Author: oduduwanews

The Mogajis in Ibadanland, the Central Council of Ibadan Indigenes (CCII), Monarchs, Baales, the Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative (ICPI), and other prominent sons and daughters of the ancient city have cautioned the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade, against taking Ibadan for granted.
The stakeholders stressed that the people of Ibadan would not accept any action capable of diminishing the status of the Olubadan stool or the Ibadan traditional system.
The position followed concerns that arose over a sitting arrangement involving the Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja, and a representative of the Alaafin of Oyo at a recent security meeting held in Ibadan.

In a statement signed by the President of Ibadan Mogajis, Mogaji Asimiyu Ariori, and the Coordinator of the Ibadan Compound Peace Initiative, Mogaji Dr Nurudeen Akinade, the stakeholders maintained that Ibadanland should not be regarded as subordinate to Oyo or any other town in Yorubaland.

The statement noted that Ibadan has consistently upheld its dignity and standing within Yoruba tradition and would continue to do so.

The group called on leaders across Yorubaland to engage the Alaafin of Oyo on the matter, adding that the peaceful disposition of the people of Ibadan should not be misinterpreted.

They also stated that the issue surrounding the chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs had been settled and should not be reopened.

The stakeholders further highlighted the background of Olubadan as a former senator, governor, and accomplished businessman, stressing that the stool should continue to be accorded due respect.
“Ibadan will never be a slave to anyone. Ibadanland has always maintained its dignity in Yoruba tradition, and this will not change.”

The statement highlighted Olubadan’s distinguished background as a former Senator, Governor, and successful businessman, emphasizing that he will not be subjected to any form of ridicule.

“Ibadan mesi, won o go” (Ibadan has spoken, we won’t go back), the statement concluded, indicating the resolve of the people of Ibadan to defend their dignity and tradition.
“Ibadanland deserves respect, and any attempt to undermine its traditional institutions will be met with resistance. The people of Ibadan are united in their determination to protect their stool.

The Department of State Services has arrested an Osun State–based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Daood Imran Molaasan, following a pro-Palestine protest held in the state, according to Western Post.

Sheikh Molaasan, who leads the Islamic group Ta’awunu Muslimeen, was taken into custody after a video surfaced online showing him and his followers calling for the liberation of Palestine, which is under Israeli occupation. The footage, which featured members of the group waving Palestinian flags, quickly went viral and triggered widespread debate on social media.

The protest raised security concerns among members of the public, especially given Ta’awunu Muslimeen’s history of organising similar demonstrations in support of Palestine, including one held in 2018. The group describes itself as committed to Islamic teachings and advocacy for Muslim causes globally.

During the march in Iwo, participants were seen pledging allegiance to the Qur’an and Sunnah. However, some actions captured in the video, particularly coordinated arm gestures, drew criticism, with observers likening them to Nazi-style salutes.

Concerns were further heightened by the presence of children chanting intense religious slogans, a development that has unsettled many Nigerians amid the country’s ongoing struggles with security and religious extremism.

The Oyo State Civil Service Commission has just received Governor Seyi Makinde’s approval to proceed with the issuance of letters to qualified officers seeking conversion and transfer of service.

The Commission’s Chairman, Alhaji Kamorudeen Aderibigbe, confirmed the development today while responding to questions from Oduduwa News correspondent on the status of the interview earlier conducted for officers applying for conversion and transfer of service.

According to Aderibigbe, the exercise has now reached its final stage following the Governor’s approval granted today.

“Good afternoon. We just got the Governor’s approval now. In fact, I am already working on the press release for it,” he said.

The Chairman disclosed that arrangements have been concluded to issue individual approval letters to successful applicants, noting that 654 officers were cleared in the exercise.

“We hope to release individual letters to the 654 successful officers before the end of the year,” Aderibigbe added.

He assured officers who participated in the interview that the process was conducted transparently and in strict compliance with due process, urging beneficiaries to remain patient as final administrative procedures are being completed for the formal issuance of letters.

The approval marks a significant step toward addressing career progression concerns within the Oyo State Civil Service and underscores the Makinde administration’s commitment to effective personnel management and service delivery.

The Federal Government has introduced stiffer penalties for tax non-compliance under the Nigeria Tax Administration Act, 2025, signalling a tougher stance on revenue leakages and weak compliance across the tax system.

Under Chapter Four of the Act — Offences and Penalties, taxable persons who fail or refuse to register for tax will now face graduated administrative sanctions.

According to Section 100 of the Act, any taxable individual or entity that defaults on tax registration is liable to a fine of ₦50,000 in the first month of default and ₦25,000 for every subsequent month the failure continues.

In a further clampdown, the Act provides that any statutory body or company that awards contracts to unregistered persons will be penalised ₦5 million, a move aimed at blocking informal operators from public-sector transactions and strengthening the tax net.

Beyond registration, the Act imposes heavier sanctions for failures across the tax compliance chain.

Section 101 states that failure to file tax returns—or knowingly filing incomplete or inaccurate returns—will attract a penalty of ₦100,000 in the first month and ₦50,000 for each additional month of default.

Taxpayers are also mandated to maintain proper accounting records.

Section 102 prescribes penalties for failure to keep books and records or to present them upon request by tax authorities.

Individuals face a ₦10,000 fine, while companies will pay ₦50,000.

Under the proposed reforms, low-income earners on ₦100,000 or less per month will no longer be required to pay personal income tax from January next year.

Beyond the exemption for low-income earners, the reforms are also designed to reduce the tax burden on middle-income workers. Individuals earning between ₦100,000 and about ₦2 million per month will pay less tax under the new regime, effectively increasing their disposable income without any corresponding salary increase.

The Act introduces technology-driven enforcement measures as well.

Under Section 103, refusal to grant access to tax authorities or failure to deploy required tax technology within 30 days of official notice attracts a ₦1 million penalty on the first day, followed by ₦10,000 for each subsequent day of default.

Similarly, failure to process taxable supplies through the government-approved fiscalisation system will attract a ₦200,000 fine, plus 100 per cent of the tax due and interest at the prevailing Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Monetary Policy Rate.

Further provisions target withholding tax violations. Section 105 stipulates a 40 per cent penalty on taxes not deducted or withheld, while failure to remit withheld taxes attracts the principal amount, a 10 per cent annual penalty, and interest. Serious breaches may result in up to three years’ imprisonment or fines exceeding the principal tax liability.

Analysts say the new law reflects the government’s determination to boost non-oil revenue, improve tax discipline, and align Nigeria’s tax administration with global best practices, especially as fiscal pressures continue to mount.

……Urges Makinde To Wade in, Sanction Erring Personnel

The Iseyin community, under the aegis of Iseyin Development Union (I.D.U) has lamented what it called deliberate sabotage of academic activities by some lecturers and staff members of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH)’s College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resource, Iseyin campus.

The body alleged that a group of lecturers, led by the Dean of Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, have been at the forefront of thwarting efforts of the community to ensure that the College achieve stability and development.

In his speech at a Press Conference held on Monday at the Aseyin’s palace in Iseyin, Iseyin local government, the National President of I.D.U, Alhaji Mubasiru Azeez commended the Governor of Oyo State for relocating the LAUTECH College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources to Iseyin as well as approving needed financial and logistic supports for the takeoff of the campus.

The body was particular in condemning the attack on the Iseyin campus by the group of lecturers and staff members who have refused to teach their students in Iseyin since the resumption of academic activities in the campus on October 13, 2025, as lecturers in departments like Crop Production and Soil Science, Crop and Environmental Protection, Agricultural Economics have not shown up to teach till date.

I.D.U further stated that only one lecturer showed up to teach in each of Animal Nutrition and Biotech, Animal Production and Health department, while only four lecturers showed up to teach students in Agricultural Extension and Rural Development.

“The Aseyin of Iseyinland, Oba Sefiu Oyebola Adeyeri 111, Ajirotutu 1, the Iseyin Council of Traditional Chiefs, Community and Religious leaders, Iseyin Elders and the entire people of Iseyin community will never be tired of expressing our heartfelt gratitude to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde for the uncommon love and kind gesture of his administration has extended to the community, we shall forever be grateful.

“We particularly appreciate the relocation of LAUTECH College of Agricultural Science and Renewable Natural Resources to Iseyin and the approval of the needed resources for its takeoff and development, we are also happy to report the support and collaboration of the community for the successful takeoff and development of the college, we are also grateful to the Governong Council, the Vice-Chancellor and management of the institution for their support.

“We have been monitoring events in the college since its successful takeoff and we have made some observations that are worrisome and seriously making us uncomfortable, we hitherto did not want to allege deliberate sabotage but the lapses cannot be ignored because they are too obvious and tend to put the future of the students and the college in a serious jeopardy unless serious action is taken to reverse the trend.

“We are very worried about the disposition and attitude of a few disgruntled members of academic staff towards the newly-established college which may not be in tandem with the good intention and kind gesture of the Government of His Excellency, Engr. Oluseyi Makinde, our observations are premised on the conviction that the multi-campus system is not new to the management of LAUTECH, they are familiar with the template used in running the College of Health Science in Osogbo during the era of joint ownership of LAUTECH, this is why we feel that the management of the new college in Iseyin should not pose much problem if there is sincerity of purpose.

“Against the forgoing, we shall summarize our observations and concerns as follows: it will be recalled that students took to the street and protested on January 20, 2025, mainly as a result of deliberate teaching inadequacies on the part of some lecturers, more than 50% of students have been forced to go back to Ogbomoso and they are working in the private livestock farms/farmland of their lecturers and supervisors.

“400 level results of students currently in the 500 level are not released deliberately in order to frustrate the system and force the students to cry out, sadly too, the lecturers who are willing to work, prepared a compromised timetable for different courses to hold simultaneously in the same halls, they created this confusion to make the classes rowdy and even incited the students to go on riot in the town on Monday, December 8, 2025.

“They instigated Ogbomoso community against the State government’s good intentions on this campus, instigated parents and students to open protest against the government policy on education development, they instigated the parents and students to sue government and university authority, engage in negative propaganda against Iseyin and Oke-Ogun communities, despite paying levies to the faculty for 2025 farm practicals, no practical work is assigned to students.

“500 level students are made to shuttle between Ogbomoso and Iseyin for their project supervision when all lecturers are expected to have relocated to Iseyin, these lecturers bluntly refused to comply and do not care about the stress put on the finances and safety of students in their care, all in an attempt to frustrate the students and blackmail the State government.

“We humbly plead with Governor Seyi Makinde to please intervene and help restore sanity,” the Union prayed.

The Chairman, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Oyo State Chapter, Comrade Tiamiyu Taiwo who led a delegation of students of LAUTECH Iseyin campus students to the occasion, sought the immediate attention of the major stakeholders in the LAUTECH Iseyin campus development to commence work towards enforcing the compliance of all concerned lecturers of the campus, so as the stress students have been going through because of the continuous absence of some lecturers will come to an end.

Two lives were lost and ten others sustained serious injuries in a horrific road accident that occurred earlier yesterday along Ikorodu Road, Lagos, opposite Olabode House, between Anthony and Obanikoro.

Preliminary reports indicate that a red long Tata commercial bus, allegedly speeding from Palmgroove toward Anthony, lost control, broke through the median barrier and rammed into an oncoming Volkswagen commercial bus conveying passengers toward Palmgroove.

An adult female passenger died on the spot, while an eight-month-old baby girl later succumbed to injuries from the crash, throwing the area into mourning.

Operatives of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) responded swiftly, launching an immediate rescue operation alongside members of the public. Ten victims, including both drivers, were successfully rescued from the wreckage and rushed to hospitals with varying degrees of injuries.

LASTMA also promptly secured the accident scene, evacuated the wrecked vehicles and restored traffic flow on the busy Ikorodu Road, preventing further accidents and prolonged gridlock.

The Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) transported the injured to nearby medical facilities, while the remains of the deceased were evacuated by environmental health officials. Police officers from Ilupeju Division provided security during the operation.

The General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Olalekan Bakare-Oki, expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and warned motorists, especially commercial drivers, against speeding and neglecting vehicle maintenance.

He stressed that reckless driving remains a major cause of fatal crashes on Lagos roads.

LASTMA reaffirmed its commitment to saving lives through rapid emergency response and effective traffic management.

Hon. Dele Adeola, Member representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju State Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, has extended warm birthday greetings to his colleague, Hon. Rasaq Mabaje, who represents Ido State Constituency.

In a message personally signed by him, Hon. Adeola described Hon. Mabaje as a committed, visionary, and resourceful lawmaker whose contributions continue to strengthen the legislature and advance democratic governance in the state. He noted that Hon. Mabaje has consistently demonstrated leadership excellence, dedication to his people, and an unwavering passion for public service.

Hon. Adeola commended his colleague for his collaborative spirit within the House, acknowledging that Hon. Mabaje’s experience and proactive engagement on critical legislative issues have made him an invaluable partner in driving impactful policymaking. He added that Hon. Mabaje’s representation reflects a deep understanding of the needs of the Ido constituents, which is evident in his community-focused interventions and legislative advocacy.

He prayed for God’s guidance, wisdom, and good health for Hon. Rasaq Mabaje, wishing him greater accomplishments as he continues to serve the people of Oyo State. Hon. Adeola further expressed optimism that Mabaje’s new year will bring renewed strength and more opportunities for purposeful leadership.

Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader and founder of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has fired back at the Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, dismissing allegations that he attempted to extort N150 million from the minister and calling him a “small boy” who does not understand what he is saying.

The fiery response came during a church service at INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church in Oke Afa, Lagos, on Sunday, after Adelabu reportedly petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) accusing Ayodele of blackmail and an attempt to demand large sums of money and expensive items for “spiritual intercession” to aid his Oyo State governorship ambition.

According to earlier reports, the minister who has twice contested for the Oyo governorship and is preparing to run again in 2027 accused Ayodele of demanding items including 1,000 saxophones and trumpets, with costs ranging between about N50 million for Nigerian-grade instruments and up to N130 million for imported grade-one pieces. These demands were reportedly tied to a supposed spiritual requirement to bolster his political bid.

In his sermon, Ayodele rejected the extortion allegation outright, saying the proclaimed N150 million figure was laughable. “Can N150 million buy my shoe?” he said, adding that even his footwear couldn’t be bought with that amount. He questioned the credibility of the accusation and dismissed Adelabu’s complaint as coming from someone “pained” and desperate because he believes he will again fail in his bid to become governor.

Ayodele insisted that if he had actually taken money, he would publicly admit it, but that he neither collected any cash nor solicited funds from the minister. He described Adelabu as a “boy” and repeatedly urged people not to give weight to what he called “mouth diarrhoea.”

The dispute stems from a petition Adelabu is said to have filed with the DSS, alleging that after he rebuffed the cleric’s purported requests for funds and costly items, Ayodele began making negative prophecies about him, which the minister says were intended to tarnish his reputation and political ambitions.

Ayodele, however, claims that it was Adelabu who initially approached him — allegedly driven by desperation to secure a political victory — and that the cleric’s spiritual guidance was mischaracterised. He maintained that no extortion took place and accused the minister of misunderstanding or misrepresenting their interactions.

Fresh controversy has trailed the Osun State governorship primary of the Accord Party following the emergence of two parallel outcomes from rival factions within the party.

While a faction of the Party just declared Clement Bamigbola winner of a governorship primary election in defiance to earlier affirmation of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the party’s sole consensus candidate.

In the primary conducted by one faction of the party, Clement Bamigbola reportedly secured a landslide victory with 1,732 votes, defeating Governor Ademola Adeleke, who polled 241 votes.

The faction described the exercise as valid and in line with the party’s constitution, insisting that the result reflects the will of delegates drawn from across Osun State.

However, a rival faction of the Accord Party rejected the outcome, maintaining that no such competitive primary was recognised by the party’s national leadership. This faction announced that Governor Ademola Adeleke had earlier been adopted as the consensus governorship candidate, following consultations with stakeholders and aspirants, thereby rendering any parallel primary null and void. Leaders of the faction backing Adeleke argued that the consensus arrangement was reached to strengthen the party’s chances in the governorship election and to avoid internal rancour.

They accused the opposing group of conducting an unauthorised primary, describing it as an attempt to undermine party unity. The development has further deepened the crisis within the Accord Party in Osun State, raising questions over which faction’s candidate will eventually be recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Political observers note that unless the internal dispute is resolved swiftly, the party risks being weakened ahead of the governorship election.As of the time of filing this report, both camps remained adamant in their positions, with supporters of Bamigbola celebrating his victory while Adeleke’s loyalists insist he remains the legitimate and sole Accord governorship candidate in Osun State.

Aliko Dangote, Nigeria’s business magnate, has revealed that the Ooni of Ife personally oversaw the removal of more than 19 shrines located on the Dangote refinery site. According to Dangote, the shrines had previously restricted access, preventing anyone from approaching or carrying out activities in the area.

During the commissioning of a section of the Dangote refinery, he recounted that the Ooni instructed that all the shrines be removed, declaring that the gods should “come and talk to me,” signaling his direct involvement in the process. Dangote’s statement highlights the significant role traditional authority played in clearing the site for development and appreciated the Ooni of Ife for his support and providing easy access for the cite construction.

The incident underscores the intersection of modern industrial projects with longstanding cultural and spiritual practices in Nigeria.