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Nigerian Observer: Fallacy As An Edo State Government Policy, Says APC

Published

3 years ago

October 13, 2022

The Edo State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has condemned the Governor Godwin Obaseki-led Edo State Government’s continuous “demolition of successful governments legacy,” making reference to the Nigerian Observer newspaper, which the party referred to as pride of Edo State.

Recall that the state government in June 2022, closed down the Nigerian Observer and promised to reopen it in a month after restructuring it.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie, Esq, in a statement had said, “The Edo State Government, in line with the reforms of the state-owned media organisations, has directed the closure of the Nigerian Observer newspaper for a period of one month, for re-organisation and re-launch of the media outfit.”

Ogie added, “All existing staff of the Nigerian Observer are hereby redeployed to the Ministry of Communication and Orientation, with immediate effect, where they will receive further directives on their new responsibilities.

“Members of the reading public and lovers of the Nigerian Observer brand are assured that their darling newspaper titles will return to the stands shortly better and improved.”

But the APC in a statement signed by Victor Ofure Osehobo, Assistant State Publicity Secretary, a copy of which was made available to INFO DAILY on Thursday, said the Obaseki-led government was being economical with the truth when it closed down the newspaper, as he has failed to reopen the it after several months.

The statement lamented that Observer newspaper had since been turned it to an online newspaper, with an editor who, according to the party, is also a staff of the Ministry of Youth and Gender.

Oshobo in the statement added that contrary to the government’s promise of reopening the media firm one month after, it has since “demolished vital sections of the premises of the newspaper at 24 Airport Road, Benin City, installed a ‘N5-billion’ printing press, redeployed all the workers to MDAs and created a newspaper called ECHO to replace the Nigerian Observer.

“This is the situation Edo state government has found itself with a governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki demolishing the legacy Edo newspaper, the pride of Edo state and turning it to an online newspaper, with an editor who is also a staff of the Ministry of Youth and Gender.”

Further revealing what played out in the close down of the newspaper, Osehobo in the statement said: “The old Nigeria Observer printing press was auctioned while a fairly press proposed to print ECHO, the new mane Obaseki has given the Nigerian Observer with some of his cronies as staffers has failed to print one sheet of paper since it was imported from Germany in 2020. Twice the manufacturers have been guests of the government for millions of Naira, to repair it to no avail.”

He added: “Yet Edo state government has employed a 14-man staff for the Echo and signed an MOU with some unknown media firm for the purpose of daily printing and circulation of the medium on a PPP basis.”

The APC described the governor’s style of saying one thing and doing the opposite as one which is in tandem with his 2020 manifesto called, Make Edo Grounded Again, MEGA.

The statement added: “The goal is ensuring a defined template for underdevelopment in Edo state. It is with all the modalities for an unending underevelopment plan, designed to paralyse government tools, guidelines and milestones so that his successors find future development planning an ordeal. We condemn the plot as it is bound to fail.”

The Nigerian Observer was set up in 1968 by Late Dr Samuel Ogbemudia, as Administrator of then Midwest region and can be regarded as one of the assets, Edo inherited in 1991.

Related Topics:APC Edo Nigerian Observer Obaseki

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Shock As Adeleke Employs Roadside puff-puff Hawker As Govt House Chef

Published

11 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, on Thursday shocked a female puff-puff seller during a rally in Osogbo by buying all her snacks with ₦50,000 and offering her employment as a chef at the Government House.

This happened when Osun public servants trooped out in their thousands in what they called an appreciation solidarity rally in support of the governor for his support and care since he took over state governance.

It was observed that the governor, who sat in the bus, had sighted the woman who was among the crowd cheering him.

He immediately beckoned to the woman carrying a plastic container filled with puff-puff on her head and asked how much it would cost to buy all the snacks.

The female hawker, who was visibly surprised and star-struck at the level of her proximity to the governor, found it difficult to even tell the governor how much she sold the snacks.

Surprisingly, Adeleke handed her a bundle of ₦50,000 to the cheers of the crowd.

The lucky woman knelt down in appreciation of the governor’s generosity.

Excited onlookers quickly rushed to share the snacks in the plastic already purchased by the governor.

The governor invited the vendor inside the vehicle where one of his officials questioned her academic background, and she revealed that she holds a Nigerian Certificate in Education.

Adeleke further asked about the dishes she could prepare and instructed his aides to take her contact details for employment as a chef in the Government House.

Confirming the development, the Commissioner II at the Osun State Civil Service Commission, Olaniyan Taofeek, shared the video on X (formerly Twitter), writing: “The moment Gov. Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller into a Government House chef.”

A Special Assistant to the Governor on Digital Media, Oni Gbenga Lawrence, also corroborated the incident in a post on X, stating: “Moment Governor Ademola Adeleke turned the life of a puff-puff seller to Government Chef… not only ₦50k but he invited her into his car and employed her as chef in the Government House.”

The Guardian correspondent, who was at the scene of the welcome rally, made efforts to interview the lucky vendor, but they did not yield as she was not allowed to alight from the bus throughout the event.
(The Guardian)

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Katsina Govt Revokes Licenses Of All Private, Community Schools

Published

12 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

The Katsina State Government has withdrawn the operating licenses of all private and community schools in the state, with effect from August 13, 2025.

The announcement came through a circular issued by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and signed by Commissioner Hajiya Zainab Musa-Musawa.

The ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Malam Sani Danjuma, released the document in Katsina on Saturday.

According to the circular, the move is part of the government’s effort to strengthen quality assurance and standardization within the education sector.

“The withdrawal of licenses is aimed at ensuring that schools operate in line with approved standards and provide quality education to students,” Danjuma said.

The circular also outlined a review of fees for license application, registration, and annual renewal.

“Owners of affected schools are required to obtain fresh licenses by submitting proof of payment to the ministry on or before September 30, 2025.”

The statement also added that school operators have been warned not to increase tuition or other charges without government approval.

The ministry further promised to issue additional guidelines soon, including categorization of schools and the revised fee structure.

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JUST IN: Oldest Missionary To Nigeria, Ruth Elton, Is Dead

Published

13 hours ago

August 30, 2025

Editor

British-born Nigerian missionary, Ruth Elton, reputed to be the oldest missionary has passed on at the age of 91.

Ruth Elton, born 7 September 1933, was a British-born Nigerian missionary whose lifelong dedication to faith, healing, and revival left an indelible mark on communities across western and central Nigeria.

It was learnt that Elton died on Saturday at Sharon compound, Alafia Bamin Quarters in Ilesa, Osun State.

She was the only daughter of Pa Elton and her remains have been deposited at the mortuary.

Ruth Elton, daughter of Sydney Granville Elton (Pa Elton), who is referred to as one of the founding fathers of Pentecostalism in Nigeria, had approached a Kaduna court and nationalised as a Nigerian.

At old age and despite the happenings in Nigeria, she still held in high esteem her father’s prophecies that although Nigeria could be known globally for corruption, it would only for a while as new dawn would beckon when the country would be known worldwide for righteousness and prosperity.

Elton moved to Nigeria in 1937 with her parents and served as a Christian missionary across Egbe, Okene, Koton Karfe, and other parts of Kogi, Ondo, Oyo, and Osun States.

A naturalised Nigerian, having renounced her British citizenship in the 1970s, she embraced the country completely and became fluent in Ebira and Yoruba.

Elton, who remained single, believed that she had made a true mark in the country and apart from her missionary work, she saw her efforts in taming infant mortality, especially in Okene, Kogi State as a generational impact.

Relating her experience on infant mortality in the country, Elton recently noted that many newborn babies had passed on due to lack of proper care and hygiene, adding that the practice of force-feeding babies contributed to the challenges, especially in the face of poor awareness.