Author: oduduwanews

The palace of the Ooni of Ife has denied issuing an official statement on the viral video in which Sunday was seen lambasting the Arole Oodua Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II over what he alleged as acts of betrayer against his struggle to liberate Yoruba race from the terrorist herdsmen.

Answering questions from newsmen at his office in at his office in Ile-Ife on Thursday, the Ooni’s Director of Media & Public Affairs, Comrade Moses Olafare said it is not in the style of the Ooni to make official response on any matter that threatens the unity and peace of the country, especially as it affects the descendants of Oduduwa worldwide.

Olafare said Ooni Ogunwusi was unperturbed by the abuses of words rained on him by the Yoruba activist, Sunday Adeyemo popularly known as ‘Igboho Oosa’ who had two days ago spoken derogatorily about the Yoruba’s greatest monarch. He told the newsmen that he has been forgiven.

“Sunday Igboho still remains a son to the Ooni. Baba has already forgiven him because he had tendered an apology via a video clip he produced via social media yesterday evening.

The royal father according to Olafare could not bicker with any of his sons even in the face of quantum of provocations.

Comrade Olafare revealed that though, tendering of the unreserved apology to the Ooni by Igboho was the handiwork of Olugbon of Ile-Igbon and Vice Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, Oba Olusola Alao who called the activist to advise and warned him of the consequences that might follow his misconducts towards the Spiritual Head of Oduduwa Race whose sons and daughters are the Yorubas he claimed to be fighting for.

“Before tendering the apology, it was the Baba Olugbon of Ile-igbon that first called and informed Arole Oodua on phone that he had scolded Sunday on phone on his misdeeds and that, and that he would soon tender a public apology to him on the matter via a video release. Sunday Igboho thereafter released the video in which he tendered his apology”

“Even though the way and manner Sunday had behaved was sacrilegious to the Oduduwa throne but he has already apologized and I can confirm that Arole Oodua has forgiven him, because, there is no perfection in humanity. Sunday is a human being like any other normal human being who could misbehave as well. No one is perfect!.

“As the father of all, the Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II remains his father who had even identified with him in the past two weeks he had begun with the struggle and he is still solidly behind him for the liberation of the Yorubas from criminal herdsmen who have adamantly terrorized our land. Just that he must watch his back so that people with ulterior motives wil not high jack his movement”.

When asked if the Ooni has ever made an official statement on the issue, Olafare swiftly replied that it not in the habit of the palace to make official statements on any matter that threatens the unity and peace of the country, especially as it affects the descendants of Oduduwa.

“No no no, palace has never officially responded and will never respond over the video. As a matter fact, it is not even our style to do so, and we have a ‘Talkless & Listen more” history on issues like this because we focus more on what unites us together than what divides us as a people of one source”.

“Like I said, he has apologized through Kabiyesi Olugbon who called Baba on his behalf and Arole Oodua has forgiven him. Let’s just let the matter rest”. Olafare said.

The traditional ruler however appealed to all and sundry to let the sleeping dog lies on the matter because Sunday had been forgiven and life must go on.

LAGOS CBD DECRIES INCESSANT ATTACKS ON PERSONNEL

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Central Business Districts, Mr. Olugbenga Oyerinde, has again decried the incessant attacks on its personnel by commercial bus drivers, hoodlums and miscreants within the Lagos Island Business District.

Oyerinde, while reacting to the recent attack on a CBD enforcement officer on lawful duties within the district, warned those responsible to desist as the present administration is determined to deal ruthlessly with anyone involved in the despicable act.

In his words: “The Agency will not succumb to any act of intimidation and hostility while carrying out its duties within the business districts. The barbaric attack on enforcement officers by commercial vehicle operators and area boys is totally uncalled for and it is condemnable in every aspect”.

“Hoodlums and miscreants encouraging commercial drivers to flout government directives against one-way drive will not be condoned. We are strengthening our enforcement unit to ensure that traffic regulations are obeyed by motorists. This a note of warning to everyone planning a similar attack to have a rethink or have themselves to blame”, he added.

The Special Adviser reiterated that it is unlawful for anyone, especially commercial bus and cab operators as well as private car owners, to park indiscriminately on the roads, bridges and streets within the Lagos Island Business Districts, stressing that individuals contravening environmental and urban planning laws will be apprehended and prosecuted.

While revealing that the unfortunate attack on three of its personnel occurred during enforcement of the one-way Traffic Law on Carter Bridge inward Lagos Island from Iddo, the Special Adviser called on the leadership of transport unions within the district to caution their members against flouting the traffic rules and regulations, as well as attacking CBD officers on duties within the district.

The committee of Ife Diaspora and Egbe Agba Yoruba in Diaspora has reacted to the allegations raised by an Ibadan-based business man turned freedom fighter to stop inciting public to the stool of Ooni of Ife over comment of inciting public against the First Class monarch.

At an emergency sitting today the people said Sunday Igboho wants to turn Yoruba leaders against each other in his viral video that Alaafin accused Ooni being against the move by Igboho.

However, according to Eluyemi Elumide who is the PRO of the group said Ooni was bold enough to speak with state House correspondence that Sunday Igboho has taken a bold step in tackling the security issue in Igangan but cautioned not to be used against the people and the head of the state which is the governor to mediate and maintain peace since the governor is the chief security officer of the state and he is solely responsible constitutionally in that regard.

Saying, who is Igboho to now waylay Ooni and attack him? This is an insult of the highest order and Yoruba leaders must rise against this or else Sunday is solely responsible to destabilise Yoruba land and fulfill his political paymaster wish.

“Alaafin eulogises President Buhari in his letter and he never wrote a line to speak ill if Ooni, meaning that Igboho is mischevious” Eluyemi said

The president of the organisation , Awowole Omotosho however said Sunday Igboho should follow the advice of the revered Pastor Tunde Bakare and others never to take laws into his hands.

He however call on security agency to caution him on his unguarded utterances, saying he is a political thug and he should kindly follow the true tenets of Omoluabi.

The Lagos State Sexual Offences Court, Ikeja, has sentenced one Nura Asumoge to 25 years imprisonment for the defilement of a 13-year old minor, after he had pleaded guilty to the one-count charge during his arraignment by the Lagos State Government.

The Prosecuting Counsel, Mrs. Arinola Momoh-Ayonkanmbi, of the State Ministry Justice, stated that Nura Asumoge confessed to having sent the unsuspecting underaged victim on an errand on 3rd April 2018, and on her return the defendant forcefully had sexual intercourse with the victim, threatening her to refrain from informing anyone afterwards.

Momoh-Ayokanmbi, therefore, urged the court to sentence the defendant accordingly having pleaded guilty to the charge, stressing that evidence presented before the Court by the prosecution also supported the allegation levelled against the defendant.

While acknowledging the guilty plea of the accused, Justice Soladoye, in her sentencing, stated that the evidence provided by the prosecutors was credible and compelling enough for the conviction of the defendant.

The Judge, therefore, found the defendant guilty of the charge, punishable under section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State (2015) and sentenced him accordingly.

She also ordered that the convict’s name, Nura Asumoge, should be entered into the Sexual Offenders Register in Lagos State.

Recall that the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during the advocacy WALK against domestic violence organised by DSVRT, had emphasised the commitment of the State Government to ensuring the safety and well-being of the girl-child and women in Lagos State.

The self-acclaimed human rights activist, Chief Sunday Adeyemo Igboho has described Ooni of Ife, Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde and Asiwaju Bola Tinubu as Fulani slaves

Igboho in a video circulated online also flayed some Yoruba leaders, including traditional rulers, alleging that have not shown enough support for the struggle to liberate the Yoruba from their ”Fulani oppressors”

He speaks further…..

“I need buses to transport people. The three vans we use are bought by me. That Ooni of Ife is mad. We lost three buses that were hired on our way to Oyo. Ooni should be able to tell Buhari about what Yoruba want. But he has collected dollars from Buhari. He called me but I don’t want to see him. Ooni disappointed me. Politicians are with him….

“The Oluwo will wear turban and start calling himself an Emir, our people should call him and tell him to stop what he is doing. Our leaders are lazy and slaves to Fulanis. They visit Abuja to collect money, we will attack them and destroy their property. Ooni should be dealt with. I am annoyed. Why should we be afraid of the crown they (Yoruba monarchs)wear?

“Tinubu and other Yoruba politicians are Fulani slaves. We need not be afraid. I have not collected any money from anyone. I am a full Yoruba man and I will not allow Fulani people to enslave me, we do not look or behave alike in any way. The herders should go…. “

The Lagos House of Assembly has passed a bill into law banning the activities of cultists and illegal societies across the state.

The House passed the bill during a plenary session on Monday.

Lagos Assembly Speaker Mudashiru Obasa
After its passage, the Speaker, Mudashiru Obasa, directed the Clerk, Olalekan Onafeko, to transmit the bill to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for assent.

The bill stipulates a 21-year jail term for anyone found guilty of engaging in the act and 15 years jail term for anyone convicted of abetting cultists or who allows his premises to be used by cultists as a meeting point.

The bill entitled ‘A Law to provide for the prohibition of unlawful societies and cultism in Lagos State and for other connected purposes’ says a society shall be regarded as unlawful if its members are engaged in illegal, destructive activities contrary to public policy, safety and peace of members of the public.

In Section 3, it read: “Any person who is a member of an unlawful society or cult, identifies as a member or solicits for members of an unlawful society or cult, attends a meeting of an unlawful society or cult whether as a member or an intending member of the unlawful society or cult commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 21 years imprisonment.

“The jail term also concerns anyone who attends such meetings or does any illegal act which may probably cause a breach of peace, disturbs public peace or conducts activities in such a manner as to pose a threat to life and property.

“Anyone who forms, organises or combines and agrees with anyone to form or organise an unlawful society or cult, manages and assists in the management of an unlawful society or cult or knowingly allows a meeting of members of an unlawful society or cult to be held in any property under his control commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a term of 15 years imprisonment.

“The 15-year jail term further applies to anyone who intimidates or compels people to join a cult group.

“Any person who injures or uses violence on a person to compel the person to join an unlawful society or cult commits an offence and liable on conviction to a term of 21 years imprisonment.

“Any person who administers or is present at and consents to the administering of any unlawful oath that appears to bind the person who takes it to become a member of an unlawful society or cult under this law, commits an offence and is liable on conviction to seven years.”

It also stipulates 21 years for any member of a cult group who sets fire on anything or uses firearm or deadly objects, including acid and other chemicals, in any manner as to cause harm to anyone.

For students in the state, the law, which prohibits campus cultism, says “anyone of them who is convicted would face a jail term not exceeding two years.”

Cult clashes in Lagos have claimed many lives with many innocent persons caught up in the mayhem.

About 14 persons, including an easygoing motorcyclist identified simply as Pastor, were reportedly killed in a series of clashes between two rival cult groups–Eiye and Aye confraternities last month.

Areas like Ketu, Ikorodu Oworonshoki, Bariga, Somolu, Ajah Mushin are infamous for cult violence.

Speaking during the 2021 Ikorodu Town Hall Meeting On Security, Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, warned traditionalists in the area to stop fortifying cult members and criminals.

According to Odumosu, the security situation in Lagos has been commendable except in some areas, particularly in the Ikorodu axis where the situation has become worrisome due to a spike in cases of cultism, gangsterism, traffic robbery, ritual killings, amongst others.

He said 242 armed robbers and cultists were arrested in the local government within the last six months while 28 arms and 120 ammunition were recovered.

The police boss said 192 cultism cases and 18 murder cases were also recorded in the period under review while 25 robbery incidents were foiled.

He said, “The traditional institution in the division must be up and doing in condemning the activities of the bad boys (cultists), instead of supporting and celebrating them and their criminal acts.

“The traditionalists and traditional worshippers in this area must stop promoting and protecting the criminals in Ikorodu axis and Lagos State in general. The ideas of fortifying the bad boys and providing native charms for them are counterproductive to our security architecture in this area. Their powers must be used to assist us not to jeopardise our efforts.”

The Governor of the State of Osun, Adegboyega Oyetola, has assured of a hitch-free exercise of the recently flagged-off nationwide membership registration and revalidation of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State.

He said the party was resolute to continue to maintain and sustain its leading role as the ruling party in the country.

This is even as the party commenced the Southwest membership registration and revalidation exercise with stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

The stakeholders’ meeting was convened at the instance of the leadership of the party and the collective resolve to intimate and equip the chieftains and members of the party with necessary information to ensure free, fair, smooth and crisis-free registration exercise.

Addressing the members of the party during the stakeholders’ meeting heralding the formal registration and revalidation of the party’s members in the State and the Southwest at the Banquet Hall, Government House, Osogbo, Oyetola called for decorum before, during and after the registration exercise.

The Governor assured of the party’s readiness to conduct a free, fair, credible and hitch-free registration exercise as the government was determined to provide adequate security to achieve the set objectives.

He admonished the party’s members, particularly chieftains, to avoid taking crowd to the registration points, saying such act would contradict the Covid-19 safety protocols.

While enlightening members of the party on the importance of the registration exercise, Oyetola said the exercise was as important as the party itself.

“I am sure you are all aware of this exercise. Even before the beginning of this exercise, some were asking why we needed to go for another registration and revalidation. The answer was that some were very young at the last time a similar exercise was done.

“It is important for us to know who is who in APC and that is what we are doing. The exercise is simple. It is just for one to register if one has not done it before. For those who have registered, all they need to do is to revalidate their membership.

“I don’t envisage any problem. But I urge our people to be orderly and maintain decorum. Let’s portray the virtues of Omoluabi ethos that our state is known for. Osun is known for peace. Let’s display that before, during and after the whole exercise.

“Don’t allow those that are not residing in your polling units or wards to register. We all know ourselves and if you see any stranger, alert members of the registration committee for proper action.

“We are going to provide adequate security to ensure seamless exercise. Party members and leaders are enjoined not to take crowd to the registration points that could create unnecessary intimidation because the exercise is not a collective registration. Rather, it is an individual exercise.

“As we all know that one cannot be a member without being registered, so also the exercise is very sacrosanct as it helps to generate statistics of the membership strength of our party; and through this, every member will have a unique number,” he added.

Earlier, Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Membership Registration and Revalidation Committee in Osun, Barrister Femi Odufowokan, enjoined the party loyalists to continue to display the good character which had earned the party accolades as peaceful political party in the country.

He reiterated the readiness of the committee to ensure free and credible registration exercise in the state, adding that Osun is going to be the contact point to other states in the southwest.

Odufowokan who said the party would continue to maintain and uphold the spirit of internal democracy, noted that the registration exercise would go a long way to strengthen the bond of unity and togetherness among the party’s loyalists.

He said the registration exercise for the southwest region would be flagged off in Ila-Orangun, the country home of the party’s pioneer Chairman, Chief Adebisi Akande, adding that the exercise would take two weeks upon the day of commencement.

Also speaking, Osun APC Caretaker Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun, urged members of the party to see the registration exercise as a family affair which must be cherished and treasured.

Speaker, Osun House of Assembly, Timothy Owoeye, tasked the party chieftains on the need to ensure massive mobilisation for the registration exercise.

Those in attendance were: Osun Deputy Governor, Benedict Alabi; Speaker Osun House of Assembly, Hon. Timothy Owoeye; Osun APC Caretaker Chairman, Prince Gboyega Famodun; members of the State Executive Council; APC chieftains; members of the Osun APC registration and revalidation committee; party’s loyalists among others.

The Lagos State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Moyosore Onigbanjo SAN, on Tuesday, filed a notice of preliminary objection and counter affidavit in a Fundamental Human Rights’ application by a certain individual named Olukoya Ogungbeje before the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, seeking to challenge the Executive Order of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, restricting the use of motorcycles and tricycles in six Local Governments and nine Local Council Development Areas.

Onigbanjo (SAN), representing the State Government before the Court, argued that the Executive Order restricting the use of Motorcycles and Tricycles is in accordance with the Law, noting that the Government has also filed a written address in opposition to the originating summons of the applicant.

The Commissioner implored the Court to dismiss the originating summons, saying that the restriction of Motorcycles and Tricycles on major roads in the State is in line with the provisions of the Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018.

The Presiding Judge, Hon. Justice Liman, however, reserved judgment till tomorrow, 3rd of February, 2021.

Earlier today, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola flagged off the distribution of multi-million naira worth of educational materials, sports equipment and other materials to schools in the State.

The initiative is in continuation of the present Administration’s intervention in the Education sector through the State Universal Basic Education Board and is aimed at building the capacity of the young ones.

Governor Oyetola enjoined school managers to ensure judicious use of the various materials distributed to their schools for the sustained benefits of the pupils.

ODUDUWA NEWS has just gathered that AIG Zanna Muhammed Ibrahim has emerged new Acting Inspector General of Police. Details later