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Traditional Rulers in Edo South Back Obaseki’s Implementation Of 1979 Law

Published

2 years ago

August 24, 2023

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L-R (front row): Enogie of Egbaen-Siluko, Iduozee Ogiegbean; Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq.; Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, and Enogie of Evbuobanosa, Prof Gregory Akenzua, during a 'Thank You' visit to the Governor by the traditional rulers in Edo South Senatorial District, at the Government House in Benin City, on Thursday, 24 August 2023.

… new regime ‘ll enhance good governance, end rural-urban migration, says gov

….’ll improve security, sense of belonging at grassroots – Enigie

Traditional rulers from Edo South Senatorial District have unanimously declared their support for the implementation of a 1979 Law on local council administration, commending the State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, for the implementation.

of the new regime where all traditional rulers in the 18 local government areas of the State will receive monthly allowances to administer their domains.

The traditional rulers made their position known on Thursday when they paid a ‘Thank You’ visit to the governor at the Government House, Benin City.

They expressed their appreciation to the governor for what they described as a bold step taken by him to address the age-long lingering problem.

This is as they disclosed their unflinching backing of the governor’s action, noting that this development will not only enhance good governance at the grassroots level but also give a sense of belonging and authority to the traditional rulers to effectively administer their various domains and put in check their people.

The Enogie (Duke) of Dukedom Evbuobanosa, Professor Gregory Iduorobo Akenzua, who led the delegation, while commending the governor for the new regime, applauded him for his government’s developmental strides across the State.

According to him, “For a number of years, we have observed a portion of the local government law of Edo State that affects Enigie and wondered for a while why it was not being implemented.

“But by your recent declaration, you have given a monumental opportunity for Enigie in Edo South to participate actively in the governance of the State and we are grateful.

“We thank you for your courage, wisdom, and determination to write anything that is not right since you assumed the reign of government in Edo State. We thank you very much as we are very appreciative of the monumental strides in development at all levels that we have experienced in your time.”

He added, “This is why we are here to show our appreciation and pledge our loyalty to you and thank you and your team of determined public officers. We thank you on behalf of the people of Edo South Senatorial District who have not felt the impact of traditional governance effectively for some time.”

Governor Godwin Obaseki (middle); Osarodion Ogie, Esq., Secretary to Edo State Government and the visiting traditional rulers in a group photograph

In his response, the governor, who thanked the Enigie for the visit, said he will continue to work with the traditional institution in the state to ensure widespread development and growth across the State.

Obaseki said, “We took the decision in response to your letter you wrote to me last year. We looked at the issues critically and felt the reasons in the letter were valid particularly in terms of the situation in Nigeria today.

“You asked me to implement a section of the Edo State Traditional Rulers Law which by law, I have no choice but to do and that law stipulates that every local government should have its own traditional council.

“The reason why that decision was taken and enacted many years ago is that the traditional authorities in every jurisdiction should assist the government in enforcing law and order and ensuring development within the area. The law applies to the whole of the State, including the North, Central and South Senatorial Districts.”

He continued: “A very close look at the implementation of the law, you can see the advantages that North and Central have had as a result of full implementation of the law, which has allowed full participation by the traditional authorities in the administration of each local government.

“By implementing the law in Edo South Senatorial District, we now expect a much faster rate of development than we have seen in the past. We know some of you in the past have assisted local government authorities in areas like security, education, and welfare which you did on your own.

“You have assisted in the past to support vigilante groups, improving security in your area. I thank the Enogie of Ehor who worked tirelessly with us to deal with kidnapping at Ehor and Igieduma axis a few years ago. Working with him made us understand the issues more and we were able to checkmate their activities in that area.”

Obaseki charged, “In your meetings which must be regular, you must work closely with local government authorities and ensure every land is policed, especially the forest areas as we don’t want our forest to be used as camps for criminals and bandits.”

The governor further thanked the traditional rulers for collaborating with his administration to fight human trafficking and illegal migration in Edo State, adding, “We must also take the issues of education very seriously as we have noticed that we don’t have as many schools as we should have in your jurisdiction. People are not willing to live and teach in those areas as a lot of migration to Benin City.

“In our 30-year development plan, one of the things we will put in our development plan is how to make our areas more comfortable to enable us to reduce the rural-urban migration. I thank you for your support and collaboration in our fight against human trafficking and irregular migration.

“We need to reverse migration as Benin City can’t take everybody. You need to make your area attractive by providing infrastructure and services for people to live comfortably.”

Reaffirming his government’s commitment to the welfare and well-being of Edo people, Obaseki said the government is sustaining efforts to tackle poverty and improve the livelihood of the people.

He stated, “A register for the poor and vulnerable was compiled in 2019 with 314,000 households and 1.2 million people in your domain. Verify the register as we work with you to put in place a system to disburse money on a monthly basis for these people to enable them to take the pressure off you because they come to you for help.”

Recall that about two weeks ago, the Edo State Government Executive Council approved the implementation of a 1979 Law on local council administration, which translates to a new regime where all traditional rulers in the 18 local government areas of the state will receive monthly allowances to administer their domains.

In a statement to that effect, Secretary to the Edo State Government, Osarodion Ogie, Esq. noted, “The Council resolved that there would be a traditional council in each local government area across the state’s 18 local councils.

“In the law, the Oba of Benin remains the permanent chairman of the Edo State Traditional Council of Obas and Chiefs and also the permanent chairman of the Benin Traditional Council.

“The Benin Traditional Council is the umbrella body of Edo South Traditional Council.

“The budget and funding of the Benin Traditional Council will be completely independent of the financing which goes to all other traditional councils of the various local government areas in the State.”

News

Two Schoolchildren Electrocuted In Anambra During Rainfall

Published

3 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Editor

Tragedy struck in Nnewichi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday when two schoolchildren were electrocuted while taking shelter from the rain at a roadside shop.

The incident, which occurred at St. Peter’s Claver Junction, threw the community into mourning.

Eyewitnesses and CCTV footage revealed that several pupils had gathered at the shop to escape the downpour when the tragedy happened.

A resident near the scene, who pleaded anonymity, recounted, “Several pupils were taking shelter at the roadside shop during the heavy rainfall. But tragedy struck when the wet bodies of two of the schoolchildren came in contact with a live metal, and they were instantly electrocuted.”

According to witnesses, panic spread as the children collapsed instantly, while others narrowly escaped.

The shop owner was said to have not yet opened for business when the incident occurred.

“It took the intervention of some security officers and passers-by, who used protective gloves to evacuate the bodies,” another eyewitness said.

The incident came just days after a similar tragedy in the same Nnewi area, where a woman was swept away by floodwaters in the Uruagu community.

When contacted, the Anambra State Police Command spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, noting that an investigation was underway.

“The facts are not clear yet, but the divisional police officer has been directed to find out the details for a comprehensive report,” Ikenga stated.

The latest tragedy adds to recent cases of electrocution in the state.

In May, a three-year-old girl was killed in Awka after stepping on a live cable belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.

Residents had reportedly alerted officials about the fallen high-tension wire, but it was not repaired until after the fatal incident.

A resident, identified as Uche, said, “The cable fell on Friday and wasn’t fixed until Sunday, after it had electrocuted the girl. The officials even requested ₦30,000 to fix it but didn’t show up until it was too late.”

The repeated incidents have reignited public concern over poor electricity infrastructure and safety negligence in Anambra communities.

News

Oyo Orders Traders To Vacate Airport Road In Two Weeks

Published

3 hours ago

October 14, 2025

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The Oyo State Government has issued a two-week ultimatum to traders operating along Airport Road, Old Ife Road, and Onipepeye areas of Ibadan to vacate the roadside or face enforcement action.

The directive was detailed in a Tuesday statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Seyi Makinde, Dr. Suleimon Olanrewaju.

He warned that the state would no longer tolerate roadside trading or the placement of container shops on drainage.

According to the statement, “the government has provided markets and other designated spaces for trading across the city, making it unnecessary and unsafe for traders to occupy roadsides.”

The government said the action was necessary to safeguard lives, prevent environmental hazards, and protect public infrastructure.

It also warned that trading on walkways and blocking drainage channels increases the risk of flooding and undermines the state’s efforts to promote tourism.

“The government has a duty to protect citizens from all manner of danger,” the statement said, noting that roadside trading exposes people to serious risks.

The ultimatum expires on October 27, after which enforcement will begin.

The government said “non-compliance could lead to the confiscation of goods and prosecution of offenders.”

It appealed for cooperation from residents to ensure a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable environment in the state.

News

Admissions: Mathematics No Longer Compulsory For Arts Students, Says FG

Published

3 hours ago

October 14, 2025

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Nigerian senior secondary school students in arts and humanities will no longer be required to present a credit in mathematics in their Senior School Certificate Examination, organised by the West African Examination Council and National Examination Council, as a condition for admission to universities and polytechnics, the Federal Ministry of Education said on Tuesday.

For years, admission seekers in arts and humanities, like their contemporaries in sciences and social sciences, have been mandated to have five credits, including mathematics and English language, to secure admission into higher institutions.

“The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards.

“The new framework applies to universities, polytechnics, colleges of education, and Innovation Enterprise Academies across the country as follows:

“Universities: Minimum of five (5) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language, obtained in not more than two sittings. Mathematics is mandatory for Science, Technology, and Social Science courses.

“Polytechnics (ND Level): Minimum of four (4) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language for non-science courses and Mathematics for science-related programs.

“Polytechnics (HND Level): Minimum of five (5) credit passes in relevant subjects, including English Language and Mathematics.

“Colleges of Education (NCE Level): Minimum of four (4) credit passes in relevant subjects, with English Language mandatory for Arts and Social Science courses, and Mathematics required for Science, Vocational, and Technical programs,” a statement by the FME’s spokesperson, Folasade Boriowo, said.

An education analyst, Ayodamola Oluwatoyin, who spoke to our correspondent in Abuja, hailed the reform.

“This is a brilliant reform, which we hope will open the doors and improve the ease of admissions into tertiary institutions for more seekers.”

The Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, described the reform as a deliberate effort to expand access to tertiary education.

The ministry also approved a comprehensive reform of admission entry requirements into all tertiary institutions across the country, increasing the average annual intake from about 700,000 to one million students.

According to the government, the new policy aims to expand access to higher education and create opportunities for an additional 250,000 to 300,000 admissions each year.

The minister explained that the reform became necessary after years of limited access, which left many qualified candidates unable to secure admission despite meeting the required standards.

“Every year, over two million candidates sit for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), yet only about 700,000 gain admission. This imbalance is not due to lack of ability but outdated and overly stringent entry requirements that must give way to fairness and opportunity.

“The reform is a deliberate effort to expand access to tertiary education, creating opportunities for an additional 250,000 to 300,000 students each year. It reflects our commitment to ensuring that every Nigerian youth has a fair chance to learn, grow, and succeed—putting the Renewed Hope Agenda into action,’’ he said.

The revised National Guidelines for Entry Requirements into Nigerian Tertiary Institutions are designed to remove barriers while maintaining academic standards.