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Remembering Radio OYO and It’s Jingles with Deep Nostalgia

Published

2 years ago

September 15, 2023

Eric

By Femi Kehinde

In this period of global economic conundrums, anger, anguish and angst, it is better to go down memory lane and now remember, those things that had put smiles on our faces, and enhanced our moral values, more particularly, in this era of numerous Radio stations. Radio O Y O really stood out then.

Radio services, to the people of Ibadan, is perhaps, as old as mankind. The first Radio Station in Nigeria was established in Ibadan in 1939; the second station in Kano in 1944; both by the Colonial Government.

However, and effectively too, the Colonial Government started the Nigerian Broadcasting service in Oke-Are, Ibadan in 1955 with 2 studios at the Oxford house, Dugbe, Ibadan.

“This is Nigerian Broadcasting Service –B’olu badan ba ‘ku ta ni o joye (who is the next king, if Olubadan passes on); ojogede dudu inun takun (he eats an unripe plantain and suffers stomach discomfort); ko so ni gbese ni bi lo si le keji ( there is no debtor here go to the next house) and Eko je Ibadan lowo 130 (Lagos owes Ibadan 130 thousand pounds)” was the signature tune of the Radio Nigeria Broadcasting Service. The signature tune was the drumming ingenuity and creativity, since, 1956, of no other person, than the drummer-King, Oba John Adetoyese Laoye 1, Timi of Ede (December 1946 – May 16 1975).

Radio services in the Western Region of Nigeria had been popularized by the government of Obafemi Awolowo in 1955, when he brought Rediffusion boxes, for the listening pleasure, of the people of the Western Region. It was a repeater one channel radio broadcast signals which brought news, commentaries and general entertainment programmes, for a paltry sum of five shillings at the end of every month, to every subscriber.

The Obafemi Awolowo government also on 31st October, 1959 established the Western Nigerian Television (WNTV), being the first Television station in Nigeria and the whole of Africa, at Ibadan. As at the time of its establishment, many countries in Europe had not seen television or known what it was all about. In May 1960, the Radio arm- WNBS of the Western region, was established to compliment the WNTV. Ibadan became the beehive of broadcast activities with the heavy presence of Radio Nigeria, that had earlier come on stream on April 4, 1955 with a short wave transmitter located at Oke-are area of Ibadan.

In 1976, the Radio arm of Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) was established whilst its television component was founded in 1982 with a robust staff strength of about 4449. In 1978, the Radio 2 arm of Radio O Y O and the first FM station (frequency modulation) in Nigeria was founded on top of the Mapo hill in Ibadan. In 1984, at the advent of a new Military government in Oyo State with Oladayo Popoola as Military governor, merged the BCOS and Radio O Y O as one hence forth to be known simply as BCOS. In 1976, Engr. Oluwole Dare was appointed as the foundation General Manager.
After about 6 months and still on Acting appointment, he resigned and was succeeded by Chief Adebayo Faleti. At a later time, Engr. Dare reemerged a Sole Administrator of BCOS under the Military Government of Colonel Adetunji Idowu-Olurin. There were other succeeding GMs like Kunle Adeleke, Bisi Adesola, PSO Taiwo, John Fademi, who later moved to Osun State as the founding GM of Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC). Biodun Sanda took over from him as GM of BCOS.

There were top notch officers in WNTV,WNBS, Radio O Y O, BCOS, Transmission Service of Oyo State (TSOS) and directors like Anike Agbaje Wiliams who had earlier worked with the likes of Dr. Yemi Faroumbi; an old veteran, Julie Coker, Bayo Sanda, Ade Adekanbi, Wole Oyebamiji , Femi Olajide, Dejo Olugbodi, Bunmi Ayegoro, Engr. Tola Ajani, Prince Kayode Adedire, Ayodeji Iyanda, Olatunde Iyanda, Toba Opaleye; who moved to Ogun State Television(OGTV), Akin Akinsolugba; who moved to Ondo State Broadcasting Corporation, Laolu Olatunbosun, Bamiji Ojo, Olori Abeke Lawore, Yanju Adegbite, Adeola Alagbe later Haastrup, Omolara Dada, Prince Ropo Ogunwusi (father of the current Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Ogunwusi);who was in charge of the audio section, Segun Oyewole(Segeto), Sade Ogedengbe, Biodun Oni, Femi Adefila; now founder of Rave FM, Osogbo, Funmilola Agboola later Perola, Adeola Akande later Adedotun, Ayobami Lawal, Olusola Ajala, Adesoye Oyetunde, Ademola Oladejo.

However, what makes Radio O Y O through the arrays of these quality and talented broadcast journalists and veterans were beautifully espoused in its radio jingles, ewi and ijala chants, beautiful ewi rendition, philosophical muses and short dramas to educate, enlighten, entertain and disseminate information to its numerous listeners. The Jingles were fully loaded with wisdom, moral lessons, moral rearmaments, and moral awareness to create a better and reformed society.

1. ‘Baba Bola, mode ileyin lana eba len je, looni kan na eba le tun je. Eyin o lounje mi ju eba lo ni? Dodo ati ewa ki se ounje alakowe nikan, gbogbo e lo da lara.’
‘Baba Bola, I was in your house yesterday, you were eating eba, today also eba. Don’t you have any other diet aside from eba? Beans and plantain are not educated people’s food only. It is all good for the body.’
Baba Bola’s answer was sharp and direct:- ‘Ka to ri garri oun ra nko?’ That is, is it easy to even find garri to buy.

That was about 40 years ago when garri was cheap and the common man’s staple. Today, garri apart from being expensive is now also on the rich man’s menu list. The moral lesson of this jingle was to promote and encourage healthy dietary habits and balanced diet. This Jingle was voiced by Ayodeji Iyanda and Bamiji Ojo.

2. ‘Asiri ikooko ko gbodo towo aja tu. Ma se fi asiri idanwo han olufe, ma se fi asiri idanwo han omo ile iwe; a ki ma ma nse iru e ko ma hun ni o.’ – This was a serious admonition, warning and advisory to teachers and invigilators not to leak examination answers and that it has serious repercussions.- This Jingle was voiced by Alabi Ogundepo, the Ijala chanter from Saki.

3. ‘Onimoto rora gbese le, onimoto rora sare o. Ina piti gbenle, ja ilekun e. Esinsin je taya e ke. A sare tete ko koja ile, arigbere ko koja ona- This was an advisory against reckless driving. – This Jingle was voiced by Ronke Oke-Ibadan and Olatunde Iyanda. Beautifully, Hubert Ogunde’s music on ‘Onimoto’ would be chipped in.

4. ‘Ka ko ka ko!(sound of a shoe) Ode tun ti ya. Ibo lotun da? Eni Ijo, ola ariya. Awon oremi lope mi, mi o de le malo ti won ba pe mi tori to ba kan mi awon na lo ma ba mi lo.- That is, ‘Another party again? Where next? My friends invited me and I have to honour the invitation because when it is my turn they will honour mine too.’ -This Jingle was voiced by Raliatu and Ronke Oke-Ibadan.

5. ‘E fura! E fura o! Pansa o fura pansa jona! Aja o fura aja jin! Onile ti o ba fura ole ni o gbe lo.Teba fe sun lale ke tana yi ile po, kesi tun ti ilekun gboin gboin. E toju dukia o kama ba farawa le ole lowo.’- This emphasises vigilance and security consciousness whenever the night falls to prevent burglary attacks.

6. ‘E jowo nibo ni ile igbonse yin wa?’
‘Awa oni nto jo baun nibi o.’
‘Bawo lese wa n se?’
‘Bi ka so soju agbara tabi eba ona.’
‘Please, where is your toilet?’
‘We don’t have such thing here o’
‘Then how do you manage, how do you live without a toilet in your house?’
‘We either throw it into a river/stream or by the roadside or wherever’ -This Jingle was voiced by Olori Abeke Lawore and Ayodeji Iyanda
‘This was an advice on hygiene and the need to have decent toilet in houses.’

7. ‘Iya aburo se ko si nkan?’
‘Kini kan ma nbe leyin nkan.’
‘Mummy, hope there is no problem?’
‘There is always a problem thereafter oooo’ – Was another cautionary message.

8. ‘Dandan lowo ori je, tu lasi laso ibora. Owo ori lafi ko Mapo…..’
‘Payment of taxes is compulsory. It was tax money that was used to build Mapo Hall’ -This emphasises the need to pay taxes regularly, as at when due just as necessary as a blanket or cover cloth. After all Mapo hall was built with tax payers money by the colonial government during the time of Captain W.A Ross in 1929.

Sanusi Adebisi Giwa Idikan’s act of philanthropy, was demonstrated in his first tax rescue effort in Ibadan. Payment of tax by every male adult was made compulsory by the colonial government. Most Ibadan adults were subsistent farmers who could not afford the payment of tax and thus evaded tax payment. The punishment for tax evasion was detention in Mapo, which also served as the treasury office. A detained tax defaulter usually found it difficult to get someone to bail him out because most adults were tax evaders and an attempt by a tax evader to bail another tax evader will land the rescuer in detention. This tax problem became such a society anguish that a Balogun of Ibadan, Balogun Ola, a son of Baale Orowusi committed suicide in protest of the detention of Ibadan young men for tax evasion. This valiant self-murder was recognized by the Ibadan people, who named him Kobomoje (the one who displayed gallantly against timidity).
Sanusi Adebisi Idikan was perhaps Ibadan’s wealthiest man of his time. The payment of tax became a social symbol and tax defaulters were usually mocked and despised by the popular song –‘Owo ori ti d’ode o, o o’ode o baba wa loko san’-payment of tax has come, our fathers were the first to pay, the idiots and lazy ones who have not paid are in detention in Mapo’-awon ode ti o le san o won nbe lati mole ni Mapo’.

Adebisi was displeased with the tax situation in Ibadan. His philosophy had always been- (the rich must help the poor who are vulnerable). Adebisi had at this time been one of the set of Ibadan elites, if not the first person, to ride a car, apart from his stable of horses. For effect, he had his horse dispatch rider-Ladimeji, to ride in front of his car on his way to Mapo, to see the chief tax officer for the Ibadan Colonial Office. In his meeting with the officer in the colonial office, he brokered an understanding-‘I want to be paying tax on behalf of every taxable adult in Ibadan.’ The officer was shocked, nonplussed and asked him if he knew the financial implication of his gesture, but Adebisi insisted. Henceforth, the colonial officer would calculate the amount of tax expected from all Ibadan taxable adults and would go to Adebisi Idikan’s residence to collect the money. That was the amazing level of Adebisi Idikan’s kindheartedness and humaneness.

9. ‘Oremi, mode office re lana awo oju re to fi sori tabili re ati kootu re, to gbe ko, eyun fi han wi pe o rin ji na.’
‘My friend, I was in your office yesterday, your pair of eyeglasses on your table and the coat you hung, showed me you were within the premises.’
‘Ore, e mi ma fi dagbon ni. Ona mi ti jin.’
‘My friend, I just used that as a decoy. I had gone far.
‘Haa! Eyun o mo mo daa’- ‘Truancy is not good’
– This was voiced by Ayodeji Iyanda and late Ayobami Lawal

10. A lady asked her boyfriend for more money and the man sparked- ‘Is it everyday that I’ll be giving you money, what of the ones I’ve been giving you?’ The woman replied; ‘Se owo to wa larin wa ni receipt ni?’ That is, ‘does the transactions between us require receipts?’

Radio O Y O ooooooo was the signature tune of the Radio station with drums and percussions. I remember Supo Kosemani’s 5 minutes to 6pm proverbs, its interpretations and philosophical muses were delivered for 5 minutes before the 6o’clock news, interviews and commentaries. Whenever the program was heralded, he was always at his best elements in explaining Yoruba proverbs, idioms, norms and idiosyncrasies.
However, the Jingles were not always in Yoruba language alone, there were some of its English variants like;
1. ‘Attention please! Attention please! Calling all drivers! Calling all drivers! Calling all motor scooter drivers! Excessive speeding can kill, have consideration for other road users’; a sweet rendition by Yanju Adegbite and there will be added music; ‘Aringbere ni yo moye dele, asare tete ko ni moye kan je’- That is, to be late is better than the late.
2. Avoid dirty and unripe fruits.
3. Cocaine is a killer.
4. Be careful with fire.
5. Don’t waste water.
6. Don’t jump the queue.
7. Don’t park your car just anywhere.
And some many other English jingles:
‘Sleeping on duty?’
‘Sorry sir! sorry sir!’
‘Sorry for yourself, you mustn’t have a naira added to your pay’

It is important to give special recognition again, to the founding fathers of broadcast journalism in Ibadan, Yoruba land and Nigeria- Olaniran Ogunyemi Ogungbemi, Dokun Famubode, Akin Otiko, Sanya Oyinsan, Yemi Faroumbi, Julie Coker; the first voice on the WNTV as continuity announcer on the 31st of October, 1959, Anike Agbaje Williams, Adebayo Faleti, Kunle Olasope, Victor Adeniyi, Nelson Ipaye, Yomi Onabolu, Sam Adegbe, Ayo Ogunlade, Kunle Adeleke, Tunji Senjobi, Toun Adeyemi, SF Ayo Vaughan, Tunji Marquis, Alex Conde, Dipo Bibilari, Dipo Babalola, Laolu Oguniyi, Lola Showunmi, Bankole Laotan, Jibola Dededunola, HO Robbins; Foundation GM of NTA, Abeokuta, Biodun Shotunji, Ishola Folorunsho, Tolu Fatoyinbo, Ernest Okonkwo, Laolu Oguniyi, Laolu Olumide, Yemi Ogunyemi, Goke Akinlabi, Olanrewaju Adepoju, Tunbosun Ladapo, Kunle Hamzat, Funmilola Olorunisola and many other great veterans.

Radio O Y O, rise up and walk again to reinvent and rejuvenate this glorious past as a worthy source of emulation by the numerous Radio stations that have now populated our environments. It is so bad, that our best is in our yesterday. May this giant continually grow and blossom like the oak tree.

Hon (Barr.) Femi Kehinde, Former Member, House of Representatives, National Assembly, Abuja, representing Ayedire/Iwo/Ola-oluwa Federal Constituency, of Osun State (1999-2003) and also Principal Partner in the Law Firm of Femi Kehinde and Co (Solicitors).

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AfDB President, Akinwumi Adesina’s Acceptance Speech

Published

6 hours ago

March 17, 2025

Eric

Speech by Dr. Akinwumi A. Adesina
President and Chairman of the Boards of Directors, African Development Bank Group, At the State House Event on the Conferment of the Chief of the Order of Golden Heart, C.G.H, State House, Nairobi, Kenya, March 17, 2025.

Your Excellency, Dr. William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya, C.G.H.

Your Excellency, Professor Kithure Kindiki, Deputy President of the Republic of Kenya.

Honorable Musalia Mudavadi, Prime Cabinet Secretary,
Honorable Cabinet Secretaries,
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen.

Good morning! Habari za Azubuhi.

Your Excellency, President Ruto, I am most grateful for your conferring on me today the prestigious honor of the Chief of the Order of Golden Heart, C.G.H, Kenya’s highest and most distinguished honor.

I am greatly humbled by your incredible kindness!

What a great honor! What a rare privilege! What a historic recognition!

Thank you, thank you, and thank you, Your Excellency, Mr. President.

It is such a joy to be back here, with my dear wife Grace, in Kenya, a nation that I love, and to be in the State House, with a President who is a dear brother and friend. They say home is where your heart will always be.

I consider Kenya as my home. Afterall, I lived and worked here in this beautiful country for about 9 years, starting from my days working with the Rockefeller Foundation and the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). I have been back ever since, so I can claim to have been working in and on Kenya for at least 20 years.

The friendship between myself and President Ruto goes way back over those 20 years. As we say in Kenya, “Tumetoka Mbali” – we have come from far.”
Yes, we have come from far since Mr. President you were a much younger Minister of Agriculture, under the then government of President Mwai Kibaki. Your predecessor, former President Kenyatta, was then the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance.

I recall the very frequent and engaging discussions between us on how to improve the quality of lives of Kenyans. From seminars to workshops and conferences, we engaged intensely. I was not just working in Kenya, I was a Kenyan by mind, heart and soul, as I immersed myself in Kenya.

I remember that when I was later appointed as the Minister of agriculture in Nigeria, I came along with President Goodluck Jonathan on a State visit to Kenya. President Kenyatta and yourself, as then Deputy President, received us at the Jomo Kenyatta airport. As President Jonathan was making introductions of his ministers and got to me, he introduced me as “Minister of Agriculture of Nigeria.” President Kenyatta said “Yes, I know him. He is the Kenyan on loan to the Nigerian government!” We all busted out laughing (Laugh).

Of course, he was right, for even when I was appointed Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture, I appointed Maria Mulindi, a Kenyan, as my Chief of Staff.

I worked everywhere in Kenya and have such great memories. From my praying and preaching at the Nairobi Pentecostal Church Valley Road (with Bishop Boniface Adoyo, Bishop Oginde and many others) to small family prayer groups with my Kenyan friends, to working with farmers and schools across Kenya.

From working with a friend of mine (Robert Mbugua) speaking across high schools to encourage and inspire the youth, to supporting research institutions including the Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute, the African Economic Research Consortium (with Dr. Harris Mule and Prof. Willis Oluoch-Kosura, Prof Chris Ackello Ogutu and Dr. Gem Argwings-Kodhek), to working with corporate giants such as Chris Kirubi who owned the International House, and Vimal Shah, of BIDCO Oil Refineries.

From working to support girls education with the Forum for Women Educationalists in Africa (with Dr. Edda Gachukia and Dr. Ruth Kagia) to working to improve the lives of farmers across the farms from Bungoma, to Eldoret, Kisi, and across the Rift Valley.
From working with the Kenyan Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) to develop new technologies, to working on the farms in Muranga with Dr. Florence Wambugu, to scale up the uptake of tissue culture bananas by farmers.

I recall my work launching the development of agro-dealer networks across Kenya (with Dr. Caleb Wangia of the Agricultural Market Development Trust (AGMARK), as we rapidly expanded availability of farm input traders across Kenya.

I was so driven and so much wanted things to change positively for Kenyans. I was very concerned then about the millions of poor farmers in Kenya who were begging for food and had no access to seeds or fertilizers. I wanted to see a national program to provide subsidized seeds and fertilizers for poor farmers across Kenya.
The then PS of agriculture, Dr. Romano Kiome, and then Minister of Agriculture, Kipruto Arap Kirwa, became allies and agreed.

But it was not a popular move. Several donors were unhappy with me at the time for trying to push for subsidies for farmers, including my own office, The Rockefeller Foundation. I was even told that if I did not back off, I could lose my job. I was undeterred, as I said, “if trying to help poor people is the reason for losing my job, I cannot think of a more honorable way to lose a job: fighting for the poor.”

I recall going to one meeting of donors at the time to push for this, and as soon I raised the issue, the chair of the session (a Kenyan who worked then for the World Bank by the name Daniel) simply said, “next agenda item please.” I retorted that “if I had been the Minister of Foreign Affairs, I would have sent you all packing for spending your time on beaches and not even having a heart for the poor people in Kenya.”

When William Ruto was appointed as the agriculture minister, I asked for a meeting. You need to know something about this man, then Minister Ruto, now President Ruto: he is a man of action. He is relentless. And he will push until he gets things done. He did not wait for me to visit with him at the Kilimo House, he made his way to my office, and we met at 7.30 am. That was how we developed and rolled out the Kilimo Plus program to provide subsidized farm inputs for over 2.5 million poor farmers in the country.

I recall while at AGRA how I developed and rolled out the Kilimo Biashara program, which provided financial guarantee facilities that reduced the risk of lending by commercial banks in Kenya to farmers. It worked so well that it supported Banks such as the Equity Bank (working with James Mwangi) to rapidly expand their lending to the agriculture sector, from its humble beginning, to becoming what it is today, of which I am very proud.

I recall my work with Kenyan colleagues as we developed at the time what was called the Kenyan Agricultural Commodity Exchange (with Adrian Mukhibi, Albert Wessonga) to provide market price information for farmers in the country, using their mobile phones. I remember our working with the Mayor of Bungoma at the time to set up the commodity exchange in Chewele market so farmers could bulk their maize and sell based on grade and quality at the exchange, working at the time with SACRED Africa, an NGO based in Bungoma (with Dr. Eusebius Mukhwana, who later became a Senator).

It worked so well, as middlemen could not rip off farmers anymore. In fact, it worked so well, that some disgruntled middlemen vandalized some of the commodity exchange Kiosks. One day, Mr. Kofi Annan, then former United Nations Secretary General, who was at the time the Chairman of the Board of AGRA, visited Chewele. He was so amazed, as he used his mobile phone to make orders via the exchange; he turned to me and said, “this is the Chicago Board of Exchange in a village in Kenya.”

I tried so hard to be Kenyan, so much so that I started running in the Jaffrey Center, early mornings and weekends. If only I could run like those long-distance runners of Kenya, maybe I could become a Kenyan! I failed, as I could not keep up with them. So, I told myself, let me just stick with being a Nigerian, at least I know that Nigeria can always defeat Kenya in football.

As President of the African Development Bank, I am proud that my colleagues and I have been running with Kenya and scoring development goals with Kenya. Kenya has a special place in the history of the African Development Bank since its establishment in 1964. The very first project ever financed by the African Development Bank was right here in Kenya in 1967, that’s 58 years ago.
The first one links Eldoret to Tororo in Uganda, laying the foundation for a transport infrastructure that drives commerce between countries of the Great Lakes and the Indian Ocean regions. The second road, which connects Nairobi to Kilimanjaro region in Tanzania, has become a major trunk road for commerce and tourism between both countries.
Since 1964, the Bank has financed a total of 167 projects, with financial commitment of $7.8 billion.

But I am especially proud of what we have done in and for Kenya over the past ten years since I was first elected President of the African Development Bank in 2015. Since I was elected President, the Bank has financed a total of 57 projects, with total financing commitment of $4.44 billion. That means we did in the past ten years (under my Presidency) 57% of all the African Development Bank has invested in Kenya for over the past 60 years!

That must tell you how special Kenya is to me!

The African Development Bank’s current portfolio consists of 45 projects worth $4.09 billion. And these projects are having huge impacts across Kenya.

For example, the Bank-supported Last-Mile Connectivity electricity project has helped to increase the population of Kenyans connected to the national electricity grid from 41% in 2014 to 76% in 2024. Put simply, electricity connections increased from 2.42 million households to 9.7 million households.

Many of you may not know that the Bank made this happen. You are not alone! On one of my field trips to the Rift Valley together with Cabinet Secretary minister at the time, Charles Keter, we walked down a dusty road in one of the villages that benefited from the last mile connectivity project. Right in front of us was an elderly woman whose name was Grace (not Grace, my wife!). She was asked by the Cabinet Secretary if she knows that the African Development Bank funded the connection of her village and household to electricity. She said, “I do not know the African Development Bank.” When further asked if she knows Dr. Adesina, President of the African Development Bank. She said “No, I do not know him, where is he?” Of course, I was beside her! She then said, “all I know is that we once were in darkness, now we have light!” (laugh).

With Kenya participating in the Mission 300 launched by the African Development Bank and the World Bank to connect 300 million people to electricity by 2030, Kenya is definitely on course to achieving 100% access to electricity by 2030. Ninaamini Tutatoboa!

The African Development Bank financed and was the Mandated Lead Arranger for the 310 megawatts Lake Turkana Project, which is the largest wind farm in Africa. The Bank also financed the 105 megawatts Menengai Geothermal power plant, further advancing Kenya’s leadership in geothermal development in Africa. For power transmission, the Bank provided $105.5 million for the recently completed Ethiopia-Kenya electricity highway project.

The African Development Bank is supporting several road and transport projects that are improving regional connectivity, trade and reducing travel costs for the population. Let me mention a few.
Take for example, right here in Nairobi, the Bank provided $106.7 million for the rehabilitation of the 13 kilometers Nairobi Outer Ring Road, turning it from a single lane to a dual carriageway, including service roads, grade separated intersections, pedestrian foot over-bridges, walkways and bicycle lanes, while providing secondary access to the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

The Bank co-financed with $175 million the expansion of the Thika-Nairobi road, expanding it into a six and eight lane highway. This has drastically reduced travel time from 2-3 hours to just 30-45 minutes.
The Bank has approved $852 million for on-going regional integration operations in Kenya. This includes the Bagamoyo-Tanga-Horohoro-/Lunga-Malindi road connecting Kenya and Tanzania. We are supporting the Kapchorwa-Suam-Kitale road project connecting Kenya and Uganda, as well as the Lesseru-Kitale roads project connecting Kenya and South Sudan.

The Bank financed the construction of the Addis-Ababa-Nairobi-Mombasa Highway that has reduced the travel time between Ethiopia and Kenya from 3 days to less than 24 hours and has helped to expand the trade between the two countries by 400%.

The Bank co-financed the dualization of the 84 kilometers Kenol-Sagna-Marua Highway, part of the Kenya section of the Trans-Africa Highway running from Cape to Cairo. Our support of $31million for the Timboroa-Eldoret Road Rehabilitation Project, part of the Northern Corridor, provides transit routes connecting Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Eastern Congo and Southern Sudan.

President Ruto is passionate also about water and sanitation. When I visited with him in May, when Kenya graciously hosted the Bank’s Annual Meetings in 2024, he passionately requested the Bank’s expanded support for water and sanitation. Mr. President, I am pleased that the Bank is providing $634 million towards the Kenya Town’s Sustainable Water Supply and Sanitation. This includes Euros 314.92 million for the construction of the Thwake Multipurpose Water Dam, expected to be completed by July 2026. When completed it will provide 150,000 cubic meters of water per day to about 1.3 million people in Kitui and Makueni counties, as well as the Konza Techno-City in Machakos County.

The Bank is strongly supporting the private sector in Kenya. This includes the provision of over $700 million in lines of credit to more than 8 commercial banks, including Equity Bank Group, Kenya Commercial Bank, Diamond Trust Bank, Credit Bank, Commercial Bank of Africa, Family Bank and the Kenyan Mortgage Refinance Company.

I know that Kenya faces a huge challenge with high unemployment for its youth, as manifested in several youth riots that shook Kenya. Unemployment is especially high among Kenya’s well-educated youth. They demand support for skills upgrade, finance to build their businesses, and social protection, as well as inclusion in governance systems.

To support the youth of Kenya, the African Development Bank is providing $309 million for 8 on-going projects targeting skills development for the youth. This includes support for technical and vocational education that has already benefitted 88,000 trainees.

The African Development Bank’s flagship program in support of financing for women, the Affirmative Finance Action for Women in Africa (AFAWA) has provided a total of $177 million in loans for 3,177 women-owned businesses.

One of such young women entrepreneurs is Pauline Otila, the CEO of Apiculture Ventures, one of the fastest growing businesses in Kenya’s honey industry. With support received from AFAWA, right here in Kenya, Pauline has tripled her business and grew her beekeepers’ supply network from 1,200 to 10,000 beekeepers. Today, Pauline is one of the leaders in Kenya’s male-dominated beekeeping industry, showing how when women are supported they thrive. In her own words “women are bankable, if given a chance.”

I fully agree. No bird can fly with one wing. I am convinced that when women win, Kenya wins! When women win, Africa wins!
Yes, challenges may be there today, but let’s keep hope alive.

Kenya will grow. Kenya will thrive. Kenya will prosper.

I believe the future will be bright for the youth of Kenya!

That is why the African Development Bank is currently preparing for our Board’s approval, financial support to Kenya, for the establishment of Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank of Kenya. This will be a stand-alone financial institution, that will be 100% dedicated to providing technical assistance, debt and equity financing for the businesses of the youth of Kenya. When I earlier discussed this with President Ruto, as we both were at an airport lounge in Dubai, both of us coming from different tips, he said to me “Adesina. I want this in Kenya like yesterday.” And true to his words, within 48 hours, I received a formal letter of request from President Ruto for the African Development Bank to support the establishment of the Youth Entrepreneurship Investment Bank of Kenya.

To the youths of Kenya, you are not alone. The African Development Bank and our partners will work to boost opportunities for the youth in Kenya. Working with President Ruto and the Government of Kenya, the goal is simple: build youth-based wealth in Kenya.

So, as you can see, my heart has always been in Kenya. I am therefore immensely honored that President Ruto, you are conferring on me Kenya’s highest and most distinguished honor, the Chief of the Order of the Golden Heart, CGH. My heart is here, but you made it even better: you added Gold to my Heart!

Thank you President Ruto. Thank you, Kenya!

This an honor that I will cherish for life. It will be a constant reminder that the country I love so much, Kenya, loves me back, appreciates and celebrates my leadership at the African Development Bank, and values and honors the incredible contributions of the Bank to its development.

On behalf of my dear wife, Grace, the Board of Directors, Management and Staff of the African Development Bank, and on my own behalf, I accept this honor with great humility.

May God bless you, my dear brother, President Ruto.

Asante Sana Mheshimiwa Rais Ruto.

May God bless the good people of Kenya.

Mungu aibariki Kenya.

God bless Africa.

Mungu aibariki Afrika.

With all my heart, now the Golden Heart!

Thank you so very much.

Asante Sana!

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Rivers Assembly Accuses Fubara, Deputy of Gross Misconduct, Gives Governor 14 Days to Respond

Published

16 hours ago

March 17, 2025

Eric

The Rivers State House of Assembly has accused Governor Siminalayi Fubara and his deputy Ngozi Odu of gross misconduct.

Twenty-six members of the Assembly raised the allegation in a notice sent to the speaker Martin Amaewhule and obtained by Channels Television.

They said the action was “in compliance with Section 188 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) and other extant laws”.

The lawmakers accused Fubara among other things of reckless and unconstitutional expenditure of public funds, hindering or obstructing the Rivers State House of Assembly which is another arm of the government, and the appointment of persons to occupy offices/positions in the Rivers State Government without allowing for the requirement of screening and confirmation.

Other accusations against the Rivers governor include the seizure of salaries, allowances, and funds standing to the credit of the legitimate Rivers State House of Assembly and the seizure of the salary of the Clerk of the Rivers State House of Assembly Emeka Amadi.

They also accused Odu of “conniving and supporting the illegal appointment of persons to occupy offices/positions in the Rivers State Government without allowing for the requirement of screening and confirmation”.

Upon receipt of the notice, Amaewhule forwarded the same to Governor Fubara and said the allegation was raised by “not less than one-third (1/3) of the membership of the Rivers State House of Assembly”.

Speaker Amaewhule asked Fubara to “reply to the allegations made against you in the said ‘Notice of Allegations of Gross Misconduct’ accordingly”.

“In doing this, your attention is drawn to the provisions of Section 188(3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended), which provides thus: ‘Within 14 days of the presentation of the notice to the Speaker of the House of Assembly (whether or not any statement made by holder of the office in reply to the allegation contained in the notice) the House of Assembly shall resolve by motion, without any debate whether or not the allegation shall be investigated’,” the speaker said in a letter sent to Fubara.

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‘Corper’ Who Called Tinubu ‘Terrible’ Risks Service Extention

Published

17 hours ago

March 17, 2025

Eric

There are statutory reasons to suggest that a Lagos-based member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Ushie Uguamaye, might have her service year extended by 30 days with half pay as punishment for criticising the administration of President Bola Tinubu, a conduct adjudged as a violation of the NYSC Bye Laws (Revised 2011).

Recently, Uguamaye, known on TikTok as @talktoraye, shared a video in which she called out the Tinubu administration over the economic hardship Nigerians have faced since it was sworn-in.

In another TikTok video, the young lady claimed that she was threatened on the phone by an official of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) for the video criticising the president.

She also shared a screenshot of a message allegedly received from NYSC officials summoning her to report to the Eti-Osa Local Government office on Monday.

According to Uguamaye, she fears for her life because she has also been receiving threats from anonymous persons after her video went viral.

The first video shared by Uguamaye may have contravened the NYSC Bye-Laws (Revised 2011), the section which says corps members are “not be rude to constituted authority” during primary assignments.

It reads: “Any member who is rude to constituted authority shall be tried by the Corps Disciplinary Committee and, if found guilty, be liable to extension of service for a period not less than thirty (30) days with half pay.”

Meanwhile, no official statement from NYSC has been received yet.