The Oyo State Executive Council (ExCo) has announced the appointment of HRM Ohna Sergeant Chidi Awuse, Paramount Ruler of Emuoha Kingdom, as the Chancellor of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomosho.
The State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Dr. Wasiu Olatubosun made this known after the State ExCo meeting held on Tuesday, April 4, 2023.
LAUTECH will benefit from the rich experience of the first class monarch as an administrator, community leader and a reverred traditional ruler.
The Yoruba Afenifere Youths Organisation of Nigeria (YAYON) has asked Ayo Adebanjo, leader of the socio-political group, to resign from his position.
The organisation accused Adebanjo of abandoning the “uncompromising pursuit and defence of the interest of the Yoruba people”.
In a communiqué by Eric Oluwole, national youth leader, YAYON asked Adebanjo to provide “substantial reasons for attacking and maligning” Bola Tinubu, president-elect.
The group condemned the removal of two national officers of Afenifere — Jare Ajayi, the national publicity secretary, and Abagun Kole Omololu, national organising secretary.
“But we noted sadly that Afenifere began to derail from this long-head philosophy as soon as our father, Baba Ayo Adebanjo took up the position of acting leader,” the organisation said.
“He abandoned the uncompromising pursuit and defence of the interest of the Yoruba people for whatever reasons.
“We noted sadly too, that rather than rally the Yoruba people behind their son, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, now the president-elect of Nigeria, to emerge as president of this great country.
“Baba Adebanjo campaigned vigorously against him, and even after his well-deserving and hard-earned victory through a credible presidential election, he still wants the presidency out of Yorubaland. “We noted for the purpose of clarity that Pa Ayo Adebanjo is not the Leader of Afenifere, but the acting leader authorised by Pa Reuben Fasoranti.
“We make bold to say that the action of making Pa Adebanjo the acting leader is in line with the precedence in our rich history.
“To our dismay and contrary to tradition and history, we discovered that immediately Pa Adebanjo took the mantle of leadership as acting leader of Afenifere, he has been protecting himself as the leader.
“Not only that, from all notes compared with history, he has not been working in accordance with the solemn sacred order, norms, ethics and virtues of Afenifere.
“We will not allow our future to be mortgaged by Pa Ayo Adebanjo. We challenge him to provide us with the substantial reason for attacking and maligning our son of the soil, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president-elect of Nigeria, despite the conclusion of a free, fair, and credible election devoid of monetisation or rigging, which he won.
“We condemned in totality the gross insubordination of the acting Leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo.
“A vote of no confidence is hereby passed on the acting leader of Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo forthwith and he should stop parading himself as leader/acting leader of Afenifere.”
Since Adebanjo became the acting leader of Afenifere, it appeared that there has been division in the Yoruba socio-political group. The stance of Adebanjo-led Afenifere on national issues has always been contrary to the stance of Fasoranti, the immediate leader of the group.
While Afenifere endorsed Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) for the presidential election, Fasoranti backed Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In addition, Fasoranti equally condemned the suspension of Ajayi and Omololu from the group.
A socio-cultural group, Ebedi Frontliners, Iseyin (EFI) has congratulated Nigeria’s President-elect, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Governor Seyi Makinde, Senator Fatai Buhari, Hon. Oyeshina Oyedemi (Oshine) and Hon. Dele Adeola on their victories at the last general election, urging them to prepare to key into the community’s development agenda, which they said would have positive impacts on the nation.
The group in a Press Release on Wednesday, outlined various projects, programmes and actions that they believed would have benefits for the people of the community, Oyo State and Nigeria, in the areas of food sustenance, job provision, completion of the Ikere Gorge Dam project, re-construction of federal roads around Oke-Ogun area among others.
The organization also bemoaned what it called a total neglect of the Oke-Ogun area of Oyo State by the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in his eight years in office, as no physical infrastructural project was allocated to the region that consists of ten local government areas.
The statement, which was issued after an emergency meeting of the group at the Aseyin Palace in Iseyin and made available to newsmen, indicated that EFI called on Bola Tinubu to see the completion of the abandoned Ikere Gorge Dam project as a must, so as to show gratitude to the people of Oke-Ogun region for their support towards his victory and to effect a positive change in power generation by reactivating the dam.
The group’s position in the Press Release, as signed by its President, Mr. Olusegun Adeleke indicated that the duo of Bola Tinubu and Governor Seyi Makinde’s success to achieve the agenda would be anchored upon the legislative support from the likes of Senator Fatai Buhari of the Oyo North Senatorial District, Hon. Oyeshina Oyedemi of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Kajola and Iwajowa and the member of the Oyo State House of Assembly representing Iseyin and Itesiwaju State Constituency, Hon, Dele Adeola.
“We congratulate the President-elect, Senator Ahmed Bola Tinubu for his victory at the last Presidential election and the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for his re-election.
“We are using this medium to also felicitate with the Senator representing Oyo North Senatorial District, Senator Fatai Buhari for his re-election, Hon. Oyeshina Oyedemi (Oshine) of Iseyin, Itesiwaju, Kajola and Iwajowa federal constituency as well as Hon, Dele Adeola of the Iseyin-Itesiwaju State Constituency for their victory and re-election, we have come with an agenda for development that will not only develop Iseyin community, but Oke-Ogun, Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole.
“The agenda for development in our area is anchored upon sustainable agricultural development, security of lives and properties, provision of employment and public infrastructures like the federal roads in and around us.
“The Ikere Gorge Dam was inaugurated by the Shehu Shagari administration in 1979 to generate electricity and portable water for Oyo State and three other neighboring South-Western States, but has been abandoned since then while the multimillion naira equipments procured then have been outdated or left to rot, we believe that as part of the move by the incoming administration to increase power generation to meet the industrial and household needs of the people of the Southwest Nigeria, there is need to complete the project and as well put life into the water distribution aspect of the project to meet the yearnings of the people.
“This will also provide employment for the youths in the agro-allied industry, assist farmers with irrigation during dry season and create an all-year-round food production sustenance.
“Attached to this demand is the need for the federal government to urgently reconstruct the Abeokuta-Iseyin road that has been abandoned since the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo reconstructed it, the road has since been left to damage, with casualties from robbery attacks, kidnapping and traffic crash that have led to many deaths of road users.
“It is our belief that the bird will not fly with one wing, the efforts of the legislators to assist the executive to make bills and laws that will aid human development, this is where our legislators like Senator Fatai Buhari, Hon. Oyeshina Oyedemi and Hon. Dele Adeola from our area will have to show that they are capable.
“For each of our legislators that got re-elected to have such opportunity, it means that our people have seen and attested to your capabilities, we beseech you now to make the demand for these major projects your priority and we promise that the people of Iseyin will never forget your name when the success thereafter is discussed.
“If these are done, we believe it will be a complete departure from the neglect that Oke-Ogun area and Iseyin community suffered under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, during which no single federal road was reconstructed until the Seyi Makinde-led government intervened by taking up the reconstruction of the Oyo-Iseyin road that has been abandoned by successive governments in Nigeria.”
Governor Seyi Makinde had also promised during the pre-2023 electoral campaigns that the road leading to the Ikere Gorge Dam in Iseyin local government will be constructed while the water project at the dam will be looked into.
The Lagos government says it has apprehended two site supervisors and another person for breaching its physical planning permit law.
Abimbola Umeh, the spokeswoman for the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA), said this in a statement on Tuesday.
The suspects, all male and aged 31, 21 and 53 years, were arrested at No. 5, Eromosele Street, Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, by the authority’s enforcement team and the Lagos task force.
The statement said the suspects were arrested for breaking the government’s seal to continue construction illegally on a sealed property.
LASPPPA general manager Kehinde Osinaike said the trio would be prosecuted for unlawfully breaking the government’s seal, bypassing the restriction to continue construction works without authorisation.
Mr Osinaike explained that the property was served notices and sealed by LASPPPA officials, after which the owner bypassed the seal.
He added that the violators instructed workers to return to the site without visiting the district office of LASPPPA in Ikoyi to start obtaining a permit before continuing construction.
According to him, the arrest will serve as a deterrent to miscreants and others violating Lagos’s physical planning permit laws by removing seals without authorisation.
The LASPPPA general manager stated, “The state will no longer condone any disregard to town planning laws as this usually results in losses in the long run.”
In another development, LASPPPA said it had re-sealed an illegal petrol station at No. 1, Robinson Gbagi Street, Ajao Estate, during a joint enforcement exercise with officials of Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).
According to the statement, it was discovered that the filling station’s owner continued construction despite a stop work order and sealing of the site on March 18, 2022, due to non-conformity to physical planning regulations.
It noted that the filling station, which had reached the completion level, would remain sealed until the owner met all necessary provisions of the law.
Peoples Gazette has suspended Ayoola Babalola, one of its talented and respected reporters, over his conduct online that violated the newspaper’s social media policy and called into question its integrity.
Mr Babalola also agreed to attend counselling during the suspension to further enhance his conduct, according to the decision, which was announced in a company-wide memo from Deputy Managing Editor Boladale Adekoya on Tuesday.
“Ayoola Babalola met with the HR, where he was directed to proceed on suspension for one month without pay,” Mr Adekoya said in the internal memo sent to all newsroom employees.
“Mr Babalola is a vibrant and respected member of the organisation’s editorial team,” the publication’s senior staff noted, but stressed the reporter’s “conduct on social media, both from months past and as recently as last weekend, grossly violated the organisation’s guideline on personnel conduct.”
The management made the decision after carefully reviewing the reporter’s scathing retorts to relentless online trolls and concluded that Mr Babalola did not act with decorum and professionalism expected of The Gazette’s employees.
Mr Adekoya, however, noted the suspension was a challenging decision “for the organisation: Mr Babalola faced vicious attacks on social media following our scoop on Peter Obi’s phone call with Bishop Oyedepo.”
“Still, while the organisation sympathises and stands strongly with Mr Babalola and all staff members who come frequently under social media onslaught, the manner with which colleagues handle online trolls is what distinguishes us as professionals.”
Although the controversial tweets had been taken down by Mr Babalola, screenshots of the tweets could still “impugn our professionalism PG well into the future. This should never have happened,” the senior editor stressed.
“The management appreciates Mr Babalola’s service and cooperation in the course of handling this situation. This informed the decision to let him proceed on one-month suspension with counselling.”
The senior editor expressed optimism in welcoming back Mr Babalola into the organisation after his suspension and counselling sessions were over.
“We are happy to welcome Mr Babalola back to continue his fearless journalism in this organisation,” said Mr Adekoya in the final paragraph of the memo.
Mr Babalola said he would abide by the management’s decision on the matter after noticing how newsroom colleagues expressed concerns about his posts that they say could vitiate their own work.
The company’s employee handbook allows editorial staff members to express themselves on social media, but discourages the use of offensive language.
Mr Babalola currently covers the political desk at The Gazette and has previously worked with U.S.-based Sahara Reporters.
A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) on Sunday revealed why his son, Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, embarrasses the government. According to Falana, the popular rapper and rights activist embarrasses the government because of what he experienced while growing up.
Falana while speaking at the 2nd anniversary of the Oluyinka Odumakin Lecture in Lagos said his son at a tender age was bothered about his frequent arrests as a legal practitioner.
The lawyer noted that his frequent arrest made his son, Falz ask if he was a criminal.
Falana stated this, days after the rapper released a new song titled, ‘Yakubu,’ featuring fellow rapper, Vector.
He said, “One of these guys one day said, ‘Falana talk to your son; he should stop embarrassing the government’. I said which government? You mean that boy who is an adult? Can I give you his number so you can talk to him? But be careful because when that boy was growing up, I was being arrested from time to time. So, the only language he understood was detention, arrest and the rest of them.
“One day, when that boy was six, he asked his mother, “Our teacher taught us that only criminals were arrested. Is my father a criminal? Why is he always being arrested? And the mother had to say that in Nigeria, under the military, only two sets of people were arrested: Criminals suspects and political suspects. Political suspects are those who are out to expose the criminality of the government. That is what you see going on.”
A Former Chairman, House Committee on Appropriation, two-term Member, House of Representatives Egbeda/Ona Ara Federal Constituency, Hon. Festus Adewale Adegoke FADEG has extended his congratulatory message to former minister and one of the founding members of PDP in Oyo state, Elder Wole Oyelese on the occasion of his birthday.
in his remarks, he stated that it is a celebration of a true visionary who has dedicated his life to service. As we reflect on his remarkable contributions, we are reminded of the incredible impact he has made.
He explained that Elder Wole Oyelese has been a pillar for many years, and his leadership roles are numerous. He has championed numerous causes and initiatives that have improved the lives of countless people.
His strength, vision, and unwavering dedication to public service is commendable.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, has called on anyone with evidence against the Chairman of the Lagos State Parks and Garages Association, Musiliu Akinsaya, popularly known as Mc Oluomo, to file a case of attack.
He made this known via his Twitter handle on Tuesday morning in response to a Twitter conversation on MC Oluomo’s remarks during the March 18 elections.
The tweep, Ajamma, chastised Adejobi for failing to protect voters during the election after he asked people to take MC Oluomo’s remark about Igbo in a viral video as a joke and assured them of safety during the election.
AjammaS said, “Sir you are also guilty, if I may say. This is what you said in the TV interview, and I quote. ‘MC Oluomo threat is a joke, let’s take it as a joke until he perfect the threat. I urge everyone to go out & cast their votes’.
“Now Nigerians heeded to your calls & went out to cast their votes and unfortunately you failed to protect them as you promised. They were attacked by MC Oluomo & his boys, some were murdered, brutalized, blinded, some are currently receiving treatment in different hospitals.”
Adejobi responded by asking the tweep to file an attack case against Oluomo if he had evidence of attacks against him, adding that Oluomo lacked immunity.
He said, “You can take the case of attack up with MC if you have a case or evidence of attacks against him. Many people and lawyers, even the Deputy Gov of Lagos, have said it severally. He has no immunity, so if you have a case of attack against him, take it up.”
“There is no need to pass judgement or do trial on Twitter. Very simple. Many of you just follow others to raise this issue on Twitter.”
The family of the late Eruwa born business magnate and philanthropist, Chief Adeseun Ogundoyin has announced a 3day burial program for one of his wives, Chief Mrs Justina Iyabo Ogundoyin, the mother of the Speaker Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon Adebo Ogundoyin.
Yeye Ogundoyin who until her death was the Iyaloja General of Ibarapaland, Yeyeluwa of Eruwa and the Aare Iyalode of Ibadanland breathed her last on the 26th of March, 2023 during a brief illness.
She was survived by four children, Adesoji, Adebo, Adetoye and Aderemi
A statement from the eldest son of the deceased, Mr Adesoji Ogundoyin revealed that the funeral programme for late Chief Mrs Justina Iyabo Ogundoyin will commence on Wednesday 12th April, 2023 with a Christian Wake at St’ Joseph Catholic Church, Oke Ado Ibadan while lying-in-State holds at Ogundoyin, Ori-Oke family house on Thursday 13th April, 2023.
According to the statement, a funeral Service will follow on Thursday, 14th of April, 2023 at Eleruwa Stadium, Eruwa while interment will follow at the Ogundoyin Vault, Adetoro Estate Eruwa on the same day.
Guests will thereafter be entertained at DEC Hall , Eruwa.
The late Chief Mrs Justina Iyabo Ogundoyin was a one time acting Iyaloja of Oyo State. She was a business woman of repute.
The International Criminal Court in Hague has been asked to investigate a spokesperson of the All Progressives Congress presidential campaign, Femi Fani-Kayode, and Musiliu Akinsanya (a.k.a MC Oluomo), for alleged “ethnic hate”.
The petition was filed by Assistant Professor of Law at the University of Calgary, Christian Gideon, in connection with election and post-election violence in Nigeria.
He claimed that the duo allegedly caused tension in Nigeria against a particular ethnic group and also alleged that none of them has been arrested following inciteful remarks they made.
“The domestic institutions in Nigeria have become corrupt and inept, and hence unable to hold the individuals who directly and indirectly planned, organized and incited this ethnically motivated violence,” Gideon wrote, urging the ICC to probe them alongside another APC spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga on alleged ethnic hate.
He wrote, “Further Request to Investigate the Election and Post-Election Violence in Nigeria as Well as Incitement to Ethnic Hate by Messrs. Femi Fani-Kayode and Musiliu Akinsanya (a.k.a MC Oluomo)
“This is further to my communication to the International Criminal Court (The Court) dated 27” March 2023, requesting The Court to investigate the series of ethnically motivated violence in the Nigeria presidential and governorship election as well as the conduct of Mr. Bayo Onanuga in inciting ethnic hate that fueled the violence.
“Following the said letter to The Court, I have become aware of additional evidence suggesting the alleged involvement of the additional individuals in inciting the ethnic hate that culminated in the “organised violent attacks” resulting “many casualties and fatalities” to persons from a targeted ethnic group during the said elections. The individuals are:
“1. Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode “2. Mr. Musiliu Akinsanya (a.k.a MC Oluomo)
“Mr. Fani-Kayode is a prominent politician and a former federal minister in Nigeria. Following the presidential election and prior to the Lagos state governorship election, Mr. Fani-Kayode resorted to inciting ethnic hate against members of the Igbo ethnic group as a tool to achieve his political and ideological interests.
“In a widely publicized column in the media, which had a clear objective of inciting ethnic hate against the Igbos, Mr. Fani-Kayode made incendiary remarks against the group. He made the statement knowing fully well its potential to threaten and result in violence against members of this group, especially in the light of the political and social tension in the country at the time of the publication of his write-up.
“Mr. Fani-Kayode incited ethnic hate against this target group writing: “[w]e gave them land, food and shelter and now they want to take everything from us and rule over us. They have even infiltrated our churches and introduced a brand of religious intolerance which is alien to us.”
“Mr. Musiliu Akinsanya (a.k.a MC Oluomo) is the head of the dreaded National Union of Road Transport Workers — a well-organised and decentralised band of touts and local gangs that operate conspicuously in Lagos.
“Prior to the Lagos state governorship election, he had publicly warned individuals from the Igbo ethnic group about severe consequences should they show up on election day to vote against his ethnic interest.
“His hate speech which was highly publicized and available in the public domain, was made before his cheering gang of political supporters in Lagos. While the serious threat evident from Mr. Akinsanya’s speech was reported to the security agencies in Nigeria, no effort was made by the authorities to address this threat or protect the individuals threatened.
“Rather, in an interview with the Channels TV, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Police dismissed the speech as a “joke”. However, the threat did materialize on March 18 during and after the governorship election when individuals from the Igbo ethnic group and other individuals that ‘looked like them’ were specifically targeted and attacked resulting in several fatalities and casualties.”
Christian works as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Law at the University of Calgary.
According to the University of Calgary, “He obtained his law degree (LL.B) from the University of Lagos in Nigeria, an LL.M (with specialization in Law and Technology) and a PhD from the University of Ottawa. During his doctoral studies, Gideon was a SSHRC – Joseph Armand Bombardier Canada Doctoral Scholar.”
