Oduduwa News

Oyo Lawmaker, Hon. Dele Adeola has congratulated the Speaker of Oyo State, Rt. Hon. Debo Ogundoyin on the ocassion of his birthday.

The lawmaker in a statement made available today to Oduduwa News extolled his legislative commitment towards ensuring the progress of the State.

“Today, we celebrate the birthday of a remarkable leader, Rt.Hon. Debo Ogundoyin whose tireless efforts have transformed the lives of countless individuals in his community. As we mark this special day, we honour his unwavering dedication to public service and his unrelenting passion for creating positive change.

“As the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Ogundoyin has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to the well-being of Oyo State citizens and has proven himself to be a champion of progress and a beacon of hope for a brighter future.

“As a respected young leader, Ogundoyin has inspired countless youths to become involved in public service and community development. His leadership prowess has shown us that, together, we can overcome even the most daunting challenges and build a better world for ourselves and future generations.

“As you just added to your age, I join well-wishers to wish you Happy birthday”, said Adeola.

The ongoing local government crisis in Osun State has taken a new turn as Governor Ademola Adeleke and the All Progressives Congress (APC) clash over the Court of Appeal ruling on the local government crisis rocking the state.

Adeleke at a press conference on Sunday accused the Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Gboyega Oyetola, of colluding with security agencies to enforce a court order reinstating local government chairmen and councillors elected under the APC.

He alleged that it was an attempt to destabilise the state.

Meanwhile, Adeleke called on President Bola Tinubu to caution the current Minister of Marine and Blue Economy, Mr Gboyega Oyetola, accusing him of attempting to create mayhem in state over the Appeal Court verdict on sacked local government in Osun.

Pandemonium broke out in the Mushin area of Lagos as rival groups of area boys clashed in a fierce battle. The clash, which started in the early hours of the morning, left residents running for their lives. Eyewitnesses described the scene as “war-like,” with the sound of broken bottles, gunfire, and screams filling the air.

The area boys, armed with dangerous weapons, fought relentlessly, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake. “I was on my way to work when I saw the area boys fighting,” said a resident, who wished to remain anonymous. “I had to run back home and lock my doors. I was so scared.”

The cause of the clash is still unclear, but residents suspect it may be related to a longstanding rivalry between the two groups. The police have been deployed to the area to restore order.

Oduduwa News will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.

Experts in energy sector have differed on the resurface of “drill, baby, drill” slogan amid renewed call by global leaders to transit to clean energy as the campaign against fossil fuels continues to take a centre stage. This was made known at a symposium held on February 8th, 2025 organized by the Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law Students’ Association CPEELSA, University of Ibadan with the theme: “Global Campaigns Against Fossil Fuels And The Prospects of The Nigerian Economy”, monitored by Oduduwa News.

The lecture for the theme was delivered by the Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Economic Matters, Dr. Tope Fasua.
In his opening remark, the Director of CPEEL, University of Ibadan, Prof. A.O. Falode welcomed the participants and lauded the student association for coming up with a very important debate on topical issue like energy and climate change. He said, it is his belief that the outcome of the deliberation would proffer solutions to policymakers on the best possible way to achieve energy security and equity without compromising environmental justice.

Dr. Tope Fasua while delivering the lecture thanked the executive of CPEELSA led by Ismael Taiwo for coming up with a very important national discourse on economy and climate change. He said Africa and Nigeria should be wary of agenda behind the campaign against fossil fuels and begin to see how we can take the advantage of the renewed call for the phasing out of fossil fuels and invest heavily on industrialization. “Decades ago, the western countries were able to develop with fossil fuels and we also need to wake up and see how we can map out strategies towards industrialization”. He further stated that he does not underestimate the adverse effects of climate change despite the fact that there are divergent opinions and views in recent times. He however cautioned Africa not to be carried away with the campaign against fossil fuels.

He said President Donald Trump has pulled out from the climate agreement and therefore advocated for “drill, baby drill” to increase crude oil production in America.

He said Nigeria will continue to increase its production to meet up with the projection of 2025 budget and therefore fulfilling the quota given by the OPEC. He highlighted some gains and achievements of the present administration in oil and gas sector claiming that the establishment of Dangote Refinery would continue to be a game changer in energy world and that in no distant time Nigerians would continue to see more refineries springing up and is going to be a win for Nigeria.

He further expressed criticism on those calling for the abandoning of fossil fuels for renewable energy, hinging his stance on the fact that renewable energy has not been proven to power sophisticated industrial machines, aircraft, cargo ships and others.

According to Fasua, he said, he does not begrudge climate change advocacy because global warming is real but Africa needs to slower down and not hastily follow the bandwagon as we have not developed to a stage we can completely transit to renewable energy.

He averred that Nigeria has a large deposit of gas which is a cleaner energy and that we can utilize it as a form of transition and begin to invest in massive industrialization.

He was quoted as saying further, “I am a pragmatic economist and I do not owe anybody apology for my stance, what we need to do is to max out and also do “drill, baby drill” and increase our crude oil exploration for our benefit. Also, we have opportunity in climate financing; we can take advantage of that and get funding. We cannot bear the brunt of those who destroyed the climate for decades and come to us to jettison the backbone of our development. Even if we are transiting from fossil fuels, it must be at a pace not to take their advocacy hook, line, and sinker. We must begin to map out strategies to design eco-friendly projects to attract climate financing such as green bond and others.
We cannot afford to be swayed by the campaign against fossil fuels and jettison our development.

In his words, Prof. Adeola Adenikinju, the President of Nigerian Economic Society NES differed with the “drill, baby drill” approach and averred that we need to take a very strong position and be very strategic whether we are going to be drilling for certain period and then transit from fossil fuels to renewable energy. He was quoted as saying, “We cannot discountenance argument on climate change and the call for transition to renewable energy. We must be strategic and map out strategy on how we can transit to renewable energy. This is a pure science; the consequences of climate change are numerous as the effect of global warming is daring. We are all witnessing environmental degradation in Niger Delta, the wildfire that occurred in California and other forms of disaster in different parts of the world. In our own interest, we have to balance development with climate change and take into cognizance the effects of fossil fuels on the lives of the people. We have to understand health and environmental effects of burning of fossil fuels and not to discountenance discussion on renewable energy”.

The former Commissioner for Justice in Edo State and the former President of Nigerian Association of Energy Economics NAEE, who is also the CEO of Etin Power Limited, Prof. Yinka Omorogbe SAN also differed in her opinion and advocated for complete transitioning into renewable energy. She said we need to look at sustainable plan and redirect our economy from overreliance on fossil fuels. “We need to strategize as we cannot continue to drill and overlook environmental effects in our lives. Africa cannot be left behind in climate change debate and if we do not move with the dictate of the world we would be left to drink our oil when the global demand for oil fizzles out”.

In his words, the President of Nigerian Association of Energy Economics NAEE, Dr. Mahmud Hassan advised that in the process of transition to renewable energy, we need to shine our eyes as Africans. Statistics has shown that the world is still heavily relying on adoption of fossil fuels. He said he agreed that there are environmental issues we need to take into cognizance as it is a known fact that the world cannot completely phase out fossil fuels in the next 30-40 years. A renowned scholar, Professor of Statistics at the University of Ibadan, Prof. Olusanya Olubusoye while giving his goodwill message advocated evidence-based research in policymaking as this is the only panacea to economic development.

The Special Adviser to President Tinubu on Economic Matters, Dr. Tope Fasua while answering questions from the participants, said, “we have to be cautious of bandwagon effect by following whatever that is thrown at us hook, line and sinker. We need to begin to adopt home based approach and be strategic in our plans”. He said he believes in energy transition but we have to be strategic in our plans. “We need to be innovative and look at how we can begin to nurture our younger minds to be creative and productive in the development of our economy. We need to invest on quality and productive education where our engineers can begin to construct roads and stop overreliance on foreigners to come and do our job”.

A renowned Emeritus Professor of Petroleum Economics, Prof. Wumi Iledare while speaking corroborated the stance of Special Adviser on Economic Matters on the need for more investment in crude oil exploration but advised policymakers to ensure that the PIA is fully implemented while advising President Tinubu to give room for regulations backed by law and desist from excessive use of executive order in the oil and gas sector.

The symposium ended with a vote of thanks from the President of Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law Students’ Association CPEELSA, University of Ibadan, who also called on policymakers to ensure a synergy between the town and the gown and begin to fund research institute like CPEEL to find a lasting solution to our developmental challenges.

The Ogun State Community, Social Orientation, and Safety Corps (So-Safe Corps) has arrested four illegal immigrants from Cameroon and Chad for unlawfully entering the state.

The suspects include Dorooumouna Brosia (23, Cameroonian), Hassan Bukhari (Cameroonian), Saleh Sakhair (27, Chadian), and Mahamat Moudaina (23, Chadian), who is Saleh’s brother.

According to a statement by the Corps Commander, Soji Ganzallo, through the Public Relations Officer, Moruf Yusuf, the arrest was based on intelligence received by the operatives.

The suspects were apprehended unhurt around 8:00 am on Thursday, while traveling in a taxi to Lafenwa, Abeokuta.

During interrogation, the two Cameroonian suspects admitted to staying in Ibadan for over four months, awaiting the arrival of their Chadian counterparts. They further revealed that Hassan Seid, a Chadian national residing in Ibadan, invited them to Ogun State for work and to improve their English while conducting business.

Commander Ganzallo emphasized that illegal entry could pose security threats and that undocumented migrants might engage in criminal activities.

The arrested individuals have been handed over to the Nigeria Immigration Service, Ogun State Command, for further investigation and possible deportation.

Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu Speaks on Late Husband’s Death, Blames Over-Religiosity

Former First Lady of Ondo State, Betty Anyanwu-Akeredolu, has opened up about the circumstances surrounding the death of her husband, the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu, attributing it to his reliance on religious interventions rather than medical treatment.

Speaking candidly, she revealed that while her husband battled prostate cancer, he chose to seek prayers, anointing oils, and holy water from religious leaders instead of prioritizing proper medical care. She expressed deep regret, stating:

“I wouldn’t be a widow today if my husband had listened to me.”

Mrs. Anyanwu-Akeredolu’s remarks have sparked discussions on the dangers of over-religiosity in Nigeria, particularly when it comes to health decisions. Her statement highlights a broader issue where many individuals, even in positions of power, turn to spiritual solutions at the expense of medical science.

The late governor, who passed away in December 2023, had been battling health challenges for some time. His widow’s revelation sheds light on the internal struggles within their family regarding the best course of action for his treatment.

Armed robbers invaded the Awolowo Hall of Residence at the University of Ibadanu in the early hours of Saturday, dispossessing students of their valuables worth thousands of naira.

The stolen items include assorted mobile telephone handsets, jewelry, clothing, and other valuables.

According to reports, the affected students were also tortured during the raid, which lasted for several hours.

A source within the university revealed that the security team was alerted by the screams of the affected students and quickly responded to the incident.

Some of the suspects were arrested and handed over to the Police at Sango Police Station, while a manhunt has been launched for the remaining suspects who are on the run.

Confirming the incident, the Public Relations Officer of the University of Ibadan, Mrs. Joke Akinpelu, stated that reports from the hall wardens indicated that the robbers made off with the students’ mobile telephone handsets.

Efforts to get across to the Police Public Relations Officer CSP Adewale Osifeso for further confirmation proved abortive.

The League of Imams and Alfas in Yorubaland has announced that Ramadan 1446 AH (2025) will begin on Saturday, March 1, 2025.

This marks a major departure from the long-standing practice of waiting for an official declaration from the Sultan of Sokoto, the spiritual leader of Nigerian Muslims.

In a communiqué issued by the Grand Mufti’s Office, the League stated that its decision was based on precise astronomical calculations and resolutions from international Islamic conferences, including those held in Istanbul, Paris, and within the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). According to these sources, the crescent moon signaling Ramadan will be visible after sunset on Friday, February 28, 2025, making March 1 the official start of fasting.

The League referenced the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) hadith:

“Fast when you see the crescent and break your fast when you see it.”

This independent declaration has sparked discussions about religious autonomy among Yoruba Muslims, some of whom have long questioned the centralized religious leadership in Nigeria. The move comes amid recent tensions over the Sultan’s call for the imposition of Sharia law in Yorubaland, which the Yoruba Nation Self-Determination Movement condemned as “disrespectful.”

As of now, the Sultan of Sokoto and the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) have not responded to this declaration. However, the League stands by its decision, citing historical precedents and scientific confirmation of the lunar calendar.

With Ramadan approaching, this shift could redefine how Yoruba Muslims observe Islamic traditions in Nigeria.

The nation mourns as Afenifere chieftain and renowned politician, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, has passed away at the age of 96. The elder statesman died peacefully at his residence in Lekki, Lagos State, on the morning of Friday, February 14, 2025.

An official statement from his family confirmed the news, expressing gratitude for a life dedicated to the service of God, the nation, and humanity.

“With a heart full of gratitude for a selfless life spent in the service of God, the nation, and humanity, we announce the passing on of our beloved patriarch, Chief Samuel Ayodele Adebanjo. He died peacefully this morning at his Lekki, Lagos Nigeria home at the age of 96.”

Chief Adebanjo was a prominent nationalist, elder statesman, distinguished lawyer, and an unwavering advocate for true federalism in Nigeria. He was a former organising secretary of the Action Group and served as the national leader of Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-political group.

The revered politician is survived by his 94-year-old wife, Chief Christy Ayo-Adebanjo, as well as children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. His family paid tribute to his relentless dedication to justice and equity, highlighting his unwavering fight for a truly independent and progressive Nigeria.

“We will forever cherish his commitment to fighting for truth, equity, and justice. His belief and struggle for a truly independent and progressive Nigeria was total, and this he fought for until he breathed his last breath,” the statement read.

Funeral arrangements are currently underway as the family engages with relevant stakeholders and associates across the country.