Photos: Oluwo Names New Baby After Only Female Olofin Adimula, Luwo Gbagida

The Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, HIM Oba Abdulrosheed Adewale Akanbi, has named his new daughter after Olofin Adimula of Ile-Ife, Luwo Gbagida.

Luwo Gbagida was the only female Olofin Adimula of Ile-Ife and the mother of Adekola Telu who founded the ancient city of Iwo.

Conducting the naming ceremony by himself in the midst of traditional rulers, religious clerics, community leaders and well-wishers, Oluwo named the child Luwo, Adewumi, Sultana, Fatimoh, Grace. 

The Iwo monarch described Luwo Gbagida as a valiant, confident and visionary first female king in the universe.

A statement by Oluwo through his press secretary, Alli Ibraheem, reads: "Today, I'm making a great history by naming my daughter after an Amazon, Iya wa (our mother), Luwo Gbagida"

"Luwo Gbagida was the only female Olofin Adimula of Ile-Ife. Her credible marks and confidence produced Iwo. He gave the crown to her only son, Adekola Telu, to found a city of truth (Ilu Ayekooto), Iwo"

"Her decision and the perseverance of Telu with his entourage produced Iwo of today"

"LUWO was a genuine descendant of Oduduwa. She acted like Oduduwa and her reign was monumentally felt by all and sundry"

"I've many things in common. She was the 16th Olofin Adimula Ile-Ife while I'm the 16th Oluwo. My coronation was 16th January,2016"

"Many miracles were seen in my new daughter. Her birth is a blessing, not only to my harem but Yoruba land by extension. She is a gift to humanity "

According to Wikipedia, She was the daughter or a descendant of Olofin Adimula Otaataa from Owodo compound, Okerewe, and a descendant of Olofin Lafogido.

She was the first and the only female paramount ruler of Ile-ife known to be the origin of Yoruba tribe in south-westhern, Nigeria and was succeeded by Oloofin Giesi. Olofin Luwoo's reign remains the only one by a female in Ife till date. Her son Adekola Telu was the founder of the Iwo Kingdom.

PDP Suspends Fayose, Anyim, Others

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP on Thursday suspended former governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose; former president of the Senate, Pius Anyim; Prof Dennis Ityavyar and Aslam Aliyu.

The suspension, which takes immediate effect, was arrived at after an extensive review of the affairs of the party, pursuant to the provisions of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017).

The PDP also referred the Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, to the National Disciplinary Committee over his reported involvement in anti-party activities.

This was disclosed in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Debo Ologunagba.

“The PDP urges all leaders, critical stakeholders and teeming members of our party across the country to remain united and focused at this critical time,” the statement added.

Fayose, while featuring on a tv program on Thursday, blamed stakeholders and politicians for a majority of the problems currently facing the country.

The former governor disclosed that there was a lot wrong with Nigeria, adding that nothing had changed in the country since 1979.

“There is a lot wrong with Nigeria. Since 1979, nothing has changed. I blamed the majority of the problems on the stakeholders and politicians.

“When you asked (Muhammadu) Buhari in 2015, If you lose the election, would you concede defeat?’ he said ‘I would win’. He never conceived he would lose.

“I told you the senators, House of Reps members are returning to the National Assembly. The system is sick. Nobody is protecting it.

“Rather than blame the Independent National Electoral Commission, we need to draw a red line like the army. Nothing was wrong in the elections,” he said.

Re-election Victory: Makinde Hosts Shina Peller, Accord Party Members

Oyo State governor, 'Seyi Makinde has stated that he will devote time to visit all zones of the state to appreciate residents for the confidence reposed in him as reflected in his unprecedented victory in 31 of the 33 local governments of the state.

The governor said this on Thursday, when he hosted the Oyo North Senatorial Candidate of the Accord Party, Hon. Shina Peller, who led members of the party to the Agodi Government House, Ibadan, to congratulate him on his re-election.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor appreciated the members of the Accord Party and all residents of the state for their support in Saturday’s governorship and House of Assembly election, assuring that efforts put into re-electing him would not be in vain.

The governor equally charged Peller and other National Assembly candidates who lost in the election not to lose hope and that those who won should not rest on their oars, as the validity of their victories will be tested before the National Assembly Election Tribunal. 

He said: "I greet everyone seated here. I want to assure us that the efforts and support we have all put into the re-election victory won’t go in vain.

“When Hon. Shina Peller told me that you said you wanted to come and pay a thank-you and congratulatory visit to me, I told him that I should be the one to do that first. Be that as it may, I still have it in plan, and I have discussed it with the leaders of our party.

“In April, I will devote one week to tour all our zones to thank our people for their show of support, and I will use the same opportunity to visit you too.

“After the presidential election, some of us realigned forces because we knew we needed to do that to complete our ongoing projects, which are at 60, 70 per cent level. 

“We know that if there is no continuity in government, you cannot guarantee the fact that they will not abandon all these projects, because we have discovered that change of government is the principal cause of abandoned projects. 

“So, I want to thank you for listening to us and your leader, and to add, at this point, that all of those who have worked tirelessly for this victory will be rewarded. I don’t want to say much now until I visit our different localities to address you one after the other.

“Finally, don’t let us relax and be downcast because of what occurred during the presidential/NASS election – How we lost the three seats to APC candidates. It happened like that because the elections held the same day. So, the candidates rode on the popularity of the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu. 

“But some of the people that thought they emerged have not, most especially the Senatorial and House of Representatives candidates. "So, be patient as we look unto God, who we know will perfect everything for us.”

Earlier, Hon. Shina Peller, had told the governor that the  purpose of the visit was to congratulate him on his victory, reiterating that the governor has done very well for the people of Oke Ogun zone.

He added that their choice to support Makinde was because he and his people “are not blinded by political party affiliation or religion” and that they were driven by the interest to see the governor complete the good works he has been doing in the state.

He said: “Concerning the past election, the will of the people has been done. The people must understand the fact that God created our land with so many resources, which are not yielding any good result because of bad leadership.

“We only have a time to address that leadership failure, which is election period and the 2023 general election was critical to us as Nigerians, to elect credible leaders, not just by political parties. 

“You will agree with me that the political atmosphere has changed. People now follow personalities and not political parties, and that is the foundation of why we are here today.

“We have been able to see beyond political lines. We can see what the governor is doing, yet we don’t want to be blinded by political party or religious interest but the interest of the people, which we feel is the most important thing in politics.”

Speaking on whether or not he has defected to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the House of Representatives member said he remained in Accord Party, but could say that Governor Makinde is his leader.

“Concerning defection, I came in purposely to protect the interest of my people. I am a member of the Accord Party today, but nobody knows what tomorrow holds. What I can say is that Governor Makinde is my leader.

“I left the APC purposely because the people of Oke-Ogun were short-changed and my people said to me that we needed to fight it out by aligning with a political party. 

“That was how we found ourselves in Accord. By and large, we decided to follow Governor Makinde because of what he has done in Oke-Ogun, which no governor has ever done in the past. 

“An example is the LAUTECH Campus in Iseyin. We have clamoured for a higher institution for years and many politicians have promised us and failed. But Governor Makinde has done that for us. 

“So, if such a personality is going for second term, I believe I should support him despite being a member of another political party. 

“We need to be able to rise above these biases, and that is why I will continue to be there for my people. I have a leader in Governor Makinde and what I have done within the last two weeks is because I believe in him and we share the same core ideology. I can assure you that I will always queue behind him,” Peller added.

Ramadan: Makinde Felicitates Muslim Faithful, Calls For More Prayers For State, Nigeria

Oyo State governor,'Seyi Makinde, has felicitated Muslims in the state and across the country on the commencement of the holy month of Ramadan.

The governor urged the Muslim faithful to use the opportunity of the holy month to pray relentlessly for Oyo State and Nigeria and the leadership at all levels.

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Taiwo Adisa, indicated that the governor equally admonished Muslims to imbibe the teachings contained in the Holy Quran regarding the blessed month, including showing kindness and generosity.

According to the governor, the month of Ramadan is a period of spiritual uplift and complete devotion to Allah, adding that Muslims should take full advantage of the holy month to strengthen their commitment to Allah and their service to humanity.

He said: “I congratulate Muslim faithful in Oyo State and around the globe for witnessing yet another blessed month of Ramadan. We thank Allah (SWT), who has made this possible.

“Ramadan is a period of complete devotion to Allah (SWT) and I urge my Muslim brothers and sisters to take full advantage of the period to strengthen their commitment to Allah (SWT) and their service to humanity.

“They must endeavour to increase in the acts of kindness and generosity by showing love and extending hands of support to the poor and the needy, as it was the practice of Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

“I pray to Allah to accept all your acts of worship in this blessed month and reward us all abundantly.

“Ramadan Kareem.”

Ekweremadu, Wife, Doctor Found Guilty Of Organ Trafficking

Former Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu; his wife Beatrice; and their doctor, Obinna Obeta have been found guilty of organ trafficking in the first verdict of its kind under the Modern Slavery Act.

Ekweremadu, 60; his wife, Beatrice, 56; and Dr Obinna Obeta, 51, were found guilty of facilitating the travel of a young man to Britain with a view to his exploitation after a six-week trial at the Old Bailey.

They criminally conspired to bring the 21-year-old Lagos street trader to London to exploit him for his kidney, the jury found, according to UK Guardian.

The prosecutor Hugh Davies KC told the court the Ekweremadus and Obeta had treated the man and other potential donors as “disposable assets – spare parts for reward”. He said they entered an “emotionally cold commercial transaction” with the man.

The behaviour of Ekweremadu, a successful lawyer and founder of an anti-poverty charity who helped draw up Nigeria’s laws against organ trafficking, showed “entitlement, dishonesty and hypocrisy”, Davies told the jury.

He said Ekweremadu, who owns several properties and had a staff of 80, “agreed to reward someone for a kidney for his daughter – somebody in circumstances of poverty and from whom he distanced himself and made no inquiries, and with whom, for his own political protection, he wanted no direct contact”.

Davies added, “What he agreed to do was not simply expedient in the clinical interests of his daughter, Sonia, it was exploitation, it was criminal. It is no defence to say he acted out of love for his daughter. Her clinical needs cannot come at the expense of the exploitation of somebody in poverty.”

Ekweremadu, who denied the charge, told the court he was the victim of a scam. Obeta, who also denied the charge, claimed the man was not offered a reward for his kidney and was acting altruistically. Beatrice denied any knowledge of the alleged conspiracy. Sonia did not give evidence.

The judge, Mr Justice Jeremy Johnson, will pass sentence at a later date.

Credit: channelstelevision

Tinubu: A Man Who Thrives In Hate | By Wale Olaleye

I'm not a fan of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, and never will be. Fact! Let's consider this a public declaration for the umpteenth time. And if you like, you can also interpret this decision as yielding from a personal standpoint. It still wouldn't change me from me. 

I covered him as Governor of Lagos State, and we were running around Lagos during the Ikeja bomb blast - stressing day and night. So, I had seen and observed him at close quarters. Yet, our spirits do not gel. But I do not hate him either, even when I have grounds to.

I recall engaging him at the ramp in Alausa one day after visiting some of the victims of the blast. I asked what he would have done if it was a coup that happened the day the bombs detonated? He paused for a while, pondering his answer. But his media aides didn't like the tone of my question. They were going to stop me. Instead, he stopped them and took it on. I could tell he liked the question because it resonated with him - days in the trenches. 

For one, I've never liked his politics because it is darwinian in nature and absolute in form. He is an extremist, when it comes to politics of neutralising the opposition. He does not leave anything to chance and aims for complete annihilation of the opponents. It's his style. Sadly, it has worked and sustained him over the years. It derives from his understanding of power and politics. 

The name, Akanbi, isn't casual and not just handed children for want of any other. The internet meaning of it does not suffice either. It goes beyond, "He who is given birth to after only one touch." For want of a simplistic meaning, it typifies a preternatural being. 

Many a time, I'd queried the sweeping hatred, not dislike, for Tinubu from different quarters. A few, including some openly identifying with him, only endure him for personal benefits. The interesting thing is that a majority of those in this class do not hide it, and it cuts across ethnic groups. In fact, more Yoruba folks "detest" him and his guts than people from other tribes. 

Unfortunately, the more they project their hate, the more he tends to advance in the things they hate him for. Isn't that unfathomable? Show me anyone who has gotten away with almost everything, and I'll tell you no one compares to him. Indeed, some of those who couldn't stand his guts are coming back to genuflect before him, since a lot of them do not even have second addresses. 

Even if they had, have you sat back to ask if there was something he was doing right for God to have satisfied him with staggering favour in spite of what you and I might consider his "sins"? After all, some of the vilest offenders in the Bible were described as God's favorite. But if you considered their atrocities, you would almost question God's criteria for choosing those He called His favourites. 

This, nonetheless, I have come, not just to the conclusion but distinct realisation that the more you espouse hate for this man, the more he progresses in all his undertakings and machinations, including savouring long life against all odds. 

The Yoruba have two defining sayings, which I consider expedient in the circumstances. One, "Ti a ba le'ni, ti a o ba ba'ni, a ma'n s'in leyin eni ni." And the other, which I consider complementary adds: "E lo ja'wo l'apon ti o yo, e lo da omi Ila ka'na" at this rate. In other words, "gba fun oga e ni isinmi."

There are levels of grace that individuals enjoy, and it's God's exclusive right, contingent on His relationship with each person. Discover yours and develop it in a relationship with your creator. 

Pastor Paul Adefarasin was very profound, when he said there was going to be a Saul before the coming of David. The Saul is here already, but don't make God change his mind about your preferred David. Wisdom is profitable...