The First Bank Auditorium at the University of Ibadan buzzed with energy on Wednesday as forestry professionals, students, and nature lovers gathered for the 5th Faculty Lecture of the Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources. The lecture, titled “Where Taxonomy Meets Silviculture: Pathways to Sustainable Forestry in Nigeria,” was presented by experienced forestry expert, Dr. A. O. Onefeli, from the Department of Forest Production and Products.
The event was hosted by Professor Adejoke O. Akinyele, Dean of the Faculty. She described Dr. Onefeli as “a man deeply rooted in knowledge, committed to growing Nigeria’s forest future.” She highlighted the urgent need for science-based forestry solutions as the country confronts serious challenges from climate change, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity.
In his lecture, Dr. Onefeli stressed that Nigeria’s fight against deforestation must explore the intersection between taxonomy and silviculture, emphasizing their complementary roles in addressing Nigeria’s forest management challenges. “From morphological and anatomical studies to molecular techniques, it is evident that taxonomic research provides the necessary foundation for silvicultural decisions, conservation and restoration, he stated”. He explained that silvicultural interventions for commercial timber production or ecosystem restoration, must be taxonomically informed in Nigeria and beyond.
The lecture included fieldwork stories, which showcased the importance of documenting and protecting what remains. He called for more taxonomic institutionalization, herbaria and DNA laboratories, plant authentication, applied taxonomic research and encourage multidisciplinary collaboration.
Afterwards, the Head of the Department of Forest Production and Products, Professor A.O Omole who doubles as Pro. Chancellor of LAUTECH, added that Dr. Onefeli has sacrificed so much to contribute to research in Nigeria.
Attendees left feeling inspired, with many calling the lecture a necessary reminder of the strong bond between people, trees, and the future of our environment.
The Oyo State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of five individuals allegedly involved in the abduction of a man, identified simply as Timothy, who was kidnapped from his residence in Mokorede, Ipapo, within Itesiwaju Local Government Area on June 26, 2025. Authorities also recovered a total sum of ₦4,618,700 believed to be part of the ransom paid by the victim’s family to secure his release.
In an official statement released by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Adewale Osifeso, the abduction occurred around 11:00 p.m. when six armed men forcefully entered the victim’s residence and whisked him away to an unknown location.
The coordinated response to the crime began shortly after a distress call was received, prompting the Divisional Police Officer in Ipapo to swiftly mobilize a tactical search and rescue team. The team included operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun), local vigilante groups, including Fulani volunteers, and hunters familiar with the terrain.
The Command further disclosed that intensive intelligence-led investigations and inter-divisional collaborations were initiated, with strategic information shared with adjoining police divisions and sister security agencies to aid in the rescue operation and manhunt for the suspects.
The breakthrough came on June 30, when operatives attached to the Okaka Police Division apprehended five suspects in the Okaka community, where they were reportedly found in the act of sharing the ransom proceeds. The arrested suspects were identified as Usman Abubakar (30), Umar Abubakar (21), Abdulkadir Sulaiman (22), Abdullahi Naira (23), and Isiaku Saboyaro (30).
Preliminary investigations have linked the suspects directly to the abduction, while efforts are ongoing to apprehend the sixth member of the gang who remains at large. Authorities have also launched a forensic analysis of mobile devices, financial trails, and other intelligence assets to ascertain the full scope of the operation and possible connections to broader kidnapping syndicates within the region.
The Commissioner of Police, Oyo State Command, has reiterated the Command’s unwavering commitment to combating criminality, especially abduction for ransom, which he described as a “grave affront to public safety and peace.” He further assured residents of Itesiwaju and the wider Oke-Ogun axis that robust security architecture is being reinforced to prevent future occurrences.
The suspects remain in custody and will be charged to court upon the completion of investigations.
The Oyo State Police Command called on the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements promptly, emphasizing that collective community vigilance remains crucial to ensuring lasting security and peace across the state.
It’s an honor to speak at the Prof. Akin Iwayemi Personality Lecture Series, organized by the Centre for Petroleum, Energy Economics and Law, University of Ibadan, a gathering that reminds us that ideas matter, but action matters even more.
“Let There Be Light” is not just a slogan. In Oyo State, it’s a daily prayer for millions. The real cost of darkness is not just measured in naira or megawatts. It’s measured in students who can’t study after sunset, businesses that never scale because of high generator costs, and mothers forced to deliver babies in candle-lit clinics.
Today, we stand at a turning point. With new constitutional powers, Oyo State can shape its electricity future. But with opportunity comes responsibility. Are we ready to make the hard legal and policy choices to bring reliable, affordable power to our people?
As someone who has spent years working at the intersection of policy, industry, and research, I know the challenges are real. But I also know Oyo is full of innovators and problem-solvers. Our job today is to move beyond complaints towards solutions rooted in evidence, tailored to local realities, and focused on real impact.
Let’s be bold. Let’s be honest. And let’s make this the last generation that lives in the shadow of darkness.
Thank you for the opportunity. As a policymaker and an ex-Commissioner in Oyo State, I see daily how electricity—or the lack of it—touches every part of our society. We now have the constitutional backing to shape our destiny, and the challenge is to craft ambitious, practical, and locally relevant laws and policies.
My focus is on creating an enabling environment that encourages investment, protects consumers, and ensures that no urban or rural community is left behind.
For decades, the phrase “let there be light” has been more hope than reality across Nigeria. In Oyo State, the cost of darkness is not just an abstraction—it is the high price paid by students who cannot read after sunset, businesses running on expensive generators, and families forced to live without basic comforts. However, for the first time in a generation, Oyo stands at a crossroads: empowered with new constitutional authority to shape its electricity future, the state can choose a path of bold reform or risk repeating past failures. The urgency of this situation cannot be overstated.
As someone who has worked at the intersection of policy and industry in Oyo State, I see the challenges and the opportunities firsthand. Our questions are urgent, and the answers will determine whether Oyo emerges as a model for the entire country or remains stuck in the shadows. The potential for Oyo to lead the way in this crucial reform is immense, and it is up to us to seize this opportunity.
The First Three Laws Oyo State Needs Now
The first order of business must be passing an Electricity Market Liberalization Law. This law will establish clear, transparent rules that make it easier for independent power producers and mini-grid operators to enter the market, compete fairly, and drive innovation. It will especially benefit communities left behind by bringing in more players and fostering competition, ultimately leading to improved service and lower costs.
Next, a Cost-Reflective Tariff and Targeted Subsidy Policy is essential. The system has been broken for too long: everyone pays too little and gets too little in return. We need tariffs that reflect the actual supply cost, with targeted support for the most vulnerable, so that no one is left in the dark.
Finally, Oyo should enact a Rural Electrification and Off-Grid Promotion Policy. This means dedicating funds and streamlining approvals for solar and mini-grid projects, ensuring that even the most remote villages can access reliable power.
Grid Fix or Off-Grid Leapfrog? The Right Answer for Oyo
There is a temptation to view the electricity challenge as a choice between fixing the existing grid or moving straight to renewables.
The truth is, Oyo needs both. However, if we are serious about rapid progress, off-grid renewables—such as solar home systems and mini-grids—are the real game changers. This strategy, often called ‘off-grid leapfrog’, involves bypassing the traditional grid and directly adopting renewable energy solutions. These solutions can be deployed faster, tailored to local needs, and owned by the communities. While urban centers and industry will still need a stronger grid, leapfrogging with off-grid renewables brings light to people who have waited too long.
Bridging the Last Mile: State and Local Collaboration
No electricity reform will succeed unless local governments are fully onboard. They are closest to the people, understand the unique challenges of each community, and can help ensure projects match real needs. The state should involve local leaders in planning, invest in their capacity to maintain new systems, and utilize their networks to gather accurate data. This partnership is the only way to reach the last mile.
Local governments will play a crucial role in identifying their communities’ specific needs, ensuring the successful implementation of the reform.
What is Holding Back Investment?
Investors want to bring capital and innovation to Oyo but need certainty. The primary barriers are regulatory uncertainty, slow approvals, and concerns about cost recovery. Investment will follow if we can create a stable and predictable business environment with quick licensing, clear land rights, and enforceable contracts. It is our collective responsibility to ensure such an environment is in place.
Becoming a Model for Nigeria
Oyo State has the chance to set the pace for electricity reform in Nigeria. We can do this by passing bold laws that welcome grid and off-grid players, building a transparent and accountable regulatory system, and launching real projects in cities and villages. The key is to put results ahead of rhetoric, share what works and what does not, and keep the focus on the people who need electricity the most.
This is our moment to step out of the shadows and light the way for the rest of the country. The journey will not be easy, but if we act with urgency and courage, Oyo State can become the beacon others look to for inspiration.
Tragedy struck the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, as Ridwan Oladipupo, a 300-level Agricultural Engineering student, was found dead under suspicious circumstances.
According to reports, Ridwan left his off-campus hostel on Lawyer Ahmed Street on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, stating he was heading to study. He never returned. Days later, his lifeless body was discovered in front of Nurudeen Grammar School, along Under-G Road, a location not far from the university community.
The university, in a statement released by Registrar Mrs. Olayinka Balogun on Monday, July 7, confirmed that while they were unofficially aware of the incident, no formal identification or report had been made to them confirming Ridwan’s student status at the time the body was found.
The Dean of Student Affairs and the Owode Division of the Nigerian Police Force were informed after the body was discovered, but neither students nor local residents were able to initially identify the deceased. His body was later taken to the LAUTECH Teaching Hospital Mortuary.
It wasn’t until Sunday, June 29, that Ridwan’s father appeared at his hostel with a police officer, confirming his son’s identity. Hostel residents were interrogated, but the circumstances surrounding the murder remain unclear.
The university stressed that it is awaiting official confirmation and will avoid making further comments so as not to jeopardize the ongoing police investigation.
The Nigerian presidency has fired back at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for what it described as a “very fatalistic” and destabilising assessment of the Bola Tinubu-led administration’s economic reforms.
In a response delivered on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, the Special Adviser to the President on Economic Affairs, Tope Fasua, accused the IMF of relentless and unfair criticism aimed at undermining Nigeria’s reform efforts.
“This administration under President Tinubu has done some of the deepest reforms that we have seen in a while. We only just got the tax bills signed into law—bills that offer relief to low-income earners and double the tax threshold for small businesses,” Fasua said.
“We haven’t even allowed those measures to settle, yet we’re hearing all sorts of very fatalistic statements from different places, including, unfortunately, the IMF,” he added.
The IMF recently released an article titled “How Nigeria Can Unleash Its Economic Potential,” where it raised the alarm over Nigeria’s skyrocketing inflation and the perceived sluggish impact of the government’s economic reforms.
But Fasua dismissed the report as part of a pattern of “heckling” from the Bretton Woods institution.
He claimed the IMF was bombarding Nigeria with near-weekly statements that were counterproductive and confusing.
“Sometimes one wants to think they go into overdrive, almost every week or every two to three days, there’s a statement on Nigeria. At the end of the day, it leaves everyone in a state of confusion,” he said.
The economic adviser revealed that Nigeria had already repaid $3 billion in loans to the IMF, a COVID-19 facility, while many other countries have not. Yet, according to him, the Fund continues to mount pressure without acknowledging the government’s progress.
“We’re not asking for a pat on the back; we’re just saying, you know what, give us a breather. Let us be able to implement the policies we’ve started. They acknowledge that the reforms are good, yet they keep demanding more, and it’s almost like being caught between the devil and the deep blue sea,” Fasua stated.
He warned that the IMF’s harsh tone could backfire by turning the Nigerian public against the government, given the already difficult economic realities being felt nationwide.
“Give us a break; let us be able to know where we are going before coming at us at every angle and generally throwing us off whack. It’s like a house that is completely dilapidated,” he said.
“And we’re being asked to provide full comfort in two years after removing the roof and working on the foundation. That’s not realistic.”
Four persons, including three students and a commercial motorcyclist, lost their lives in a fatal road accident that occurred on Tuesday along the Abanla-Idi-Ayunre Road in Oluyole Local Government Area of Oyo State.
The accident, which happened in the early hours of the day, involved a truck loaded with granite and a motorcycle, commonly known as okada.
According to eyewitness accounts, the truck driver ran over the okada that was conveying the students to school.
The motorcyclist and two of the students died on the spot, while the third student was rushed to a nearby hospital, where they were later pronounced dead.
The truck driver reportedly fled the scene of the accident and remains at large as the police begin investigations into the incident.
Witnesses said distraught students took to the streets shortly after the tragedy, blocking the road and demanding justice and immediate government intervention.
Emotions ran high as other commercial motorcyclists and residents joined the protest, decrying the recurring threat posed by heavy-duty vehicles along the route.
Reacting to the development, the Executive Chairman of the council, Asiwaju Olatunji, arrived at the scene with police and other security personnel to calm the protesters and reassure the community of swift and long-term measures.
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has expressed deep grief over the passing of the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, describing the loss as a profound blow not only to Ibadan but to the entire Yoruba nation.
Governor Adeleke extended heartfelt condolences to Governor Seyi Makinde, the Government of Oyo State, the Olubadan-in-Council, the Royal Family, and the people of Ibadan, noting that Oba Olakulehin’s reign though brief was marked by dignity, wisdom, and an unwavering commitment to the progress and unity of the people of Ibadanland.
“Oba Olakulehin was a monarch of profound wisdom and grace. Even within a short reign, he embodied the virtues of Yoruba Royalty’s calm leadership, cultural pride, and unwavering love for his people,” Governor Adeleke said in a condolence message.
He added that the late monarch’s passing at the age of 90 marks the end of a remarkable chapter in the traditional institution of Ibadanland and leaves a legacy of selfless service, courage and peace.
“On behalf of the Government and people of Osun State, I extend sincere condolences to Governor Seyi Makinde, the Government of Oyo State, the Olubadan-in-Council, and the entire people of Ibadan on the passing of the 43rd Olubadan, His Imperial Majesty Oba Owolabi Olakulehin.
“Oba Olakulehin, even in his final days, remained a symbol of continuity, cultural wisdom, and Royal honour. His transition is a great loss not only to the throne of Ibadanland but to the Yoruba people whose values he dutifully upheld.
“May God comfort the people of Ibadan and grant the late monarch eternal rest among his forebears.”
Three days of heavy rainfall have caused massive flooding in Owo, Ilaje, and Okitipupa areas of Ondo State, displacing hundreds and destroying seven bridges.
Several communities were submerged, with homes and property damaged.
Local leaders urged urgent intervention from Ondo state government, citing blocked drainage and poor infrastructure as major causes.
