Category: Politics

The leadership of League of Imams and Alfas in South West, Edo and Delta on Wednesday told Osun State Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, to stop plans by the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, to appoint Grand Mufti of Yorubaland.

The group, led by the Chief Imam of Ekiti State, Alhaji Jamiu Kewulere, during a visit to Oyetola at the Government House, Osogbo, accused Oba Akanbi of plan to install Sheik Daud Molaasan as the Grand Mufti of Yorubaland.

In a letter containing its demand, written by its counsel, K. Odedeji, presented to the governor, the state Commissioner of Police, Wale Olokode; and the State Director of Department of State Security, the group also stated that the post of grand mufti was meant for respected Islamic scholars that must be appointed by Imams and Alfas.

The letter read in part, “To the amazement of our clients and every reasonable Muslim, information reaching our clients and which is also currently going viral is the attempt of the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi to install one Sheik Daud Imran Molaasan the Grand Mufti of Yorubaland, an action clearly outside the power of his office.

“It is against the above background we hereby have our clients’ instruction to call your attention to this bizarre action of Oluwo of Iwo and stop same before it snowballs into intra-cities religious breach of the peace.”

Responding, Oyetola promised to look into the issue.

Against the backdrop of a purported plot by the Oyo State House of Assembly to impeach the State Deputy Governor, Engr Rauf Olaniyan, the leadership of the house has condemned the rumor and its purveyor describing the story as baseless, misleading and absolutely condemnable.

Reacting to the rumor, the Chairman House of Assembly Committee on Information, Communication & Technology, Hon Kazeem Olayanju said the fallacious story which first appeared in an online news publication on Monday, 18th October,2021 was amusing to all the 32 Lawmakers in the State Assembly as there was never a time such was discussed or the idea was muted by the legislators in the chamber or outside.

The report had alleged that the cold war between the Governor and his deputy had assumed a dangerous dimension and that the Deputy Governor would be impeached anytime soon by the PDP dominated Oyo State House of Assembly.

Hon Olayanju said ” The purportedly planned impeachment process against the Oyo State Deputy Governor by the House under my watch is a farce, a fluke and a figment of the sick imagination of the writer, sponsor or originator of the fake news. We were dumbfounded when we read the news and we were asking ourselves if the story was actually referring to us, the 9th Oyo State House of Assembly.

” It baffles one how some journalists will deliberately flout the ethics of accuracy, truthfulness and objectivity in news reportage which are the hallmarks of the pen profession.”

He wondered why such an expensive lie would be concocted by the Journalist in question or why he/she would stoop so low for whatever reasons or gains to agree to disseminate such unfounded rumor.

” Is it also not comical for the purveyor of the fake information to claim that Oyo lawmakers would be meeting with Governor Seyi Makinde in Ghana to orchestrate the planned removal of the deputy Governor ? There’s really nothing of such from our end here. We just resumed from our recess and we already have a lot of legislative matters begging for attention on our table. The
issue of impeachment process against the deputy Governor is strange to us and we are not aware of it. ”

While saying that the PDP administration in Oyo State is on the process of reconciling all its aggrieved members to help consolidate on the political strength and gains of the party ahead of future elections, the Chairman House Committee on Information, Communication & Technology said Governor Seyi Makinde has promised to make peace and work with everyone to lift Oyo State to a higher pedestal.

” He has been using his conflict resolution ideas and mechanisms to keep the party together. It is actually not an easy task, and as stakeholders, we are ready to work with him to ensure a stronger umbrella and a more united party. Those wishing to beat more drums of war and crises in the ruling party in Oyo State will be surprised that we will come out of it stronger and better ”, he added.

Screening of aspirants vying for various national offices in the 2021 National Convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been scheduled for Wednesday, October 20, 2021 at the Legacy House, Maitama, Abuja. 

The exercise will start with a media chat at 10 am. The screening proper is to commence at 12 noon and the appearance scheduling will be on “first come, first served” basis.

Aspirants are to come along with the originals of their academic credential and other vital documents for sighting.   All aspirants, critical stakeholders and party members are by this guided accordingly. 

Signed:   Mohammed Adoke Bello SAN Chairman, Screening Sub-Committee 

Comrade Lekan Badmus is a Columnist with Oduduwa News.

OONIRISA: The Spirit And The Pride Of Yorubas

By: Comrade Lekan Badmus.

Named as the city of 401 deities, Ife is the cradle of Yorubaland and home to these deities where they are routinely celebrated through festivals in tandem with norms, ethics and customs. Yorubas have great respect and adoration for the supreme God known as Olodu-Omo-Are with the shortened form Olodumare. The regards for God is so much that the Yorubas; in their wisdom, felt the need to have an intermediary intercessor between them and the Creator. Hence, the deities.

Oduduwa is the Yoruba progenitor. Thus, every Yoruba man is proud to trace his ancesstral home to Ife – Ooye. In ancient monarchical era, the administration of the state was vested in the hands of the kings who were the custodians of culture. Being the progenitor of the Yorubas, Oduduwa was the oracle.

In the modern-day Yoruba nation,
Oba Ogunwusi Adeyeye is the spiritual leader who is saddled with the responsibility of making supplication,
appeasement and propitiation
to God and Orisas on behalf of his subjects. Culture and religion are inseparable.

Religion is an integral part of culture and culture is a way of life. It is quite unfortunate however that we have jettisoned the tenets of our culture which is warped in the concept of OMOLUABI. It is also disheartening that western education and civilisation have eroded our culture and replaced it with foreign religions.

Truth be told, religion is an opium of human knowledge. But we have been hoodwinked to discard our heritage. We now prefer imported religions to our inherited religions. What a myopic view ! If we cannot preserve our culture, then, our race is heading towards extinction.

Our culture is our artifacts which reminds us of who we are. They tell more stories about our background and civilization than any attempt at intellectual reconstruction of history. They are indeed, active components of our present. We speak to the artifacts and they speak to us in mutually decodable idioms.

This underscores the imperativeness of upholding our heritage because we found in them; the essence of our being and the concrete validation of our civilization far beyond aesthetics.

It was crystal clear right from the day of Kabiesi’s coronation that he shares some affinities with the world renowned leaders who have made indelible marks in their quests to leave this world better than they met it.

His ideology and intellectual life are constructed around the emancipation of what he must have imagined as a global Africa. His Imperial Majesty is a royal father who embraces a temporal and spiritual specificities that produced and defined him. His expansive cosmopolitan vision never excluded his immersion in; and celebration of the culture in which he lives. That ideology has brought him more prominence, popularity, respect and greater centrality in Africa.

Ọba Ọjájá II was born Prince Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, as a son of Prince John Oluropo Ogunwusi and Princess Margaret Wuraola Sidikatu Abegbe Ogunwusi into the Royal House of Giesi, one of the four royal families of the House of Oranmiyan. His paternal grandfather was Prince Joseph Olagbaju Adewole Ogunwusi whose grandfather was Ọba Orayegba Ojaja who was the 44th Ooni of Ife. Through him, he is a direct descendant of Ooni Agbedegbede, who was a descendant of Ooni Giesi. Thus a descendant of Ọọni Lajodogun. Lajodogun was a son of Ọọni Lajamisan, who was a grandson of the legendary founder of the Oyo Empire Oranmiyan. Oranmiyan, was a son of the first Ooni of Ife, Oduduwa.

The coronation of Ooni was like Ceasar entering Rome. The mammoth crowd that graced his coronation on December 7, 2015 was unprecedented. Kabiesi has brought glamour to the stool. His stylish and aesthetic values have transformed the palace and Ile-Ife into a Mecca of some sort with the beautification, redesign and re-construction of the ancient palace dorned with symbolic white paint. His humility and sense of humor has endeared him to the entire kingdom and beyond. He is a bridge builder, a nexus, synergy and an apostle of unity.

Shortly after his coronation, Ooni Ogunwusi met with the Alaafin of Oyo and by so doing initiated a new era in the history of the Yorubaland. He effectively broke the jinx of institutionalised discord and perennial royal rumble between Ife and Oyo. Arole Oodua has also strengthened and reinvigorated the hitherto severed bond with Modakeke.

Oonirisa is an advocate for the empowerment and emancipation of women and young people. He is also a renowned philanthropist who is committed to service to humanity.

Oba Enitan is a chattered Accountant who has been described as an astute entrepreneur driven by the need to turn impossibilities into possibilities. It may be hard to eulogise Kabiesi to capture in words; not just the facts that make a life but the essential truth of a person as embedded in his qualities that illuminate others’ souls. How much harder to do so for a giant of history – the Ojaja II.

Kabiesi is a royal father who understands the ties that bind the human spirits and so, Baba could be described as one knight without a benighted soul.

Wearing his royal robes, holding the orb and sceptre – the symbols of his authority, Kabiesi
stands proud and resolute in his niche. Oonirisa is an exemplar of modesty.
Urbane, amiable and suave.

May the supreme Allah grant Kabiesi good health, peaceful reign and longevity on the throne.

Kabiesi o !!

Comrade Lekan Badmus is a Contributor to Trailblazer News.

For Comments:
lekanbadmuscolumn@gmail.com

(08060002439)

Gunmen suspected to be hired assassins, on Monday, opened fire on the convoy Of Rasheed Olalekan Afolabi, the member representing Ifelodun/ Boripe/Odo-Otin Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

According to a statement credited to his media office, the incident occurred along the Akure-Okenne road in Kogi State.

The statement revealed that the lawmaker and his wife, Mrs. Abimbola Afolabi had just left their home town, Ikirun on Monday morning after attending the APC State Congress on Saturday and were dropped off by his drivers at the Akure Airport in order to catch a connecting flight to Abuja while his drivers continued the journey by road to Abuja.

“The two cars, Ford SUV and Ford Hilux were, however, attacked along Akure-Kogi road and the gun shots were directed to where it was suspected that Lekan Afolabi would be seated in both cars.

“The front tyres of both cars, windscreen, rear seat and the fuse boxes were shot at and as a result, the vehicles could not start again,” he disclosed.

The statement also explained that one of the drivers in the convoy of the lawmaker had noticed that a green Honda CRV had been trailing them from Osun early Monday morning.

The incident has since been reported to the Police.

The Oyo State House of Assembly has given its nod to Governor Seyi Makinde to access N18.7bn Federal Government Bridge Facility meant to cushion the effect of Covid-19 pandemic in the State.

The request was contained in a letter forwarded to the State legislature by Governor Seyi Makinde and read during Monday’s plenary by the Speaker, Hon Adebo Ogundoyin.

President Muhammadu Buhari approved the bridge facility for all the 36states of the Federation and it will be accessed from the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN

It was meant to give support to States following the resumption of monthly deductions for the repayment of their various loan facilities.

Recall that the federal government had earlier suspended the monthly repayment of the loan facilities by States due to the effects of Covid-19 pandemic.

The N18.7bn which will be disbursed in six tranches (6months instalment) of N3.1bn each is expected to be repaid monthly for 30years (360 months).

The lawmakers in their comments on the request agreed that such loan facility from the federal government was necessary and timely as many States recorded huge loss during the pandemic.

According to Hon Akeem Adedibu (Chief Whip), Hon Babajide Gabriel (Ib. North 2), Hon Bamidele Adeola (Iseyin/Itesiwaju) and Hon Ayo Fatokun (Akinyele 1), since all the States are to access the loan facility, Oyo State should not be left out.

They however urged the State Government to expend the loan on developmental projects selected across all the senatorial districts in the State.

In his reaction, the Minority Leader, Hon Asimiyu Alarape who also suggested that the loan facility be used to develop key sectors, nonetheless urged the State Government to wary of the consequences of too many loans.

The Speaker, Hon Adebo Ogundoyin said it was thoughtful of the Government at the center to give financial support to the State Governments considering the scale of projects lined up in the various States.

Hon Ogundoyin assured that the House through its Committee on Public Account and Appropriation will perform its oversight function by monitoring the accessing and the spending of the loan in order to ensure that it is used enhance the infrastructural development of the State

Aggrieved members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State have dragged the leadership of the party to court to challenge the outcome of the last Saturday state congress in the state.

The plaintiffs who are members of The Osun Progressive (TOP) are loyal to a former Governor of the state and Minister of Interior, Mr Rauf Aregbesola.
They held a parallel Congress at Ogo-Oluwa area in Osogbo while the other was held at the Osogbo City Stadium where the Chairman of the party, Prince Adegboyega Famodun was re-elected for a second term.

But on Monday, the group dragged the Chairman of Caretaker Extraordinary Convention Committee of the party, Governor Mai Mala Buni and the Chairman of Osun State Ward Congress Committee, Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye, to the Federal High Court in Osogbo over the manner the Congress were conducted.

The plaintiffs, Yusuf Asifat Makanjuola and 2,516 others said they paid the stipulated amount and obtained forms to participate in the Congresses of the party but were sidelined by the committee.

The plaintiffs also joined the Osun State chapter of the APC, the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Chairman of the Osun State Ward Congress Appeal Committee, Ambassador Obed Wadzani as defendants.

There were parallel APC state congresses in most of the states of the federation on Saturday.

The main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has mocked the ruling party for its inability to conduct a free and fair state congress across the country, saying it was a reflection of what the party stood for.

The members of the National Committee on Osun State Congress of the All Progressives Congress, (APC), on Sunday described as political charade and a fruitless effort any Congress purportedly held outside one they conducted and supervised.

The Committee noted that it was not aware of any parallel Congress as being speculated, noting that if such happened at all, it was just a waste of time as the committee remained the legitimate body saddled with the responsibility to conduct the State Congress.

Recall that the 7-member of the Committee on Saturday conducted the State Congress at the Osogbo City Stadium where the former Chairman of the party, Prince Gboyega Famodun, was re-elected just as other State Executives emerged.

Addressing the journalists at the State Party Secretariat, Osogbo, the Chairman of the Congress Committee, Hon. Gbenga Elegbeleye, said there was no other Congress except the one his colleagues conducted and supervised, which was done in line with the party’s constitution, electoral principles and guidelines.

Elegbeleye, who described the insinuations of parallel Congress in the State as a fallacy, said on no account can Congress hold outside the knowledge of the Committee as prescribed by the party’s principles and guidelines.

“As far as we are concerned, there was no Congress anywhere else except the one we conducted and supervised.

“We came here on Friday to address a Stakeholder’s meeting where we announced the venue of the Congress and this was done in the presence of the media.

“As you all know, we were saddled by the leadership of the party at the National Secretariat to conduct Osun APC Congress and when we arrived, we announced the venue of the Congress. So, if anybody goes to the shrine to do another thing, that may probably be a marriage ceremony, not a Congress.

“The Congress we did was the Congress that the party recognised and we cannot assume there was a Congress elsewhere”, he said.

Elegbeleye who expressed satisfaction at the entire process, said it was a good thing for the Committee that all the candidates that met the constitutional requirements and satisfied the party’s principles and guidelines won the seats and were consequently declared winners of the Congress by the Committee.

He said the Committee had done the needful as expected, having performed the task in the presence of the required electoral empire and other relevant agencies.

“The Congress was successful, hitch-free, fair and credible as envisaged and it was conducted in accordance with the Constitution, principles and guidelines of the party as enshrined in Article 20 as read out yesterday.

“We have had the Wards and Local Government Congresses before the State and we thank God that everything went smoothly without rancour as our members comported themselves and demonstrated the much-expected Omoluabi ethos.

“As we all know, the screening of the delegates was done normally and it was a 99 percent success. We have done the needful. The winners had met the constitutional requirements and they have been returned elected,” he added.

Earlier, the APC State Chairman-elect, Hon. Gboyega Famodun, lauded the Committee for being transparent, accountable and for ensuring that the entire process ended well.

Famodun who expressed profound gratitude to the loyalists of the party for re-electing him promised not to let them down.

“I thank the Committee for a job well done and for giving us a wonderful executive through the Congress conducted. I want to assure you all on behalf of my team that we will put in our best.

“I commend the Press for doing us proud and for ensuring effective coverage.

“I commend those that contributed to the success of the Congress, particularly the Governor who has been so supportive. I extend tremendous appreciation to Chief Adebisi Akande who has been superintending the whole thing.

“I am happy, glad and overwhelmed for what we did yesterday. By the grace of God, we will not disappoint you all,” he added.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Oyo State, says it recognises only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) State Congress conducted on Saturday at the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba in Ibadan.

Mr Mutiu Agboke, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Ibadan.

Agboke spoke when he led the management team of the commission on advocacy visit to Abere Central Mosque, Agbowo, Ibadan.

NAN recalls that two parallel PDP State Congresses were held on Saturday in Ibadan where two separate executives of the party emerged.

The faction of the State Governor, Seyi Makinde, held its congress at the main bow of the Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba.

Similarly, the aggrieved PDP members led by former Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Mrs Mulikat Adeola-Akande and Chief Bisi Olopoeniyan, held their separate congress at Jogor Centre, Liberty Road, off Ring Road, Ibadan.
The two factions had claimed the presence of INEC officials at their respective congress venues.

Agboke said the claim that INEC officers were present at the other venue apart from the Adamasingba was an unfounded insinuation, “because the person must have insinuated it that INEC attended two venues”.

According to him, INEC does not, or will never interact or relate with a group, in other words INEC does not know group, INEC knows political party.

“Therefore, the venue given to the commission by the PDP, as a political party, was Lekan Salami Sports Complex, Adamasingba, which of course, INEC staff attended.

“The representative of the commission from Abuja, the HOD Election and Party Monitoring and two other staff were at the Adamasingba. So, the claim that INEC attended any other congress is untrue.

“For us as electoral body, we have the policy of doing the right thing and that is what we are going to do,” the REC said.

Earlier, Agboke, while addressing Muslim faithful at the Abere Central Mosque, Agbowo, charged religious leaders and their congregation to take active part in the electoral processes, saying that their participation would enhance the nation’s democratic growth.

He said that participation of more people of integrity with fear of God, would have good impact in the society, thereby making life better for all and sundry.

The REC said those who were not interested in politics should show interest now.
He said that those who have yet to register for the Permanent Voter Card (PVC) should do so.

“Those that are yet to collect their PVC from the custody of the commission should collect them, so that we can have good platform for elections in Oyo State,” Agboke said.

On importance of such advocacy visit, the Oyo REC said that it was necessary for us to be engaging major stakeholders and public advocacy about what INEC was doing.

“Otherwise, you will give room for insinuations, misgivings and the likes.

“So, when this religious group extended an invitation to us that it needed voter education, I quickly embrace the invitation.

“Coming here is an avenue for us to teach them some of the things they do not know about election, about Continuous Voters Registration and other things INEC is doing, and that was what we have told them,” he said.

NAN reports that the Resident Electoral Commissioner in Osun, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Raji and other top management of INEC in Oyo State, took part in the advocacy visit.(NAN)

Osun Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, has congratulated the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, on the occasion of his birthday anniversary, describing him as a distinguished royal father and worthy ambassador of the State.

Oyetola in a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Ismail Omipidan, lauded the traditional ruler for prioritising the welfare of his subjects and his commitment to the peace, stability and development of Osun and Nigeria as a whole since he ascended the throne.

The Governor also praised Oba Ogunwusi’s devotion to youth empowerment and development, noting that his various interventions in youth advocacy, entrepreneurship, agriculture and education have impacted young people within and outside Osun.

He also appreciated the monarch for his support for the Administration and for being a key partner of the State government on issues of governance, security and development.

“On behalf of my family, the government and people of Osun, I felicitate you on the celebration of your birthday and pray Almighty God to continue to endow you with wisdom, good health and strength to continue to serve your people, our State and country,” Oyetola said.