The Lawmaker representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju State Constituency at the Oyo State House of Assembly has commended the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde for ensuring reliable and stable power supply across the State Secretariat and its environs while urging the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company to find a lasting solution to epileptic power supply that has become a nightmare for the people of the State affecting economic activities.
Adeola made this known at the Plenary held yesterday at the State House of Assembly.
This was part of the resolves following a motion sponsored by the lawmaker representing Iseyin Itesiwaju State Constituency, Hon. Bamidele Adeola .
The motion titled “Need for Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company ( IBEDC ) to build sustainable good customers service relationship for a seamless discharge of their duties towards steady supply of Electricity in the State” revealed that Sustainable electricity supply is a fundamental driver of economic progress, hence Government and policymakers must invest in power generation, grid expansion and renewable energy sources to ensure long – term economic development.
The Lawmaker described efforts of Gov. Makinde as renewed hope to a journey of stable power supply across the State in no distance time.
“This cornerstone of economic development through renewable energy sources is the guilding philosophy of Governor Seyi Makinde’s Government towards achieving steady power supply in Oyo State.”
“The steady supply we are enjoying presently in the State Secretariat and its environs is a clear testimony to a journey of stable power supply across the State in no distance time”
Hon. Adeola noted that it’s important that the effort of the Government be emulated and complemented by IBEDC in Oyo State by redirecting its attention towards renewable energy sources for the esteemed customers.
He observed that there is lack of adequate information on some of the major activities of IBEDC that have direct impact on the customers such as electricity billing, power rationing , and disconnection, metres availability and Distribution, provision of transformers and installations amongst other services being rendered by IBEDC in the State.
“The communication gap has led to many unresolved issues and avoidable fracas between IBEDC and its customers on estimated billing, non – availability of pre – paid metres for interested customers and installation of transformers single handedly purchased by an individual or communities which is supposed to be the responsibility of IBEDC.” The motion stated
The House has however directed its Standing Committee on Energy to invite all the stakeholders and engage them in meaningful dialogue that will pave ways for lasting solution on power epidemic in Oyo State and report back within two weeks of the plenary.
The Special Offences Court in Ikeja, Lagos, on Tuesday, acquitted former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode of medical forgery charges filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Justice Olubumni Abike-Fadipe, ruling on the no-case submission made by Fani-Kayode’s lawyer, stated that the prosecution had failed to present a prima facie case against him. Consequently, the court concluded that Fani-Kayode had no case to answer regarding the allegations.
The ruling, which was covered by Channels TV, effectively brought an end to the forgery case against the former minister.
Justice Abike-Fadipe also noted that the prosecution had not provided evidence linking Fani-Kayode to the offense, failing to present witnesses or the lawyer who claimed that Fani-Kayode instructed his law firm to submit medical reports to the Federal High Court.
The judge said: “The extrajudicial statements which remain, and which are intended as evidence, cannot be used for any purpose other than to contradict the person who made the statement when he is in the witness box.
“I have carefully studied the evidence of the prosecution witnesses and I cannot find where the defendant committed the offences being alleged.
“The prosecution has failed to establish a prima facie case which would require the defendant to open his defence.”
The judge subsequently acquitted and discharged Fani-Kayode of the alleged offenses.
Speaking to journalists after the ruling, Fani-Kayode expressed his gratitude and relief, mentioning that after 18 years of facing legal battles, he was overjoyed to finally be free.
Fani-Kayode had been facing 12 charges brought by the EFCC, related to his alleged use of forged medical reports submitted before Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he was also being prosecuted for an alleged N4.9 billion fraud.
One of the counts reads: “That you, Femi Fani-Kayode, on or about the 11th day of October 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, by fraudulently used a false document titled: Medical Report on Olufemi Fani-Kayode 60 Years/Male/Hosp. No. 00345 DATED 11/10/2021 before the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division in charge No. FHC/L/251C/2016 which document you purported to have been issued by Kubwa General Hospital.”
Another count reads: “That you, Femi Fani-Kayode, on or about the 23rd day of March, 2021 in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, fraudulently used a false document titled: To Whom It May Concern Re: Femi Fani-Kayode Male/60 Years Hospital. No. 32145 Dated 23rd March 2021 before the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division in charge No. FHC/L/251C/2016 which document you purported to have been issued by Kubwa General Hospital.”
The EFCC pointed out that the procurement and execution of documents through false pretenses violates Section 369 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.
During the trial, the management of Kubwa General Hospital in Abuja denied ever admitting Femi Fani-Kayode as a patient.
Bassey Amah, the head of medical records at the hospital, testified before Justice Olubunmi Abike-Fadipe, stating that the medical report presented by Fani-Kayode in court had not been issued by the hospital. Amah further confirmed that Fani-Kayode was not a patient there and did not have any medical report on file.
Additionally, a second prosecution witness, Abidat Bukola, testified that Fani-Kayode allegedly paid her N820,000 to obtain four forged medical reports. She detailed that at various times, Fani-Kayode paid N120,000, N150,000, N250,000, and N300,000 for these forged documents.
Omolola Odutola, confirmed this in a statement issued in Abeokuta, the state capital.
“The Ogun State Police Command has taken cognizance of a disturbing video circulating on social media, in which an elderly man, Mr. Areola Abraham was seen prostrating while being subjected to verbal abuse and assault by Oba Abdulsemiu Adewale Ogunjobi, the Olorile of Orile Ifo,” she said.
“Both parties reported at the State Criminal Investigation Department Eleweran, and their statements were obtained.”
The Command unequivocally condemned any form of assault, harassment and violence regardless of the individuals involved.
She assured that the command will ensure that justice is served and members of the public will be abreast of relevant updates in due course.
Former Minister of Interior and ex-Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, on Sunday met a man who allegedly attempted to assassinate him in 2006.
He said the meeting was held after the man identified as Sikiru Olaboye sought forgiveness from him.
Aregbesola disclosed this in a Facebook post on Sunday, stating that the man visited him after calling a local radio station in Osogbo, Osun State capital to ask for his pardon.
“Earlier today, I received Sikiru Olaboye, one of the men who attempted to assassinate me during the 2006 Oroki Day Celebration in Osogbo,” Aregbesola wrote.
The Oyo State Police Command has announced that it has initiated an immediate investigation into a fatal shooting incident that occurred in the Bodija area of Ibadan in the early hours of Sunday morning.
According to the police, preliminary findings reveal that an unidentified man was chased and shot dead a few blocks away from the popular Cocobean Lounge at Bodija, Ibadan. The police also stated that the murder appears to be cult-related.
CSP Osifeso Adewale, the spokesperson for the state police command, in a statement on Sunday, said the police quickly moved to the scene to maintain law and order and prevent further pandemonium. Adewale addressed claims circulating on social media that the police accidentally shot and killed an onlooker (student) while attempting to disperse the crowd.
“Emphatically, there were no killings by the Police nor recorded death of any Student before, during and after the lawful dispersal of onlookers from the scene of crime,” Osifeso said.
“In furtherance of the above, the case has since been referred to the Homicidal section of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Iyaganku with a Deputy Commissioner of Police leading the investigation as directed by the Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Police Command, CP Sonubi Ayodele, psc.
“Meanwhile, normalcy has since returned to the area with adequate deployment of operational and intelligence Command assets to prevent a hijack of the scene by hoodlums.”
On behalf of Alhaja Lawal Abegbo of JDS Consolidated Groups , we extend our heartfelt wishes to the good people of Oyo State and Nigeria as we step into a brand-new month.
“May this new month bring us abundant blessings, peace, and progress. May our collective efforts toward development and unity continue to yield positive results, and may our leaders remain committed to the welfare of the people,” says Alhaja Lawal Abegbo.
As we embrace this new month, let us uphold the values of love, kindness, and selflessness. Let us continue to work together to build stronger communities where everyone thrives.
Once again, happy new month from Alhaja Lawal Abegbo and the JDS Consolidated Groups.
Signed: Alhaja Lawal Abegbo JDS Consolidated Groups
In a near death experience, a 59-year-old businessman Chijioke Nnanna Igbokwe has undergone a surgery, exploratory laparotomy, to let out 57 out of 81 pellets of cocaine stuck in his stomach after seven days of ingesting the illicit substance in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Igbokwe was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, at the arrival hall of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, during the inward clearance of passengers on Ethiopian Airlines flight on Sunday 26th January 2025. He was promptly taken for body scan, which revealed illicit drugs in his system.
He was soon after taken into NDLEA custody for excretion observation.
The spokesperson of NDLEA, Femi Babafemi, says investigation revealed that Igbokwe who claims to be into cloth business at Arena, Oshodi area of Lagos, departed Lagos on 22nd January to Addis Ababa where he ingested the 81 wraps of cocaine the following day 23rd January and boarded a flight to Beirut, Lebanon to deliver the illicit consignment for a fee of $3,000.
“Upon his arrival in Beirut, he said he was refused entry because he had less than $2,000, the amount required to grant him entry. He was then deported to Addis Ababa where he attempted excreting the illicit drugs but could not. He thereafter proceeded to Lagos on Saturday 25th January with the consignment in his bowel. He was however arrested upon his arrival at the Lagos airport by NDLEA officers on 26th January.
After five days under excretion observation, he could only expel 24 pellets following initial medical intervention at the Agency’s medical facility and the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) Ikeja.
With the clock ticking for him and the complication of other underlining medical conditions, the suspect was eventually admitted at the tertiary facility where he had to undergo exploratory laparotomy to extract the remaining 57 wraps of cocaine stuck in his stomach after his wife and brother endorsed the necessary consent forms on Thursday 30th January. “
GA’ NU SI AND THE POLITICS OF BUSINESS AND RELIGION AMONG YORUBA MUSLIMS
The slang ‘Ga’nu si’, a recent popular expression has become very controversial as used in the social media space. On January 17, 2025, it became a news that the popular Fuji maestro, OloriOmo Oba Akile Ijebu (Head of all Ijebu Princes and Princesses), Wasiu Ayinde Anifowose popularly known as K1 the Ultimate lost his mother Alhaja Halimat Anifowose (a native of IlupejuEkiti). Based in Ijebu Ode, Alhaja Anifowose passed on and it is a common practice to bury a woman in the hometown of her husband (a convergence of Yoruba and Muslim culture). In anaired public conversation, K1 highlighted that as a titled Prince, he informed the King- Oba Sikiru Adetona (Awujale) about his mother’s demise and immediately, the King informed the Council of Imam in Ijebu Ode to take charge of the burial. Within the Yoruba Muslim community, that signifies the honourand regard he commands within Ijebu Ode and in the Ijebu Ode Muslim Community. K1 as a popular Fuji musician have been in the limelight since the mid-1980s and he was popularly known for Talazo Wese. Now in his late sixties, he has grown overtime as a Yoruba man whose understanding of the nuances of Yoruba culture, language and people manifests in his music. The immediate past Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Layiwola Adeyemi bestowed on him the title- Mayegun of Yorubaland. This title speaks a lot about his influence in the social, political and business spaces in Yorubaland.
With these traditional titles, perhaps much is expected of him to understand the dynamics of language use and the emotions surrounding implications of word usage. Days after his mother’s demise, K1 keeps receiving guests commiserating with him. In one of such visits, a conversation he had with a guest in his living room went viral. In the conversation, he was glaringly informing the guest expressing his frustrations and also highlighting the schedules for the eighth day (Fidau prayer, commonly practiced among Yoruba Muslims). The schedule narration obviously states that he his not celebrating the eighth day in his personal house and that he is frustrated that some Muslim clerics keeps coming to his house using the slang – Ga’nu si to describe their visits. In Yoruba language use and implication, some words signify derogation, Ga’nu si is a typical word that comes as such. It typifies joblessness, intention to beg and lack of purpose and direction. A typical Yoruba person, would not feel mentally comfortable to possess such description. Literally, the word seems disturbing, but in context it sounds different.
As a Yoruba Muslim, it is a culture that you don’t perform activities about the death of your parents in your house, it is done in your parent’s house. It is understandable why he said: the Muslim clerics refuse to visit Fidipote (his ancestral home), rather they choose to keep visiting his personal house. As a Yoruba Muslim man, he sees himself as a son, whose loyalty for the death of his mother should be celebrated in Fidipote and not his home, indirectly, it is also a way of recognizing the fact that he has elderly siblings, it is not about him alone. However, he had to pay the price of fame.
Perhaps the vituperations that came with the word – Ga’nu siwouldn’t have been significant, if Sheikh Sulaiman Faruk Onikijipa (Mufti Diyar of Ilorin) did not request that he should apologise publicly at the Fidau prayer in honour of K1’s mother on January 24, 2025 at Ijebu Ode. The Mufti of Ilorin, requested for the apology from K1 on the grounds that Yoruba Muslim clerics are angry for using the word – Ga’nu si to describe their visits to his personal house. Such requests for apology should have been discussed privately considering the fact that they are close family friends. The refusal to apologise created new layers of vituperations and also became a phenomenon used for skits, music composition, video blogging, common sayings and comedy. Whether, the Muslim clerics felt angered or not, it is a given that he would spend money for the category of Muslim clerics invited to officiate at the Fidau prayer, the video evidences showed that.
Some comedy skits and video blogs have attacked the Yoruba Muslim clerics claiming that what Ga’nu si derogatorily means applies to them because of the officiating roles they play at events. And there are allegations of overdoing the roles at events which makes them appear to choke the organisers as they request for layers of money to appease. Also, the haters of Muslims have taken it as an opportunity to speak about issues they don’t have knowledge about. The Yoruba Muslim community in each town, state and city is highly organized as there are leagues or councils in charge of Islamic affairs. The Imamate institution is well defined to take charge of issues, even though their organization may appear disjointed. Also, the Muslim of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN) is a more cosmopolitan agglomeration of Muslim clerics, scholars and professionals that perform the think tanks on the affairs of Muslims. There are ideological underpinnings that may make disposition to issues differ. The concept of Fidau prayer is highly contested as some scholars believe that it has no basis in Islam, therefore, those who hold that view don’t even have the cause to fault K1 for using the word – Ga’nu si. They are of the view that if a Muslim dies, visitors are expected to troop in with decorum and not to disturb family members of the deceased. In fact, if you visit, you should endeavour to bring gifts along such as food and provisions to help the families ease their grieving times.
However, K1 finds himself in a situation where he had to give, rather than be given. On Fidau prayer, some findings revealed that it was a method used by Yoruba Muslim clerics of a century ago to divert the attention of Muslims from traditional religious practices which signifies polytheism. Then, traditional religious worshippers carry out sacrificial celebrations on some days after death to appease the gods. Realising how Yoruba Muslims engage in the practice, the Muslim clerics introduced eighth day prayers for the deceased to divert the attention of Muslims away from polytheist practices. Overtime, it has been a culture Yoruba Muslims adopt across generations. Fidau prayer appears as a culture of camaraderie, socialization and family get together given the nature of modern times.
K1 might not have really attended much of formal schooling, but he has displayed some levels of entrepreneurship, fuji music is business, his other businesses in hospitality, farming, food processing throughout Yorubaland is business! There are several Yoruba Muslims with similar life trajectories. To the Yoruba Muslim clerics, entrepreneurship also differs, by more of social entrepreneurship, there are scholars whose Madrasah (Islamic schools) are evolving into universities; whose Asalatucongregations have evolved into establishing formal schools, service industries, factories and universities. Everyone looks on to God!
The Lagos State House of Assembly has exclusively confirmed the release of two detained lawmakers by the Department of State Security (DSS) following hours of interrogation over the ongoing speakership crisis.
Chairman of the Ad Hoc Committee on Information, Mr. Stephen Ogundipe, disclosed the development on Thursday in Lagos, reinforcing that the Assembly stands firmly by its decision.
Oduduwa News earlier reported that Lanre Afinni (Lagos Island 2) and Sylvester Ogunkelu were taken into custody by DSS officials on Thursday morning. The lawmakers were questioned over their alleged involvement in the removal of former Speaker Mudashiru Obasa, who was impeached by a majority of Assembly members on January 13 and replaced by Mojisola Meranda.
The lawmakers were allegedly detained for breaking into the House’s store to access the mace, facilitating the legislative process that led to Obasa’s impeachment.
In a dramatic display of unity, Deputy Speaker Mojeed Fatai and other Assembly members stormed the DSS office to demand the release of their colleagues, emphasizing that legislative autonomy must be upheld.
Confirming the development, Ogundipe stated that all detained lawmakers had regained their freedom and reiterated that Obasa’s removal was entirely legal and constitutional, following due process.
“Today, members of the Lagos Assembly honored an invitation from the Lagos DSS Command in Shangisha, where we provided detailed insights into the ex-speaker’s removal,” Ogundipe said. “At the DSS office, we reaffirmed our unwavering commitment to upholding constitutional governance.”
Ogundipe emphasized that the impeachment adhered strictly to the 1999 Constitution and the Powers and Privileges Act, which empower state assemblies to regulate their internal proceedings without external interference.
“It is public knowledge that legislative autonomy allows state assemblies to conduct their business freely within designated chambers,” he stated, asserting that Obasa’s removal was a democratic decision that met all legal requirements.
He warned that any attempt to challenge this decision would be seen as undermining the constitutional authority granted to the Assembly.
“The Assembly exercised its constitutional duty in the best interest of Lagos residents,” Ogundipe added, making it clear that no form of political interference would reverse their decision.
He also commended the DSS, particularly the Lagos Command Director, for handling the situation professionally and ensuring a smooth and transparent engagement with lawmakers.
Ogundipe reiterated the Assembly’s dedication to its legislative responsibilities, emphasizing its role in serving the people of Lagos and promoting effective governance. He urged all stakeholders, including the executive and the public, to respect legislative proceedings and avoid undue interference.
Tragedy struck in Ondo State as Fulani herdsmen launched a deadly attack on innocent farmers, leaving five people dead. The incident has sparked widespread tension and outrage in the community.
According to eyewitnesses, the herdsmen invaded the farmlands, unleashing violence and destruction on the unsuspecting farmers.
The attack has sent shockwaves throughout the region, with many calling for urgent action to address the escalating insecurity.
The Ondo State Government has been urged to take decisive measures to protect the lives and livelihoods of its citizens. The incident has also reignited concerns about the ongoing farmer-herder conflicts in the region.
