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Tag: Ife

  • Ife Ogunwumiju’s inspiring journey as award-winning artist

    Ife Ogunwumiju’s inspiring journey as award-winning artist

    In the vibrant city of Ibadan, Nigeria, a musical prodigy was born on July 5. Ife Ogunwumiju, known to many as OloriAfrica and OloriWorldWide, has carved a niche for herself in the gospel music scene. Now based in Canada, Ife’s journey from a young choir singer to an award-winning artist is nothing short of inspiring.

    Ife’s educational journey is as impressive as her musical career. She attended the University of Ibadan Staff School for her primary education, International School Ibadan (I.S.I.), and Oritamefa Baptist Model School for her secondary education. She later graduated from Bowen University in Iwo and earned a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA) from Cardiff University, Wales, UK.

    Beyond music, Ife is a successful entrepreneur with ventures in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries. Her parents, Mrs. Christiana Ojediran, a retired vice principal, veteran songwriter, and choir leader, and Deacon Daniel Ojediran, a retired permanent secretary, played pivotal roles in nurturing her early passion for music.

    Ife is happily married to Ayokunle Ogunwumiju and is blessed with three beautiful children: Ara, Kiki, and Dara. Her rise through the ranks of the choir, from leading the children’s choir to performing at large conventions, showcases her exceptional talent and dedication.

    Recalling a pivotal moment in her journey, Ife shares: “I’m in the bathroom, belting out tunes like a showerhead diva. My husband, standing outside the door, listening with wide-eyed wonder. Suddenly, he bursts in, waving a hairbrush like a conductor’s baton. ‘Darling,’ he says dramatically, ‘You are destined for greatness beyond this bathroom.’ That was the beginning of my journey into mainstream music.”

    In 2016, Ife began her professional singing career in mainstream Nigerian music, making a significant impact with her unique blend of African folklore and original compositions. Her hit songs include “Amala,” “Fresh Stew,” “Tokini,” “Ife,” “Koko Jabele,” “Efon,” “Koko Ka,” “Ise Logun Ise,” “Jupa,” “Nobody Knows,” and many more.

    “My music career officially started in 2015. And I quickly started singing alongside King Sunny Ade, Tiwa Savage, and 9ice. I cannot forget when I finished singing at a Governor’s inauguration and King Sunny Ade came to meet me. He said ‘please just continue singing – You have a powerful voice that should be heard by everyone in the world.’ That encounter was the final nail in the coffin! KSA confirmed what my husband said at home. And I am determined to continue singing till the whole world hears my voice.”

    Every year, Ife releases Christmas albums and singles featuring popular tunes and her own compositions. In 2022, she fully dedicated her music to the inspirational and gospel genre, creating a compilation of hymns and original soul-lifting worship and praise songs.

    To celebrate her 40th birthday, Ife released an original song titled “My Trust,” showcasing her continued dedication to inspiring and uplifting her audience through worship music.

    Fun Fact: Ife loves to cook and often incorporates traditional Nigerian dishes into her music videos, blending her love for food and music in a unique and delightful way!

    Ife is signed to Olori-Africa Records, a label she co-owns with her husband, Ayokunle Ogunwumiju. Her songs are available on all music streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube. Follow her on all social media platforms @oloriafrica.

  • Osun Decides: Massive turnout in Ife

    There is a massive turnout of voters in Ile-Ife, especially in Ife East and Ife Central Local Government Areas where our reporter monitored.

    As early as 7.30am, excited voters had gathered at the premises of the family home of Dr Iyiola Omisore, candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), in front of which Unit 3 in Okerewe Ward III is located.

    Omisore, however, will vote in another unit.

    Read Also: Victory is assured, says Adeleke

    At the Oranmiyan Tower Complex in Ife Central, there are 12 Polling Units under Ward 10, Akarabala.

    Voters were already on queue ready for accreditation and voting.

  • OAU students in fear as flood sacks Ife community

    Students of the Obafemi Awolowo University ( OAU ) Ile Ife have expressed fear over the heavy flood which sacked residents from their community.

    The flood, The Nation gathered, was as a result of heavy downpour of rain which lasted over seven hours on Sunday.

    The heavy downpour led to destruction of properties, caused harm to the Ife community and led residents leaving their houses.

    James Ibrahim, one of the affected students said the heavy flood as caused serious harm as all their properties were carted away by the rain.

    “I lost my clothes and other belongings to the flood. I am even scared to stay in the house because I don’t know the havoc that might happen when the next it rains.”

    Another student, Funmi Ilori who narrated the incident said “I was sleeping in my room when I started feeling that my bed was becoming wet, I thought I had poured water before I slept off but I noticed that it was getting too much I had to stand up but before I could know what was happening, my room was getting flooded but it was God that saved me that I had to find my way out of the room.”

    “I have never experienced this kind of disaster in my life; I never knew it could happen to me. The flood has rendered us homeless”

    In her view, Sikirat Bashiru, an indigene of Ife urged the government to assist the residents in clearing the drainages, adding; “All our belongings have been destroyed by the flood.”

  • 16 burnt to death in Ife accident

    No fewer than sixteen people were burnt to death on Sunday in a fatal accident in Ife-Ife, Osun State, when an 18-seater passenger Totoya Hiase bus lost control and collided with a diesel laden tanker.
    According to eye witness account, the accident that happened around 12 noon occured when the driver of the ill-fated bus, who reportedly was on top speed rammed into the tanker, making a u-turn along Ibadan road.
    The bus marked (LAGOS) MUS 702 XH caught fire on the spot  and trapped its occupants, who reportedly made frantic effort to escape to no avail.
    The bus was said to be coming from Ore in Ondo State and heading to Ibadan when the incident occured.
    Our correspondent, who was at the scene of the crash, counted thirteen bodies of the victims, including three children, lying on bare floor infront of a filling station, the Energy Petrol Station, apart from three already evacutaed by the medical team from the Seventh Day Adventist for inmediate attention.
    Sympathizers attempted to assist the victims before the arrival of the men Fire Service at the scene.
    Two eye witneses, Oladele Mutiu and Gbenga Oluwole, who narrated the gory scene, said axes were used to help out the victims, who they said were pressed down by heavy loads and used vehicles’ engines.
    The eye witnesses linked the crash to over speeding by the driver of the bus.

  • US doctors arrive Ife on medical mission

    A team of doctors from the United States of America has arrived for a medical mission at Ile Ife, Osun State. The 20-man collaborative team of physicians, surgeons and medical support staff is made up mostly of alumnus of the Obafemi Awolowo University, formerly University of Ife.
    The team is to give free medical services at the Ooni of Ife palace; and a full day “Campus” clinics, health fair, preventive/public health activities, including screenings for diabetes, hypertension and some communicable diseases.
    The week-long activities also include simultaneous surgeries at designated centres within the University Teaching Hospital by the US-based surgeons and their Ife counterparts. They are also to operate on cataract patients and do laparoscopic procedures using top-notch, state of the art and cutting edge technology equipment free of charge.
    Also members of the team interested in teaching and giving lectures will be provided the opportunity to do so at the university. The team is led by Dr Olabisi Jagun, who describes her role as “a fortunate one”. It is sponsored by the Mercysaidno Foundation (an Atlanta-based Nigerian Philanthropic organisation), Ifemed Alumni Association (USA), member physicians, Friends of Ifemed Physicians and Ife Ooye North America Association (IONA).
    She said, “Our team is very excited and ready to go, and we are grateful for the wonderful opportunity to give back. All our physicians and surgeons are brilliant and distinguished in their field of expertise; a few of them are leading world experts; they have all been vetted and their licenses are current.”
    The team is estimated to treat between 5,000 to 10,000 patients as well as hand out over $150,000 worth of free medications and prescriptions.
    Dr Yemi Ogunbiyi, the Chairman of the Governing Council of the university, said the medical mission is a great thing to happen to the university and Ile-Ife city.
    He said, “It fills me with joy to see distinguished physicians and surgeons in the United States remember home for this kind gesture. The Council and the entire university are proud of this wonderful support.”

  • Aregbesola inaugurates commission of enquiry on Ife crisis

    Aregbesola inaugurates commission of enquiry on Ife crisis

    Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun has inaugurated a five-man judicial commission of enquiry into the crisis that erupted between the Yoruba and Hausa  in Ile-Ife on March 8 in which  lives were lost  and property destroyed.

    A  media aide to the governor,  Mr Semiu Okanlawon, made this known  in a statement in  Osogbo on Monday.

    The statement quoted the governor  as urging  members of the  commission to investigate and determine the remote and immediate causes  of the mayhem.

    He also mandated them to recommend appropriate civil or criminal actions  to be taken against the perpetrators and make appropriate suggestions to the state government  in order to prevent a  future occurrence.

    The governor  further urged the commission to recommend appropriate monetary sum as compensation(s) for damages or injuries that may have been suffered by any individual or group of individuals during the crisis.

    He said: “You have four weeks to carry out this assignment.

    “The report that small arms and light weapons were deployed freely during the crisis was disturbing and frightening.

    “It has implication for security of lives and property and the potential for more conflicts beyond the immediate theatre of war, if not nipped in the bud.

    “I want you to look into this. The sources and the current location of these arms and their custodians should be investigated, determined and all should be recovered.’’

    The Chairman of the commission, Justice Moshood Adeigbe, said the commission would  ensure that the perpetrators of the dastardly act were brought to book.

    “Mr Governor, I assure you that we will not let you and the people down, we will carry out this task you have given us to the best of our ability, ” he said.

    Other members of the panel are  Mrs Bose Dawodu, Mr Ismail Ajibade, the State Commissioner of Police, the State Director of DSS and Mr Bisi Babalola ,who will act as the secretary.

  • Ife Crisis: Unity or justice?

    Ife Crisis: Unity or justice?

    It is therefore misleading for anybody, especially police investigators of crime, to resort to pontificating about unity, instead of addressing the matter of fairness of investigation.

    I apologise to my readers for choosing to delay the second part of the series on Politics of Secondary Education, in order to allow me join other commenters on the citizen-police controversy over police investigation of the crisis in Ile-Ife.

    I had lived in Ife before and even had friends in Sabo while I was teaching at the then University of Ife. I remember that despite the self-isolation of Hausa-Fulani people in Sabo, the degree of integration and harmony between Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani residents of the eastern part of the ancient town was not hidden from even casual observers of inter-group relations. The two communities: indigenes and settlers had over forty years ago many cases of inter-ethnic marriage. It should therefore be disconcerting that what used to be a peaceful community has suddenly become, in the vocabulary of the central police force, a threat to Nigeria’s unity.

    This column had written almost ad nauseam about the use of words that hide real problems in order to make those who use such words to be seen as occupying a higher moral or political ground than others. Unity and Security are two of such words. When motorists fail to park on the highway to allow politicians or their spouses in a convoy overtake them, they are warned by the police or SSS operatives to desist from acts capable of endangering the security of the country. Similarly, when two or more citizens of the country fight over whatever riles one or all of them, security personnel quickly warn them against acts capable of derailing the unity of the country.

    The response of the police to queries by Yoruba organisations about police investigation into the killing of Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba people in Ife brings to focus the danger inherent in misusing the word Unity. Hear the response of the police spokesperson on charges of lack of fairness in the investigation that found only one side of a violent conflict culpable: “They should be mindful of national security and they should be mindful that every Nigerian has the right to live in any part of the country. National unity is very important. So, any association that goes to fan the ember of disunity should know that they are not doing this nation any good. The era of impunity is over.”

    Anyone reading these words would think that Hausa-Fulani people have just arrived in Ife and are being prevented from settling down by Ife indigenes. The reality of Ife is that it has been home to thousands of Hausa-Fulani people for a very long time. Historians claim that these two distinct Nigerian communities had lived together or side by side in peace since the advent of the trade in kolanut in pre-colonial Nigeria. Over the years, the relationship grew beyond commerce into romance across ethnic and even religious lines. It is therefore misleading for anybody, especially police investigators of crime, to resort to pontificating about unity, instead of addressing the matter of fairness of investigation.

    All the organisations that had raised concerns about the result of police investigation of the Ife crisis have raised points pertaining to justice while police spokespersons have focused on issues of unity. As this column had observed many times in the past, Unity seems to be one word that has been over ‘Nigerianised,’ to the extent that it means different things to different sections of the polity. Is unity an end or a means to an end? If unity— a condition or situation of harmony or accord is a means, what is it supposed to produce in a diverse society? If it is an end, what is it expected to create for or in citizens of a plural polity?

    Furthermore, what is supposed to be the role of justice— impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments, or conformity to truth, fact, or reason—in a homogenous or heterogenous society? Many people who believe in the power of reason would readily think that justice is the foundation for unity or harmony. When citizens, regardless of their ethnic or religious affiliation, raise issues about absence of thoroughness or fairness in investigation of crimes, they should be seen as being concerned with justice rather than “whipping sentiment into the police investigation” and thus threatening the country’s unity.

    The questions that are still not answered by those who conducted investigation into the Ife violence are legion. Did the police discover that only Hausa-Fulani people were killed in Ife? If the answer is no, did the police try to find out who killed non-Yoruba people who died in the fracas? Did the police first focus its investigation on the indigenes with the hope of looking at the other side of the conflict later?  Is this why the police said “outside those paraded, investigation is ongoing and we are still going to arrest anybody found to be involved”?

    If investigation is still ongoing, why did the police then rush to parade suspects as criminals in Abuja, hundreds of kilometres from the scene of crime? Would it not have been enough to just keep those already identified as suspects in detention until completion of the investigation? How fair is the ‘media trial’ of suspects in a judicial system that affirms that suspects are innocent until proven guilty? If there is any behaviour that can threaten unity in a multiethnic society, it is for law-enforcement agents to look at two parties in a conflict and rush to parade suspects before international media in Abuja while investigation is still ongoing. Such action is worrisome in view of the statement by the police spokesman: “This is no ethnic or religious clash; these are people who have been living together for years. Issues came up and that is why the police are there to ensure that anybody that takes law into his hands will face the full wrath of the law.”  What does the police hope to achieve by taking suspects who have lived together for years in Ife with their victims to Abuja—to please the central government or embarrass the attorney-general of the state in which the crimes were committed?

    One lesson arising from the new mission of the police: “The Nigeria Police Force under Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris is stamping out impunity in totality. Gone are the days when people will take up arms and kill other Nigerians and go free,” is that anybody in the country that kills other citizens—be it in Kaduna, Benue, Enugu, Mile 12 in Lagos, etc—will be identified for immediate punishment. But the police should ensure as they apply the Ile-Ife template to other parts of the country that nobody is paraded as criminal until such person has been found guilty of crime in the court of law and that suspects for all killings since the assumption of the new IGP should be identified without delay.

    Another lesson is that the state government in Osun needs to set up a commission of inquiry to look for remote and immediate causes of the crisis in Ife, given the fact that the two communities along Sabo in Ife had lived in peace and harmony for too long for the kind of violence between Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba residents of the ancient city to be left just in the hands of regular or special police investigators. Such inquiry will generate more lessons that need to be learned towards diversity management.

    What was designed to be a meeting to enrich the country’s unity in Abeokuta last week ended as another act of exclusion. The Senator Ken Nnamani Committee on Constitution and Electoral Reform organised a Southwest public hearing that was poorly publicised. The region had a better organised public hearing in 2014, preparatory to the National Conference sponsored by former President Jonathan. The preparation for the Abeokuta public hearing sells the commitment of the All Progressives Conference to “Initiate action to amend our Constitution with a view to devolving powers, duties and responsibilities to states and local governments in order to entrench true Federalism and the Federal spirit” short. Any serious effort to entrench the ‘Federal spirit’ in the constitution ought to be inclusive and be seen as inclusive. It was a similar decision to exclude critical sections of the polity in the era of Sani Abacha that led to the 1999 Constitution, which citizens and even the APC government want to change, for not being a people’s constitution.

  • Fed Govt to punish perpetrators of Ife crisis

    •Blames crisis on thugs

    The Federal Government, at the weekend, said perpetrators of the crisis in Ile-Ife, Osun State, will be punished.

    The crisis, which ignited hostilities between Hausa and Yoruba communities, claimed many lives and destroyed property.

    Speaking with State House correspondents, Minister of Interior Abdulraman Danbazzau said the perpetrators would be prosecuted.

    He said: “I visited Ife upon my arrival from South Africa, where I went in company of  Minister of Foreign Affairs to discuss with the South African government on the xenophobic attacks on Nigerians.

    “The incident happened when we were away. The deputy governor received me and my entourage because the governor was away in Abuja.

    “We saw the extent of the damage and met the leadership of the community and we discussed with them.

    “We emphasised the need to remain in peace and that revenge and reprisal should not come to anybody’s mind because the government is handling the situation.

    “We made them understand that the government will ensure it protects lives and property,” he said.

    Stressing that the crisis was not caused by ethnicity,  the minister said the Hausa and Yoruba communities had lived peacefully in the last 200 years.

    According to him, some thugs took the law into their hands and killed innocent people and destroyed property.

    Danbazzau said: “It is very clear that this issue is not about crisis between Hausa and Yoruba.

    “The Hausa community has been living in Ife close to 200 years. I understand that the first settlers arrived in 1820 and this is about the fourth or fifth generation.

    “They have never experienced this kind of thing until now.

    “So it is not about ethnicity. It is about a bunch of people who decided to constitute themselves as nuisance to carry out this dastardly act. Quite a number of them escaped from the community.”

    The minister said he held another meeting in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, to advise the Hausa community to continue to live peacefully in the Southwest.

  • Police panel to investigate Ife’s ethnic clash

    The probe panel setup by the Inspector General of Police, Abubakar Idris, to investigate the communal clash which occurred in Ile-Ife between some ethnic groups, arrived  Osun on Saturday

    Osun Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Folasade Odoro, confirmed the arrival of the Hammed Bello – led panel  in the state to newsmen in Osogbo.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Idris had appointed Bello, Commissioner in charge of Military Police at the Force Headquarters, to head the panel.

    The panel is to look into the immediate and remote causes of the clash and submitted its findings to the police authorities for appropriate action to prevent future occurrence of the incident.

    The team is expected to visit leaders of the ethnic groups involved in the conflict as well as pay courtesy visit on the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi in his palace, and other stakeholders in the city.

    Odoro told newsmen that apart from investigating the cause of the conflict, the panel would also work out how to ensure cordial relationship between the groups in conflict.

    She said detectives were still on the trail of some suspected culprits, adding that 10 persons had been arrested and were assisting the Police in their investigation.

    According to her, relative peace has returned to the city, with anti-riot policemen and other security operatives fully on ground to ensure that there is no breach of the peace. (NAN)

  • Peace returns to Ife after bloody clash

    Peace has returned to Ife in Osun State, following the Wednesday bloody clash between the indigenes and the Hausa, where many people lost their lives.

    However, many Hausa residents who fled the ancient town in the wake of the clash neighbouring communities like Garage Olode, Yekeemi, Abata Egba, Ifetedo, Iyanfoworogi, Mefoworade among others, are yet to return to their base in Sabo, Ife.

    Also, some of the Hausas have relocated to Osogbo and Ilesa to join their kinsmen.

    A petty trader, Abubakar  Mohammadu, was among those that relocated to Ilesa, a neigbouring town of about 25 kilometers from Ife, to join their friends and continue a new life.

    Meanwhile, the Osun State government has extended the two-day dusk to dawn curfew it imposed on the town till next Monday.

    There was heavy presence of security men in strategic areas of the town  yesterday as noticed by our correspondent.

    Meanwhile, markets and commercial centres, including banks, shops and schools could were shut as residents kept indoors.

    The Senator representing Osun East in the National Assembly, Senator Babajide Omoworare, has appealed to indigenes and residents of Ile-Ife to end the ongoing feud in Sabo area of the town.

    In a statement by his media aide, Tunde Dairo, said warring parties should allow dialogue to end the clash.

    According to him: “There is no alternative to peace, we must collectively live in atmosphere of peace for mutual prosperity, this has been the long standing practice and must be sustained in the interest of everyone. This is with a view to find a lasting solution to the present imbroglio and prevent another one in future.

    “I sympathize with everyone affected by the crisis and implore the law enforcement agents to intensify their effort to bring the situation under control and restore peace and harmony to Ile-Ife. I am in touch with the Governor of Osun State who is putting in place every measure to ensure lasting peace.

    “I have also spoken to Ooni of Ile-Ife and collaborating with other Senators in this respect. With this collective efforts and maximum cooperation from everyone, a lasting solution will soon be achieved.”