News
Yoruba Community in Enugu Gets First Oba
▪︎Alhaji Abdulazeez Adebayo, the new Oba of Yoruba Community in Enugu State
The Yoruba community in Enugu State has unanimously selected Alhaji Abdulazeez Adebayo as its new traditional ruler.
Vanguard reports that Adebayo, who hails from Osun, became the first ever Oba of the community since the history of Yorubas living in Enugu.
Speaking during the community’s meeting on Tuesday in Enugu, the new traditional ruler, said that seven states of Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Kogi and Kwara, made up the Yoruba community in Enugu.
Adebayo revealed that Yoruba ethnic nationality in the state comprised Ibadan Progressive Union, Ede Descendants, as well as Olateji, Ekiti, Ondo, Ilorin Descendant Unions.
“Today, the Ibadan Progressive Union decided to associate and join the Progressive Yoruba Community in Enugu state since what we have been yearning for many years–to have an Oba– has come true.’’
“I came to Enugu on Feb.7, 1979 and since then, I have lived peacefully in the state,” he said.
On how he was chosen, Adebayo said the process entailed looking for somebody with good record, good behaviour and who could take care for his people.
According to him, the person must also be trustworthy and ensure quality representation of Yoruba people in the state.
Explaining how the clamour for Yorubas in Enugu to have an Oba started, he said some people indicated interest to contest for the position in 2018.
Adebayo added that after screening, a report about the aspirants was submitted to the Yoruba community.
“We lost about three persons in the process of waiting to choose who will be our Oba.
This is what the Yoruba elders saw and decided to bring a neutral person who is trusted and I was called upon to take the position.
“I came to Enugu on Feb.7, 1979 and since then, I have lived peacefully in the state,” he said.
While urging them for support, love and unity, Adebayo appealed to other Yorubas, who were not in the fold, to join the community.
In his remarks, one of the aspirants, Chief Valentine Adesina, noted that there had been leadership tussle among the aspirants.
“After the general meeting, they agreed to have a committee that will look into that; we were about seven including me but it was reduced to three.
We didn’t do an election but we considered certain criteria like age and character; at the end of the day, the elders came up with Adebayo.
“He has been one of the pioneer members piloting the affairs of the community for about 35 years now.
“For that singular reason, he knows more than most of us; most Yoruba elders that started with him had gone back home, while others had died.
“I decided to step down for him to move the community forward,” Adesina said.
News
Akran of Badagry is dead, aged 89
The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.
Photo: Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi
The traditional ruler of the Badagry local government area in Lagos State, the Akran of Badagry, De Wheno Aholu Menu-Toyi, is dead, aged 89.
The demise of the monarch marks the end of his 48-year reign on the throne, making him one of the longest-serving traditional rulers in Lagos State.
According to the palace, the Akran was pronounced dead by medical experts, after a brief illness, and the traditional rites for his burial have gradually commenced.
Residents of Badagry, who are currently mourning the loss of their revered monarch, described his death as a heavy blow, noting that the town has lost not just a king but a father figure whose wisdom, counsel and presence brought reassurance in moments of uncertainty.
News
Osun sues UBA, officials to court over illegal LG accounts
They were specifically accused of allowing the opening, operation and maintenance of accounts for each of the local government councils “by unknown private individuals as signatories…
• Map of Osun State
The Osun State Government has instituted a criminal case against United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) and four of its top officials over alleged illegal opening of local government accounts.
Tribune newspaper reported that the Chief Magistrate Court, sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has fixed January 30 for the hearing of the case, marked Charge No: MOS/601c/2025.
The defendants in the suit are: the UBA Plc, its Group Managing Director, Mr Oliver Alawuba, the Company Secretary and Group Legal Adviser, Mr Billy Odum and the Deputy Managing Director, Mr Chukwuma Nweke.
In the charge sheet, the government filed the 31-count charge against the bank and its officials, with each count relating to alleged infractions involving opening of bank accounts for the state’s 30 local government councils.
In count one, the prosecution alleged that the defendants, on or about December 9, 2025, and on subsequent days, at UBA’S Osun State branch office located in the Olonkoro area of Osogbo, conspired to commit a felony by opening, operating and maintaining what it described as illegal Osun State Local Government Council accounts.
The alleged offence, the charge stated, occurred within the Osogbo Magisterial District and is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 516 of the Criminal Code, Cap 34, Volume 2, Laws of Osun State of Nigeria, 2002.
They were specifically accused of allowing the opening, operation and maintenance of accounts for each of the local government councils “by unknown private individuals as signatories” after the Local Government Service Commission had introduced to the defendants, Directors of Administration and General Services and Directors of Finance of all the local governments as signatories to the councils’ statutory accounts “and thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 2 and 3 (1) and (2), and punishable under Section 5(1) and (2) of Osun State Local Government Accounts Administration Law, 2025.”
News
Umahi: We’re not tolling Third Mainland Bridge
Umahi affirmed this during inauguration of the N40 billion Closed Circuit Television Camera Centre on the Third Mainland Bridge, the previous day.
• Third Mainland Bridge
The Minister of Works Senator Dave Umahi has confirmed that the Federal Government has no plan to toll the rehabilitated Third Mainland Bridge in Lagos.
Umahi affirmed this during inauguration of the N40 billion Closed Circuit Television Camera Centre on the Third Mainland Bridge, the previous day.
He said : “We will not engage construction on this bridge because it will entail static load on the bridge.
“It is also within the town, so it will introduce many bottlenecks; that is why we are not tolling this bridge,” he said.
Umahi said that security would be handled by the police, noting that the 11-kilometre bridge would have a five-minute response time.
Akran of Badagry is dead, aged 89
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