Category: Featured

By Mike Odiegwu, Port Harcourt; Eric Ikhilae, Abuja and David Adenuga Bauchi

• Hayatu-Deen joins Tambuwal in rejecting decision

• Atiku: ‘I’m not part of consensus move’

• Elders’ action not in North’s best interest, say Northern PDP stakeholders

• We ‘re not involved in consensus talks – PDP

Different interest groups in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have sparked a fresh row in the party over Friday’s endorsement of former Senate President Bukola Saraki and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed as North’s consensus candidates in next month’s primaries of the party by PDP Northern Elders and former military president Ibrahim Babangida.

One of the party’s four presidential candidates that mooted the idea of consensus, Alhaji Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, yesterday joined Sokoto State Governor Aminu Tambuwal in rejecting the elders’ decision.

Like Tambuwal, he vowed to forge ahead with his aspiration and test his popularity during the primaries.

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said he had never been part of the consensus deal while former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido told the elders off, saying their action was not in the best interest of the generality of Northerners whose cause they claimed to be fighting.

The Hayatu-Deen Campaign Organisation declared  that the process of arriving at a consensus candidate had collapsed in the first place and branded the Professor Ango Abdullahi committee that  handled the process as ‘completely faceless’ and its evaluation criteria “totally subjective.”

The Director General of the campaign organisation, Lamis Shehu Dikko, said in a statement that Alhaji Hayatu-Deen had decided that his campaign “will now be undertaken independently to maintain the sanctity and integrity of the Peoples Democratic Party.”

He said: “For the record, we would like to state that the process of arriving at a consensus candidate had collapsed. The candidates involved could not reach a compromise amongst themselves, resulting in the decision of our principal, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, and Governor Aminu Tambuwal to discontinue the process.

“The announcement we witnessed yesterday (Friday) was not based on the principles of equity and transparency, which we believe should lead the country and the party into the future.

“The committee constituted by Prof. Ango Abdullahi is completely faceless and the evaluation criteria are totally subjective.

“It seems to us that this entire charade was designed to achieve a preconceived outcome.

“The focus of our candidate, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, is to prove to our great party and Nigerians in general that he is the best man for the job as we proceed towards a truly democratic process at the PDP primaries.

“We believe that the lack of consensus amongst the Prof. Ango Abdullahi-led effort and the politicking of other candidates should not jeopardise the electoral success of the Peoples Democratic Party or threaten the peace and prosperity of Nigeria.

“Mohammed Hayatu-Deen is a business professional with years of experience leading successful organisations that have provided jobs and opportunities for millions of Nigerians.

“He is a man who understands the pains and sufferings of the average Nigerian and has a plan to return our great nation to prosperity.

“Mohammed Hayatu-Deen wants to build a Nigeria that works for everybody. He is the best candidate for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Why endorsement can’t hold – Tambuwal

Moments after Prof Abdullahi announced the endorsement of Saraki and Bala Mohammed on Friday, the Tambuwal Campaign Organisation pronounced it dead on arrival as all the four aspirants involved in promoting consensus had agreed 48 hours before the Minna announcement that their plan had hit the rocks.

It said: “The correct situation is that the team met on Wednesday, 20th April, 2022, at Bauchi Governor’s lodge in Abuja and had a review meeting and unanimously agreed that the consensus arrangement was not working.

“The team further agreed that Sen. Saraki should come up with a draft statement on how to communicate this decision to the Nigerian public. This was the last time that members of the team sat and mutually agreed on anything.

“The proposed meeting to review and vet the statement scheduled for 10 pm of the same day was aborted unilaterally by Sen. Saraki via a WhatsApp message.

“However, on Thursday, April 21st, 2022, same Sen. Saraki circulated yet another WhatsApp message suggesting that members of the team should head to Minna for a meeting on Friday. Gov. Tambuwal reached other members of the team and informed them that he stands by the decision of the team that the initiative is not working.

“This is the reason Gov. Tambuwal was absent at today’s (Friday) meeting in Minna. As a result, therefore, the outcome of the Minna meeting has no consequence or any implication on the aspiration of Gov. Tambuwal, who had earlier on informed his colleagues of maintaining their agreed position that the initiative has collapsed.

“Members of the public should be reminded that what was canvassed for was a consensus candidate and not consensus candidates.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Gov Tambuwal has submitted his presidential nomination forms and now that the quest for a consensus candidate out of the four has clearly collapsed, will go ahead and face screening and indeed contest the PDP presidential primary.

“This is in consonance with his acclaimed outlook as a pan-Nigerian candidate, with pedigree of national service as the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives, life member of the Body of Benchers and now in his second and final term as Governor of Sokoto State.”

Arewa group knocks Tambuwal

However, the Northern Democratic Defense League (NDDL) yesterday faulted Tambuwal’s action.

The group in a statement signed by its Coordinator, Auwal Liti Darazo, claimed that only a few hours before the Minna announcement, Tambuwal had been quoted in many national dailies as commending consensus as a good thing, healthy for the party, and saying “I’m thinking that the consensus will favour me.”

The group said the Northern Elders were right to come to the conclusion that the North East and North Central should be given a chance this time around because the North West has been having it good since the inception of the Fourth Republic.

It said: “The simple fact that the elders have so patriotically submitted that other zones which have not had the opportunity should be considered this time around, speaks volumes about their integrity, selflessness, patriotic love for the North and for country.

“It is therefore contradictory that Tambuwal who claims the ability to unite the whole country should also be the one fuming over an exercise in inclusivity that tilts towards zones that have previously been deprived of such opportunities.”

Atiku: ‘I’ve never been part of this consensus’

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar said he was not bound by the decision of the Ango Abdullahi committee as he was never part of the consensus deal.

The Technical Committee for the Actualisation of Atiku Abubakar’s Presidency said in a statement that it owed it a duty to officially distance Atiku from the exercise after being “inundated with several calls and text messages from concerned party members”.

Spokesman for the group, Dr.Raymond Dokpesi, said: “It must be stated categorically and equivocally that Waziri Atiku Abubakar MA, GCON Vice President Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999-2007, was NEVER a part of this purported consensus arrangement, neither did he at any time nor in any place subject himself to any purported consensus process.

“Therefore, Waziri Atiku Abubakar is NOT BOUND by any of the recommendations and conclusions of the purported report.

“As an avowed nationalist, Waziri Atiku Abubakar strongly believes that Nigeria has never been as divided as it is today. He strongly believes that any ‘consensus’ arrangement premised on any regional, zonal, ethno-religious, and/or sectional gang-up will further deepen and widen this divide, and worsen the wounds that urgently need to be healed.

“Consequently, Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is anxious to implement plans, policies and programmes that will rescue and rebuild Nigeria. This is his unwavering and resolute pledge and commitment.”

We’re not involved in consensus talks – PDP

Similarly, the leadership of the PDP has distanced itself from the controversial consensus arrangement.

The party said it was not involved in the talks in the first place and the entire arrangement was initiated by the aspirants themselves.

“The party leadership is not part of the consensus arrangement even though they were not against it, a source told The Nation in Abuja.

“Of course the party would have loved to have a situation where the 17 aspirants themselves are able to prune their number.

“But the party has no say in the matter and would be ready to work with whatever the aspirants agree upon. And if at the end of the day all the 17 aspirants want to contest at the primaries, so be it,” another party source told our correspondent yesterday.

When our correspondent called to get the reaction from the spokesman for the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, he promised to call back. But he had yet to call as of the time of filing this report.

There are 17 aspirants in the race for the party’s presidential ticket.

On the list are Bukola Saraki, Aminu Tambuwal, Atiku Abubakar, Pius Anyim, Peter Obi, Sam Ohuabunwa, Dele Momodu, Bala Mohammed and Mohammed Hayatu-Deen.

Others are Nyesom Wike, Nwachukwu Anakwenze, Udom Emmanuel, Ayo Fayose, Cosmos Ndukwe, Charles Ugwu, Chikwendu Kalu and Tariele Diana Oliver (the only female among the aspirants).

You got it wrong, Lamido slams Northern Elders

Also reacting to the development yesterday, the immediate past governor of Jigawa State, Alhaji Sule Lamido, said the Minna deal was nothing more than the “personal opinion of those who issued the statement.”

His words: “Having widely consulted party leaders across the 19 northern states and FCT, it is hereby stated to our teeming party members and the general public that what is reported in the media is only the personal opinion of those who issued the statement and not the position of the PDP members in the north.

“Discussions are ongoing with all the aspirants in our party with a view to having a consensus if possible or at least working towards having a smooth, acrimony-free national convention.”

“The position of the Northern Elders is not only injurious to the North but equally injurious to the northern aspirants!”

If you don’t endorse us, others will, Bala replies Lamido

In a swift response last night to the statement by Alhaji Sule Lamido, Governor Bala Mohammed said it did not matter if Lamido opted not to support the consensus arrangement.

Addressing journalists at the Bauchi Government House shortly after receiving the management of The Sun newspapers who paid him a courtesy call, he said the elder statesman was entitled to his opinion.

He said: “I’ve tremendous respect for Alhaji Sule Lamido, a former governor who is leading other former governors.

“It’s a pity if he was not consulted, but certainly, he is not the only person in northern Nigeria, and those that have been contacted have done the job on his behalf. But he is entitled to his opinion.

“Even if he does not endorse us, others will endorse us.

“Of course, we are not taking it that we have been adjudged the best, but we are calling on others who didn’t make it in the consensus to come and join hands with us and our southern compatriots so that we’ll do the primaries with minimum rancour.”

Afenifere knocks Northern Elders over consensus candidate

The Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, similarly criticised the PDP Northern Elders for their action which it said exposed the quagmire of conscience they found themselves in the critical question of moving Nigeria forward.

It said the overriding interests of the continued corporate existence of Nigeria required more reflective statesmanship.

Secretary General of Afenifere, Sola Ebiseni, in a statement in Akure said that the Elders inconsistently set aside all their vaunted factors in preference for equity.

Ebiseni said: “In their sermons they settled for aspirants from the North Central and North East against that of the North West only on the ground of adjudged equity that the zone had produced presidential candidates and presidents.

“They are deliberately oblivious of the indubitable history of Nigeria that the first executive ruler of Nigeria, Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, August 1957-January 1966, was from the North East and specifically Bauchi State and that most of the Military Heads of the Nigerian State were of the North Central origin.

“It beats the imagination that the northern elders would fervently seek to execute their northern agenda in the PDP which controls only five of its 19 states. The nation waits in the wings to see the outcome of this gerrymandering.

“The resolves of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum that the next President of Nigeria, after Buhari’s eight years full term, should be a person of Southern Nigeria origin, in the interest of equity, national sense of belonging and cohesion is the national consensus. No group or section is greater than Nigeria and the compelling interest of its corporate existence.”

Bala may withdraw for Saraki

Indications emerged yesterday that the Bauchi Governor may withdraw from the race and support Saraki for the ticket.

A source close to the consensus group confided in The Nation that Mohammed was being persuaded to back down and seek re-election as Bauchi governor.

According to the source who did not want to be named, those persuading the governor were of the view that it would be easier for him to win re-election in Bauchi than winning the presidential ticket.

The party source said: “Yes, some stakeholders, including some elders are discussing with the Bauchi governor to pull out of the presidential race and face his governorship re-election.

“The elders have reasoned that a bird in hand is worth a thousand in the bush. More so, the elders are being made to understand that the Bauchi people have been mounting pressure on their governor to seek re-election to enable him complete the good work he has started in the state.”

The source however, said the governor was yet to make up his mind on whether or not to drop his presidential bid for a second tenure as Bauchi governor.

Governor Mohammed, who was elected in 2019 on the platform of the PDP, is currently serving his first tenure in office.

Constitutionally, he is eligible to seek re-election in 2023.

However, the timeline for the submission of nomination forms for all elective positions expired last Friday.

It was gathered that only one aspirant had obtained the governorship nomination form for Bauchi as at the close of nomination.

The lone aspirant, Ahmadu Ahmed Mu’azu, is the first son of an ex governor of Bauchi State, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu.

The PDP Northern Elders in their assessment of the four aspirants had awarded 10 marks each to Saraki and Governor Mohammed.

The two other contenders in the group; Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Tambuwal and a former banker, Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, were awarded seven and five marks respectively.

An insider account said in arriving at the decision, the committee considered PDP presidential nomination process since 1999.

The elders were said to have isolated the cumulative 13 years of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as president from 1999 to 2015 on the platform of the PDP.

In between the 13 years, the late Umaru Yar’ Adua was elected in 2007 before he died in office in 2010.

Yar’ Adua hailed from Katsina State, in the Northwest zone. Tambuwal is also from the Northwest.

The elders were said to have observed that the Northeast and the North Central have not occupied the presidency since 1999.

They also observed that the Northeast had taken a shot at the in 1999 on the platform of the PDP with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as flag bearer.

Bauchi State, where Bala Mohammed comes from, is also in the Northeast.

That leaves the North Central as the only zone among the three zones in the North that has never had the opportunity of taking a shot at the presidency.

Kwara State, where Saraki comes from, is in the North Central. This, insiders said, apparently formed the basis of the outcome of NEF’s assessment.

PDP risks extinction if it fails to win presidential poll, Wike tells Anamabra delegates

Also yesterday, Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike said the PDP risked going into extinction should it fail to present an electable candidate for the 2023 presidential election.

Wike, who is a PDP presidential aspirant, said winning the 2023 general election was crucial to the survival of the party.

He said he remained the most electable aspirant capable of defeating the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The governor in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media, Kelvin Ebiri, spoke while wooing Anambra State PDP leaders and delegates to support his presidential ambition in Awka, the capital of Anambra State on Saturday.

He told the delegates that as a mark of honour, he had to personally visit Awka to formally notify them of his ambition to become the next President.

He said: “I didn’t send anybody to you, because I have respect for you. We have been in opposition since 2015 and if we don’t win this election in 2023, we can as well forget PDP. And so, everything must be done to win this election.

“No sentiment should be brought in. And of all the aspirants, whether the person is from Anambra, Sokoto, Imo, look at all of us. Who can withstand APC in this election? It is me.”

PDP NEC meeting holds May 4

The National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been scheduled for Wednesday, May 4, 2022.

A statement issued on Sunday by the National Secretary of the PDP, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, said the meeting will hold at the PDP national secretariat by 2pm.

Although Anyanwu did not state the agenda, sources said the meeting may deliberate on the report of the 27-member Zoning Committee set up by the NEC in March.

The committee, chaired by Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, had submitted its report to the National Working Committee (NWC) of the PDP.

The NWC is expected to submit the report to NEC at the meeting. Controversy had trailed leaked information suggesting that the committee had thrown the race for the PDP presidential ticket open to all contestants.

There is a sharp division among party stakeholders in the North and South over which region should produce the presidential candidate for the 2023 election.

The contest for the ticket had led to strong verbal exchange among some of the 17 aspirants and stakeholders in their respective regions over which region should fly the presidential flag.

The party has fixed its presidential primaries for May 28-29.

By Toba Adedeji, Osogbo; Yinka Adeniran; Segun Showunmi, Ibadan and Samuel Oamen

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi, joined his ancestors on Friday night only about two weeks after dreaming that his own late father told him that he was due for the final home call.

A female palace aide told reporters yesterday in Oyo that Oba Adeyemi personally told some of his aides about the dream.

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, separately told of his last encounter with Oba Adeyemi only last week while the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, recalled how the deceased  sought to reconcile some feuding Yoruba politicians in Ibadan recently.

But he regretted that the Alaafin could not fulfill his promise to “make his first visit to me” before death came calling.

A son of the late traditional ruler, Prince Akeem Adeyemi, said his father was able to reconcile with almost everybody he had differences with before his death.

The palace aide, who did not disclose her name, said: “Baba (Alaafin) told some of us about two weeks ago about a dream he had of his father telling him that his time was up and should come over to the other side.”

She added: “My father has gone to be with his forefathers. Atanda (Alaafin) has gone to dwell with his forefathers. He is not dead.”

An Oyo son, Adekunle Wakili, said in a separate interview at the palace yesterday that the late Alaafin, while responding to compliments by a prominent Islamic preacher, had said that every man must taste death.

The Islamic preacher had hailed the late Adeyemi in Yoruba as “omo Iku ti Iku o gbodo pa; omo arun ti arun ogbodo se”, meaning the son of Death who Death must not kill; the son of Sickness that Sickness must not touch.”

I visited him a week ago — Oluwo 

The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, said he visited the late Alaafin in Oyo only a week ago after feeling drawn to him.

He said: “Alaafin was a worthy father. The rich and truthful pictures of Oba Adeyemi always endeared liberal minds to him.

“During the last moment, we had a long talk about traditions. We had jolly talks as usual at our last meeting.

“I told him that I had things in common with him and he was the pillar God used in keeping the traditional institution.

“I enjoyed many things about the Alaafin, and I told him that he represented true traditional institution, always telling the truth and standing by it.

“I said that he was mentally rich and that caused our relationship to be strong. I prayed for him.

“Oba Adeyemi’s vacuum is most likely irreplaceable. His death is no doubt the end of an era. He was a force and a true, responsible father to the Yoruba nation.

“Even at death, I will continue to adore him by promoting his achievements.”

Alaafin’s unfulfilled promise to me — Ooni 

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, said the Alaafin, toward the end of his earthly sojourn, met behind closed doors with some feuding top Yoruba politicians in Ibadan with a view to settling their differences.

He said that unfortunately, death prevented the Alaafin from fulfilling his promise to pay a visit to the Ooni Palace.

Oba Ogunwusi, in a statement through his Director of Media & Public Affairs, Otunba Moses Olafare, described the deceased as “a great icon, a great monarch who saw Oyo through civilization and modern development without jettisoning the cultural sacredness of the throne first occupied by Alaafin Oranmiyan The Great.

“Ile Oodua Palace and the Ooni had a great working relationship with the late Alaafin who gave his best in resolving major conflicts in Yoruba land and uniting all sons and daughters of Oduduwa globally among other landmark achievements.

“The late Alaafin is one of the privileged elders who contributed to the growth of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and also saw the country through military and democratic eras with unquantifiable positive inputs.”

He appealed to the Yoruba to pray for the deceased’s family and Oyo indigenes at this trying time, adding: “May the Almighty Olodumare (God) also be with the Oyomesi at this critical time that may challenge the culture and traditions of their ancestors in the process of burial rites and the process of selecting the next Alaafin.

“The position of Alaafin is too culturally important to be handled in a way that undermines our collective traditions and culture. Olodumare shall solidly stand with the OYOMESI and the entire Oyo kingdom.”

He reconciled with those he had differences with –Son on his last days

House of Representatives member and son of the late Alaafin, Prince Akeem Adeyemi, said his father reconciled with almost everybody he had differences with before his demise.

He said: “It is a pity we lost a man who has given Oyo its true name; a man who has truly represented Yoruba culture; a symbol of Yoruba tradition.

“A man of epitome of knowledge and wisdom is gone. What can we do? We can’t query the Almighty God.

“We love him and we are celebrating a life well spent. The legacy he left behind is for us to always defend Yoruba and always say the truth, no matter whose ox is gored.”

Oba Adeyemi passed on at the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti on Friday night aged 83.

Had he lived, he would have celebrated his 52nd year on the throne on November 18.

He was said to have fallen ill and had even slightly recovered before he was taken to the Afe Babalola University Teaching Hospital for a short rest.

Arrangement had also been concluded for him to be flown abroad for further medical attention but all that was aborted by his death.

He was due to be given traditional burial at Baara, the Oyo royal cemetery, last night.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quoted a source as describing Baara as not just the final resting place of all the Alaafins, but ”also a place where the Alaafin goes whenever there is need to commune with his ancestors to seek  guidance or direction.”

Earlier yesterday, the Chief Imam of Oyoland, Sheikh Moshood Ajokidero, had led other Muslims during the Janazat prayer for him.

As soon as the Janazah prayer was completed, Sango worshippers took over the corpse for the traditional aspect of the burial.

Mourners were ordered out of the hall where the body of the late monarch was laid and the Sango devotees formed a circle round it, chanting dirges and eulogies of  the deity.

Sango was an Alaafin himself.

A curfew was imposed on the town from 7pm yesterday to enable the traditionalists perform their functions

The departure of Oba Adeyemi brings to three the numbers of First Class monarchs who have joined their ancestors in the last five month in Oyo State.

The Soun of Ogbomoso, Oba Jimoh Oyewumi, died on December 12, 2021 while Olubadan Saliu Adetunji died on January 2, 2022.

Socio-economic activities across Oyo town were paralysed yesterday as news of the Oba’s demise spread.

Thousands of residents trooped to the palace to pay him their last respects.

Shops and businesses around Alaafin’s palace were shut down while people gathered in their hundreds to mourn the late monarch.

Some areas close to the palace like Aremo, Ile Asumo, Atigisi, Asipa, Obalolu, and Lagondoko, to mention a few, were deserted.

Oba Lamidi Adeyemi was born on October 15, 1938. He came from the Alowolodu Royal House and was  a member of the House of Oranmiyan.

His father, Raji Adeniran  Adeyemi, became the Alaafin in 1945 but was deposed and exiled in 1954, 10 years after, for sympathising with the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC).

Lamidi Adeyemi was chosen by the kingmakers on November 18, 1970, and then moved into the palace after completing the necessary rites under the tutelage of the Oyomesi.

Oba Adeyemi succeeded Alaafin Gbadegesin Ladigbolu II in 1970.

Barring a last-minute change, the rescheduled sales of expression of interest and nomination forms of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will now begin nationwide on Tuesday. The Nation has learnt. The exercise which was scheduled to have begun yesterday (Saturday) was postponed due to some logistics and administrative challenges. A party source who spoke in confidence told our correspondent that the new date was arrived at on Friday night in Abuja by the party.

The Nation further learnt that nomination forms for aspirants to the State House of Assembly will be sold in the various states as the party has decided to send this category of forms to each of 36 State headquarters of the party. The sales of forms for other positions from the House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship and Presidency will be carried out in Abuja by the party. It was however gathered that this category of forms to be sold in Abuja will be at a designated place by the party due to the ongoing renovation of the national secretariat of the party.

“The sales of expression of interest and nomination forms will now start nationwide on Tuesday. The NWC is conscious of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) June 3rd deadline given to all political parties, hence, it was resolved that forms for State Houses of Assembly be sold at the state level. The National Secretariat will dispatch the State House of Assembly forms to the states over the weekend to enable them to start on Tuesday.

“For those aspiring for other positions from House of Representatives, Senate, Governorship and Presidential, their forms will be sold by the National Secretariat at a designated place to be announced by Monday. The ongoing renovation at the Mohammadu Buhari House necessitated the change in venue of sales.” Our source further said: “but for the delay in the delivery of the forms by the printers, the NWC is committed to concluding all arrangements for the conduct of primaries as scheduled by INEC.

The Nation reported yesterday that the sale of party nomination forms has been postponed till sometime this week. Efforts to get the National Organising Secretary, Alhaji Sualiman Muhammad Arugungu failed but a source in the Directorate of Organisation confirmed the new date. “We are good to go by Tuesday. Detail information about the exercise will soon be made known to the Press,” our source offered.

By Bolaji Ogundele, Abuja; Yinka Adeniran, Ibadan; Osagie Otabor, Akure; Ernest Nwokolo, Abeokuta; Segun Showunmi, Ibadan; Okungbowa Aiwerie, Asaba and Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday hailed the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi (III), for what he called the deceased’s immense contributions to national development.

He particularly acknowledged Oba Adeyemi’s roles in “national meetings and conferences to shape the future of the country, and the living words of wisdom he shared at every opportunity on unity and people-focused governance.”

Similar condolence messages came from former President Olusegun Obasanjo, National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, state governors and traditional rulers.

Besides, thousands of mourners besieged the Alaafin’s Palace in Oyo to pay their last respects to the Oba while others went on social media, eulogising him as a great promoter and defender of Yoruba culture.

Buhari, in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, said Oba Adeyemi’s reign covered major historic transitions in the country, and witnessed transformations in his domain.

“The President affirms that the Alaafin of Oyo’s 52 years rule was remarkable in many ways. Most significant was the emphasis he placed on human development, thereby encouraging learning as a culture and formal education as a necessity while promoting values of peace and stability.”

He said he shared the grief with the Oyo State Traditional Council, Oba Lamidi’s family, friends, and associates, particularly in sports where he left another footprint and prayed that the Almighty God would receive his soul.

Tinubu: A big Iroko has fallen

Tinubu, in his own tribute, said the late Alaafin “fostered harmony and brought prosperity and development to the ancient Oyo Kingdom. He was loved by his people.”

“Wisely ruling on the throne for 52 years, he became the longest reigning Alaafin that ever ruled Oyo Kingdom.

“With his transition, a big Iroko has fallen. His passing was an auspicious era in the ancient Oyo Kingdom, but also for the Yoruba and the entirety of the black race,” Tinubu said.

He added: “An elder statesman and patriot, Alaafin Adeyemi was bold and courageous. He spoke truth to power.

“His interventions in national affairs helped the nation navigate difficult moments and helped usher a more just society.

“He played vital roles in the struggle for democracy, working assiduously towards the establishment of our democracy.

“In recognition of his important contributions to peace, religious harmony and stability in Nigeria, the nation gifted him the high honour of Commander of the Federal Republic.

“Alaafin was also a strong pillar of the arts, culture and tradition.

“Kabiyesi took upon himself the task of promoting Nigerian arts and culture for which he received many ambassadorial awards in Nigeria and beyond.”

He spoke of what he called his abiding personal relationship with Oba Adeyemi, and described him as a mentor, leader and father figure.

He recalled visiting the deceased two months ago at his palace in Oyo to “seek his prayers and blessings which he graciously gave. Little did I know it was the last time we would see each other face to face.”

He prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed traditional ruler.

Yoruba have lost a great ruler, worthy father – Makinde

Oyo State governor ‘Seyi Makinde called the death of the Alaafin “a huge loss to the state, Nigeria and the Yoruba race.”

He said the demise of the Oba was a personal loss to him, as he was “an ever-supportive royal father and a worthy leader who spared nothing in trying to make Oyo State and Nigeria greater”.

Continuing, he said: “Kabiyesi’s departure is a huge loss not only to Oyo State to which he committed 52 years of his life as the Alaafin of Oyo Kingdom, but also to Nigeria and the entire Yoruba race.”

According to him, Oba Adeyemi was our last man standing in the rank of most eminent royal fathers with long years of leadership.

“He became a golden king, an institution and an authority rolled into one by virtue of his immense experience, wisdom and understanding of Yoruba history, royalty and politics.

“Oba Adeyemi not only elevated the Alaafin throne with his knowledge and wisdom, he became a worthy exemplar for royal leadership in Africa and brought glory to Oyo State and Nigeria.

“Kabiyesi never spared anything in his strive to make Oyo State greater and to bring about the Nigeria of everyone’s collective dream.

“Personally, Kabiyesi’s death is a great loss to me, because he proved to be a worthy father and had been ever so supportive of our government.”

He left an enduring legacy – Sanwoolu

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the late Oba Adeyemi’s service to the people of Oyo town, Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole, especially in the area of promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition, will remain his enduring legacy.

He said: “The death of Oba Adeyemi is a great loss not only to the people of Oyo State but the entire Yoruba sons and daughters at home and in the diaspora because of the unique position the Alaafin of Oyo holds as a descendant of Oduduwa. He will be greatly missed.

“He was one of the great promoters of Yoruba culture and tradition. He contributed immensely to the growth and development of Oyo Kingdom and improved the livelihood of the people of the town.

“As a first-class monarch, he left a lasting legacy that the people of Oyo ancient town will continue to cherish.”

He urged the family, friends and associates of the deceased as well as the entire people of Oyo Kingdom to work towards immortalising him and ensuring that his legacies are sustained.

Akeredolu: He was a quintessential traditional ruler

Chairman, Southwest Governors’ Forum and Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, said: “We have lost a quintessential traditional ruler and custodian of the Yoruba culture. His contributions to the development and advancement of the country and Yoruba land in particular are unquantifiable.

“He was a great pillar; a great giant who did not only represent our cultural values but also preserved and promoted the Yoruba culture. He was a repository of knowledge.

“With over five decades on the throne of his fathers, Oba Lamidi III was the longest-reigning Alaafin whose reign has been the most remarkable for the entire Oyo Kingdom.

“His commitment toward ensuring the unity of the Yoruba cannot be forgotten in a hurry. He lived a life invariably imbued with candour and resplendence. He was royal to the end.”

He was an exemplar of our culture – Abiodun

For Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State, Oba Adeyemi was a shining “custodian and exemplar of Yoruba culture and tradition.”

He said posterity and history would remember the service and dedication of the deceased to Yorubaland, and his immense contributions to ensure peace and unity in the country.

“It is unfortunate that Kabiyesi had to take his leave of us at this period when we need his wisdom the most as we approach the 2023 general elections; a critical period in our political landmarks,”   he said.

Obaseki: He was kind, brave, cheerful

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State said of him: “Brave and cheerful, Oba Adeyemi embodied the ideals of the Yoruba nation, promoting the rich culture and heritage of the Yoruba and providing wise counsel to those who sought guidance from the throne.

“During his over 50-year spell on the throne, Oyo witnessed numerous transformations and transitions, but he remained true to his heritage and harped on the need for brotherly love and conscientious living.

“He will be remembered for his kind nature, conviviality, wisdom and love for humanity and living.”

His influence transcended Oyo, says Okowa

Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, said the late monarch’s 52 years reign recorded remarkable peace and tremendous development in his domain.

“He will be remembered for his contributions to the peace, unity and development of his kingdom and the entire Oyo State,” Okowa stated.

He urged the family of the deceased royal father, friends, associates and the people of Oyo to take solace in the knowledge that the monarch lived an exemplary life and was a great voice on national issues.

He prayed that Almighty God would grant the soul of the departed monarch eternal rest.

Oyetola: It’s shocking

Osun State Governor Adegboyega Oyetola said he was shocked by the demise of the Alaafin of Oyo.

The Governor said: “I received with sadness news of the transition of Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III. This is a huge loss to the entire Yoruba race and the country as a whole.

“On behalf of the government and the good people of Osun, I commiserate with Governor Seyi Makinde, the royal family, subjects, friends and associates of the late traditional ruler.

“Oba Adeyemi was a visionary and an exemplary leader whose 52-year reign brought tremendous attention, peace, stability and unprecedented development to the ancient Oyo town and its people.

“Baba was a strong believer in progressive ideals, and he remained true to his convictions over the years until he breathed his last.

“He will be long remembered for his impacts, achievements, outstanding legacies and remarkable service as a custodian of the rich Yoruba cultural heritage and traditions.

“I pray Allah overlook his shortcomings and admit him to Al Jannah Firdaus. May He also grant his immediate family, Governor Makinde and the entire people of Oyo State the fortitude to bear his loss.”

Gbajabiamila saddened by Alaafin’s demise

House of Representatives Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila described the passing away of the Alaafin as a sad development that touched him personally.

Gbajabiamila, who was recently conferred with the title of Aare Baasofin of Yoruba Land by the late Alaafin, said the death of the traditional ruler has created a void too difficult to fill.

He described the deceased as a very intelligent father with a sound grasp of traditional, social, political and international history, as well as a man of peace whose five decades of quality leadership to his people endeared him to the masses.

He said the Alaafin would be sorely missed by him and all Nigerians, especially the Yoruba people, as he served as a father figure to all, giving wise counsel when needed.

He recalled how the late Oba supported the political career of many Nigerian leaders, especially his own (Gbajabiamila’s) journey to the position of Speaker.

He was a symbol of Nigeria’s epic struggle in self discovery, self-actualisation – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, in his own tribute, said: “Alaafin Oba Adeyemi stood out as a voice of forthrightness in national affairs and he was as well a fervent promoter of mutual tolerance and understanding not only among the diverse people who live in his domain but also across the country.

“It is well acknowledged that it was during his reign that Oyo town got transformed to the modern city that it has become today and not surprisingly, his contribution to nation-building was also acknowledged in the conferment of the esteemed national honour of Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR, on him, and other honorary degrees that he received from some Nigerian and outside educational institutions.

“Like most great leaders, Alaafin was all things to all people. To his family, he was a tower of strength and a committed provider; to his community of Oyo land, he was an early model in national leadership; to his Yoruba kinsmen, he was a worthy Ambassador; and to the rest of Nigeria, he was a symbol of a nation’s epic struggle in self discovery and self-actualisation.

“Although Oba Adeyemi’s passage is like a dream, especially as he left us at a crucial state in our nation’s history when his wise counsel and rich experience are greatly needed, I would urge you and all the members of his immediate and extended family to take solace in the worthy legacy and his mark on the history of this country he left behind.  In fact, we ought to give gratitude to God for his worthy life.

“May God grant his family, the good people of Oyo land and the entire Oyo State the grace to bear the heavy loss of his death. May the soul of the dear departed rest in perfect peace.”

It’s end of a remarkable, glorious era – Olubadan

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun, Alli Okunmade II, said the death of Oba Lamidi Adeyemi signified the end of a remarkable and glorious era.

The Olubadan, who expressed shock at the news of the death of the Oyo traditional ruler, recalled that the late Adeyemi personally attended his coronation/installation last month.

He described the late traditional ruler as “a royal father per excellence, who projected Yoruba culture and civilisation with awe and dignity”.

According to him, with his exit, Yoruba has lost a rare gem.

It’s a colossal loss, says Emir of Ilorin

The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, said Oba Adeyemi’s departure was not only a colossal loss to traditional institutions in the nation but the end of another era.

The world, he said, would “surely miss the exit of a bridge builder.”

“The late Oba Adeyemi III used his long reign and old age to foster unity among the Yoruba race,” he said.

TO MEND A BROKEN NATION: THE EASTER METAPHOR (ON NIGERIA):

(Easter Message by Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Diocese of Sokoto, April 17th, 2022)

1: Hello brothers and sisters in Christ, men and women of goodwill everywhere, I send you hearty greetings and felicitations as we celebrate the risen Christ. Easter is here again. For all Christians, Easter is a metaphor for our lives as individuals, families, communities or nations. Easter is a metaphor for how shame, scandal, powerlessness, weakness, and opprobrium suddenly transform into glory, honour, pre-eminence, laudation and applause. It is a fulfilment of what the Master himself had foretold when He said, ‘Unless a grain of wheat falls on the ground and dies, it remains only a single grain, but if it dies, it bears much fruit’ (Jn. 12: 24). And the Psalmist had said, ‘Those who sow in tears will sing when they reap.’ (Ps. 126:5).

2: The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are central to the Christian faith and yet, as St Paul said, ‘We preach Christ crucified, a scandal to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles’ (1 Cor. 1: 23). St Paul continues: ‘What seems to be God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength’ (1 Cor. 1:25). Without the claims of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, millions of people would be Christian today. As with the times of Jesus, the very idea is preposterous and incomprehensible yet St. Paul still insists that ‘If Christ has not been raised, then our faith is a delusion and we are still in our sins’ (1 Cor. 15:17). It is faith in the resurrection of Christ that inspires us Christians to hold firmly to the fact that, like the people of Israel, our dry bones shall rise again (Ez. 37: 11).

3: Our dear country, Nigeria, still totters and wobbles as we screech towards a dangerous and avoidable canyon of dry bones. Nonetheless, we still cling to hope, a hope in the resurrected Christ, knowing as St. Paul; said, ‘this hope does not disappoint us’ (Rm.5:5). Nigerians can no longer recognise their country which has been battered and buffeted by men and women from the dark womb of time. It is no longer necessary to ask how we got here. The real challenge is how to find the slippery rungs on the ladder of ascent so we can climb out. Yet, we ask, ascend to where? For us as Christians, ascent is to the loving embrace of the resurrected Christ who is Lord of history.

4: One would be tempted to ask, what is there to say about our tragic situation today that has not been said? Who is there to speak that has not spoken? Like the friends of Job, we stare at an imponderable tragedy as the nation unravels from all sides. The government has slid into hibernation mode. It is hard to know whether the problem is that those in power do not hear, see, feel, know, or just don’t care. Either way, from this crossroad, we must make a choice, to go forward, turn left or right or return home. None of these choices are easy, yet, guided by the light of the risen Christ, we can reclaim our country from its impending slide to anarchy.

5: The greatest challenge now is how to begin a process of reconstructing our nation hoping that we can hang on and survive the 2023 elections. The real challenge before us now is to look beyond politics and face the challenge of forming character and faith in our country. Here, leaders of religion, Christianity and Islam, need to truthfully face the role of religion in the survival of our country. The Nigerian Constitution has very clearly delineated the fine boundaries between religion and politics. Yet many politicians continue to behave as if they are presiding over both the political and the spiritual realms in their states rather than governing in a Democracy.

6: This conflict between Caesar and God is inbuilt in faith and is part of world history. Many religious leaders often measure their power by how close they are to Caesar, yet Caesar’s embrace is often full of thorns. The challenge is for the religious leader to know that both Caesar and those he represents are answerable to God who created them. The welfare of citizens constitutes the cornerstone for measuring the legitimacy of any political leader. As such, religious leaders must focus more on the issues of welfare, safety and security of ordinary citizens. They must raise their voice when these rights are being trampled upon. A leader must know when to call Caesar a fox and not a horse (Lk. 13:32).

7: The greatest challenge for Nigeria is not even the 2023 elections. It is the prospects for the reconciliation of our people. Here, the Buhari administration sadly has divided our people on the basis of ethnicity, religion, and region, in a way that we have never witnessed in our history. This carefully choreographed agenda has made Nigerians vulnerable and ignited the most divisive form of identity consciousness among our people. Years of friendships, cultural exchange, and collaboration built over time have now come under serious pressure from stereotyping. Notwithstanding these challenges, religious leaders must recover and deploy their moral authority and avoid falling victim to the schemes of politicians and their material enticements.

8: Today, the values of Interfaith dialogue have come under severe strain and pressure with extremists from both sides of our faiths denigrating the idea of dialogue with their counterparts of other faiths. Ignorance and miseducation have combined with prejudice to create the falsehood that somehow, one religion is superior to the others. With so many ill equipped fraudsters posing as religious leaders, there is an obsession with defaming the others and widening our differences.

9: Religious leaders must face the reality that here in Nigeria and elsewhere around the world, millions of people are leaving Christianity and Islam. While we are busy building walls of division with the blocks of prejudice, our members are becoming atheists but we prefer to pretend that we do not see this. We cannot pretend not to hear the footsteps of our faithful who are marching away into atheism and secularism. No threats can stop this, but dialogue can open our hearts.

10: Thank God, in the last few years, we have had some good news from outside the shores of Nigeria. The most noteworthy is the initiative undertaken by both Pope Francis and the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Mosque, Egypt, Shaikh Mohammed Al-Tayeb in 2019, when both of them met and signed the Document on Human Fraternity. Pope Francis followed up with the publication of an Encyclical titled, Fratelli Tutti, We are all Brothers, in 2020. The following year, the United Nation’s General Assembly declared February 4, World Day of Fraternity. Both leaders agreed that: ‘We need to develop the awareness that nowadays, we are either all saved together or no one is saved. Poverty, decadence, and suffering in one part of the earth are a silent breeding ground for problems that will end up affecting our entire planet.’

11: We need to start thinking of a Nigeria beyond banditry and kidnapping and the endless circles of violence that have engulfed our communities and nation. We cannot continue to pretend that there are no religious undertones to the violence in the name of God that has given our religions a bad name. The way out is for the state to enforce the secular status of the Nigerian state so as to give citizens the necessary freedoms from the shackles of semi-feudal confusion over the status of religion and the state in a plural Democracy. We must be ready to embrace modernity and work out how to preserve our religions and cultures without turning religion into a tool for tyranny, exclusion, and oppression.

12: In finding our way forward, the President must concede that it is within his powers to decide how we are going to end the war that has engulfed and is tearing down our nation. It seems that the federal government has shown far greater commitment to integrating so called repentant terrorists than getting our children back from kidnappers or keeping our universities open. Earlier last month, Operation Safe Corridor announced that it had graduated 599 members of various terrorist groups who have acquired new skills and are now ready to be integrated into society. The total comes to over a thousand now. It is plausible to note that the programme involves pyscho-social support, rehabilitation, vocational training, skill acquisition and start-ups. Despite all this, the larger issue is that their various communities have expressed their reluctance to receive their erring sons back. Nigerians have no access to the transcripts of the texts of the confessions of these terrorists not to talk of evidence of their commitment to not sin again. We have only the words of the terrorists and the same military that they have been fighting a war with. It speaks volumes when the President and his military hierarchy choose to believe these young men who took up arms and for years waged war against their country, killed, maimed and wasted thousands of lives, destroyed entire communities and now, they are being housed, fed, clothed with public funds. All this while their victims have been forced to make the various IDP camps their new homes! Where is the justice for the victims and the rest of the country they have destroyed?

13: As a priest, I cannot be against a repentant sinner or criminals changing their ways. After all, the doors of forgiveness must always remain open. However, in this case, Nigerians have very little information as to the entire rehabilitation processes. Have these terrorists felt the heat or have they seen the light or, is their repentance a mere strategic and tactical repositioning? So far, we have no evidence that these terrorists have been able to confront their victims not to talk of seeking forgiveness from them. Something is wrong. We see these terrorists adorned in our national colours in their green and white kaftans, trousers, and looking like heroes of the state! Are we to assume that they have become acknowledged models for Nigerian youth? Perhaps the next graduating set might be treated to Presidential handshakes, receptions at the villa with full national colours!

14: Only last week, as if in delayed solidarity, the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, JNI, in a Statement stated that: ‘It appears that the continuous callous acts of mayhem, killings and arson happening almost on daily or weekly bases around us; either within communities or on the roads we ply, has automatically reset our human psyche that we now have accepted such dastardly acts as part of our lives, to the extent that we no longer feel it….Any government that is incapable of protecting the lives of its citizens has lost the moral justification of being there in the first place….our humanity is being eroded and that erosion is become a new normal.’ Similarly, the Northern Elders Forum, NEF, and the House of Representatives have finally called on the President to resign since, in their view it is now clear that he cannot protect his citizens. This has come three years after the Catholic Bishops’ Statement issued on April 26th, 2018 made the same call that was greeted with cynicism.

15: The challenge of fixing this broken nation is enormous and, as I have said, requires joint efforts. With everything literally broken down, our country has become one big emergency national hospital with full occupancy. Our individual hearts are broken. Our family dreams are broken. Homes are broken. Churches, Mosques, infrastructure are broken. Our educational system is broken. Our children’s lives and future are broken. Our politics is broken. Our economy is broken. Our energy system is broken. Our security system is broken. Our Roads and Rails are broken. Only corruption is alive and well. So, we ask with the Psalmist, We look up to the hills, from where shall come our help? Our help shall come from the name of the Lord (Ps. 121:2).

16: 2023 beckons and the stage is set. The challenge is whether we have learnt any lessons from the tragedy that has afflicted us in the last few years. The Presidency of Nigeria is not a human right based on ethnic, religious or regional sentiments. The next President of Nigeria must be a man or woman with a heart, a sense of empathy and a soul on fire that can set limits to what human indignities visited on citizens that he or she can tolerate. We have no need for any further empty messianic rhetoric laced with deceitful and grandiose religiosity. We need someone who can fix our broken nation, rid our people of the looming dangers of hunger and destitution. Our Presidential aspirants must show evidence from their legacies and antecedents that they know the country well enough and its severe wounds. Whoever wants to govern us must illustrate that he or she understands what has turned our nation into a national hospital and show us plans for our discharge from this horror. Support for INEC and its infrastructure is fundamental to a free and fair election and we condemn in very strong terms all those criminals who continue to threaten the society with violence. They should meet the full force of the law.

17: I thank the President for accepting the report of the Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy and granting pardon to over 150 Nigerians serving various terms of imprisonment. The more serious challenge is to immediately free all innocent Nigerians who are held captive and whose only crime is that they are living in Nigerians. With the news of the purchase of new sophisticated weapons, we hope that the President and the military will quickly roll out a strategy for routing this cancer that has afflicted our country. The general feeling is that the military has the capacity to end this tragedy. In reality, the military cannot fire beyond the radar set by their commander-in-chief. If the President can end this tragedy, he will immediately get the support of all citizens and hopefully leave office witih his head held high.

18: We cannot end this Message without sparing a thought for the untold sufferings being experienced by the people of Ukraine as a result of the invasion of their country by Russia. We turn in prayer to the Lord to touch the hearts and minds of those in power and in position to reverse this avoidable loss of human lives. May the spirit of the resurrected Christ and the appeals of all men and women of good will help to bring an end to this human tragedy.

19: Finally, in the last few years, my Messages have been borne out of a sense of moral revulsion over how life has been destroyed in my country. No country anywhere in the world is undergoing these self-inflicted wounds, citizens randomly murdering innocent citizens and getting away with it. For me as a Christian, there is a minimum threshold of human indignity that I can live with because the reason why Jesus came is so that all of us will have life and have it to the full (Jn. 10:10). We must shout at what diminishes any and every life in our society. Once human dignity is respected and restored, we will change our tone, but for now, our voice must have a sense of urgency. We Christians believe that to redeem the world, Christ allowed His body to be broken. We know He can heal out broken nation. May the light of His resurrection scatter the clouds and rout the men of evil, inspire a new birth in our dear nation and restore us to wholeness. A happy Easter to you all.