OBA Victor Adeleke Bobade , the Onire of Ire-Ekiti in Oye Local Government Area of Ekiti State, and the people of Iloro- Ekiti in Ijero Local Government Area, have hailed Governor Kayode Fayemi for the various projects being executed by his administration in the state. In a letter personally signed by the Onire, the traditional ruler noted that his community has been transformed by the various projects executed by the Fayemi administration. Oba Bobade praised the governor for the reactivation of the Ire-Ekiti Burnt Bricks Factory, which had been moribund for about 22 years, and the reconstruction of the Ilupeju-Ire- Igbemo road, which had been abandoned by previous administrations. The royal father also lauded Governor Fayemi for making Ogun Onire Festival a UNESCO cultural heritage site and tarring one kilometre township road in the community under the administration’s construction of five kilometres road in all the 16 LGAs. In a related development, foremost cleric and international preacher, Sheik Muyideen Ajani Bello, has urged Ekiti people to support the development efforts of the Dr Kayode Fayemi-led administration, adding that the governor is a gift to the people of the state. Sheik Bello spoke in Ado- Ekiti as Guest Lecturer at a Ramadhan Lecture organised by the management of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (Progress FM 100.5FM). Commending the state governor for the developmental efforts, which he said “is very noticeable everywhere in the state”, the Cleric said, “I advise you people (the Ekiti’s) to beware not to lose this opportunity provided by the Fayemi leadership. According to him, “Fayemi is an opportunity for you. I urge and appeal to you to take it. I was somewhere three days ago where we were being urged to pray for some governors who were doing their jobs well in the country, Fayemi was one of those being mentioned.”
Tag: monarch
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Monarch seeks govt’s help
The Chairman of Mushin Local Government, Hon Babatunde Adepitan, has visited the new palace of the Olu of Mushin, Oba Fatai Aileru.
The palace, a two-storey building, which is under construction,still needs much to be done
The Olu, who invited the chairman to see the level of work done, thanked him for the many laudable projects he has carried out to lift the youth and market women in the community, sought government’s help to complete the palace.
The chairman, who was impressed with the level of work done so far promised to assist in the completion of the building in cash or kind.
“The government will come in because you are our traditional father, and in the next two to three months, we will help out with the little remaining,”Adepitan said.
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Offa monarch: Victorious house urges Kwara to execute court verdict
Bolstered by the recent court judgment, the victorious Olugbense ruling house – one of the ruling houses in Offa, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State – yesterday urged the government to instal its son, Prince AbdulRauf Adegboyega Keji, as the Olofa of Offa.
An Appeal Court, sitting in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, last week voided the over three years’ rule of Oba Mufutau Mohammadu Gbadamosi, of Anilelerin ruling house, as the Olofa. The sacked monarch has challenged the Appellate Court’s ruling at the apex court.
Addressing reporters in Ilorin, the spokesperson of the Olugbense ruling house, Prince Saka Keji said the Offa stool is vacant.
Keji explained that the enforcement of the Appeal Court judgment by the state government would ensure “peace, justice, fairness, equity and adherence to the principles of the rule of law, which forms the bedrock of democracy”.
He added: “There is no Olofa in Offa until the state government does the needful to enforce the court judgment. This is necessary to ensure that peace continues to reign supreme in Offa.
“We appeal to all Offa sons and daughters at home and in the Diaspora to remain calm, law-abiding and go about their lawful businesses.”
The prince stressed that “the landmark judgment, which ruled that it was the turn of Olugbense ruling house to fill the vacant stool of Olofa of Offa on the demise of Oba Olawore Olanipekun of the Anilelerin ruling house in 2010, has put the Olofa chieftaincy status in proper historical perspective”.
Keji said: “It is astonishing, disgusting and naïve that some uninformed people, out of mischief, have been even suggested that the Olugbense ruling house should allow a sleeping dog to lie and allow perfidy to continue.”
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Ekiti Deputy Governor, Fayemi’s wife, monarch, others teach in school
Parents have been advised to visit their children’s’ school from time to time.
Such visits are not only to monitor the progress of their wards but also to encourage teachers and compliment their efforts at preparing the children for a better future through secular education.
The advice was given by the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof Modupe Adelabu in Efon Alaaye-Ekiti yesterday at the second edition of “Reading Parents Initiative.”
The event was held at the State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB Model Nursery and Primary School, Efon Alaaye.
Noting that children usually feel happy and attentive when they see their parents in school premises, she enjoined parents to come and read comprehension passages to the pupils and even teach them any other subjects they are good at, adding that the aim of the Reading Parent Initiative is to encourage reading culture among pupil and as well foster more cordiality between the parents and the school.
Prof. Adelabu also urged literate parents not to limit such activities to when they visit the schools alone but to also read to their children at home while advising unlettered parents to let the older siblings who can read well read to the younger ones so that the dying reading culture among pupils will be resuscitated.
The Deputy Governor, the Governor’s wife, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, the Alaaye of Efon Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare, Commissioner for Culture, Arts and Tourism, Chief Ronke Okusanya and some other government officials went into various classes to read and teach comprehension to the pupils.
Prof Adelabu told reporters after teaching the pupils that she is naturally and professionally trained as a teacher.
She described the reading parent initiative as quite interesting and educationally benefiting to both the pupils and the parent as it affords the parents the unique opportunity to teach.
She also expressed her delight at the way the pupils read the passage, responded to questions thrown at them and expressed themselves without grammatical errors.
According to her, it was an indication that the efforts of Fayemi administration in the education sector is already yielding expected result.
Mrs Fayemi praised the state government for the programme which she described as an arrowhead towards assisting the pupils understand comprehension passages and the use of dictionaries.
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Oil theft: JTF arrests Bayelsa monarch, others
The Joint Task Force (JTF), Operation Pulo Shield, has arrested a traditional ruler and three other persons over allegations bordering on oil theft.
The suspects were arrested for stealing 2,000 metric tonnes of crude oil along the waterways of Akassa in Brass local government area of Bayelsa State.
They were said to have used an unregistered vessel to steal the product.
The monarch, a third class chief according to the state ranking of traditional rulers, was said to have hailed from Twon Brass.
He was reportedly apprehended after crew members arrested in the vessel claimed he was their main sponsor.
A security source said the searchlight of JTF was beamed on the activities of the monarch before his arrest.
The source, who craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the matter said some traditional rulers were funding oil theft.
“We discovered that the boys came under the cover of the night and siphoned crude oil from the oil pipelines along the Brass-Sagana River in Akassa area.
“We have discovered that some of these traditional rulers and community heads provide cover and funding for the activities of these oil thieves in Bayelsa.
“We have started a series of collaboration with communities but we will not spare those directly involved in the illicit trade,” the source added.
When contacted on the development, JTF Media Coordinator, Lt. Col. Onyema Nwachukwu, said he was yet to get the details of the arrest.
“I will get in touch with our men in Sagana area and get back to you”, he said.
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Monarch donates to homes
The Ojora of Ijoraland, Oba Abdul Fatai Oyeyinka Aromire has donated to motherless and old people’s home in Lagos.
The monarch made the donations as part of activities marking his 19th anniversary of the ascension of office. He donated bags of rice, baby materials, pampers, bicycles, food flasks, clothes and among others.
On why he chose to celebrate his anniversary by donating to motherless homes and the old people’s home, Oba Oyegbemi said it was his way of appreciating what God has done in his life.
“This is my little way of thanking God for His blessings on me since assumption of office as Oba. My major problem is that all the wealthy people in the country are not doing what they are supposed to do in assisting the less-privileged peopele. So, what I am doing is an act of thanking my God for His help,” he said.
The Oba, along with his council of chiefs, was received by the Matron of the Nigeria Red Cross Society Motherless Home, Mrs Juliana Obanife who, with the state’s secretary of the association, Mrs Nwike Ijeoma urged Nigerians to imbibe the spirit of giving.
“The little we can do to help the children we should do because some of them may become leaders tomorrow. There is nothing too much or too small in assisting the less-privileged. I urge all to cultivate the habit of giving to the poor in the society,” he said.
The traditional ruler also advised the government and the well-to-do in the society to always help the old people and the less-privileged people.
“My advice to the government and businessmen is that they should take care of these old people and the motherless,” he said.
The monarch also urged government to consult traditional rulers while carrying out developmental projects in the country.
“Let us go back to square one. In years past, before the government will do anything, they will seek the advice of traditional leaders because we are the ones at the grassroots. We are very close to the people and we know how to talk to our people concerning any issue. Let the government see traditional rulers as partners,” he said.
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Monarch battles community over abattoir
The alleged illegal construction of an abattoir in Umunya, Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, has pitched the community against its monarch, Igwe Chris Onyekwuluje.
The said abattoir is sited at the Odumodu junction close to family house of some indigenes of the community.
Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Ndubuisi Menakaya, had written a letter through Dr D.I Obele to some stakeholders in the community that the government had not authorised any abattoir at the location.
The reason, according to the letter dated May 8 2013, was its proximity to the Enugu- Onitsha Expressway and many residential buildings within.
It was copied to the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Oyi Transition Chairman and Chairman, Anambra State Butchers Association.
But despite the letter, the traditional ruler of the community, Igwe Chris Onyekwuluje, went ahead to construct the abattoir with his foot soldiers.
Speaking yesterday, he explained he pleaded with the people to give him some time to relocate the abattoir, adding the current location is temporary.
According to him: “They complained to me, some people are yearning for the Abattoir for the past 12 years, only a few people are complaining about it.
“They should allow them to settle for a while because I want to relocate them very soon.
“There is no need to quarrel over a non-issue. I will soon return to Nigeria for us to sort things out.”
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From vending newspapers to the palace Osun monarch tells his grass-to-grace story
Long before he was crowned as a monarch, Oba Abeeb Adetoyese Agbaje, the Olu of Ile-Ogbo, knew he would one day rule over his people. He recalled that while growing up in his native community in Osun State, he was told by some unknown persons in his dreams that he would one day be crowned as a king in the town.
He said: “Right from childhood, I always dreamt that I would one day become a king. I would see people showing me respect. At the beginning, I was usually scared because I never believed that I would become a king. I thought it was deceit because I didn’t see how it would be possible.”
Oba Agbaje knew that it would take more than his royal blood for his dreams to come true. According to him, the realities of life had shown him that a successful leader must have the wherewithal to lead his people. So, shortly after he graduated from the college of education and worked briefly as a teacher, he left his community and headed for Lagos with his brother to become a newspaper vendor.
At the beginning, he recalled, his trips to Lagos were made on a weekly basis. He soon realised that he was better off selling newspapers on the streets of Lagos than teaching.
He said: “While I was in secondary school, I would travel to Lagos with my brother to sell newspapers. It was something like a holiday job for me at the time. After I graduated from the College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, where I studied Guidance and Counselling, I took up a teaching appointment. But I later moved to Lagos to start newspaper business.
“What really motivated me to head for Lagos was that I was sure that I would make more money selling newspapers than teaching in a classroom.”
According to him, the newspaper business turned out to be more lucrative than life as a teacher. But he actually got his breakthrough when the now-rested National Concord newspaper appointed him a distributor for its newspapers in parts of Lagos, comprising the airport, Oshodi, Ikeja and other strategic areas.
He said: “I sold newspapers on the streets at the time. But it got to a point when National Concord needed distributors. I put in an application, and I was lucky to be appointed a distributor.
“I became the first distributor for Ikeja and its environs. I was responsible for supplying the paper to Lagos Airport, Ikeja and Oshodi, among other lucrative areas in Lagos. I later got the distributorship of The Guardian newspaper as well”
He later crowned his status as a newspaper agent with his emergence as the chairman of the National Association of Newspaper Distributors, Ikeja Branch. For a man who started as a vendor, this was no doubt a huge success.
With both feet strongly rooted in newspaper business, the young Agbaje began to see more business opportunities in other ventures. He tried his hands on petroleum and cement businesses, and within a short period, he became successful in both. With this began a conglomerate that later put him in good stead to become the popular choice of his kinsmen when the time came to appoint a monarch for his town.
His success in life, he says, has surpassed his expectations. “If I must confess, I would say I have been very lucky. God has really been kind to me in all my ways. I think my success has really gone beyond my imagination.”
A little over one year after assuming the leadership of his community, Oba Adetoyese has learnt to balance his private life with his new status as a king. And like most monarchs, he is not in short supply of ‘gifts’ from his subjects who want their daughters to be the king’s wives. But he has also learnt to politely reject such ‘gifts’, insisting that he would make the move to take a second wife when the time is ripe.
“It is normal for royal fathers to have many wives. It is also normal for the people to present their daughters as ‘gifts’ to the king. Many fathers have approached me, asking me to take their daughters as wives. I told them that I would take a wife when I am ready. And that was exactly what I did. I took a wife when I was ready.”
Aside from this, he has also learnt to balance the running of his businesses in Lagos with playing the role of a traditional ruler and father to his people. “You really need to exercise patience as a king. With your businesses, you can sack any erring staff and do away with his or her service. But as a king, you cannot say because a subject had done something, that such subject should leave town. So you must devise a way to deal with your people and make sure that they are all happy.”
Though a Christian, Oba Adetoyese says his new role as the leader of his people has ensured that he attends to the needs of the religions in his kingdom without prejudice. “I am a Christian. But my role as the king has put on my shoulders another responsibility that I must attend to the needs of everybody. For me, it no longer matters whether you are a Christian, Muslim or a traditional religion believer. If there is need for me to attend a programme at the mosque, I would be there. The same for the traditional people. The palace is open for them to come and see me any time.”
On his dream for his people, the monarch said he wishes to see his kingdom develop and assume the status of a city during his reign. Towards this end, he has taken the bull by the horns by constructing a new ultra-modern palace, which he said will mark the beginning of new things in the town.
The monarch also hailed the performance of the governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, in bringing development to the people in the grassroots. “The governor is doing a great job all over the state. He has really done well with all the projects he embarked on since he became the governor. Look at the number of roads he has constructed, look at the education sector. The truth is that the man has done very well.”
Asked what his daily prayers are since becoming a traditional ruler, Oba Adetoyese smiled and said: “What better prayer would a king say to God if not long life and wisdom to lead his people? Sincerely, these are the things that I ask for every day.”
The king is no doubt enjoying his new status as a traditional ruler. But he is also missing some aspects of his old life. “There were several things I could do those days without anybody raising an eyebrow. But my life is no longer the same. For instance, I can no longer wear non-native attires in the public. I can no longer drink or eat in public. In fact, there were many things I could those days, which have become taboos for me today.”
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Osun monarch’s application stalls judgment in rape case
The Alowa of Ilowa in Obokun Local Government Area of Osun State, Oba Adebukola Alli, who is on trial for allegedly raping a corps member, yesterday applied for more time to defend the allegation.
Justice Jide Falola of the State High Court, Osogbo, the state capital, fixed yesterday for judgment.
Alli’s counsel, Mr. Taofeeq Tewogbade, said defence is very important in law and urged the court to allow his client put up more defence before his fate is determined.
He said his client has new issues to raise in his defence.
According to Tewogbade, Section 36 (CB) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria allows for proper defence in any case and provides for extension of time for judgment.
He said: “We are seeking extension of time on the case to allow us defend the case better. There are questions the plaintiff needs to answer. Was the lady in question a virgin before she claimed that she was raped? We also need to know if any exhibit has so far been presented by medical practitioners. These and other questions need to be answered.”
A Senior State Counsel from the Ministry of Justice, Mr. M. O. Adedokun, who represented the Director of Public Prosecution, urged the court to ignore the application and deliver judgment.
He said the case had gone through series of adjournment, recalling that the defence counsel had, on April 15, asked for more time when the court asked for his position on its decision to deliver judgment on June 4.
Adedokun, who filed a counter affidavit, said: “The attitude of the defence counsel is an attempt to frustrate the judgment”.
He urged the court to dismiss the application in the interest of justice and fairness.
Justice Falola fixed July 2 for ruling on the application.
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Three feared dead in Ondo protest
•Monarch flees town
The protest against the alleged plan to relocate the proposed Federal Polytechnic in Ile Oluji, headquarters of Ile Oluji/Okeigbo Local Government of Ondo state, entered its second day yesterday.
Three persons were feared dead and four injured.
On Monday, youths, commercial motorcyclists and senior citizens began a protest. They accused the town’s monarch, Oba Suulade Adedugbe, of converting money meant for the community’s development to private use.
The protesters invaded the palace and chased the monarch out of his home.
They reassembled yesterday around 8am and went to the palace, demanding the monarch’s removal.
Sources said unknown to the youths, Oba Adedugbe left the town on Monday evening.
A source said policemen fired tear gas at the protesters and shot into the air to disperse them.
He said: “Some youths were hit in the process. At least, three youths were feared dead. Some of them, who were injured, were taken to the hospital.”
However, another source said the protesters went to the police station to demand the release of some youths that were arrested during Monday’s protest.
The source alleged that the protesters attacked some policemen and the police shot at them.
Banks and other businesses abruptly closed for the day around 10am.
Police spokesman Wole Ogodo said no one was killed.
He said a policeman, who was attacked by the protesters, has been hospitalised.
Ogodo said armed mobile policemen have been deployed in the town to restore order and urged residents to go about their normal duties.
“We are on top of the situation”, he added.
It was learnt that soldiers from the 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure, have been drafted to Ile-Oluji to maintain order.
The Prime Minister of the community, Lisa Akin Fagbamiye, said the monarch was safe.
He said the protesters razed a building in the palace.