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Tag: Ile –Ife

  • Why Ile-Ife 20, others have right to sue Fed Govt, by Falana

    Why Ile-Ife 20, others have right to sue Fed Govt, by Falana

    Lagos lawyer and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Femi Falana, in this piece, faults police’s practice of parading suspects. Falana adds that the detained members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria and the Ile-Ife 20 have the right to sue the Federal Government for aggravated and exemplary damages

    On February 26 this year, the police conducted a media trial and parade of the detained 49 members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria. In condemning the uncouth action of the Police, I pointed out that “the parade of criminal suspects by the Police in the country is illegal and unconstitutional.”

    Shortly thereafter, there was a violent clash between the Yoruba and Hausa communities in Ile Ife, Osun State. The 20 suspects arrested by the police were paraded before the media in Abuja last week. Since the suspects are of Yoruba extraction, the Afenifere has condemned the selective arrest by the police.

    Although the courts have repeatedly cautioned the law enforcement agencies to desist from parading criminal suspects before the media, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris has justified the illegal practice. It was a defence which smacks of official impunity and insensitivity. Notwithstanding that such media parade is prejudicial to the fundamental right of criminal suspects to fair hearing, the ruling class has not stopped it because it is part of the humiliation of lowly placed citizens. Hence, while it is not unusual to parade poor criminal suspects who are accused of stealing handsets whose value is less than N10,000, it is infra dignitate to parade rich and powerful criminal suspects who loot the treasury to the tune of several billions of Naira. However, in view of the controversy arising from the media parade of the 20 murder suspects in Abuja last week, it has become necessary to examine the legal implications of the practice.

     

    Right of suspects to

    Presumption of innocence

     

    When the EFCC made the first arrest of some 419 kingpins in 2002, it was reported that they were going to be paraded in line with the usual but highly prejudicial practice of the Police. I immediately drew the attention of the then EFCC boss, Mr. Nuhu Ribadu to a judgment of the Lagos High Court on the illegality of the exercise. The move was shelved and since then the EFCC has not indulged in the parade of suspects in press conferences before arraignment in court.  But all efforts of the human rights community to prevail on other law enforcement agencies to stop the parade and media trial of criminal suspects have failed.

    In spite of the presumption of innocence, which inures in favour of criminal suspects by virtue of Section 36 of the Constitution and Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Act, the Nigeria Police Force and other law enforcement agencies in Nigeria have continued to expose accused persons to media trial before arraigning them in courts. Thus, the practice of subjecting suspects to media trial and parade before arraignment in a criminal court is an infringement of their fundamental rights to fair hearing and dignity. To compound the human rights abuse, the suspects are subjected to “cross examination” by law enforcement officials at crowded press conferences.

    As if that is not enough, media personnel are given the liberty to interview and interrogate the suspects with a view to confirming their involvement in the criminal offences alleged against them. In the process, the suspects are compelled to make incriminating statements which are prejudicial in every material particular. However, since ours is a class society, such humiliating treatment of criminal suspects is limited to the flotsam and the jetsam. Hence, ex-governors, ministers, permanent secretaries, military and other Very Important Personalities who are arrested and briefly detained by the police and the anti-graft agencies are not exposed to media parade or any form of humiliation. On a few occasions that important personalities have been exposed to public odium by law enforcement officials, the neo-colonial state has paid dearly for it.

     

    Media parade of Fela

    Anikulapo-kuti in handcuffs

     

    On January 14, 1997, the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti was arrested by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for being in possession of alleged narcotic substances. Convinced that the agency had caught a big fish, the then chairman of the NDLEA, the late Major-General Musa Bamaiyi, addressed a press conference wherein he paraded Fela in handcuffs. After the media parade, the famous musician slammed a N100 million suit against the NDLEA for violating his fundamental rights to fair hearing, personal liberty and human dignity. As Fela’s parade in handcuffs could not be justified in law, the Federal High Court ordered his unconditional release from further detention.

    Before the suspect’s arraignment at the Miscellaneous Offences Tribunal, he had characteristically played a fast one on the NDLEA.  At the end of his marathon interrogation, he signed the charge sheet but cleverly added “in chains”. In opposing the Fela’s application for bail at the Tribunal, the NDLEA counsel referred the trial judge to his “written confessional statement”. In my short submission on behalf of the defendant, I urged the court to discountenance the statement as it was obtained “in chains” or under duress. Having publicly paraded the suspect in handcuffs, the prosecutor could not challenge my submission.

    As the charge could not be proved on the basis of a discredited “confessional statement”, the NDLEA was compelled to approach the defence for an amicable resolution of the criminal case. To the embarrassment of the military junta, the NDLEA offered to discontinue the criminal charge and pleaded with Fela to withdraw his civil suit pending at the Federal High Court. When I asked Fela if the proposal was acceptable to him, he said, “Na good deal as Bamaiyi don beg me”. As soon as Fela’s decision was communicated to the NDLEA, the charge was withdrawn and struck out by the Tribunal. Thereafter, Fela’s civil case was equally withdrawn. Notwithstanding the incident, the NDLEA and other law enforcement agencies have continued to engage in the media trial and parade of criminal suspects.

     

    Judicial condemnation of media

    parade of criminal suspects

     

    In several decisions, the courts have repeatedly condemned the illegal practice of parading criminal suspects. In Ndukwem Chiziri Nice v. AG, Federation & Anor. (2007) CHR 218 at 232, Justice Banjoko held that “The act of parading him (the suspect) before the press as evidenced by the Exhibits annexed to the affidavit was uncalled for and a callous disregard for his person. He was shown up to the public the next day of his arrest even without any investigation conducted in the matter. He was already prejudged by the police who are incompetent, so to have such function, it is the duty of the court to pass a verdict of guilt and this constitutes a clear breach of section 36(4) and (5) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 on the doctrine of fair hearing.”

    Similarly, in Dyot Bayi & 14 Ors. V. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2004-2009) CCJLER 245 at 265 the Community Court of Justice, ECOWAS Court condemned the media trial of the applicants when it held that: “The Court is of the opinion that for the fact that the Defendants presented the Applicants before the press when no judge or court has found them guilty, certainly constitute a violation of the principle of presumption of innocence such as provided in Article 7(b) of the same African Charter and not a violation in the sense of Article 5 of the said Charter.” The Court proceeded to award damages of $42,750.00 to each of the 10 applicants and the $10,000.00 as costs payable by the Federal Government for the illegal actions of the naval personnel who carried out the illegal parade of the applicants.

    However, the parade of criminal suspects was carried to a ridiculous extent during the shoddy investigation of the barbaric assassination of Olaitan Oyerinde, former Principal Secretary of the erstwhile governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiommole which occurred in Benin on January 24, 2013. While the Edo State Police Command paraded the alleged assassins, including a human rights activist in Benin, the State Security Service paraded the alleged armed robbers who killed the deceased in Abuja. A former Chief Judge of the Federal Capital Territory, Justice Lawal Gunmi described the shameful episode as “a bewildering case of one murder, two government agencies and two different culprits. The police and the State Security Service, the two security agencies investigating the murder, paraded two different sets of suspects, a development that has set off speculation that the investigation into the murder was most likely bungled.”

     

    Extra judicial execution

    of suspects after media parade

     

    After the media parade and trial of armed robbery and kidnap suspects, they are extra-judicially killed by unauthorised executioners under the pretext that they are trying to escape from police custody. Among the several cases recently handled by our law office on the illegal parade of criminal suspects two of them stand out on account of the degree of bestial brutality displayed by the police. In  Isaac Edoh v. Edo State Commissioner of Police, (Unreported Suit No:B/460m/2011), the applicant’s son who was an undergraduate of the Othman Dan Fodio University was arrested by the police and paraded before the media in Benin, Edo State where he was accused of involvement in kidnapping. When the applicant, a senior customs’ officer visited the police station to secure his bail, the police denied ever arresting his son.

    In his reaction to the denial by the police, the applicant filed a suit at the High Court, Edo State. In the suit, the applicant challenged the illegal killing of his son and sought damages of N100 million. As the police maintained that the applicant’s son was never arrested, we summoned the Channels Television to produce the video tape of the press conference where the deceased was paraded. When the tape was produced and played in the court, the applicant identified his son. At that stage, the shallow defence of the Police collapsed like a pack of cards. Upon coming to the conclusion that the applicant’s son must have been killed extra judicially in custody, the court declared the killing illegal and awarded the sum of N15 million damages to the applicant.

    In Mr. Abudu v. Nigeria Police Force (unreported Suit No: M/13/2011) the applicant, an electrician, alleged that his wife, who was a factory worker at Sagamu, Ogun State was shot dead by the police on December 12, 2008. In justifying the killing, the police claimed that the deceased was the head of a robbery gang that had robbed the Sagamu Branch of the First Bank Plc. Her corpse which was decked with charms and a pistol by the police was paraded before the media. In rejecting the misleading evidence of the police, the trial judge condemned the iniquitous killing of the deceased and the parade of the corpse. The court proceeded to award the sum of N5 million as reparation to the applicant.

     

    Conclusion

     

    Apart from violating the fundamental right of criminal suspects to fair hearing, the Federal Government has had to pay huge monetary damages to victims of media parade and trial conducted from time to time by law enforcement agencies in the country. To stop the illegal practice, we are compelled to call on the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), to order the arrest and prosecution of law enforcement personnel who engage in the media parade, trial and extrajudicial killing of criminal suspects in custody.

    Since the report of the media trial and parade of criminal suspects, including the publication of their photographs is libelous in every material particular, the publishers and owners of media organisations are advised to stop colluding with law enforcement personnel in the crude violation of human rights. In view of the constitutional protection of the fundamental right of all citizens to presumption of innocence, we call on any criminal suspect, who is paraded by any law enforcement body, to seek redress in a court of law. In this regard, the detained members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria and the Ile-Ife 20 who have been paraded by the Police Authorities are advised to sue the Federal Government in the Federal High Court for aggravated and exemplary damages.

  • Ile-Ife crisis: Falana, OPC flay Police over parade of suspects

    Ile-Ife crisis: Falana, OPC flay Police over parade of suspects

    Activist-lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) and Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC) (Reformed) have berated the Police over the recent parade of the detained members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria and the 20 persons arrested in connection with the crisis in Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    They described the parade of the suspects as illegal and a violation of their fundamental human rights.

    Falana asked the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) to order the arrest and prosecution of law enforcement personnel who engaged in the media parade of the suspects.

    The OPC Reformed chided the governors in the Southwest for keeping silent over what it termed selective parade of the Yoruba.

    Falana said the detained members of the Peace Corps and the Ile Ife 20 who have been paraded by the Police Authorities are at liberty to sue the Federal Government for aggravated and exemplary damages.

    He recalled that when the police on February 26 conducted a media trial and parade of the detained 49 members of the Peace Corps of Nigeria, he condemned their action and pointed out the fact that “the parade of criminal suspects by the Police in the country is illegal and unconstitutional.”

    The lawyer also recalled that shortly after the incident, there was a violent clash between the Yoruba and Hausa communities in Ile Ife, Osun State during which 20 suspects arrested by the police were paraded before the media in Abuja last week, noting that since the suspects are of Yoruba extraction the Afenifere has condemned the selective arrest by the police.

    He noted that though the courts have repeatedly cautioned the law enforcement agencies to desist from parading criminal suspects before the media, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris has justified the illegal practice.

    Falana, however, described the IGP’s defence as that “which smacks of official impunity and insensitivity. Notwithstanding that such media parade is prejudicial to the fundamental right of criminal suspects to fair hearing, the ruling class has not stopped it because it is part of the humiliation of lowly placed citizens. Hence, while it is not unusual to parade poor criminal suspects who are accused of stealing handsets whose value is less than N10,000 it is infra dignitate to parade rich and powerful criminal suspects who loot the treasury to the tune of several billions of Naira”.

    The OPC Reformed, in a statement  by its President, Dare Adesope said the group will stage a massive protest through out the entire Southwest states and it’s going to commence on same day, same time and for same hours, if the Southwest governors fail to do something about the incident urgently.

    “After waiting for this long without any governor in the Southwest saying anything, we found it very compelling to tell our governors in the western part of this country that we  are saying enough of this nefarious acts across the country by the Hausa/Fulanis.

    “We of OPC ( Reformed) voted for PMB inspite of threats, oppression and intimidation from some angles. We voted him so as to bring about a positive change to the whole country and not to run a government that will favour a particular tribe at the expense of other tribes in the country.

    “In as much as we appreciate what he is doing in the area of corruption, he should be fair to all other tribes as well.

    The group challenged President Muhammadu Buhari to make his stand known concerning Ile Ife crisis where Yoruba were arrested to favour the Hausa/Fulani and taken to Abuja.

    It raised four issues for which it requested the Federal Government to provide answer :

    “Since the Fulani Herdsmen have been encroaching people’s land killing, rapping and destroying their farms, how many have been arrested and taken to Abuja? Who identified the Yoruba people that were arrested as suspects during the crisis?

    “Is it fair to arrest only the Yorubas in a crisis that affected the Yoruba and the Hausa/Fulanis on our soil?. Is it constitutionally right to arrest them in Ife,Osun State and take them to Abuja?”

    They asked the Federal Government to instruct the Police to transfer the suspects back to Osun State.

  • Crime has no tribe, IGP replies critics on ‘one-sided  arrests’ over Ife crisis

    Crime has no tribe, IGP replies critics on ‘one-sided  arrests’ over Ife crisis

    The police responded Friday to the accusation that they have been partial in their investigation of the recent communal crisis in Ile-Ife,Osun State that claimed at least 46 lives.

    The clash pitched the Yoruba against Hausa.

    The police moved in and arrested a number of suspects majority of whom are Yoruba.

    The development drew sharp criticism from prominent Yoruba leaders and groups, who believe the police are partial towards the Hausa.

    They wonder why only the Yoruba are being arrested and harassed over the clash.

    However,Police Inspector General Ibrahim Idris yesterday denied any such act by the police.

    “Crime has no tribe,” he told State House Correspondents after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the security situation in different part of the country.

    He added: “if you are a criminal you are a criminal.

    “Crime has no face. We don’t look at crime in the identity of where you are coming from.

    “As far as you are a criminal and the police find you wanting, we apply the law.”

    The Police IG expressed doubts over the involvement of Fulani herdsmen in the recent killings in Zaki Biam, Benue State.

    He said indications point in the direction of a wanted hoodlum, Gana.

    His words: “No I don’t think its Fulani herdsmen. It was an activity of a criminal who is using members of his criminal gang in the state to harass people.

    “We deployed Mobile Police Unit on 16th of this month and that incident that happened at Zaki Biam there are allegations that Gana, one of the wanted man,caused it.

    “This man has been on the police wanted list, I now decided to deploy some special units to go after him and get him by all means.

    “Definitely that man we are going to get him.”

    On his mission to the State House,he said: “I came to see the President to update him on the deployment of the police in our effort to ensure that we have security all over the country.

    “Obviously, it’s to share with him our deployment strategies on ground; our deployment to some of these flash points all over the country, especially Benue which is the current one; deployment to Kaduna state which started some few weeks back; and deployment to the Ile-Ife crisis where recently we have a lot of police officers, both special squads and investigation team on ground to conduct investigation on the matter.”

    Asked on the specific directives given to him by the President, he said: “Obviously, there should be a specific directive to ensure that all of us use all the facilities at our disposal to make sure that some of these incidents we are talking about are brought under control as soon as possible.

    “I gave the President my assurance that we are going to do that. As I said earlier, we have deplored a special squad to Benue and we are surely going to get that Gana within a short time.”

    He dismissed suggestions that the police have no strategy for fighting crimes in the country, saying: “You know some of these crises, we have to look at their and the immediate cause for you to make a proper classification of the crimes,

    “If you follow some of these crimes, they are just crimes that happened without any warning.

    “If you look at that Ife crisis, if you see how it started it’s just a disagreement between two people selling food along the road. So you have to look at the dynamics of the country itself.

    “Obviously, when you have such situation we have to react to it. We had to move in to ensure we provide some security to the people.”

     

  • Ile-Ife: More knocks for police over arrests

    Ile-Ife: More knocks for police over arrests

    The police got more knocks yesterday for their “lopsided” arrests over  the March 8 mayhem that rocked Ile-Ife, Osun State.

    The police, on Monday, paraded 20 suspects who allegedly participated in the mayhem, which involved Yoruba indigenes and Hausa settlers.

    The suspects are mainly Yoruba, fueling the notion that the police might have taken sides in the fracas.

    An Ife indigene and Yoruba leader, Mr. Goke Omisore, said the identities of the suspects showed that there was a deliberate attempt to embarrass the Yoruba. He wondered why the police left out suspects from the other party in the bloody clash, noting that the investigation would not be thorough, if security agencies take sides in such sensitive matter.

    Omisore, who described the mayhem as a sacrilege, said: “The fact that the bloody violence happened in Ile-Ife, the Yoruba cradle, is a condemnable sacrilege that must not be swept under the carpet. But the action of the police has shown that the authorities are ready to take sides in the crisis.

    “Why would the police make one-sided arrest and leave the other party in the crisis out? This is a veiled attempt to embarrass the Yoruba and tag us as violent people. There can never be justice if the police are tinkering with facts. It takes two to tango. Yoruba will not accept the outcome of the investigation, if the other party is left out.”

    The Oodu’a People’s Congress (OPC) called for caution in the handling of the investigation, while condemning the police action. The group called for unconditional release of the Ife indigenes arrested, saying the police openly showed their bias for singling out only Yoruba for arrest.

    OPC Publicity Secretary Mr. Yinka Oguntimehin, in a statement, said: “OPC is expressing concern that the measure being adopted to quell the crisis would only midwife a cold comfort, should the indigenes be made to bear the scars of the tussle alone.

    “Ife, being the cradle of the Yoruba, is symbolic and being held in high esteem by sons and daughters from the race. Issues connected with the ancient town should be treated with care and accuracy.

    “Ïfe is Yoruba root and the race is known for its uncommon hospitality. We care for settlers in our domain to a fault and this is why we believe there are more to the recent crisis that engulfed Ife than meet the eyes. We will not want this hospitality to be mistaken for cowardice. The Yoruba race is not and will never be conquered.

    “We call for unconditional release of all the arrested Ife indigenes, while a better amicable way should be explored to calm all frayed nerves and settle the crisis permanently.”

    Also, a pressure group, G9, condemned the “one-sided” arrest, describing the police investigation as worrisome. Its convener, Chief Tola Adeniyi, said the police had portrayed themselves as partial, partisan and unprofessional.

    “It is worrisome the attitude of the police in this investigation is unbecoming of impartial umpire. A referee has suddenly become a player on the side of one team.  Several arrests were made and when the suspects were paraded, it turned out that not a single Hausa man or woman was among the flock. A revered Ife traditional ruler was also paraded as a suspect. This is ridiculous,” Adeniyi said.

    The group advised the police to treat all ethnic groups equally before the law, saying the attempt to treat any ethnic group differently would not be helpful to the unity of the country.

  • Best LASU graduating student wrote UTME seven times

    Best LASU graduating student wrote UTME seven times

     

    A pregnant woman, Mrs Elizabeth Orefuwa, the Lagos State University (LASU) best graduating students in 2015/2016, says she wrote the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) seven times before gaining admission.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the heavily pregnant student, graduated with a Cumulative Grade Point Average of 4.74 in Accounting Education.

    Orefuwa, 29, said during the institution’s 21st convocation on Wednesday in Lagos that the journey through the institution did not come easy but with determination and motivation, she had success a story to tell.

    She said that in the process of seeking for university admission, she started a professional career in accounting.

    “The journey through the institution was not easy; it took me seven years of writing the UTME before I finally gained admission in 2012.

    “I also applied for direct entry three times at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

    “During this period of waiting, I started professional career at the Institute of Chartered Accountant of Nigeria (ICAN) in 2007 and became qualified as an Associate Chartered Accountant (ACA) in 2010,’’Orefuwa told NAN.

    She said that she wanted to study accounting but fate brought her to education, adding that she enjoyed every bit of it and never dreamt of coming out with a first class and becoming the best student.

    According to her, self-determination and motivation through her father’s insisting on academic excellence give her an edge.

    “My aim is to get my first degree certificate after several years of waiting and to satisfy my dad, who has been insisting on academic certificate before professional certificate.

    “He would always say to me then that I have put the cart before the horse.

    “However, what kept me going was self-belief, focus and determination bearing in mind that I am not competing with other but with my own capabilities.’’

    She said that her marriage at the beginning of her final year and the pregnancy condition did not affect her academic performance.

    “I had a CGPA of 4.72 before marriage and I graduated with 4.74 point.

    “I got married during my final year in 2015 and my husband was very supportive throughout that period.’’

    Although a chartered accountant, Orefuwa said she would love to teach and combine it with practising accounting profession.

     

  • Academic activities resume in Ile-Ife after deadly clashes

    Academic activities have resumed at public and private schools in Ile-Ife, two weeks after a deadly clash between indigenes and Hausa-Fulani people.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the Osun government had declared a two-week curfew after the clashes which had reportedly, claimed many lives.

    The curfew led to the closure of schools and restriction of movement in the ancient town.

    The clashes started at Sabo in the Ife heartland on March 8, leaving a throw of blood and sorrow in the ancient city.

    Source said the trouble started over a misunderstanding between an Ile-Ife indigene and a man described as Hausa-Fulani, residing in the town.

    Mrs. Titilayo Osotimehin, the Coordinating Director of the Osun-East Education District Office at Ile-Ife, commended the State Government for shutting down schools during the crisis.

    She appealed to students, especially those in public schools to keep calm and to desist from roaming the streets.

    “I want to urge all our students to go to their schools punctually and regularly.

    “Two weeks have been lost on our academic calendar but if students cooperate with their teachers, face their studies and work hard, we can regain the lost time.’’

    Osotimehin also pleaded with teachers to brace up to cover lost grounds since the closure of schools on March 9.

    NAN reports that commercial institutions, including banks have since re-opened with people, including civil servants going about their businesses.

    Security has also been relaxed with most of the barricades on roads at Sabo and Lagere now dismantled.

  • Normalcy returns to Ile-Ife

    Normalcy returns to Ile-Ife

    Normal commercial activities resumed on Monday in Ile-Ife in Osun, after a clash between the indigenes and the Hausas, which restricted the movement of many people for about two weeks.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that doors of banks as well as government offices, including shops and offices, which were locked since Wednesday, March 8, had been opened.

    Everybody, including civil servants, now moved freely without being challenged by security agencies, as most barricades on the roads had been removed.

    The situation was calm in Sabo and Lagere areas of the town where the crisis erupted.

    The Hausas had resumed their businesses as usual with people moving freely around Sabo and Lagere areas.

    The Chairman, Nigeria Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Ile-Ife, Mr. Isiaka Olatunbosun, told NAN that his members were back to their commercial duty posts fully.

    Olatunbosun appealed to all to “give peace a chance” across the city.

    According to him, there is no gain in violence, as violence will disrupt the development of the town.

    The Otun Babaloja of Ife Central, Chief Jimoh Odeyemi, said the turnout of traders in the major market (Oja-Tuntun) was impressive, compared to the low turnout of traders and buyers recorded on Friday, March 17.

    He commended the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Ooni-In-Council and the state government for their efforts in bringing the crisis to an end and for re-opening markets for commercial activities to fully resume.

    Also, the Otun Iyaloja, Ife Central, Alhaja Falilat Lawal, called on the people to maintain peaceful coexistence.

    Lawal said that there was no disparity between the Hausas and the Yorubas, “for both had been living peacefully together for almost 200 years without  violence”.

    She confirmed that peace had returned to the city and assured buyers and sellers to come to market for patronage.

    Mr. Saheed Lawal, a Computer Operator at Lagere area, could not hide his feeling.

    He appreciated God and the stakeholders who intervened in the crisis.

    “I am not an Ife Indigene but I am from Ede. I was born in Ile-Ife. Ife people are loving, caring and accommodating, I strongly believe that the crisis emanated from the devil.

    “For complete 13 days, I stayed indoor. I did not find it easy,

    “I appeal to the people to exercise patience and allow dialogue rather than violence,” he said.

    Mrs. Titilayo Osotimehin, the Coordinating Director Osun-East Education District Office, Ile-Ife, told NAN that both public and private schools closed down due to Ife/Hausa crisis would be opened on Tuesday, March 21.

  • Ife crisis: No reprisal attack in North -Kwankwanso

    Ife crisis: No reprisal attack in North -Kwankwanso

    Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso,(APC- Kano Central) on Tuesday  said there would be  no  reprisal attacks   against the Yoruba   living in the North following the crisis in Ile-Ife on March 8.

    Kwankwaso said this in Sabo area of Ile-Ife after meeting  with members of  the Hausa community inside a mosque.

    The former Kano State governor, who was in company with Gov. Rauf Aregbesola and  Sen.  Babajide Omoworare (APC-Osun East), told journalists   that he was in Osun  to promote peace and the rule of law.

    According to him, the Kwankwasiya Foundation will offer the victims of the crisis succour as from next week.

    He urged members of the Hausa community to resist the temptation to take laws into their hands and further  breach the peace gradually  returning to the affected area.

    Also speaking,   Gov. Rauf Aregbesola stressed the significance of peaceful co-existence in spite of the activities of the hoodlums which led to the incident.

    He said security agencies had arrested some suspects in connection with the crisis, adding that the perpetrators would face the full wrath of the law.

    Aregbesola further said that the state government would help set up a Peace and Reconciliation Committee with a view to finding a   permanent  solution  to the crisis.

    Receiving Kwankwaso  on behalf of  the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Obalufe of Ife kingdom,  Idowu Adediwura,  recalled  that Hausa  had   been living in Ife since 1894 without any fear of molestation.

    He attributed the incident to the activities of miscreants, saying Ife had been generally peaceful.

    The traditional ruler commended the efforts made by Kwankwanso toward  resolving the crisis while appealing to security agents to handle the issue with fairness and objectivity.

    “We are creatures of Almighty God, hence we are all citizens of the world and we abhor bloodletting in all its ramifications, ” he stated.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and its state’s counterpart had distributed some relief materials to the victims of the communal clash.

     

  • Aregbesola visits Ile-Ife, calls for calm

    Aregbesola visits Ile-Ife, calls for calm

    Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola yesterday visited Ile-Ife to assess the level of destruction, following Wednesday’s violent clash between indigenes and Hausa.

    The violence claimed more than 10 lives and many were injured with property, including cars and houses, razed.

    Accompanied by Deputy Governor Titi Laoye-Tomori and other government officials, Aregbesola arrived the scene at about 4pm.

    Addressing residents at the Ooni’s palace, the governor said it was disheartening that such wanton destruction could be experienced in Ife after the tragedy of Ife/ Modakeke war about 15 years ago.

    According to him, northerners in Ife have become part of the community and could not be regarded as strangers as many of them were born in the town.

    Aregbesola, who warned against a recurrence, promised to arrest the perpetrators and prosecute them.

    He said: “This is the cradle of mankind according to the belief of the Yoruba.

    “A revered town of this pedigree should not be in the news for bad things.

    “This is the land of peace and love, we have not experienced this in the last six years, and I believe such thing would never happen again.”

    The Ooni, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, regretted the incident, which he said was avoidable.

    The monarch said Ife people are hospitable and accommodating, noting that  northerners were familiar with the town as many of them were born there.

    He said: “I have personal relationship with the Hausa settlers at Sabo.

    “I know many of them.  They consider this palace their second home, but it is obvious that the crisis was aggravated by external influences.

    “I believe security operatives will do their job and arrest the perpetrators.

    “At the peak of the crisis, I had to act quickly with the chiefs to rescue over 1,000 northerners.

    “I have been calling some traditional rulers in the North to intimate them about  the true situation of things.”

    The monarch called for one minute silence for the victims.

    No fewer than seven persons have been arrested by the police.

    Thirteen victims are receiving treatment in a clinic at the Ife Area Commander’s office.

    Several others with more serious injuries were referred to the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital.

    A police source, who pleaded for anonymity, said the suspects are being interrogated.

    “They will be charged to court after investigation.”

    The source said the Force Headquarters, Abuja, has ordered the state command to restore peace and order by all means.

    He said the acting police commissioner, in compliance with the directive, has temporarily relocated with some of top police officers to Ife.

    Peace has returned to the ancient town but the curfew imposed by the government persists.

    It was gathered that Hausa are fleeing the town. Some of them sought refuge at the Area Commander’s office to avoid further attacks.

  • Tinubu links visionary leadership to good governance

    Tinubu links visionary leadership to good governance

    Former governor of Lagos State and national leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has identified visionary leadership with strong intellectual ability as key to entrenchment of good governance in Nigeria.

    Speaking at the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State at the 1st National Conference of Nigerian Political Science Association, South West Zone, Tinubu noted that a myriad of challenges facing the nation was as a result of inexperienced and capable men and women who have steered the sheep of leadership in many fronts.

    Represented by an international scholar, Prof. Adebayo Williams, he said it was imperative to have proper planning and orientation for would be leaders if the challenge must be eradicated.

    He said: “Excellence political leadership should be based on essential and strategic political vision. In taking any step in life especially to lead, you must prepare your plan and strategize to make it work. There cannot be national progress without solving the problem of national security.”

    In his remarks at the event, the Osun State governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, challenged political scientists in the country to provide more information and advice to those in power.

    Noting that the relevance of political scientists has unquantifiable roles to play in the society, Aregbesola decried the alienation between the academic community and the larger society calling for a change.

    The governor, who identified productivity as the duty of leaders, underscored the need for politicians to be concerned on areas that will effectively cater for the needs of the mass populace.

    “The efficient utilization of nature through what we enjoy should be production. The dominion of man to produce continually what he takes and use is a goal of civilization. The moment you continue to use 30% to cater for 99% population brings more challenges.”

    In his keynote address on the theme of the conference titled “Democracy, Nation Building and Development in Nigeria,” former Vice Chancellor, Ekiti State  University formerly University of Ado-Ekiti, Prof. Dipo  Kolawole, called for the refocus, redefinition and reconceptualization of the government at the center to the needs of the electorate.

    Stressing that Nigerians want performance from people in positions of authority, Kolawole hinted that the constraints for national development was as a result of the irresponsiveness of leaders to democratic policies.

    According to him, what needs to be done is for the present administration to redirect its focus by engaging key stakeholders as well as be concerned with the challenges of the common man.

    He said: “We must refocus our politics by redefining areas where we can debate issues for the betterment of the country. Nigeria must try to reclaim its leadership positions in Africa so that a deserved respect will be its pride.”

    He contended that the success of Nigeria’s democracy depends on democratically enlightened and vibrant individuals.