Category: News

One of the committee members who worked on Lekkit Toll Gate EndSARS shootings, Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa SAN has claimed that since the submission of the report of the Lagos #EndSARS Panel, there have been lots of threats and attacks, by those suspected to be agents of the government, upon him, especially in the media

“I have not committed any crime beyond joining other eminent Nigerians with unblemished integrity, to accept the nomination of government on behalf of my constituency, the Nigerian Bar Association and the civil society and the indeed the masses of our people, for a national assignment.

“Two prominent lawyers of the government have openly incited opinions against me on national television, with mindless accusations. I have however refused to be intimidated or bend to the tactics of government to be silenced”.

“I urge the good people of Nigeria, my professional colleagues in the Nigerian Bar Association, my comrades in the civil rights movement and the people of Nigeria, to hold government responsible should anything happen to me.

“Just last night, one of the prominent EndSARS protesters who testified before the Panel, Miss Kamsiyochukwu Ibe, was attacked and dealt serous machete blows, in what was clearly an attempted murder, as reported by her counsel, with very disturbing photos.

“I heeded the clarion call to serve by the government with the honest believe that the Panel was meant to say the truth and nothing but the truth, which is what we have done. It is left for government and Nigerians to do the needful with the report of the Panel”.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has provided a furnished two-bedroom apartment for members of a family of four who lost their first child, Jumoke Oyeleke, to a stray bullet during the Yoruba Nation rally held at Ojota, Lagos on Saturday, July 3, 2021.

Governor Sanwo-Olu also presented a cheque of N1million in addition to the furnished apartment to the deceased mother, Mrs. Ifeoluwa Oyeleke and her three children to make the family comfortable.

It would be recalled that Jumoke Oyeleke, a 25-year-old Shop Attendant, was allegedly killed on July 3, 2021 at Ojota area of Lagos during a Yoruba Nation Rally.

Four months after the ugly incident that claimed the life of Jumoke Oyeleke, Governor Sanwo-Olu in his kind gesture relocated the family from a shanty at 59A, Bayo Osinowo Street, Ogudu, Ojota area where Mrs. Oyeleke was living with his deceased daughter before the ugly incident to a two-bedroom apartment in Ikorodu area of Lagos.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Administration, Mrs. Titi Oshodi, while handing over keys to a two-bedroom flat accommodation at Irawo area in Ikorodu and N1 million cheque to the Oyelekes for them to experience a new lease of life, said the new apartment was to alleviate the family’s immediate need.

She said: “Since the time of the incident, we have been following up with her state and we have been to her initial place of abode. Immediately the incident happened, we started to follow up with her to find out how she was doing, especially economically and Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in his compassionate nature has done this to ameliorate the family’s suffering as much as possible.

“It is not possible to bring back the dead, but the government is donating a two-bedroom apartment fully furnished to the family to make life easy, as much as possible, for those left behind. We believe this will help them ease into the next phase of life without stress.

“This was not planned but the government had to make quick arrangements in the interim. So this is a temporary arrangement for her to stay with her children, pursuing other actions going forward. The rent has been paid for three years in advance, and the kitchen is stocked with some foodstuff.

“The government will let us know when a proper and more formidable arrangement has been made for her but for now, what we have is because of the immediate need. The apartment is fitted with basic amenities to make life comfortable for the family. She would also get N1 million to start any business of her choice,” Mrs. Oshodi told journalists.

In her response, Mrs. Oyeleke, a domestic help, who engages in washing people’s clothes and sweeping compounds, thanked the Lagos State Government for the kind gesture, and prayed God to continually bless Governor Sanwo-Olu for remembering her.

The single mother of three children, who spoke in tears appealed to Governor Sanwo-Olu to assist her with permanent employment for her to be able to take adequate care of herself and the children.

She said: “Our former house was a rented apartment but we left because the house was sold to a developer and since I couldn’t afford another house, we moved to a shanty where we have been staying for about a year before Jumoke died. It was a church member who allowed us to stay in the shanty.

“I am a domestic hand. I help people wash clothes and clean their compound. My late daughter (Jumoke), who is my first child, was a sales girl. She was hit by a stray bullet while selling in her boss’ shop during the Yoruba Nation rally at Ojota.

”I thank the government for remembering me and my children. God will bless Governor Sanwo-Olu and what happened to me will not be his portion. God will grant his heart desires.

“I also want the government to help me find a profitable job so I can train my children properly. My children used to attend a private school but I enrolled them in a government school because I could no longer afford the fees of a private school.

“This new house is rented and I would not be able to afford the rent when the three years that was paid for expires, so I would love to be employed profitably. I will like to engage in buying and selling foodstuff with the N1 million I was given.”

Also speaking, Jumoke’s younger sister, Ayomide Adeeko, on behalf of the family thanked the Lagos State Government for the kind gesture and pleaded that her mother should be assisted to get a good job so she can train the remaining siblings properly.

“I thank the government for remembering us and doing us good. I pray God will bless governor Sanwo-Olu. I have finished secondary school and looking to attend a higher institution next year. I want the government to help my mother with a good job so she can train me and my two siblings well,” she pleaded.

The barring of Hijab in the government owned institution has been frowned against by the Muslim Community of Oyo State. The organization in made the disclosure known today at a conference held at the University of Ibadan where it threatened public schools with legal action should incase the prohibition of Hijab is not stopped.

Chairman of the organisation, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, made this disclosure while speaking at a programme organised by the community “Unity of Muslims in Oyo state: An inevitable option” held at the University of Ibadan Central Mosque on Sunday.

Present at the event included Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo and Delta states, Alhaji Daud Akinola; Executive Secretary, Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN), Professor Muslih Yahya; Chief Imam, University of Ibadan, Professor Abdulrahman Oloyede; and representatives of various Muslim organisations in the state.

Recall that some public primary, secondary and tertiary education institutions have been barring female Muslim students from wearing Hijab.

The latest incident of the Hijab crisis was the one that occurred at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, where a female Muslim student was reportedly humiliated in public.

The community has however said that it will no longer tolerate the incidents of ‘harassment’ of female Muslim students by public schools.

The Chairman of the organisation, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, who spoke on behalf of the organisation, said that the organisation will go back to court to seek legal action for the enforcement of the usage of Hijab for Muslim women.

He said, “With this persecution of our children in the so-called Christian schools where they even remove Hijab from their head we are no more comfortable with the situation.

“What section 32:2 of the constitution says “is that a Muslim is entitled not only to freedom of religion but freedom to manifest his religion” The use of the Hijab is a manifestation of Islam.

“No state Muslim communities have lost the case of the use of Hijab because the constitution is clear about it.

“When my friend Christopher Alao Akala was the Governor, some Muslim teachers started using Niqab in Kishi and they were dismissed, they went to court.

“The Christian judge not only adjudicated that the teachers have right to put on their Niqab as their religious right, but she also said their three years backlog of salaries should be paid.

“We would Insha Allah go back to court because we want Hijab for all women in Oyo State”.

Nollywood actor, James Olanrewaju, also known as Baba Ijesha, has denied his confessional statement in the child defilement case brought against him by the Lagos State government.

Olanrewaju told Justice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of the Lagos Special Sexual Offences Court, Ikeja, during his trial-within-trial that he signed the statement under duress.

He said he was beaten with a stick, forced to sit on the floor and to sign the statement.

He told the court that everything in the statement was dictated to the police by the complainant, Ms Damilola Adekola a.k.a Princess.

Led in evidence by his counsel, Mr. Dada Awosika (SAN) during a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of his statement, he said: “My cloth was torn; I was forced to sit on the ground. My body was shaking. They showed me the statement; I did not volunteer the statement. I was just asked to sign it. Princess dictated everything to them.”

He further told the court that when Inspector Oname Abigail arrived Princess’ house on April 19, the day he was arrested, the complainant hid some boys who were beating him inside a room before allowing him to come inside.

Baba Ijesha said that when he was led outside, some boys again came and beat him until he was rescued by some police officers who took him on a bike to Sabo Divisional Police Headquarters and locked him up in a cell after they had removed the handcuffs on his hand.

When he was cross-examined by the prosecuting counsel, Yusuf Sule, Baba Ijesha insisted he did not volunteer the statement, insisting that the content was dictated to the police by the complainant.

He also denied knowledge of the current residence of the complainant, saying he knew only her former residence.

The defendant, however, owned up to the names of his father, mother, primary and secondary schools attended, his age, dropping out of the University of Lagos, Akoka, when he could no longer cope with a course he was studying.

He failed to respond when confronted by the prosecution that the IPO could not have known his details if he did not volunteer any information to her.

Earlier, Inspector Abigail, under examination by Awosika, said the defendant freely volunteered his statement and that it was made without duress.

Abigail told the court that she read cautionary words to Baba Ijesha and that he told her he understood English and everything she read to him.

“The defendant was shaking when I was about to take his statement. I offered him a chair to sit in to relax him but he said he preferred sitting on the floor to enable him to stretch out his legs.

“I calmed him down and told him he has to write his statement. I asked him questions in English and he responded to all of them in English. He requested that I should help him to write his statement as he could not write because he was shaking,” Abigail said.

She further testified that “when we finished, I read the statement to him and he told me he understood everything after which he signed the statement.”

She said after taking the statement of both the complainant and defendant, she took both of them back to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO).

Earlier when the matter was called, Babatunde Ogala (SAN), also a counsel to the defendant, had objected to the admissibility of the confessional statement of Baba Ijesha.

Ogala told the court that he objected to the statement being admitted as evidence against the defendant on the grounds that it was not freely given.

The council told the court that the defendant was sitting on the floor, adding that the IPO failed to sign or disclose that she recorded it contrary to provisions of the Evidence Act.

He had therefore requested for a trial-within-trial to determine the voluntariness of the document.

It could be recalled that Baba Ijesha is facing a six-count charge bordering on allegations of indecent treatment of a child, sexual assault, attempted sexual assault by penetration and sexual assault by penetration brought against him by the state government.

He pleaded not guilty to the six-count charge.

The visit of the delegation from The Ooni of Ifé, Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II to the city of São Paulo in Brazil on Thursday brought together leaders and influencers willing to promote the proposal of the Oduduwa Heritage Home within the project “Treasure of Our Ancestors”, an initiative of the African foremost king; Ooni Ogunwusi with the purpose of strengthening ties and building bridges that facilitate cultural, tourist and economic exchange between Brazil and Nigeria and, in particular Ile-Ifé, Cradle & Natural Headquarters of a the Yoruba people and Oduduwa Race at large.

Representing His Majesty, the delegation formed by the kings Joseph Adebayo Adewole the Ajero of the kingdom of Ijero-Ekiti and Oba Kayodee Adeenekan Afolabi the Alapomu of Apomu) Chief Adekunle Sumbo the Saagba of Ogbagi Akoko, Prince Adekunle Olokooba, a specialist in traditional medicine and Comrade Moses Olafare, head of communication at the palace of the Ooni of Ifé in addition to visiting the Unidos de Vila Maria shed at Fábrica do Samba also visited the association’s rehearsal court to Learn about the school’s social project and talk a little about “Back To Home”, program that will be officially launched the Ooni of Ifé in 2022, precisely in the month of March, when he will visit the country for the second time.

In his introductory speech, the Ooni’s Director of Media and Public Affairs, Comrade Moses Olafare urge the Afro Brazilians to proudly comport themselves as ambassadors of African nobility and royalty. He admonished them to take their huge population as an advantage to own the the country where they were once treated like slaves.
“It is paramount on the agenda of your father back home in Ile-Ife which is your ancestral home; Arole Oduduwa Olofin Adimula Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II to stand by you and ensure you are connected to your continent of Africa.

“First of all, we need to understand that we are descendants of African royalty, we are heirs to kings, you are all princes and princesses, our ori(head) is blessed and your descent is noble. We can not think otherwise. You the Oduduwa descendants hold almost 60% population in this country Brazil, it means you own this country and you can not be treated like second class citizens. You are heirs and sounds of Oduduwa”, Olafare said.

Received by the president of Unidos de Vila Maria, the royal representatives watched a small Samba Dance Show presented by the school’s cast that proposed a collaborative partnership between the social projects of Nigeria and Brazil. Former Brazilian Ambassador Mrs Maria Auxiliadora Figueiredo, and Oba Ogboni Adekunle Aderounmu, highlighted the importance of the connection between the sister countries in addition to the fatherly messages from the Ooni by the duo of Ajero of Ijero-Ekiti and Alapomu of Apomu Kingdom.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has said that Osun is one of the eight leading States in Nigeria in terms of Covid-19 vaccination.

WHO lauded the Administration of Governor Adegboyega Oyetola for taking the health of the people of the State as topmost priority, saying the Organisation would support the State to ensure adequate vaccination campaign exercise in its efforts to ensure that the citizens and residents get vaccinated.

This is even as Governor Oyetola flagged off mass vaccination campaign against the deadly Covid-19 pandemic in the State, disclosing that another batch of 2 million doses of the vaccine had been made available for the citizens.

Addressing the people at the flag-off ceremony, held at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, Osogbo, the Osun State Coordinator, World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr. Bello Ahmed, said the support was in view of the state’s commitment toward provision of quality and functional healthcare delivery across the nooks and crannies of the State.

“We are very happy that Osun is holding this flag- off. We are proud of the government for its commitment to ensuring adequate healthcare delivery.

“Osun is among the 8 leading States in Covid-19 vaccination, and for the mass vaccination campaign, the World Health Organisation is supporting all the 8 leading States,” he added.

Flagging off the mass vaccination campaign, Oyetola said the initiative was necessary as part of efforts to curb the scourge and rid Osun of the menace.

He also disclosed that the State had vaccinated about 300,000 citizens.

Represented by his Deputy, Mr. Benedict Alabi, Governor Oyetola described the move as a noble way to further improve the health and wellbeing of the people saying, “this is another strategy being put in place to curb the COVID-19 scourge in our dear State.”

He urged the citizens and residents to take maximum advantage of the opportunity to get vaccinated just as he implored community leaders, stakeholders, women and religious leaders to assist in mobilising all eligible persons to avail themselves of this golden opportunity of receiving the Covid-19 vaccination which has been tested and found to be trusted, safe and efficacious in protecting the people.

“We took delivery of the
first set of Covid 19 Vaccines, 64,240 doses of Astra Zeneca, on the night of Tuesday, 9th March, 2021.

“The Health Workers at the Isolation Centre, followed by Mr. Governor were the first to take the vaccines on Wednesday, 10th March. This set the pace for the vaccination of health workers and other frontliners in the State, at no cost to the recipients.

“We took delivery of 47,900 doses of the Moderna vaccine and had the Flag Off Ceremony on the 24th of August this year.

“In my speech on that occasion, I did promise that the Federal Government and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) were making efforts to get the vaccines for the rest of the populace.

“I am happy to announce that about 2 million doses of Covid Vaccines have been allocated to the State and all eligible persons that are yet to be vaccinated now have access to the vaccines.

“With our total population standing at over 5Million, and about 50% of this being in the 18 years and above age bracket, the greater part of the target population is yet to be vaccinated.

“Our health workers as well as adhoc staff have been specially trained for this purpose.

“Fixed Posts at our primary, secondary and tertiary health facilities, including outreach Posts in places outside the health facilities and special locations like Churches,Mosques, Markets and Malls will be used.

“I, therefore, enjoin all the good people of Osun of ages 18 and above who are either partially vaccinated or yet to be vaccinated to take advantage of this opportunity,” he added.

In his remarks, the Executive Chairman, Osun State Primary Healthcare Board, Hon. Adeleke Oyeleke Ogunsola, said the performance of the Administration of Governor Oyetola in all sectors has been nothing short of astronomical, especially in the area of health with much focus on healthcare delivery at the grassroots.

He said, “Mr. Governor never gets tired of our incessant needs, always granting prompt approval to requests for counterpart funds for all our health programmes among other things.

“Our State has been involved in vaccination against the deadly Covid-19 since the 10th of March this year. The immense support being given to healthcare delivery in general and the Covid-19 vaccination specifically, coupled with the energetic and enthusiastic approach of the health workers, had placed our State among the top three best performing States in the Covid-19 vaccination exercise.”

In their separate remarks, the representatives of National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Modupeola Oyesiji, and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Mr. Chima Orji, urged the residents to get vaccinated and begin to spread the gospel of the vaccines across the nooks and crannies of the State.

The occasion was attended by the Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji; Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu; Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Health, Dr. ‘Siji Olamiju; market women leaders, artisans among others.

ODUDUWA NEWS has gathered that one self-acclaimed prophet, Festus James, has been alleged to have raped a woman with eight months’ pregnancy in Ondo State.

The suspect arrested by Ondo State Police Command said to have committed the offence at Agbabu community in the Odigbo Local Government Area of the state.

Parading the suspect at the command headquarters in Akure, the state capital, on Thursday, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Mrs Funmilayo Odunlami, said James had carnal knowledge of the woman under the pretext of performing spiritual deliverance for her.

She said, “James from Ibadan in Oyo State went to Agbabu village via Ore, claimed to be a prophet and that the holy spirit directed him to have a three days holy ghost revival in a church in the village.

“The next day, the prophet claimed to have se oken a vision concerning a 22-year-old lady who was eight months’ pregnant and told her to wait behind after the programme.

“He took the pregnant lady into one of the rooms in the mission house under the guise of delivering her from an evil spirit and had carnal knowledge of her. The suspect confessed to the crime.”

The PPRO said the suspect would soon be charged to court.

James, who admitted to having sex with the victim, however, denied raping her.

He said, “I had sex with her truly, but it was not rape; I did not rape her. I always went there for revival. But honestly, I didn’t know what came over me that caused me to do that. It was the work of the devil.”