Oduduwa News

Hon. Dele Adeola, Member representing Iseyin/Itesiwaju State Constituency in the Oyo State House of Assembly, has extended warm birthday greetings to his colleague, Hon. Rasaq Mabaje, who represents Ido State Constituency.

In a message personally signed by him, Hon. Adeola described Hon. Mabaje as a committed, visionary, and resourceful lawmaker whose contributions continue to strengthen the legislature and advance democratic governance in the state. He noted that Hon. Mabaje has consistently demonstrated leadership excellence, dedication to his people, and an unwavering passion for public service.

Hon. Adeola commended his colleague for his collaborative spirit within the House, acknowledging that Hon. Mabaje’s experience and proactive engagement on critical legislative issues have made him an invaluable partner in driving impactful policymaking. He added that Hon. Mabaje’s representation reflects a deep understanding of the needs of the Ido constituents, which is evident in his community-focused interventions and legislative advocacy.

He prayed for God’s guidance, wisdom, and good health for Hon. Rasaq Mabaje, wishing him greater accomplishments as he continues to serve the people of Oyo State. Hon. Adeola further expressed optimism that Mabaje’s new year will bring renewed strength and more opportunities for purposeful leadership.

Primate Elijah Ayodele, leader and founder of the INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, has fired back at the Minister of Power, Bayo Adelabu, dismissing allegations that he attempted to extort N150 million from the minister and calling him a “small boy” who does not understand what he is saying.

The fiery response came during a church service at INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church in Oke Afa, Lagos, on Sunday, after Adelabu reportedly petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) accusing Ayodele of blackmail and an attempt to demand large sums of money and expensive items for “spiritual intercession” to aid his Oyo State governorship ambition.

According to earlier reports, the minister who has twice contested for the Oyo governorship and is preparing to run again in 2027 accused Ayodele of demanding items including 1,000 saxophones and trumpets, with costs ranging between about N50 million for Nigerian-grade instruments and up to N130 million for imported grade-one pieces. These demands were reportedly tied to a supposed spiritual requirement to bolster his political bid.

In his sermon, Ayodele rejected the extortion allegation outright, saying the proclaimed N150 million figure was laughable. “Can N150 million buy my shoe?” he said, adding that even his footwear couldn’t be bought with that amount. He questioned the credibility of the accusation and dismissed Adelabu’s complaint as coming from someone “pained” and desperate because he believes he will again fail in his bid to become governor.

Ayodele insisted that if he had actually taken money, he would publicly admit it, but that he neither collected any cash nor solicited funds from the minister. He described Adelabu as a “boy” and repeatedly urged people not to give weight to what he called “mouth diarrhoea.”

The dispute stems from a petition Adelabu is said to have filed with the DSS, alleging that after he rebuffed the cleric’s purported requests for funds and costly items, Ayodele began making negative prophecies about him, which the minister says were intended to tarnish his reputation and political ambitions.

Ayodele, however, claims that it was Adelabu who initially approached him — allegedly driven by desperation to secure a political victory — and that the cleric’s spiritual guidance was mischaracterised. He maintained that no extortion took place and accused the minister of misunderstanding or misrepresenting their interactions.

Fresh controversy has trailed the Osun State governorship primary of the Accord Party following the emergence of two parallel outcomes from rival factions within the party.

While a faction of the Party just declared Clement Bamigbola winner of a governorship primary election in defiance to earlier affirmation of Governor Ademola Adeleke as the party’s sole consensus candidate.

In the primary conducted by one faction of the party, Clement Bamigbola reportedly secured a landslide victory with 1,732 votes, defeating Governor Ademola Adeleke, who polled 241 votes.

The faction described the exercise as valid and in line with the party’s constitution, insisting that the result reflects the will of delegates drawn from across Osun State.

However, a rival faction of the Accord Party rejected the outcome, maintaining that no such competitive primary was recognised by the party’s national leadership. This faction announced that Governor Ademola Adeleke had earlier been adopted as the consensus governorship candidate, following consultations with stakeholders and aspirants, thereby rendering any parallel primary null and void. Leaders of the faction backing Adeleke argued that the consensus arrangement was reached to strengthen the party’s chances in the governorship election and to avoid internal rancour.

They accused the opposing group of conducting an unauthorised primary, describing it as an attempt to undermine party unity. The development has further deepened the crisis within the Accord Party in Osun State, raising questions over which faction’s candidate will eventually be recognised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Political observers note that unless the internal dispute is resolved swiftly, the party risks being weakened ahead of the governorship election.As of the time of filing this report, both camps remained adamant in their positions, with supporters of Bamigbola celebrating his victory while Adeleke’s loyalists insist he remains the legitimate and sole Accord governorship candidate in Osun State.

Aliko Dangote, Nigeria’s business magnate, has revealed that the Ooni of Ife personally oversaw the removal of more than 19 shrines located on the Dangote refinery site. According to Dangote, the shrines had previously restricted access, preventing anyone from approaching or carrying out activities in the area.

During the commissioning of a section of the Dangote refinery, he recounted that the Ooni instructed that all the shrines be removed, declaring that the gods should “come and talk to me,” signaling his direct involvement in the process. Dangote’s statement highlights the significant role traditional authority played in clearing the site for development and appreciated the Ooni of Ife for his support and providing easy access for the cite construction.

The incident underscores the intersection of modern industrial projects with longstanding cultural and spiritual practices in Nigeria.

A four-man armed robbery gang on Friday unleashed terror in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, shooting a motorist and carting away an undisclosed amount of cash believed to be in several cartons.

The robbery, which occurred directly opposite the Kwara State Correspondents’ Chapel office along Murtala Mohammed road , caused panic as the masked men fired multiple shots before escaping in an ash-coloured Toyota Corolla with a faded number plate.

Sobi FM gathered that the assailants appeared to have trailed their victim, who was driving a grey Toyota Sienna marked AA 693 GT, before opening fire on him.

“They must have followed him. They shot at his vehicle from behind and deflated his two left tyres before taking the money packed in four big cartons,” a witness said.

The victim, said to be transporting cash for an undisclosed assignment, sustained a gunshot wound on his palm during the attack.

Confirming the incident, spokesperson for the Kwara State Police Command, SP Adetoun Ejire-Adeyemi, said the robbery took place at about 11:30 am.

According to her, “An armed robbery incident occurred around 11:30 hours today, 12th December 2025, along the Post Office road, Ilorin, where a driver of a Sienna vehicle was attacked by armed men, leaving the driver with a gunshot injury on his palm and an undisclosed amount of money carted away. He is currently receiving medical treatment.”

She added that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ojo Adekimi, has ordered a discreet investigation and enhanced security deployments across Ilorin.

“The CP has further strengthened security across the Ilorin metropolis with increased police visibility patrols to reassure residents,” the statement said.

Adekimi also warned residents against moving large sums of cash without proper escort.

“Residents should avoid carrying large sums of cash. Use online transactions whenever possible. If physical cash movement is necessary, use trusted bank escort services,” the CP advised.

The police urged residents to immediately report suspicious movements, especially around financial institutions, markets, or busy commercial locations.

“Report suspicious movements or persons around banks or financial locations immediately,” the command stated.

The last time Kwara witnessed a high-profile armed robbery was the 2018 Offa bank robbery, during which gunmen attacked several banks and killed about 30 persons, including police officers and civilians one of the deadliest bank robberies in Nigeria’s history.

An Oyo State High Court has dismissed the application filed by sacked Osun APC local government chairmen seeking access to frozen council funds lodged in UBA accounts.

Justice Ladiran Akintola ruled that the former chairmen lacked the legal standing to challenge the order after previously withdrawing their request to be joined in the case.

The court described their application as “frivolous and without merit,” noting that none of the applicants appeared during the proceedings.

With the ruling, the ex-chairmen remain barred from accessing the disputed local government allocations as the case continues on December 18.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reduced the ex-depot (gantry) price of petrol from ₦828 to ₦699 per litre, marking a ₦129 decrease and a 15.58% reduction. The latest price cut took effect on Thursday and reflects Dangote’s continued adjustments to ensure competitive pricing in the domestic fuel market.

This reduction is the 20th petrol price adjustment from the refinery this year, according to data from Petroleumprice.ng. An official at the refinery confirmed the new pricing, noting that the review aligns with ongoing efforts to stabilise petrol supply despite fluctuations in global crude dynamics.

The price adjustment also follows a recent meeting between refinery chairman Aliko Dangote and President Bola Tinubu, during which the refinery reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining reasonable fuel prices. The refinery has also been responding to challenges such as market volatility and the persistent issue of fuel smuggling across Nigeria’s borders.

With the new ex-depot price, analysts expect retail pump prices across the country to record downward adjustments in the coming days. The development is anticipated to bring relief to motorists and transport operators, particularly as travel demand increases towards the festive season.

Lagos State University (LASU) has criticised a recent comedy skit that portrayed a mock bandit invasion on its campus.

The video, created by “Datreez Entertainment TV” and later deleted, was titled “Bandits Prank on Lasuites.” It featured young men in jalabiya and turbans entering a lecture hall dramatically, while another group emerged from a car, startling students. Some students fled while others watched in confusion, sparking public backlash.

Many viewers described the prank as “insensitive,” especially considering Nigeria’s current security challenges.

In a statement, LASU spokesperson Thomas-Onashile Oluwayemisi said the university condemns any act that suggests terrorism, banditry, or violent extremism. She stressed that the institution never approved the filming and does not support pranks capable of causing fear or disrupting campus peace.

Responding, Datreez Entertainment insisted the skit was filmed in a controlled setting and never intended to create panic. The creators explained that it was a social experiment made purely for entertainment, with no weapons involved and safety precautions observed. They apologised to LASU and clarified that every participant was fully aware and acted voluntarily.

This incident comes after UNILAG, in October, banned content creators from filming on campus without permission following rising cases of unauthorised video shoots.

Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke says he will continue dancing despite public criticism, insisting it is his personal way of expressing joy and praising God.

Speaking on Politics Today, Adeleke stressed that dancing is his hobby and does not interfere with his duties as governor.

His comments follow recent controversy at the Ooni of Ife’s coronation anniversary, where a brief dance and singing moment and an exchange with First Lady Remi Tinubu asking him to proceed with his speech went viral and sparked debate online.

Adeleke also recently left the PDP for the Accord Party, which has already given him its 2026 governorship ticket.

…Says energy tokenism can’t address energy poverty

In a major win for sustainable energy advocacy, the Leapfrog Alliance, Co-launched by the Foundation for Peace Professionals (PeacePro) and 19 global organizations in 2024, has been named Impact Initiative of the Year (Global) at the IMPACT Investment Awards.

The Alliance focuses on boosting corporate incentives for clean energy procurement in underserved and under-electrified regions, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. By addressing long-standing gaps and inequities in greenhouse gas accounting, the coalition enables companies to directly support high impact clean energy projects beyond traditional market boundaries, a move that could accelerate energy access in the world’s most fragile communities.

Judges praised the Leapfrog Alliance for its cross-sector collaboration, focus on underserved communities, and efforts to shape international sustainability standards. “This is a model for how corporate incentives and community impact can come together,” one judge remarked.

The Executive Director of PeacePro, Abdulrazaq Hamzat, who is also a multidimensional energy expert, said the award reflects the impact of the Alliance’s advocacy in influencing energy funding and policy decision-making.

“For PeacePro, this recognition underscores our growing role in pioneering innovative approaches to energy access and climate action, proving that global collaboration can unlock solutions where they are needed most,” Hamzat said.

He added that similar collaboration is needed at the national level to ensure underserved communities are genuinely included in energy planning, not through energy tokenism, but through sustainable energy provision that delivers real, measurable impact.