Lagos Govt suspends NURTW activities on Lagos Island Indefinitely over Idumota Clash.
The Lagos State Government has suspended the activities of the National Union of Road Transport Workers indefinitely on Lagos Island.
Special Adviser to the governor on transportation, Oluwatoyin Fayinka announced the suspension.
The action is coming barely 24 hours after the threat by the National President of the Union, Ibikunle Baruwa, that the operations of its Lagos chapter may be suspended.
The areas covered by the suspension include Church Street, Eyin Eyo, and Idumota bridge.
Recall that the RRS had on Monday arrested Kunle Poly and Sego, both NURTW chiefs in the state following the breakdown of law and order in Idumota as a result of the clash between the separate groups loyal to the NURTW officials.
On Tuesday, the Federation of Ibadan Students Union, National Council Team paid a visit to Oyo State College of Health Science, Eleyele.
The team headed by their National President, Aare Fakolade Anuoluwapo were received by Chief Mrs Awotunde H.A.T, the Head of Department of Community Health Department of the Institution.
The visiting team with Chief Mrs Awotunde
The President and members of the team appreciated Chief Mrs Awotunde for her support to the administration since the inception of this administration, and seek for further collaboration.
National President & Provost
The team also paid a courtesy visit to the Provost of the College, Mr. Muritala Ayansiji Ganiyu, where issues that concerns Ibadan Indigenes were discussed.
National President & Mr Chukwuemeka
The Team also visited Lord Smith Chukwuemeka Eze, Chief Operating Officer of Tech Hub, and were able to secured training slots for their members on Website Designing, Graphics Designing and ICT.
Law, constitution, edict and decree are all pointers to one direction. They all connote rules and regulations. They are ethics, norms, customs and ethos that dictate direction of governance. Every law has an element of cultural background of the people. The major intent of laws is to guide against excesses and instil decorum. Where laws are elusive, anarchy prevails. The entire globe is a product of rules and regulations. Even in sports, rules are inevitable. The absence of constitution in a nation is akin to a football match without goalposts.
Be that as it may, laws are made for people and not otherwise. However, every law made is in tandem with the existing practice which are susceptible to change in conformity with current trend. Change is inevitable. A law that is imuned against change becomes controversial, ambiguous and conservative.
Review is the process of editing a law or ordinance. It is against the backdrop of flaws and irrelevances. Ordinances that look obsolete and aquake are also proned to review. It is a matter of expunging the clauses, minus and plus to give it a facelift or human face.
Traditional institutions in Yorubaland are the constituted authorities in the ancient days. The royal fathers are the custodians of culture and heritage.Then, they were the executive arm and wielded enormous power over their subjects.Civilization has however eroded the power hitherto confered on the royal fathers by culture. As presently constituted, little or no regard is attached to royalty. The executive governor of the states have become the deciders of the fates of the obas. Nigeria’s constitution places the governors above the kings. From nomination to installation and to salary, governors dictate the pace. Woe betides any oba that embarks on a journey outside his jurisdiction without the express permission of the governors. Any royal father that trespasses does so at the detriment of his status. Such a king would incur the wrath of the governor through various sanctions such as: relegation of status in the comity of Obas, deposition and banishment. His salary could be withheld and other entitlements could be suspended.
Recently, the review of ordinances that established chieftaincy matter in Oyo state; especially Ibadan, led to serious controversies. For the first time, the traditional method of ascension to the throne of Olubadan was contested and challenged. This was consequent upon the demise of Oba Saliu Adetunji. The age-long method of ascendancy which was globally adjudged to be the most peaceful was brought to disrepute. The simmering crisis was at the instance of the elevation of the high chiefs to the position of obas. To an average Ibadan man, the elevation was implemented to settle innuendos, vendetta and for political witch-hunt.
There are two schools of thought on this matter. A school was of the conviction that the governor then, Late Ajimobi had the right to effect the promotion while the other school of thought was of the opinion that it was sacrilegious to tamper with the existing order. This dilemma led to litigations which almost marred the selection of the next oba until the current governor of Oyo state, Engineer Seyi Makinde intervened. The brouhaha that trailed the review assented to by the late governor was unprecedented and that is why a cursory look at similar exercise is essential. Hence, the comparative assessment of the reviews of chieftaincy issue in Oyo state and her neighbouring state, Ogun.
Monday 17th of January, 2022 , Governor Dapo Abiodun signed the Ogun State Chieftaincy Bill into law. The bill was titled; ‘Obas, Chiefs, Council of Obas and Traditional Council law of Ogun State, Bill 2021, is aimed at “respecting human dignity and promotion of modernity” in the installation of new Oba. It also aimed at curbing fetish practices in the process of installing and burying traditional rulers in the state and finally, upgrading of Baale to Oba. From the term of reference, the review in Ogun state had wider scope and more cumbersome than Oyo state. Yet, there was no wahala !
In the case of Ogun state, the bill emanated from the traditional council which was passed to the State House of Assembly, where a public hearing was held. On the other hand, Oyo state was purely an executive bill although, some apologists strived to give it a colouration of people’s will. There was an argument that it was the work of previous governments who were not bold to implement it. Three basic facts are logical from the process adopted by Ogun state Viz; initiated by traditional council, subjected to public opinion and debated by house of assembly.
Review is procedural. It must follow certain rudiments. Any law that is passed without the inputs of the populace is seen as a decree; characterized by order and draconian tendencies. Such law is despotic, an effort in futility from conception and bound to fail.
Let me make a clarification. Bill could be initiated by anybody. The late governor of Oyo state had the right to initiate a bill but such bill must follow sequence without any parochial sentiment. The fact that the elevation in contention did not follow due process; despite the germane nature of the exercise made it suspicious and so; was misconstrued as a unilateral decision shrouded with sinister and political motive.
According to the speaker of Ogun state house of assembly, the bill passed through a very rigourous exercise and subjected to inputs from the public and scrutiny before it became law. There was a public seating which attracted more attention than any public seating that the Assembly has had in the recent times. This is due process.
I was engrossed in an intellectual discourse on this issue with some friends penultimate weekend. They posited that Ogbomoso town has four Obas despite the fact that the town is smaller than Ibadan. Another was of the opinion that there are other Obas in ife aside Oonirisa. Yoruba cradle for that matter. Obalufe..oba ni. Obaloran..oba ni. They were right but where they erred was their inability to take cognisance of Ibadan’s peculiarity. What am I saying !
The high chiefs lineage of Olubadan-in-council is different from the various obas at various suburbs in Ibadan. There are traditional obas at the various hitherto independent towns before the amalgamation . Yes, I make bold to say that Ibadan is an amalgamation of various towns that were captured and coerced into the cosmopolitan city. There were Ijaye, Ikereku, Onidundu, Moniya, Lalupon, Ejioku, Akanran, Pade and a host of others. All these ancient towns had their Obas but ironically, they are currently under the high chiefs who collect royalty from these Obas till date.
Progressive modernity further altered the status of the villages. This is evident in the evolution of cultures and civilisations that are considered fluid and dynamic. Review is all about transformation. Suffice to say that the title; Olubadan was a transformation from Bale. A change of nomenclature which helped to further strengthen the system in the face of the changing realities of the period. From its’ formation around 1829, leadership of Ibadan bore the title of Bale. There were Bale Apampa in Isale – Osi, Bale this and Bale that.
In truth, the review was not bad but if the then governor had not allowed ego to dictate his action, there would not have been any uproar.
Aside this, the firmer governor should have exhausted all amicable options to bring everybody on board. He should have gauged the opinion of the volatile public and above all, he should have allowed the reigning kabiesi crown the high chiefs.
The former governor has come, served and gone like everyone before him. And so will everyone at his own time. Whatever we do become history and that is why we all need to be wary of our actions. He was a peace-loving and an outstanding custodian of ingenuity who held on strictly to the principles of excellent leadership. He would forever be remembered for his consistency and tenacity of purpose in whatever he believed would advance the course of Ibadanland. But he was a mortal, susceptible to errors.
The lesson from this is the need to thread the path of honour and respect majority view. No matter the necessity of a change, it must not be made to look as a way of harbouring malice. Hence, the scepticism.
Comrade Lekan Badmus is a Columnist with Oduduwa News and a public opinion analyst.
For comments: lekanbadmuscolumn@gmail.com Mobile No: 08060002439
The Alagodo of Agodo in Ewekoro Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Ayinde Odetola, was on Monday murdered by yet to be identified hoodlums.
According to Tribune, three other persons said to be friends of the traditional ruler were burnt to ashes.
Information had it that there had been crisis over chieftaincy title of Alagodo vased on who occupies the seat between Ake and Owu people of Egbaland.
The traditional ruler, it was gathered, was from the Ake section of Egba while there had been crisis that an Ake person cannot administer the town said to be mainly dominated by Owu people.
It was learnt that a brother to the traditional ruler was murdered some time ago.
Oba Odetola was reportedly killed at about 11.00 a.m. alongside his friends when they got to the town from an outing, according to a source.
One of the siblings of the traditional ruler, who identified herself as Chief (Mrs) Adenike Akintade, confirmed the death of her brother.
She said: “I had just been discharged from hospital early this morning only to start mourning the killing of my brother.
“Kabiesi called me on Saturday, urging me to reduce my activities, saying stress could contribute to my illness.
“Oba Odetola lost his younger brother to the imbroglio some months ago; the young man was killed by hoodlums. Today, Kabiyesi is no more, what a world.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Ogun State Command, Abimbola Oyeyemi, also confirmed the incident.
Oyeyemi said the Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole and the Special Security Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun, Mr. Olusola Subair, were in the town for an assessment of the situation.
The PPRO stated that the whole town had been deserted at the time of the visit.
He, however, disclosed that the police boss had directed that the homicide unit of the Criminal Investigation Department of the Police Command commence investigation into to matter.
On Monday, The Lagos State Rapid Response Squad announced the arrests of two factional leaders of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, Abdulazeez Lawal, aka Kunle Poly, and Adekunle Mustapha, aka Sego, over a clash in the Idumota area of the state.
The arrest was confirmed on the Facebook page of The RRS in a post posted on Monday.
The post read, “The Lagos Rapid Response Squad, led by its Commander, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi, this evening (Monday), arrested the two principal suspects in the constant clashes in Idumota and its environs, which has intermittently crippled commercial activities in the area.
“The arrest was effected today at a meeting where the two NURTW members, along with some other stakeholders, converged.
“The latest clash, which occurred last Thursday, reportedly led to the death of a victim, while commercial activities were paralysed in the area for some time until a joint team of police officers were deployed in the area to restore peace.
“Kunle Poly and Sego are presently being transferred to Zone II, Onikan, Lagos State.”
According to Punch correspondent, two persons lost their lives during the clash, which involved factional members of the transport union in Idumota.
Lagos Rapid Response Squad (RRS), led by its Commander, CSP Olayinka Egbeyemi this evening arrested the two principal suspects in the constant clashes in Idumota and its environs which has intermittently crippled commercial activities in the area.
The arrest was effected today at a meeting where the two NURTW members along with some other stakeholders converged.
The latest clash which occurred last week Thursday reportedly led to the death of a victim while commercial activities were paralyzed in the area for some time until a joint team of police officers were deployed immediately to the area to restore peace.
Kunle Poly and Sego are presently being transferred to Zone II, Onikan, Lagos.
The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board on Monday announced that the registration for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination and the Direct Entry examination will commence by February 12, 2022.
The board made this known in its weekly bulletin released by its Director of Public Relations, Dr Fabian Benjamin, and made available to The Newsmen in Abuja.
In the timeline of events attached to the bulletin, the board announced that the “UTME/DE registration starts 12th February 2022 and ends 19th March 2022. Mock examination holds on 20th April 2022. UTME holds from 20th to 30th April 2022”.
The Osun Government has raised the alarm over plots by some persons to discredit its achievements in Osun by embarking on campaign of calumny against the Government and the person of the Governor Adegboyega Oyetola.
In a statement released by the Special Adviser to Gov Oyetola, Ismail Omipidan as read in part:.
“We are compelled to raise this alarm as an early warning sign of the clandestine schemes being put together by some unscrupulous elements to tarnish the image and reputation of the Governor, Government of Osun and to cause distractions.
“The public is hereby advised to ignore such stories whenever they are out, as they are nothing but outright lies aimed at creating confusion and misinforming unsuspecting public.
“Government remains committed to delivering on its campaign promises and nothing will make it abandon that responsibility*.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has declared that there is no going back on his decision to leave the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and partisan politics.
Obasanjo stated this while addressing the National Chairman of the PDP, Iyorchia Ayu and other stakeholders who visited him in Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Saturday.
Ayu led four former governors and members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to a meeting at the Pent House residence of the former President located within his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Oke Mosan, Abeokuta.
Obasanjo and the PDP leaders went into a closed door meeting which lasted for over two hours.
Addressing the larger gathering of the PDP stakeholders after the closed door meeting, Obasanjo admitted that having governed Nigeria twice on the PDP platform, the party would continue to be part of his history.
He said “I’m no longer in partisan politics and there is nothing that can bring back. Anybody who wants my advice, I will always be there in the best interest of Nigeria.
“Whatever I do in my own life…because I became president on the platform of PDP, PDP will continue to be part of my life. Since the day I tore my PDP card, that was the day I ceased to be a member of PDP. That day I vowed not to be a member of any political party.
“I will continue to be a statesman.”
Obasanjo told Ayu that he has the problems of PDP and Nigeria on his shoulders, and prayed God give him the wisdom to carry it.
Responding, Ayu told Obasanjo that “if you leave PDP, the blood of PDP will never leave you.”
He said the party would always require his fatherly advice towards governance in Nigeria.
Obasanjo, who was twice elected president on PDP platform, renounced his membership of the party, when he fell out with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan in the buildup to the 2015 election.
After ordering the chairman of his ward to shred the card to pieces in public, Obasanjo announced that he had quit partisan politics.
