt and WBO Asia Title Belt appealed to Nigerians while briefing journalists about the much anticipated bout slated for Tokyo in Ibadan.
The Nigerian former WBF Champion will confront a Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan born Keisuke Matsumoto who has a sterling boxing record of eight wins from eight professional fights.
‘Scorpion’ during a press conference which was held in Ibadan as part of his preparation for the coming fight in the Asian country, stated that he greatly relies on the support from Nigerians and governments at both state and national level.
He stated that he was proud and honored to represent Oyo State and Nigeria well in Japan in the boxing circle which has earned the top spot in the Featherweight category in the Japan Boxing Commission ranking.
The boxer however, expressed gratitude to his team, sponsors, promoters, and supporters for their faith and trust in his ability and capabilities in the ring to have continually invested huge resources in his career.
“I want to specially thank Engr. Dotun Sanusi of Ilaji Sports and Resort for believing in my talent, the President Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC) Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, the Secretary Mr. Remi Aboderin, the Chairman Oyo State NBBofC Hon. Gbenga Opaleye and my manager and CEO of Core Afrique Boxing Promotions, Sola ‘Ford’ Ayodele for all support given to me so far”, said Oyekola.

2023 FIFA Women's W/Cup: SESC Assures Super Falcons Of Massive Support

As the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has announced the final training camp slated to commence at MKO Abiola Stadium, Abuja on June 29, for Super Falcons preparatory to the highly-anticipated 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, the leadership of the Super Eagles Supporters Club (SESC), has assured team of total support.
This was disclosed by the Secretary General of the SESC, Francis Aguh who briefed the newsmen on the activities lined up to reposition the club and its preparations towards the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup Scheduled to take place from July 20 to August 20.
Aguh said SESC has perfected plans to cheer the Super Falcons of Nigeria to victory when the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup gets underway from July this year in Australia and New Zealand stressing that “the SESC led by its National President, Prince Vincent Okumagba, have always and will remain a strong force, irrespective of the breakaway of rebel members”.
He explained further that “we still carry out our primary assignment of supporting the Nigeria national teams. We would be traveling to Australia for the Women's World Cup starting in July, to Support and motivate the Super Falcons of Nigeria to victory”.

“Our state chapters are still intact, and new states like Kogi are indicating interest that they need an SESC chapter in the state, even though the dissident and rebellious tried to pull them away with lies, all our chapters have remained loyal, to the Executive led by the National President, Prince Vincent Okumagba.
“I’m also glad to inform you that we are having a mass recruitment going on throughout the country. A lot of Football loving Nigerians have been showing interest and have been enrolled on a daily basis, we are targeting a strong membership force of one hundred thousand football loving Nigerians, that is the target of the President Prince Vincent Okumagba and the SESC as a whole”, said the Secretary General.

Yomi-Egbe Winner Of N1.5M Ikeja Golf Tourney Prize Relishes Pilgrimage Experience With UfitFly

Bisola Folarin of Ufitfly presenting star prize to the winner,
 Esimaje Yomi-Egbe during the Ikeja Captain Golf Tourney

The winner of this year’s edition of the Ikeja Golf Club Captain’s Day tournament, Dr. Esimaje Yomi-Egbe was full of excitements after completing an all expense paid trip to Israel for Christian Pilgrimage.
Dr. Yomi-Egbe, who out of about 700 golfers that featured from various states and clubs across the country in the Ikeja Golf Club’s Captain Tournament held in march this year, emerged victorious, and won the top prize of N1.5million which he had used for a Christian pilgrimage tour according to the management of UfitFly.
The prize was an all expenses paid trip worth N1.5million donated by UfitFly.
Reacting to newsmen, Bisola Folarin, the regional manager, Lagos of the destination management firm, (Ufitfly) said that the donation of the biggest prize of the tournament, which was a premium package of all expense paid trip to Kenya, Jerusalem or Dubai was in line with the CSR (corporate social responsibility) policy of Ufitfly.
“Ufitfly is a big supporter of sports, especially the game of golf and we will continue to support golf with the aim of ensuring a synergy between sports and tourism which fall under luxury sports travel. And we have done a lot under the CSR policy of our firm to support sports, especially as a stakeholder in the hospitality and tourism sector”, said Folarin.
“He added that golf is a game we love so much at Ufitfly owing to its uniqueness and its disciplined nature and moreover our corporate social responsibility (CSR) policy supports the idea of identifying with sports and vocations that impact positively on the society”.
It would be recalled that the firm has given multiple sponsorship packages running into several millions of naira to support different golf competitions and kitties held at various Golf Clubs in Nigeria in the past years.

Oyo NSCDC Decorates 123 Newly Promoted Officers

Commandant Adaralewa with some service chiefs at the event

Newly promoted officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) Oyo State Command was decorated with their new ranks on Thursday by the State Commandant of the paramilitary institution, Dr Adaralea Michael with other service commander in the state.
The ceremony which took place at the Command State Headquarters, old Nitel building Agodi Ibadan, amidst cheers from their families, friends, and professional colleagues, saw 123 officers decorated with new ranks.
Speaking at the ceremony, Commandant Adaralewa said the promotion was based on merit and it was given to deserving officers.
Breaking the promoted officers down according to their ranks, those promoted and decorated includes 1 Assistant Commandant to Deputy Commandant, 20 Chief Superintendent of Corps to Assistant Commandant of Corps, 5 Superintendent of Corps to Chief Superintendent of Corps, 6 Deputy Superintendent of Corps to Superintendent of Corps, 17 Assistant Superintendent of Corps 1 to Deputy Superintendent of Corps, 20 Assistant Superintendent of Corps 11 to Assistant Superintendent of Corps 1 and 54 Inspector of Corps to Assistant Superintendent of Corps 11.
Commandant Adaralewa however admonished the newly promoted officer's to see their new rank as an avenue to do more for the protection of life's and property of the citizens of the State and the Country at large.
"You are now entrusted with challenging responsibility to carry forward a legacy of honour, duty and selfless service. You are taking greater responsibilities and must brace up upcoming challenges and be ready to live up to expectations," Commandant Adaralewa said.

Dr. Yemi Farounbi Tutors EOB’s Royal Sky Media Academy Students On Ethics

Dr Yemi Farounbi with student of Royal Sky Media

A media icon, who has contributed tremendously to the development of the media industry in the country, Ambassador (Dr) Yemi Farounbi while featuring as Guest Personality of the Month at the broadcasting school, Royal Sky Media Academy, established by the popular anointed presenter, Enitan Olusegun Bamidele (EOB) tutored on ethics.
The former Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to Philippines and Cambodia described the media as a bridge between the governing bodies and the general public, and considering this vital role of the media in the society, there is need for ethical issues.
Dr Farounbi who spoke for almost two hours dwelled much on the principles guarding broadcasting saying “whether a journalist is covering sporting events, entertainment news, or current affairs, they have a collective responsibility to abide by a code of ethics to avoid conflicts of interest that may compromise their integrity or impartiality”.
He averred that “as we are experiencing a media revolution during this era of digital-first news, journalism is more democratized, interactive and instantaneous than ever before. Anyone with an internet connection can open Twitter and make a statement that others may perceive as truth.  
“As a result, professional journalists have an even greater responsibility to champion the truth, disprove fake news, and fact-check trending narratives to ensure the public have access to reliable information online”, said the veteran Journalist and ace broadcaster.
He added that “a journalist should promote universal principles of human rights, democracy, justice, equity, peace and international understanding, and should not copy, wholesale or in part, other people's work without attribution or consent”.
While giving the vote of thanks, the Dean, Academic Program of the school, Olufemi Timothy Ogunyejo thanked Dr Farounbi saying “we express our sincere appreciation for the professional and insightful presentation you deliver today Friday 16th June, 2023. Your expertise, wealth of experiences and exposition were truly commendable, and we found your presentation to be incredibly engaging”.
“Sir, we were not only dazed but also dazzled by the way and manner you structured your content in an easy to understand manner which made it easy for everyone to grasp the key concepts. Furthermore, your deep understanding of the subject matter was evident as you expertly addressed various questions and concerns from the audience”, Ogunyejo noted.
Speaking in the same vein, EOB, the proprietor of the broadcasting school described the former ambassador as an icon of many parts. He prayed to God to grant him long life and good health to continue to serve humanity, saying Farounbi’s scholarly attainment and his excellent work in the media industry distinguished him from his peers.
He however, appreciated the humble disposition of Dr Farounbi for not minding coming to the less than one year old institute, saying his presentation must have left a lasting impact on the students, while thanking him for his exceptional presentation.

Okumagba Congratulates Super Eagles, NFF Over 2023 AFCON Qualification

Vincent Okumagba

The Founder and President of Super Eagles Supporters Club (SESC), Vincent Okumagba has congratulated the Super Eagles of Nigeria for their qualification for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals, to be hosted by Côte d'Ivoire, early next year.
The Super Eagles grabbed the ticket with a hard fought 3-2 conquest against the Leone Stars of Sierra Leone, in Monrovia, capital of Liberia via a late goal in the late minutes of the tie.
Okumagba, who emerged the Vice President of Africa’s football supporter’s body about three week ago, described the match as a tough and exciting one while commending he boys for securing the very vital point which have qualified them for the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d'Ivoire, with a game at hand.
“I say a very big congratulation to the players, coaching crew, NFF and members of my Super Eagles Supporters Club, but I must specially commend the team for their spirited and disciplined performance against a very formidable opponent which earned them qualification with a match at hand”, Okumagba noted.
Red smoking Napoli of Italy striker, Victor Osimhen netted a first half brace to put Nigeria two goals up, but a goal in either half by the Leone Stars, pegged back the Super Eagles, before Kelechi Ihianacho scored deep in stoppage time, to seal the win for Nigeria, who regained top spot of Group A from Guinea Bissau, who are now second with 10 points, but have also qualified for the AFCON finals.

UfitFly Hosted First Ever Open Ground Crusade In Israel

Prophet Olu Alo preaching at the crusade

The renowned destination management company with the popular UfitFly brand has broken another ground by achieving a remarkable milestone as it hosted the first-ever open ground crusade in Israel on Tuesday 13th June.
Prophet Sam Olu Alo of the Grace of Mercy Prayer Mountain Int’l and also the coordinator of the CAC Babalola Memorial Miracle Camp at Ikeji Arakeji spearheaded the pilgrimage trip and coordinated the first open air crusade where all the pilgrims have an awe-inspiring and transformative spirit-filled experiences.
While speaking with newsmen via a telephone from the holy land, the team lead of UfitFly, Evang. Ajibola Ogunkeyede said the rationale behind the organization of an open ground crusade in Israel is to showcase his firm’s commitment to expanding and attaining new territories by creating exceptional experiences for their valued clients.
He described the crusade as a spiritual awakening, where the presence of God was profoundly felt, leaving an indelible impact on the hearts and minds of all our pilgrims. Saying “we will continue to guide our pilgrims on a transformative journey, affirming our position as a visionary travel company dedicated to providing unparalleled travel experiences”.
The UfitFly boss however recalled: “in the previous year, we organized an unforgettable open ground crusade in the Kingdom of Jordan, which we believed served as a stepping stone for our continuous growth. The Jordan crusade was an opportunity for us to refine our services, enhance our capabilities, and establish a stronger connection with our numerous pilgrims.
“In 2023, UfitFly returned to Israel with greater ambition and success. We secured the largest hall in Israel to host another 144hrs with God with Prophet Taiwo Ojo in February, while in May this year; we also partnered the Redeem Church of God to organize the recently held Festival of Life Holy Ghost Congress of the RCCG, in Israel led by Pastor E.A Adeboye”, said Ogunkeyede.

21 Days Yello Care: MTN Staffs Take Empowerment To The Grassroots In Ibadan

As part of activities marking this year’s 'Yello Care' event which is an annual volunteer initiative for MTN staff, about 40 grass-roots entrepreneurs were trained in financial literacy and customer relations initiatives while some were shortlisted for empowerment.
The event which was held inside the Squash hall of Kayrom Lee Gym and Fitness Centre, Obafemi Awolwo Stadium Ibadan on Wednesday 14th June enjoyed support from the Imperial Initiatives For Human Development outfit which is a Non Governmental organisation powered by Amb. Romoke Ayinde.
Addressing newsmen after the event, Mrs. Funmilola Akinteye who coordinated the event said “Yello Care is an annual volunteer initiative for MTN staff. It is an opportunity for MTNers (MTN staff), to give back to their immediate communities through volunteering. The 2023 edition of the Y’ello care runs for 21 days from June 1st to June 21, 2023 across Nigeria”.
She added that “the focus this year is on empowering entrepreneurs to unlock growth & job Creation for Communities, and will feature activities geared towards helping grass-roots entrepreneurs leverage digital and financial tools and skills, as enablers to unlock growth for their business.
“We are particular about helping as many entrepreneurs as possible to understand the importance of digital tools and skills, and how they can leverage these skills to achieve growth in their businesses while at the same time building sustainable businesses”, said Akinteye.

How OPM Overseer Saved Thousands Of People During Covid-19 Pandemic –UfitFly Boss

Ufitfly boss, Evang Ogunkeyede with Apostle Chinyere

The team lead of the destination management firm, UfitFly, Evang. Ajibola Ogunkeyede has described the General Overseer of Omega Power Ministry, Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere as the most spirited and magnanimous individual he had met while recalling his experience during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ogunkeyede who disclosed this via a telephone conversation with newsmen from the holy land of Israel said he will forever remain grateful to the Man of God for showing an interest in his vision and instantly doled out millions of naira to provide palliatives for thousands of people during the outbreak of the Covid-19 in 2020.
“The General overseer of Omega Power Ministry (OPM), Apostle Chibuzor Chinyere collaborated with us to take care of more than five thousand people in the South Western part of the country, despite having their church in the South-South (Port Harcourt) part of the country”, said UfitFly boss.
He added that “It was a pathetic situation during the covid-19 pandemic because our travels and tour sector was the worst hit owing to the embargoes and movement restrictions which almost crumbled our business, but we thank God that we are able to see support from a wonderful man, Apostle Chinyere who believe in us and our vision”.        
“The situation in the country even after the pandemic has shown obviously that there is a high rate of poverty in the land. Before, we used to think that the poverty rate is manageable but with what keeps happening, things are becoming overwhelming, and this signifies that we should not wait until pandemic occurs before we extend magnanimous gestures to people”, Evangelist Ogunkeyede stated.

Fed. Min. of Sports Commends Kayrom Lee Over Sports Development At Grassroots

Amb. Romoke Ayinde with young swimmers

In appreciation of a continuous support to the development of sports at the grassroots, the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports Development has written to appreciate and encourage the Chief Executive Officer of Kayrom Lee Nigeria Limited, Ambassador Romoke Ayinde.
This was contained in a letter issued and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Ismaila Abubakar which was dated June 7th 2023 with reference number NSC/FEAD/NGO-SP/2016/CON/149, titled: Letter of Appreciation.
The letter which was made available to the sporting press reads thus: “I wish to congratulate you on your numerous efforts towards the development of Youth and Sports in South West and Nigeria as a whole”.
“I therefore want to seize this opportunity to encourage you and your organization to do more towards the development of Youths and Sports in Nigeria”, the Permanent Secretary stated further.
It will be recalled that Kayromlee Nig Limited became a principal partner with the Ministry of Youths and Sports Development, South/West zone one, on grassroots sports development in the last 13 years with many proven commendable track records.
The firm has consistently over the years supported and organized many grassroots competitions that geared towards discovering new talented athletes at the grassroots in games such as squash, swimming, tennis, football, table tennis, Taekwondo, marathon and boxing.
Also in an effort to support and nurture children from the less privileged background in the society to the prominence in their respective undertaking through sporting activities, Kayrom Lee Nigeria Limited also established a talent hunt outfit, RACBAR Academy to commemorate the annual World International Day of Sports Development on every 6th April, in the year 2019.    
The free academy derived its name ‘RACBAR’ from the acronym of (Racket games, Ball games, Aquatic sports and Ring sports), and it was designed with a blueprint and policy paper to address the issues of age cheat that have become a cog in the wheel of development of sports, not only in Nigeria, but also in Africa at large.