Chess master, Tunde Onakoya, has been appointed as a sports ambassador in Ogun State.

The appointment by the state governor, Dapo Abiodun is coming ahead of the National Sports Festival to be held in the state.

On Thursday, April 25, 2024, Governor Dapo hosted the chess master Tunde Onakoya at his office in Oke Mosan.

Tunde the Chess master, who recently concluded a 60-hour marathon chess game to beat the Guinness World Record, was honored by the governor.

In his welcome address, Governor Dapo announced the appointment of Tunde Onakoya as the sports ambassador and promised to include chess in the festivities, which will take place in nine months’ time.

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“We have appointed him as our State Sports Ambassador as Ogun State prepares to host the National Sports Festival in nine months, where chess will be featured,” Governor Dapo stated.

“In his honour, we are launching the Ogun State Chess Competition, which Mr. Onakoya will design.

We have also announced the Tunde Onakoya Prize to reward the competition’s winner, recognizing his dedication and leadership in promoting chess in our state.”

The General Manager of Osun State Water Corporation, OSWC, Engr. Dupeola Jokotola has appealed to residents to be vigilant and guard against vandalisation of its equipment.

Jokotola who directed her plea to residents of Gray’s International College, Ede, said the activities of scavengers alleged to be in the habit of vandalising and stealing multi million naira fittings on the rising mains and distribution pipelines belonging to the Water Corporation has become a slice of concern.

She made the plea while discussing with journalists in her office on Friday.

The General Manager while describing the development as sad and unfortunate said, “information at the disposal of the Corporation revealed that, scavengers are in the daily habit of moving around with the intension of stealing the fittings on the rising mains and distribution pipeline networks.

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“We condemn the development as wicked, callous and uncalled for despite Government’s ceaseless efforts through the State Water Corporation to provide regular supply of water to the people.”

Jokotola reiterated the resolve of the Ademola Adeleke administration not to treat such act with kid glove, henceforth.

“To guard against the act there is the need for a 24 hour vigilance by all residents of Osun State. 

“We also warn those who are in the habit of vandalising, stealing and selling of water mains facilities to desist from the act before the full weight of the law is brought against them.”

An Osun State Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, chieftain, Faruk Abbas, has rendered his resignation from the party.

Abbas, who was a candidate of the party for Ejigbo State Constituency of the Osun State House of Assembly resigned via a statement on his Facebook wall on Friday.

He reportedly dumped the party alongside many of his followers.

In the statement,  the renowned Lawyer stated that the PDP in Osun State has lost touch with the yearnings of the people of the state.

Abbas alleged that the party has been hijacked by “those who believe in promoting mediocrity and bootlicking over competence.”

He also stated in his letter of resignation that “the State has been facing unequal distribution of projects and political appointments, indicating that certain Local Governments are being prioritized over others.”

Abbas insisted that there has been no meaningful infrastructural development in Ejigbo local government, despite the substantial increase in federal allocations to the state.

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It has also been confirmed that a former South-West PDP Youth Leader, Engr. Yinka Jimoh Adigun, and a former Vice Chairman in Ejigbo local government, Musiliu Bello, and thousands of their loyalists, have also dumped the PDP.

This development closely follows recent news of the impending defection of two former gubernatorial aspirants in the PDP,  Dọtun Babayemi, and Dr. Akin Ogunbiyi, from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The spate of defections appear to be setting the stage for political activities ahead of the 2026 gubernatorial contest, in which the incumbent governor, Ademola Adeleke, is expected to seek a second term.