Author: oduduwanews

The people of ancient town of Ado Awaye, Araromi LCDA in Oke Ogun region of Oyo State on Saturday 19th November, 2022, celebrated the Iyake International Annual Festival.

The ocassion which was kickstarted on the 16th November and came to an end on Saturday 19th had the the Oyo State Commissioner for Establishment, Trade and Investments,Alhaji Siju Lawal representing Gov. Seyi Makinde and Barrister Iyiola Oladokun, former Deputy Governor of Oyo State, as the Chairman of the occasion.

The event which took place at the festival arena, foot of Ado mountain, Ago Afin, Ado Awaye, Araromi LCDA, Iseyin Local Government, Oke Ogun region of Oyo State witnessed some interesting programmes of activities such as cultural display, boxing, speeches, beauty contest, music, among others.

The Chairman of the Central Planning Committee, Mr.Bola Olalere while speaking, appreqciated Kabiesi Alado of Ado Awaye for giving him the privilege to head the Central Planning Committee of this year 2022 edition of Iyake international festival .The Chairman said,” I have always seen Iyake Suspended lake as one of our heritages in Oke Ogun that is wasting away and needing a different approach to make it world class destination. When I see the calibre of people in the Committee selected by his Royal Majesty which cuts across different fields of professional give me courage that we shall succeed in the assignment “.

The Chairman stated further that, to achieve the target, they started reaching out to indigenes of Oke-Ogun and Oyo State in general for possible assistance which gave them the power to embark on the rehabilitation of the 50 steps and erection of the entrance gate at the Ado mountain. He therefore called on every indigene and residents of Oke-Ogun and Oyo State in general to join hands by donating bags of cements and other needed materials to do the required job.

In his royal address, the Alado of Ado Awaye kingdom who was also the Royal Chief host welcomed all dignitaries present at the occasion. Speaking further, Kabiesi said,”we are here to celebrate history and wonders of the only two natural suspended lakes in the world-Iya Alaro and Iyake lakes being the major one, and other mystical heritages on Ado mountain. Ado Awaye is not only rich in history and culture, it also has what it takes to contribute greatly to the development of Oyo State and turn around Nigeria’s economy “. According to Kabiesi, Iyake suspended lake in Ado Awaye has been rated the third among the 7 wonders of the world, thus, it is a tourist attraction to behold. The first cassava Sorbitol Factory in Africa located at Ado Awaye is another giant economic booster for the state. Ado Awaye is also blessed with grade “A” kaolin deposit which is the major material for pharmaceutical products “.

Furthermore, His royal Majesty stated that, as a matter of fact, Ado-Awaye has become an important world center because of many local and international visitors coming in for tourism activities. Oba Folakanmi added that for us to maximise the economic potentials of Ado Awaye and turn it into a magnificent tourist destination, we need to put in place some supporting facilities, such as; construction of fibre rope railings with iron at every three metres along the road to the mountain, construction of 5-square meters model resting points along the road leading to the top of the mountain, building of good hotel accommodations for tourists, repair of the steps leading to the mountain top, among others. Kabiesi Alado therefore appealed to the government of Oyo State and other stakeholders to support the course in the interest of economic development of state at large.

In his good will message, the Iseyin born Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Barrister Hammed Raaji SAN appreciated His Royal Majesty, Oba Rev’d Ademola Olugbile Folakanmi for his strong determination to develop Ado-Awaye through tourism heritage development. The Oke-Ogun born legal luminary opened that we should not be waiting for government to do every needs because of the meagre financial resources in the state and he promised to reconstruct 200 hundreds steps out of remaining 300 steps in honour of Governor Seyi Makinde, Barrister Bayo Lawal, Deputy Governor, Chief Iyiola Oladokun, former Deputy Governor of Oyo State and Kabiesi Alado of Ado Awaye as part of his own contribution.

The Chairman of the occasion who is also an indigene of Ado Awaye, Barrister Iyiola Oladokun in his good will message equally appreciated Kabiesi Alado of Ado Awaye for his untiring efforts towards the development of Ado Awaye and Iyake Suspended lake in particular. Barrister Iyiola Oladokun in his further address established that Iyake lake was a unique one compared with the other one in Colorado, USA, which is man-made. He therefore charged the state government to develop the site for the economic development of the state and he appreciated Barrister Hammed Raaji for his contributions towards the development of Ogun region.

The Oyo State Commissioner for establishment, trade and investment, Hon. Shiju Lawal,while speaking on behalf of the State Goernor, Engr. Abiodun Makinde, reiterated the Oyo State Government commitment to transform Ado Mountain Tourism Center to a global standard. He added that the 2023 budget has taken care of the monumental projects of the state government which were to be carried out at Ado Awaye tourism center. He concluded his address by appreciated His royal majesty for his genuine love for the people of his kingdom as evidently manifested in his quest to improve their standard of living through tourism industrial development.

The Chairman, Oyo State Tourism Board, Ajetumobi and S A to His Excellency on tourism, Hon. Akeem Ademola Ige, on a separate note equally corroborated the speech of the Honourable Commissioner on the Oyo State position to carry out the monumental projects and it’s budgetary provision in the 2023 budget appropriation.

Mr. Bolanle Bukola Opeyemi,who represented the CEO, Psaltry International Limited, as one of the special guests at the occasion when he was speaking, mentioned some of the positive contributions previously made by his company to the development of Ado Awaye in general and he pledged on behalf of his boss to renovate 50 steps up to the Ado mountain as part of the company’s contribution.

Other dignitaries at the event were members of Araromi Traditional Council, Iseyin Local Government Traditional Council, Kabiesi Elero of Ilero, Oniserin of Iserin land, Oba Abdulrasheed Motolase, among others.

Gunmen on Monday kidnapped four persons along Oke Ako-Irele Road in the Ajoni Local Council Development Area of Ekiti State.

Sources said the victims included the principal of a secondary school in the area, two teachers and a nurse with a primary health care centre, who were returning home at the close of work.

ODUDUWA NEWS learnt that the kidnappers waylaid the four persons and whisked them to the forest, leaving the principal’s vehicle on the road.

A source at Irele Ekiti said, “There is anger in the LCDA here. These kidnap incidents and attacks are worrisome. Nobody is sure of his safety again. We need help; something has to be done urgently to guarantee the security of our people in the homes, streets, farms and roads.”

The Chairman, Ajoni LCDA, Michael Ogungbemi, who lamented the incident, said the security agency of the council in conjunction with men of the police, hunters and Amotekun corps had been mobilised to comb the bushes and forests in the area.

Ogungbemi said, “When I got the report, I quickly mobilised men of Operation Ebborac to begin forest combing at Irele and Oke Ako. I also reported the matter to the Divisional Police Officer in charge of Ikole Police Division; his men are also here combing the bush so that we can waylay these people in the forest.

“We have also mobilised Operation Ebborac operatives in the neighbouring towns of Itapaji, and Iyemero and hunters as well to begin forest combing so that we can nab them in the thick forest where they are keeping the people. We believe that before daybreak, we should be able to apprehend the criminals and release our people.”

The Commander, Ekiti Amotekun Corps, Brig. Gen. Joe Komolafe (retd), who said his men alongside men of the Nigerian Army and the police had begun search for the captives, assured that their efforts would culminate in their release.

Wife of the Ooni of Ife, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, Olori Temitope Ogunwusi was on Wednesday conferred with the prestigious Transparency Africa award, for her numerous community development and capacity building activities.

Addressing the happy crowd during the Investiture ceremony at the Ile-Oodua Palace of Ile-Ife, on Ambassador Goriola Mosobalaje, described the Ooni’s queen as an epitome of genuine African motherhood with a heart of gold.

“This is beyond mere award, it is an unquantifiable honour done to an honourable royal personality for exemplary lifestyle, philanthropic gesture and efforts towards assisting the poor and vulnerable members of our society.

“These she started with her prominent non-governmental organization, Hopes Alive Initiative (HAI), long before fate brought her into royalty. Upon becoming an Olori in Ile-Ife, she took her humanitarian activities to another level and we are here to applaud her for that.” Ambassador Goriola stated.

The Executive Secretary of Transparency Africa, Amb. Afi Kunto earlier in a letter dated 29th October 2022 written to nominate Olori Temitope for the award described Olori Temitope as a credible and transparent charity ambassador who has run her charity; Hopes Alive Initiatives HAI under the chairmanship of Ooni Ogunwusi in the best global practices in line with their vision to create a corrupt free Africa both in public and private sectors for a better Africa.

“Our vision is to create a corrupt free Africa both in public and private sectors for a better Africa. Transparency Africa recently considered your impressive & transparent records of your personality and organization, thus ratified you for Transparency Africa Honours/Award. Africa is presently faced with the challenge of corruption; the objective of the honours is to promote a corrupt free Africa and honouring credible individuals who have been transparent in their dealings either in public or private sector. Yours is not an exemption, as we have found you credible and transparent enough in your dealings as the CEO of Hopes Alive Initiatives.” The letter reads.

In her acceptance speech, Olori Temitope Ogunwusi revealed that she learned and still learning her leadership as well as humanitarian gesture from Ooni Ogunwusi, her loving husband.

“The whole world is aware of how generous, loving and selfless my husband is. He is a king like no other and that is why I often tell people that I am learning from the best teacher on earth.

“This award is humbly dedicated to my husband, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II, Ooni of Ife for being that icon that the whole world is proud of. I wish to use this beautiful moment to equally thank all palace staff members, Ife High-Chiefs, Isoros, Emeses and members of the royal family for being so good and helpful.” Olori Temitope stated.

Transparency Africa is is an Accra Ghana based NGO with a global initiative to totally curb the menace of corruption and promote transparency in Africa across board, both in public and private sectors. The Lagos State Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Kazeem Alogba is the first Nigerian to receive the award of honour while Olori Temitope is the second recipient.

Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has said that the removal of history from the curriculum of Nigerian schools by the government is a criminal act.

Speaking at the 24th edition of the Lagos Book and Arts Festival organized, Soyinka stated that memories of Biafra can’t be erased by the removal of history from schools’ curriculum as the agitation can never be defeated.

He said;

“Collective memory is the key because it is that memory which is related to the mechanisms of relating reality to whatever narrative is given to us. It is far more important and it is more dangerous because you can get trapped in it because it is collected as a community activity and some of that I think is happening to us here in Nigeria.

“I’m referring of course to Biafra.

“The collective memory there is very strong, even before the war, I warned that this collective memory might remain to plague efforts at nation being and that therefore, everything should be done to avoid that war.

“When I use expressions like, Biafra can never be defeated can never be wiped away, people thought I was talking about just the battlefield.

“I was talking about, a notion, a passion which enters the collective memory in active life not just as a past narrative. this is what I was warning against. And we’re seeing it today.

“Governments sometimes think that by undertaking the criminal act of removing history from schools, something which I never believed could ever happen to us. The government actually stopped teaching of history in schools.

“So naive, so stupid as not to recognise that there is something called memory, collective memory, active memory in the present.

“If the purpose was to obliterate the war or memories of the war, what about events that led up to the war? What about the position, the narrative of existence in relation to the outer world? How do you obliterate for heaven’s sake?

“Yet people sat down and went about their business when they removed history from the curriculum.

“That’s what I mean by saying that we must always adjudicate the present by history, by the collective memory.

“At the same time, however, we must take care not to become prisoners of that collective memory

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, on Monday, November 21, 2022, secured the final forfeiture of the sum of N775,000,000.00, (Seven Hundred and Seventy-five Million Naira), and three properties located at No. 8 Ajay Crowther Street, Asokoro, Abuja; a Plot of land at Plot 1960 Cadastral Zone A05 Maitama District, FCT, Abuja; a Hotel which is under construction with generating set, located at Plot 621, Road 37, Gwarimpa, FCT, Abuja and a twin 4 bedroom duplex with guard quarters located at Plot 736, 7th Avenue Gwarimpa, FCT, Abuja, before Justice D.U. Okorowo of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

The money and properties are the product of illicit activities of a former Accountant General of the Federation Jonah Otunla and Colonel Bello Fadile, aide to former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki.

Moving a motion for the final forfeiture of the assets today, Counsel to the EFCC, Christopher Mshelia, informed the court that the assets recovered by the Commission in the course of investigating contract fraud in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) under Sambo Dasuki, were proceeds of the unlawful activities Colonel Bello Fadile and Mr. Jonah Otunla.

The N775, 000,000.00 (Seven Hundred and Seventy-five Million Naira) was refunded by Otunla and Otunba Ade Adelakun (late) during the investigation, whilst the landed properties sought to be forfeited are “reasonably suspected to be proceeds of an unlawful activity received, retained, concealed and converted by the respondents from the office of the National Security Adviser to the President”.

The Commission had on July 20, 2020 secured an interim forfeiture order on the assets and also published the Order of the court on August 11, 2022, in Thisday Newspaper, for the respondent to show cause why the money and properties should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

Justice Okorowo in granting the final forfeiture, stated that the court was satisfied with the evidence before it and ordered the final forfeiture of the assets to the Federal Government of Nigeria.