Delta Police Command has arrested a suspected notorious drug baron in Delta State, Onos Afokoghene,
has highlighted the ongoing efforts by Nigeria Police to combat drug trafficking in the State.
Operatives from the Orerokpe Division apprehended the 37-year-old following a tip-off during a patrol led by Divisional Police Officer CSP Paul Oboware, targeting a hotspot in the Jeddo Community.
According to a statement from the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, Afokoghene, known for distributing hard drugs in Warri and nearby areas, attempted to escape upon the police’s approach.
However, he said the skilled team was able to quickly close in on him, resulting in his arrest after a brief chase.
He said this incident underscored the police’s commitment to addressing drug-related crimes and enhancing community safety.
Edafe noted that “a thorough search of the scene led to a startling discovery of illicit substances and paraphernalia used in large-scale drug sales.
“Exhibits recovered include the following: 3kg of Canadian Loud, 10kg of Indian Hemp, 24 litres of soaked weed suspected to be Indian Hemp in dry gin (locally known as “monkey tail”), several sachets of Tramadol of various milligrams, and two (2) POS machines suspected of being used for drug sales.
“The suspect is currently in custody while investigations continue to uncover his network of distributors and buyers.”
In another show of vigilance and tactical precision, according to the statement, operatives of the ‘C’ Division Asaba, led by CSP Ogbe Emmanuel, intercepted 400 live cartridges carefully concealed within a bus that was heading to Edo State.
The statement said: “On 16th October 2025, at about 1200hrs, while conducting routine surveillance and stop-and-search operations at the Head Bridge, Asaba, the operatives flagged down a Toyota Hiace Hummer Bus with registration number NGK 16 XB, driven by one Ozoemenam Sylvanus.
“The driver, appearing uneasy during questioning, drew the suspicion of the officers who proceeded to conduct a thorough search of the vehicle.
“Their instinct paid off; four hundred (400) live cartridges were discovered carefully concealed within the bus.
“The suspect initially lied that it was padlocks but was left speechless when the parcel was open and the true content was seen.
“The suspect was immediately arrested, and both he and the exhibit recovered while investigation to unravel the source, and criminal network behind the illegal arms movement is ongoing.”
Detectives from the Ondo State Police Command have apprehended a notorious cultist, identified as Abdul Boluwatife, for allegedly terrorising residents of Akungba-Akoko and neighbouring communities in Akoko South-West Local Government Area of the state.
The arrest was confirmed in a statement on Sunday by the Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olayinka Ayanlade, in Akure.
According to Ayanlade, the suspect was arrested on October 15 during a cult initiation ceremony at A.U.D. Secondary School, Akungba-Akoko, following credible intelligence from vigilant residents of the community.
“Upon receiving information that a group of young men were holding a secret meeting and chanting cult-related slogans within the school premises, police operatives swiftly mobilised to the scene,” Ayanlade said.
He added that on sighting the police, the suspects fled but Boluwatife was pursued and apprehended.
During interrogation, the suspect reportedly confessed to being a member and leader of a cult group operating within Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA).
Ayanlade noted that Boluwatife had long been on the command’s watchlist for alleged involvement in a series of cult-related activities in the area.
Items recovered from the suspect include a locally made pistol, five cutlasses, a battle axe, a shisha box, two cult berets, five bottles of Squadron gin, a red knife, and a black glove.
The police spokesman confirmed that the suspect remains in custody as investigations continue, adding that efforts are ongoing to track down other fleeing members of the cult group.
He, however, further disclosed that the Anti-Cultism Squad has launched a discreet operation to uncover the full network of the syndicate operating around Akungba-Akoko.
The Ondo State Police Command has arrested a 53-year-old man, identified as Kareem Fatia, for allegedly operating an illegal gun-manufacturing factory in the Eyingun-Owode area of Ile-Oluji, Ondo State.
The arrest followed credible intelligence received by detectives attached to the Yaba Divisional Headquarters in Ondo City, which led to a coordinated raid on the suspect’s residence on October 15, 2025.
During the operation, police recovered three single-barrel guns, three Dane guns, and one unfinished gun barrel concealed behind the building.
Two other individuals were also apprehended in connection with the operation and are currently assisting police investigations.
The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Olusola Ayanlade, who confirmed the development in a statement on Saturday, said the main suspect had been transferred to the Monitoring Unit for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Ayanlade added that the arrest was part of ongoing efforts by the Command to curb the proliferation of illegal firearms and reduce criminal activities across communities in the state.
He urged residents to support security agencies by promptly reporting suspicious activities that could aid the fight against illegal arms production and trafficking.
As preparations intensify for the selection of the next Awujale and Paramount Ruler of Ijebuland, it is important to recall the poignant words of the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, who once cautioned kingmakers against choosing his successor based on wealth rather than capability.
Delivering the advice during the 2019 Ojude-Oba Festival, Oba Adetona stressed the need for visionary leadership and urged kingmakers to uphold fairness and transparency in the succession process.
Installed in 1960, the revered monarch reigned for over 65 years, leaving behind a legacy of progressive leadership. During the 2019 festival in Ijebu-Ode, he warned that the throne of Awujale must never be for “moneybags” or politicians, but for a capable and God-fearing leader who could sustain the kingdom’s achievements.
He emphasized that politicising the selection process would amount to a disservice to Ijebu culture and heritage, describing it as a debasement to enthrone a candidate based on financial influence or political exposure rather than merit and relevance to the development of Ijebuland.
Oba Adetona also urged the kingmakers to seek divine guidance in their decision-making, reminding them that the prosperity of Ijebuland depends on their choices.
The late Awujale’s words remain a timeless reminder of the importance of responsible leadership. As Ijebuland enters a new chapter, his counsel serves as a guiding light for the kingmakers to select a competent, visionary, and upright leader who will continue to drive progress and uphold the values of the ancient kingdom.
The Ojude-Oba Festival, a celebration of Ijebuland’s rich culture and tradition, has long served as a platform for the Awujale to share wisdom with his subjects and leaders. His 2019 message, rooted in love for his people and devotion to their prosperity, continues to resonate as the kingdom prepares for its future.
As the process of selecting a new Awujale begins, it is vital that kingmakers heed Oba Adetona’s enduring advice—placing competence, integrity, and service above wealth and influence—to ensure the continued growth and glory of Ijebuland.
The Commissioner for Health, Lagos State, Prof. Akin Abayomi, has decried the many lives lost on Lagos roads due to delays caused by onlookers taking videos instead of assisting first responders.
Represented by the Director of Medical Services, Lagos Health Service Commission, Dr Olawale Adegbite, Abayomi spoke in Lagos at a Symposium for stakeholders to mark the 2025 World Trauma Day with the theme: “Reducing Needless Deaths on Our Roads: Everybody’s Responsibility.”
He urged Lagosians to respect ambulances and prioritise saving lives first before taking videos at the scene of accidents, saying that saving lives on the road was not just the government’s responsibility, but a collective moral and civic duty of every Lagosian.
“Every time we block an ambulance or ignore an emergency call, someone’s parent, spouse, or child could be dying. Trauma care begins with public responsibility,” he said.
He reiterated resolution of the state government to strengthen emergency preparedness and trauma response mechanisms to reduce preventable deaths on Lagos roads.
He said that most trauma cases on Lagos roads were not accidents but preventable incidents caused by human errors.
He stressed that the state’s emergency systems, especially pre-hospital care and ambulance services, have been instrumental in saving lives but require continuous improvement and public cooperation.
Highlighting Lagos’ ongoing investments in emergency medicine, Abayomi noted that most trauma cases brought in by the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) recorded higher survival rates compared to those transported by bystanders.
“Proper pre-hospital intervention makes the difference between life and death.
“Continuous staff training and retention were critical to sustaining success in trauma management,” he said.
Earlier, in her opening remarks, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Health, Dr Kemi Ogunyemi, described trauma as one of the leading causes of preventable deaths and disabilities globally, particularly from road traffic crashes.
Represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Health, Dr Oluwatoni Adeyemi, Ogunyemi noted that Lagos State has made significant progress under the leadership of Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, citing improvements in ambulance coverage, response time, and coordination among first responders.
She said: “We recently launched ten emergency ambulance bikes to ensure faster access to victims in congested areas and also commissioned modular high-dependency units in Ifako and Mushin General Hospitals.
“These interventions are part of our drive to bring critical care closer to communities and reduce delays in life-saving interventions.”
She further emphasised that the theme of this year’s commemoration underscored the fact that reducing trauma-related deaths goes beyond government efforts.
“It requires everyone—drivers, pedestrians, health professionals, civil society, and the media—to play their roles in building a culture of prevention and prompt response,” she said.
In his remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr Olusegun Ogboye, said the story of “Mr Andrew,” a trauma survivor treated at the Lagos State Accident and Emergency Centre (LASAEC), represented the essence of the symposium.
Ogboye recounted how coordinated emergency response and government-backed trauma care saved a man who was left comatose after a crash on the morning of his daughter’s wedding.
He stressed that pre-hospital care was a crucial but often neglected component of healthcare.
He revealed that the Lagos State Government was expanding trauma centers across the state, with new facilities being established in Epe, Eti-Osa, and Badagry corridors in partnership with private sector allies such as Custodian Allied Insurance and Access Bank.
He added that the state’s ambulance service had evolved into a world-class system with well-equipped vehicles serving as mobile intensive care units.
“There’s hardly any equipment you’ll find in advanced ambulance systems that our units don’t have – ventilators, defibrillators, and fully trained emergency technicians. Lagos has come a long way,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary also called for attitudinal change among motorists and the general public, especially in giving ambulances the right of way.
“You move aside for convoys and security vehicles, yet block ambulances carrying lives. That behavior must change. It could be your loved one in that ambulance,” he warned.
In his presentation titled “The Traumatic Story Being Rewritten,” the Medical Director, LASAEC, Dr Adeolu Arogundade, told the true story of Mr Andrew, who was hit by a car and left unconscious for months but survived through state-funded care.
Arogundade said the case epitomised the 41,000 trauma cases successfully treated at LASAEC in the last 15 years, with a commendable mortality rate of just 1.4 per cent .
He lauded the Lagos State Government for sustaining a policy that guarantees free emergency care for all trauma victims within the first 24 hours, emphasising that the policy’s funding—though sometimes delayed—remains vital to saving lives.
“Behind every statistic is a human story. Each percentage represents someone’s father, mother, or friend who lived because a system worked.
“Our success is proof that trauma care is everyone’s business; from road users to rescuers and administrators,” he said.
The Lagos State Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Mr Kehinde Hamzat, underscored the grim reality that most crash-related deaths were avoidable.
Citing WHO data, Hamzat, also a Guest Speaker, said that Africa bore a disproportionate share of the 1.3 million global deaths from road traffic crashes yearly, with Lagos inclusive due to high vehicle density and weak road discipline.
Hamzat warned that unsafe behaviours such as speeding, drunk driving, and disregard for traffic laws remain major culprits, stressing that effective trauma management begins with prevention.
“No matter how advanced our hospitals become, if we don’t change road behaviour, we’ll keep losing lives needlessly.
“Our collective vigilance, compliance, and compassion are what will make our roads safer and our emergency systems more responsive,” he said.
As the symposium ended, participants resolved to deepen inter-agency collaboration, intensify public sensitization, and push for behavioural change campaigns across the state.
Tragedy struck on Friday morning near the Nkalagu Flyover along the Nkalagu–Enugu highway when a commercial bus collided head-on with a tipper truck, leaving six persons dead and 14 others with varying degrees of injuries.
The Sector Commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) in Ebonyi State, Anthony Ogbodo confirmed the incident.
He said that a report from the Nkalagu Unit Command noted that the crash which occurred at about 9:40 a.m. was attributed to dangerous overtaking on the busy route.
“The patrol team received the distress call at 9:45 a.m. and arrived at the scene within five minutes, preventing further casualties”, he said.
Ogbodo said the accident involved a white Toyota Hiace bus with registration number AGU 307 XA and a Mercedes-Benz 911 tipper truck registered as JRV 872 XA.
He noted the vehicles were said to be on commercial duty when the tragic collision occurred on the paved section of the road close to the flyover.
“A total of 22 persons were involved in the crash — 10 females and 12 males. Of these, six persons — three men and three women — lost their lives on the spot, while 14 others (nine men and five women) sustained serious injuries. Two male occupants escaped unhurt.”, she said.
Mr Ogbodo said FRSC personnel, in collaboration with the Red Cross, swiftly evacuated the injured victims.
He said those with critical injuries were rushed to Annunciation Hospital and the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, while others received treatment at Ezzamgbo General Hospital, Ebonyi State.
The Sector Commander confirmed that the road obstruction caused by the wreckage was promptly cleared to restore the free flow of traffic.
“Items recovered from the scene included two small Itel handsets, a tipper vehicle key, and ₦2,000 in cash.”
Gunmen on Friday evening attacked a police station in Zonkwa, headquarters of Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing at least two officers.
The incident, which occurred around 8 pm, threw the usually quiet town into confusion as residents scampered for safety amid heavy gunfire.
Eyewitnesses said the assailants stormed the police station, located a few metres from Kamyim Hotel in Kurmin-Bi area of Zonkwa and opened fire on arrival.
It was learnt that the attackers were attempting to free some suspected vandals arrested in Kachia town, believing they were being held at the Zonkwa Police Station.
A resident, who pleaded anonymity, said: “They came shooting sporadically. It was later discovered that the suspects they came for were not even detained in Zonkwa. But before that became clear, damage had already been done.”
A security source confirmed the attack but declined to give details, saying investigations were ongoing.
In a video sighted by The Nation, two police officers were seen lying motionless in uniform, while a crowd gathered around the scene discussing the assault.
The attack, residents said, has heightened fears over the deteriorating security situation in the area, despite recent peace efforts by authorities.
Security operatives were later deployed to restore calm in the town.
As of press time, the Kaduna Police Command was yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
The Adamawa House of Assembly has taken the social protection bill before for public hearing with the assertion that development initiatives of government which the bill seeks to encourage, requires legal provisions for sustainability.
The Adamawa State Social Protection Bill was developed through the support of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, (BMZ) and the European Union under the Supporting Sustainable Social Protection, Participation and Economic Resilience in North East Nigeria (SEPIN SUSI) program implemented by GIZ.
The bill was refered to the House of Assembly Committee of Women and Social Development for further treatment after it scaled second reading in the Assembly. The bill has just been subjected to public hearing.
Chairman of the Committee and sponsor of the bill, Hon Kate Mamuno, explained that the hearing was a platform for government agencies and development partners and citizens to contribute to the perfection of the bill.
The committee chairman, who is also the Majority Leader of the Assembly, appreciated Governor Ahmadu Fintiri for the social protection programs his government is implementing but said such programs require a coherent legal framework to ensure sustainability and long-term impact and to ensure that interventions reach those who need them most, hence the social protection bill.
The public hearing featured a delegation from Borno State which is also in the process of establishing a social protection law under the SEPIN SUSI programme.
Borno Speaker, Abdulkarim Lawan, said through member representing Maiduguri metropolitan constituency, Hon Ali Kotoko that the experience of Adamawa State so far is a lesson that Borno State is keen to learn towards doing its own social protection law.
In a goodwill message, the Deputy commission manager for PETRA-DEP, one of GIZ’s programmes in the Northeast region, Mr Mahamane Brimaka expressed appreciation to all the stakeholders who have contributed to the progress of the Adamawa State Social Protection Bill so far.
Says I abandoned my childhood dream for music to become medical doctor
Explains why Ogunde Village remains abandoned
He had thought to become a musician, but an encounter in a private hospital watching a consultant medical doctor’s allowance changed his mindset from music to medicine. While practising as a medical doctor, the Ogun State Government under Chief Olusegun Osoba invited him to join the administration. Briefly, he went into politics, but for personal reasons, he did not continue that phase and returned to the public sector where he remained till he became the popular choice as the king of his town. Born into Alatishe family of Ogunroyega ruling house, Oba (Dr.) Adetoye Alatishe, popularly known as PAMA, who now sits on the throne of his forefathers as the Gbegande of Ososa, a sprawling town in Odogbolu Local Government Area in Ogun State, shares with Assistant Editor EMMANUEL BADEJO his trajectory, trials, triumphs, and turn around for his town in the 15 years of his reign.
Why did you change from being a musician to a medical doctor?
I became a medical doctor by accident. I had wanted to be a musician. In my final year in secondary school, I had made a deposit to enter a university in the United States of America (USA) to study music. Then, I was so much in love with music. My favourite musicians included Fela Anikulapo Kuti and Ofege, and my room in Ijebu-Ode, was filled with all sorts of musicians’ posters like Michael Jackson and others.
But an incident occurred. I was ill and my father took me to our family doctor, Dr. Boyejo, the renowned Eruobodo, and in the evening, the nurse on duty came to give him (Boyejo) his take home for that day, and it was N500. I wowed that somebody could be earning that much a day! This was around 1974/75. At the time, a doctor’s salary was probably N400. Right there and then, I changed my mind and I told my father that I would no longer study music.
He thought I was kidding, but I said Medicine was my choice. And because I was a good student, it became easy for me to go through the course during my A’level at Adeola Odutola College, and I did very well. That earned me a government scholarship to study Medicine in Russia in 1975.
What about growing up?
What can I say? My father was a well-known Ososa son because we never left Ososa growing up. Most people know our family house and we used to come to the town at least once a year. December 26 is Alatishe Day in Ososa during which all my father’s children come together and have at least three-session prayers involving the Christians, the Muslims and the traditionalists. Thereafter, we would eat and have fun. We still keep that practice till date.
What was your childhood like? You speak as if you were born with silver spoon…
(Cuts in) Well, I don’t know about silver spoon. I had my own share going to school with khaki and this iron-made pot-motor container bag, which I carried on my head like others. My mother was a no-nonsense woman, who wouldn’t take any excess from her children. She beat me countless times just to instill some discipline in me. Have you heard of a mother hiring an outsider to beat her child just to curtail our excesses as a youth? That was the kind of woman my mother was.
I remember one man, popularly known as Roki, who my mother hired to beat me. One day, he beat me and in the process broke my right hand. I didn’t steal o! I don’t know if this story captures your definition of being born with a silver spoon or not. But I was close to my father and I lived with him in Ijebu-Ode.
How many wives and children did your father have?
Interestingly, I am number 22 of my father’s children, who had close to eight wives. Some had kids and some didn’t. My father had about 48 to 50 children at the last count. When we saw the will he did, I happened to be number 22.
One thing I observed with my father was that he was always deferring to me for almost anything he wanted, though I didn’t have the means like some of my older siblings. One of my sisters is Mrs. Hairat Balogun, former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Lagos State. I had to mention all this to let you know that I didn’t have the resources like some of my siblings.
It appears you were rascally growing up…
Ah, eeyan mi (my brother), don’t let me deceive you, I was so, so rascally. Today, I don’t blame parents for beating their children. I tell people that if not for the beating, maybe my head would not have reset. Ah, I was more than a rascal. I went to a normal public primary school. I only went to a boarding secondary school because I didn’t want to go to Ijebu-Ode Grammar School, which was directly across my house. But, like I said, the beating actually reset my brain.
What memory do you have of your secondary school days?
My secondary school life was fantastic. I left in 1972. Some of the things we did were noted. I used to belong to the press club. I was very, very good with girls. I had a lot of girlfriends. I also met my wife, the present Olori (queen) in that school. I ran into her at an inter-house sport. I played hockey and table tennis. I was into literary and debating club. I also loved to feature in drama, particularly, and I always sought the Kabiesi role simply because I would be given a beautiful olori.
Out of the 50 children your father had, with wealthier elder brothers, how come it was you that became the Gbegande of Ososa?
I will tell you something: my ascendancy to the throne was divinely ordained. I worked as a medical doctor, started my private practice and then I went into politics. Before I became a politician, I had japa (travelled out). By 1999, I sold my practice in Ijebu-Ode, packed my things and told my mum that we were going to America. As soon as I got to America, I went to register in Kaplan Institute, and that was how I became a Kaplan scholar.
Just before we left, I ran into Senator Gbenga Kaka, my classmate and former deputy governor of Ogun State. They were on a campaign train. But because Gbenga was my classmate, I stopped by to exchange pleasantries with him. After urging me to support them, I gave them some money from the boot of my car. Interestingly, they won the election. After their victory, I was called upon to come back from the United States to serve in the government. Due to my inability to return earlier, Chief Olusegun Osoba, the then governor, had picked his commissioners. I was then given a deputy chairmanship role in the hospital management board.
Was that how you got into politics?
Yes, that was how I entered politics. Before Osoba’s regime came to an end, I was already running around with Gbenga Daniel. As God would have it, we won the election. Daniel became the governor and I became the council chairman of Ijebu-Ode Local Government.
Although I was in politics, I was committed to several philanthropic activities. Those community aid activities made some Ijebu sons and daughters to approach me to vie for the chairmanship position. We then formed the PAMA Group. Eventually, we won the election. Soon, I discovered that I was not cut out for politics.
You were almost removed as local government council chairman. Why?
That is true. The problem was not that we were not working as people’s representatives, but that we were not meeting outrageous demands by some party leaders, who would come and tell you how much they must collect at the end of each month. Even women leaders and all sorts demanded for money as a right and not priviledge. At some point, they almost removed me, but Governor Gbenga Daniel saved my neck from the gallows.
Apparently, the governor was happy with me due to my performance. It is on record that it was my administration that built the housing estates in front of Ijebu-Ode Club and near the stadium. I built all the roundabouts in Ijebu-Ode except those around Odutola and Awujale. I completed Obanta Shopping Complex, which was partly built by Ogun State military administrator, Kayode Olofinmoyin. I delivered many structures in Ijebu-Ode Local Government. And, after my first tenure, due to the toxic political terrain, I declined to re-contest.
Thereafter, I went into construction, helping some politicians to build their houses. In the process, Otunba Daniel called me and said they (state governors) were given a mandate from Abuja to have a primary health care development board. That was how I became the pioneer executive secretary of that board.
Though the governor gave me free hand, I knew we were going to have a problem, because Nigerians don’t like change. While the medical people in the ministry of health were into many cadres, local government staffers didn’t have a voice of theirs. I am happy today that, that board is now in charge of all nurses and medical doctors practising in local governments.
Anyway, we did our best when we were there. It was in the process that I met Alli Pate, the incumbent Minister of Health. He was the ED, National Primary Health Development Board, and that made us close. As at that time, my eye was set to get an appointment in Abuja.
Why didn’t you pursue your dream of going to Abuja?
It was while in the process of that pursuit that the late Oba Michael Onayinka joined his ancestors in 2008. He was a very kind and good man; a first class monarch. It was just a sad thing that he only spent two years on the throne. After his death, it never crossed my mind until people came to say it was the turn of Ogunroyega Ruling House. I went into history and found that we could contest. One of my elder brothers, Engr. Fatai Alatishe, a retired air force officer, was put forward.
A few months earlier, the family had said that all those who were interested in the race should indicate with a letter of intent, with a deadline fixed for December 2009. The family had agreed with my elder brother as the candidate, and we all contributed money. Then, I returned to my job in Abeokuta.
But as usual I used to return to my Ijebu-Ode home every weekend. Each time I came, I would see Baba Oloye Meta in my house. He told me that the oracle (ifa) didn’t choose my brother for some reasons. At different times, he alongside others kept telling me that I was the preferred choice. As the pressure was mounting on me, I started avoiding them.
One day, when I got home, I met Baba Oloye Meta and I went to ask my mother what he was doing. My mother said he was waiting to see me. I didn’t want to confront him, but that day, I had to. I said they should go pick another candidate at Ososa, and that I was not interested in becoming a king where you people kill your Obas. The man assured me that nothing evil would happen to me.
I remember that one day we were having a prayer session in my Primary Health Care Office in Abeokuta and my director, one Dr. Lawal, said a pastor wanted to greet me over the phone. The man started prophesying elevation. Though I listened, but in my mind, I dismissed him.
One weekend when I returned home, my wife, who never said anything about this obaship matter, said to me that she sat in the afternoon and saw my father coming, and told her that he knew I was afraid, but that I should accept being the Ososa king. Immediately I said to my wife, have you joined them? But when I went into my bedroom, I reflected over what she said and it then became a matter of personal decision.
As soon as I decided, though the deadline for expression of interest had passed, I went to my sister, our family head, who advised me to write a backdated letter to keep the record straight. That was how the journey to becoming the Gbegande went.
You have mentioned PAMA repeatedly. What does that signify?
That is very interesting. That is my nickname from childhood. PAMA is just the acronym of my name. I didn’t know that earlier. I just realised that my father kept calling me PAMA and everyone started calling me by that name. If I call one of my children now, he won’t call me Kabiyesi, but PAMA. Before my father died, he told me what PAMA means. He said it is Prince Abdulmojeed Adetoye Alatishe. I’ve attempted to change that name, but it didn’t work out.
I’ve heard that some people forced you on Ososa people. How true is this?
You are an Ososa son. How can anyone force someone on Ososa people? Even if I didn’t know much about our people before, now that I’m here, I know that Ososa is a unique town. I discovered that our people have independent mind and they warned me not to associate with a particular notable person in the town. That was why I refused to go to his house after I was nominated. But after much persuasion, we went and met the man. Honestly, I don’t know why many of our people are hesitant to associate with this fellow.
I remember an incident that happened at a place called Odo. We were all there and he came to greet me. But I observed that many people around were unhappy seeing him with me. There was this Mama Iyan, now late, who came to challenge him, and alleged that this man was indebted to him. I didn’t like the way the altercation between him and the woman went, yet I tried to maintain neutrality. Later on, we found that the people didn’t like seeing me with this man.
I remember an incident. While I was returning from his house, at the town’s market square junction, the boys that ordinarily hailed me refused to do so. When I inquired what the problem was, one of them said “Kabiyesi, we saw you, but as much as you continue to fraternise with this man, we won’t hail you. That was the end of going to his house.
It is public knowledge that you are not in good terms with one of the leading industrialists in your domain, Alhaji Sule Adebola Adegunwa. Why are you at loggerheads?
Honestly, Alhaji Sule Adegunwa never offended me as a person. It is the aftermath of not going to his house that might have contributed to any misunderstanding you might have been hearing about. In fact, the first Eid-el-Kabir I’d gone to do in his house, I learnt some boys and members of the whole community had decided to pelt me with sachet water, waiting for me to pass a popular path. Thank God, I didn’t return through that path. When the people saw that I’m a man of my own, they started accepting my leadership.
Was that the reason he (Adegunwa) dragged you to court?
That was the beginning of everything. When you want to catch somebody, you’ll try all sorts of things. Part of the issue was a plan to build a new palace. A sum of N17 million had been raised. The elders conducted me round the proposed site for the palace. As we got there, I didn’t like the topography of the place. It wasn’t flat land. In the evening, I went on my own to look at the land and I discovered it has a gorge at the back. Secondly, the site is like the end of Ososa town. My aura didn’t just choose the place.
Thereafter, some sons and daughters of Ososa told me that there used to be a palace in the town. Unfortunately, at the time, the said palace had been turned into a motor park, with the house abandoned and bushy. Notwithstanding, when I got here (palace), I decided to rebuild it and we called for donations. Surprisingly, many indigenes subscribed to it. Efforts to recover the initial over N17 million contributed to build a new palace didn’t yield. I engaged a construction company, which evacuated the rubbish in this place. I drew the design for this place by myself. During the foundation, we discovered several artifacts under the rubble.
Do you think the people you’re referring to wanted a king they could remotely control?
That is obvious. From what I’ve said so far, you have one way or the other shown interest in this spot. I wasn’t going to fall in line with their proposed palace. I was not going to be at their beck and call. It’s obvious for anybody who has that kind of attitude not to be happy with you. It is just that sometimes it is difficult for people to accept reality. Take away tradition, when you call somebody a king, does he not deserve some degree of respect? Even I have to give that king respect despite the fact that it is me. This is the reason I have decided to become a model to my people. I have to project a good image of what a king should be. Even if I was once a rascal, that was Dr. Toye, but not the Gbegande.
When I was a politician, I was a thug. If I can respect that throne, why will an ordinary person not respect it, especially when the throne belongs to all of us? That was how the whole controversy started. Well, it is not uncommon. The late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona had a fair share of his from a popular and wealthy family in Ijebu-Ode.
But is that why you had to libel him and it led to a court case?
The problem we have here is narcissism. If you have had all the cases, though you wrongly accused me, how can a little me connive with 7Up Bottling Company to destroy your factory? That was a terrible allegation. These people have done several things to bring me down. I have had to fight many battles in my life but the greatest of it all was the plot to use the late Baba Awujale to depose me. the Awujale set up a committee, raised an allegation against me on Adegunwa’s behalf. It was only God and the Governor that saved me on that day. Two commissioners came. The plot was to depose me. But, God turned it around.
Ah! After our referred Awujale’s speech, anybody who heard would have concluded that I should be hanged. He got some chiefs, one of whom is still alive, to testify against me. One of them, who at some point fell apart with the Awujale, later confessed that he was guided on what to say. It was Oloko, elderly monarch, and one other monarch that countered Awujale’s testimony. That ended the plot. Then, the two commissioners told Awujale that the meeting would be reconvened between the Awujale, Baba Adegunwa, Gbengande, and the two elders. That meeting has not held till date. That was the end of the enquiry.
I’ve had testimonies before. I’ve tested God and he has always answered me. My first trip to Mecca, before witnesses, I tested God, and He answered me. The greatest testimony I’ve had in my life was deliverance from the plot of dethronement. I was a goner, but God intervened. When I remember that day sometimes, I get emotional.
15 years on the throne, what development has your reign brought to the town?
First, let me say it again that there won’t be meaningful progress where peace is missing. We also need the attitude to serve. I always advise my fellow monarchs who often complain about their domain and people that if they have the right attitude to serve, leading their people will be easier.
When I ascended the throne, Ososa was primarily an agrarian sleepy town. Then, the town would just be empty and quiet. I was living in my father’s house, which I’d renovated. We would be seeing some children hawking. One day, I saw two toddlers fetching water. When I asked them if they would not be going to school, they said they were apprentices. I had assumed maybe they were learning any of the vocations. When I pressed further, they said they were learning herbal medicine. I was shocked to the marrow. Immediately, I arrested them and sent for their parents. That led me to establish an education trust fund. I also constituted water tax force and hired some people to monitor it.
In my first year on the throne, the best WAEC candidate in Ososa had just a credit. I was alarmed and worried. In 2010, the best WAEC result in Ogun State is a son of Ekuewu, Ogunde’s in-law. My son used to come from Lagos on weekends to teach the students Mathematics. I was going to the only public school almost every other day. Now, I don’t need to go there. I am happy that Ososa Comprehensive School represents Ogun State in a competition today. We thank God. I galvanised some of my friends to improve on the infrastructure.
When Bigi drinks came, I told my people to ask them what they would do in the school. They eventually built an ICT building. Ososa in Diaspora built the school fence. The gate house was built by one of the indigenes living in Canada, Oworu. What is more important is not what I have done, but the development that has come to Ososa because of peace. The best way I can describe it to you is that I know some communities here in Ijebu land that haven’t witnessed a fraction of what we have seen here in Ososa.
Before now, our people weren’t going to our community health centre due to the deplorable state of the facility. We’ve upgraded the facility now, our people besiege the place and I’m happy. I built standard doctors’ quarters there and got NYSC to be giving us doctors every year. I also used to go there for consultation. I built a surgical theatre. I built a two-room accommodation for nurses. The imposing clinic there used to be a shed, which was done by Rotary Foundation. I rallied some Ososa indigenes in London, who raised funds to build that space. We commissioned it either last or this year.
Also, I do free medical outreaches, sometimes twice in a year. I usually call my colleagues to give me a helping hand. We still did free medical care during our 15th year anniversary on August 7. We’ve been able to attract more investors and this I do almost every time.
You just returned from London a few days ago. What benefits does your trip bring to Ososa?
Firstly, I went for medicals as I haven’t travelled for three years and I have doctors there. In the process, I had a number of dinners. For instance, the Ijebu-Ode Boys Club hosted me. The Alatishes hosted me. In one of the dinners, they decided to raise funds for me, and surprisingly, they donated close to N2m. Immediately, I told them that the money wasn’t meant for me but would be used to do something in Ososa. I also said they will now be doing same thing annually and they agreed. We may use that money for scholarship purposes.
The icing on the cake was Segun Odegbami, my friend. While we were discussing in one of the dinners, a guy, who followed our discussion, approached me with a proposal to begin a football academy. I saw that as an opportunity and quickly asked if they would like to establish such at Ososa. The guy showed enthusiasm and agreed to come to Ososa, provided we can get them land for that purpose. But I insisted that it will be Ososa Football Academy, and he accepted. I’m happy that some of our kids are good at football. There’s a fellow living in our town on my invitation, who has a football team. I’ve already discussed the idea with elders in the town and I see them embracing it. The academy is likely to be sited at the first secondary school site.
Is there a plan to revive Ogunde village, which has been abandoned for years?
Yes, I am the king, but not a member of Ogunde’s family. I happened to be Baba’s personal physician in the last four years of his life. That happened by accident, too. When I became the Gbegande, I was interested in making Ayo Ogunde Baba Oba, because he was very kind to me, approachable, and well-disposed. I suggested to him that his family should allow us to make Baba’s house a museum. We’re also talking about the film village. The best we can do is to attract government’s presence there and this administration in Ogun is aware of that. The current Chief of Staff to Governor Dapo Abiodun, who was Commissioner for Tourism, has been here and made promises.
What do you miss from medical practice?
I don’t miss anything because I still practice. I’m always involved in free medicals for my people. Before the end of this year, I may still organise another one and that gives me so much joy. Besides that, I have a scan room in my palace, which I personally handle because I’m an expert in ultra-scan. When we first started, it was free, but now, we collect a minimal amount. Also, my hospital, which I oversee, still runs. Whenever they have issues, I go to assist them.
What’s your plan for Ososa Day?
It’s a fantastic idea, though not my baby. It is the baby of Ososa United Society (OUS) and I am very happy for them. Those pioneering the feat need help to advance the course of the day. Those promoting the day should be supported, especially Dr. Adewunmi, who is now advance in age. We need corporate organisations and individuals to support the day.
• Lack of teachers in community’s only school forces mass withdrawal
• We need N40,000 daily as transport fare for each child to access education in neighbouring community
• Cult activities already on the rise, clan chief laments
Each secondary school pupil in New Ekuri, an agrarian community in Akamkpa Local Government Area of Cross River State, needs about N40,000 on a daily basis to access quality education. For more than a year, a good number of the pupils have dropped out of school because there are no teachers to teach them. To have a sound education, the pupils will have to spspend fortune and quality time travelling to the local government headquarters on a daily basis; something practically impossible for them and their parents. The pupils risk becoming tools for social vices if urgent steps are not taken to address the challenge that has left them idle and pliable, INNOCENT DURU reports.
Maxwell Otey, an 18-year-old pupil of Migrant Secondary School, New Ekuri, a suburb of Cross River State, nurses a lifetime ambition of becoming a lawyer. But his hope began to dim last year when teachers started exiting the school for various reasons. All the teachers eventually left, leaving behind only the principal and his assistant.
The situation has forced the pupils to drop out of school.
“I stopped going to school last year. It is almost two years since I dropped out,” Maxwell said as he bemoaned the stark darkness that has been cast on his dreams and aspirations.
“I wish to study Law in the university, but that appears impossible now since I am no longer going to school,” he added.
Asked why he had not deem it necessary to continue his education in one of the neighbouring communities, Maxwell said: “My parents are cassava farmers. They have no money to send me to school outside this community.”
In the last two years that he dropped out of school, Maxwell has been loitering around the community as he said he had not been gainfully engaged in any productive venture. “I have not been doing anything since I stopped going to school,” he said.
Samuel Okey, another 18-year-old, said that he also dropped out of school last year while he was in SS1. “I dropped out because we didn’t have teachers,” he said.
According to him, there were four teachers in the school while he was in JSS 3. “Two of the teachers were transferred without being replaced. We were left with the principal and the vice principal,” he said.
Dropping out of school has not been good experience for the teenager, who said he was always worried by the prospects of not achieving his dream of surpassing the level his parents attained.
He said: “I feel very sad I am out of school and doing nothing. For almost two years, I have been doing nothing.
“My siblings are also not going to school anymore. I have two siblings and all of us are out of school.”
A 19-year-old ex-pupil who gave his name as ThankGod Clement, said the regrettable state of learning in the school has put his dream of becoming a teacher in danger.
According to him, “the last time I went to school was in 2024. I dropped out because there was no teacher to teach and the school became so boring that it made some students leave the community to go to school in other places. We that our parents don’t have money to send us to school outside the community have to drop out. We have stayed back to manage life in our community.”
In spite of the odds around him, ThankGod still earnestly desires to go back to school. “I wish to be a teacher later in life. I have the skill. I have been watching the way they teach and I always say in my mind that when I grow up I will like to be like them. If the school doesn’t come back to the standard that I am expecting, if it doesn’t, I may not realize my dream of becoming a teacher. I am just praying that God should just make a way so that we can continue here. If that does not happen, I pray that God will make a way for me to go out to realize my ambition.”
In the last one year that he has been out of school, ThankGod said : “I have been hustling to raise money so that when the resume resumes, I can pay my school fees.I go to the bush and pluck afan and sell. I make between N3, 000 and N4, 000 daily. I always save part of the money so that I can use it to go to school subsequently.”
Also rueing his untimely exit from school, Celestine Etta, a 17-year-old, said: “I am no longer going to school because there are no teachers to teach us.
“I was in SS1 before I dropped out. I am still in the village doing nothing.
“The only thing I do is to help my parents with house chores and farm work.”
Like Samuel, he said: “I feel very sad that I am no longer going to school. My other siblings are also not going to school.
“There is no other secondary school in the community. The place where there are schools is Akamkpa, the local government area. From here to Akamkpa is about N20,000 to go and N20,000 to return.”
Celestine’s father was, however full of sadness about the son’s and other pupils’plight when he spoke with our correspondent.
Corroborating the son’s remarks, the father said: “There are no teachers in the school. They only have the vice principal and the principal. The pupils have not been going to school since last year.”
Asked what his son has been doing since he dropped out of school, he said: “My son does nothing. I don’t have the resources to make him go to school outside our community.
“If he wants to go from New Ekuri to Akamkpa, he will be spending a fortune every day.
“From here to Ochon will take three hours, and it costs between N11, 000 and N12, 000 because of the bad road. From Ochon to Akamkpa will cost between N8, 000 and N10,000. So going will cost about N20, 000 and coming back will cost another N20,000.”
Speaking on the efforts made by the community to rectify the challenge, he said: “When our clan head went to Calabar to complain that we don’t have teachers in the school, they promised to send teachers. But up until now, we have not seen any teacher.”
Community employs PTA teachers
With the state government failing to send teachers to the school and worried about the dark cloud that hangs over the academic dreams and future of their children, the community recently engaged natives of the community to teach the children.
Unfortunately, many of the pupils who have dropped out of school are reluctant to return.
One of the PTA teachers, Nathaniel Okon, said: “We are three PTA teachers and two government teachers including the principal and vice principal in the school. The school had been shut down since January this year because there were no teachers. Now, the clan head and the community have asked us to come back.”
Explaining why the teachers sent in by the state government usually abandon the school, he said: “Because of the deplorable state of the road, some of them are afraid to come.
“Some wrote retirement letters to the government, while some of them even went back without the consent of the government. The school is suffering because of lack of teachers. Some of the pupils whose parents don’t have what it takes to send them outside are here in the community.
“If we have teachers, those students can come back. We had about 10 pupils in attendance last week.
“Others are still at home waiting for who will bell the cat. Those are the common challenges that we have.
“I believe that now that we have started, there will be improvement as we go on.
“Some parents said they will not send their children to school if there are no teachers.”
He noted that “some of us who are natives are here because we want our community to grow educationally. I graduated from the University of Calabar. I came down to the community to help. I am being paid N20, 000 but we are trying to negotiate so that they can increase it. It is a challenge but it is a sacrifice on our part. When I come back from school, I go to my farm. Even when it is 2 o’clock, I defy the hot sun and go to the farm. I really don’t care. It is just a sacrifice.”
Speaking on the dilapidated state of the buildings, he said: “Some of our classrooms have broken down as you can see. We have made arrangements for the renovation.
“We are making efforts for the pupils to have a conducive learning environment.
“Everything is done by the community. An NGO recently gave us benches and chairs.”
Clan head weeps over community’s plight
The Clan Head of Ekuri Clan and Village Head of New Ekuri, Chief Abel Egbe, is saddened by the state of the Migrant Secondary School and the implications for educational development of the community and the children.
Before government took over the management of the school and renamed it, Chief Egbe said: It had teachers when it was Community Secondary School. Then, the students were up to 96 .
“This Migrant Secondary School thing came when the government decided to take over the school and sent me three teachers, including the principal.
Initially, we were happy. I also employed three PTA teachers to add so that they could run their subjects and everything smoothly, and the school was okay.
“But later, the government decided to transfer three teachers out of the school, leaving only one teacher. How would one teacher run from JSS1 to Ss3?
The one that I employed was from Abi. He was the one that was teaching pure science subjects.
“It was this community that was taking care of him. We gave him food and accommodation, among other things. He was happy and stayed to teach the children.”
Chief Egbe, however, said after some time, “the teacher became sick and injected himself.
“Before we could discover that he was sick, the injection had gone so much into his system. We could not help, and he eventually died.
“So, from that time, the government has not supplied teachers and parents cannot allow their children to remain there.
“When lectures are supposed to be going on, there would be no teachers to teach them.
“Those are the challenges we are facing.”
As the leader of the community, he is disturbed by the mass drop out of pupils in the community from school.
He said: “I am even crying now. That is the reason for the falling standard of education in the community.
If children are no longer going to school, how do you think the community will grow? The children will no longer be in the way they’re supposed to be measured with other children outside.
“There will be problems in the community. The children will become stubborn because they are not educated.
“That is why we have all these problems of cultism, because the ones that are doing those things are not educated.
“We already have the challenge of cultism in the community. Yes, we do.
“Some of the children are not trained.
They remain in the community, and then they do what they like.
“Some of them don’t even stay in the same house with their parents. They stay on their own and do what they like.
“If those children were in school and they had been trained, they would not have been doing all those things. They would have been focused on their education.”
From the body language of the community members, Chief Egbe said, “parents are still looking forward to seeing if teachers will come so that they can retain their children without going out again.
“We now have the school principal and vice-principal.We have three PTA teachers but we have employed one and two are still waiting to be employed.
“We also wanted science subject teachers so that they would be able to run the school well.”
He further said: “Now that we are going to be employing PTA teachers, it is the community that will be paying them. That is the problem.
“Initially, when we were employing PTA teachers, and we knew that government teachers were not there, what we used to do was that after collecting school fees from the students, we would use it to pay the teachers.
“Now, we hope to get money to pay them by levying ourselves. The levy is according to age groups by age groups, or we can do it by asking women, youth and men to pay a certain amount.”
Challenge with schools board
Reliving his challenges with state schools board, Chief Egbe said: “When the school board called me, they said they learnt that parents have moved out their children from the school since the government has transferred all the teachers.
“They wanted to close the school. How do you close the school instead of sending us teachers?
“I told them to give me teachers who would go to teach in the school so that parents will allow their children to come back to the village.
“I told them they were the cause of the problem for transferring all the teachers from my school.”
Confirming claims that pupils wishing to go to the local government area to school will pay as much as N40,000 daily, he said: “I paid N20,000 to get to Akamkpa yesterday. Yes, It is between N18,000 and N20,000.
“If you carry a load, it is exactly N20,000. To go and come back is like N36,000.”
Cross River breaks law, charges school fees without teachers, infrastructure
As part of its efforts towards making education accessible to every child and stemming the high number of out-of-school pupils in the state, the Cross River State Government in 2006 signed into law the bill for free education for all primary and secondary school pupils. Findings from New Ekuri, however, showed that the law was a complete ruse as pupils in the state still pay fees.
Unfortunately, the payment has not been coming with infrastructure upgrade in the schools.
This much was confirmed by the former Executive Chairman of the State Universal Education Board (SUBEB), Elder Esu Effiong Esu, in August 2024.
Acknowledging the challenges plaguing most public schools in the state while briefing journalists, he said: “They are schools in Cross River that are in very bad shapes.
“Some have no roads. In some, children sit on the floor.
“We will ensure that all this become a thing of the past.
“We’ll improve enrollment and infrastructure, after needs assessment, work plan, head to Abuja for approval, and return to get the job done.”
Lofty as the promise sounded, the people of New Ekuri are still without teachers and basic infrastructure.
Commissioner reacts
The state Commissioner for Education, Sen Prof Steve Odey, in a terse response to our WhatsAPP message last Friday regarding the plight of the pupils and the community in general said: “I will find out from my Education Secretary what is going on there pls. Thanks.”
One week after making the promise, the commissioner didn’t provide any information about the anticipated feedback from the education secretary.
When our correspondent reached out to him again yesterday via WhatsApp message, the commissioner didn’t provide any response.
Checks showed that the message was delivered to him at 2.30pm and read by him at 2.53pm.
