Predictably, there is disquiet in the South-West after the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement, led by Prof Banji Akintoye and Chief Sunday Adeyemo, alias Sunday Igboho, sent an open letter to President Bola Tinubu, seeking a peaceful breakaway of Yoruba people from Nigeria. 

The letter came on the heels of the failed attempt by some armed agitators to seize Oyo State Government House and the state House of Assembly in Ibadan. 

29 of the agitators have been taken before a magistrate’s court in Ibadan which ordered that they should be remanded in prison custody.

Akintoye and Igboho dissociated themselves from the violent action.

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organization, Afenifere, immediately responded to the call, last week, describing it as undesirable, self-serving and unnecessary “at the moment at least”.

The National President of Soludero Hunters’ Association, Oba Ajijola Akintola Anabi, toed the path of the Afenifere when he took exception to the call for the exit of Yoruba from Nigeria.

A former governorship aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Ondo State, Mr Tunji Light-Ariyomo, on his part, said it was doubtful that Akintoye and Sunday Igboho would take that route at this time.

But an octogenarian, Pa Dele Aladekomo, Mr Adeola Fehintola, an Oyo State-based legal practitioner, and the Convener, Yoruba Commitment Forum, Otunba Tayo Onayemi, lauded the Yoruba Self-Determination Movement letter to the president.

In the open letter, dated April 17, 2024, and signed by Akintoye, Igboho and one Ola Ademola, the group said, “We have the honour to send to Your Excellency this important letter on behalf of the many millions of Yoruba people at home in Yorubaland in Nigeria and in the Yoruba Diaspora in almost all countries across the world.

“We send this letter as a follow-up to our earlier letter, dated August 06, 2022, which we delivered to your predecessor, President Muhammadu Buhari, in his exalted position then as President of Nigeria.

“Since 2015, the Fulani have been killing widely among the other peoples of Nigeria, including us Yoruba, destroying farms, villages and other assets, kidnapping men, women and children, extorting large amounts of money as ransom from friends and family of the kidnapped, and repeatedly asserting their intention to seize the homelands of all the indigenous peoples of Nigeria to turn all into a Fulani homeland.”

It said in the Middle Belt, horrendous blood-letting was going on with many families forced into Internally Displaced People Camps while many of their villages were seized by the Fulani and renamed as Fulani villages.

“In our Yoruba homeland, our people are resisting somewhat better, but the Fulani attacks and killings and kidnappings are unrelenting and are coming daily, leading to horrific instability, and forcing most of our farmers to abandon farming altogether, thereby dooming Yoruba people to years and years of famine”, the group said.

It further alleged that an unofficial estimate showed that Fulani had killed as many as 29,000 Yoruba people since 2015 till date, adding that the aforementioned reasons were enough for them to seek breakaway from Nigeria. “All these actions by the Fulani are, to us Yoruba, a sufficient reason for our seeking to separate our Yoruba Nation from Nigeria. Most of us, Yoruba have no confidence in the ‘restructuring’ that some of our most respected Yoruba leaders (such as our fathers in our highly exalted Afenifere) are advocating. 

“And our reason is that we know that restructuring cannot keep the Fulani marauders away from our homeland. Since, after restructuring, the Fulani would still be Nigerians like us, and would still have full citizens’ rights to come in large numbers, and with weapons and intent to kill and destroy and seize land, to our homeland.

“The Fulani elite seem to be saying in effect that they intend to make Nigeria ungovernable for President Tinubu, and that they would never accept any official action of his.

“We are acting for and on behalf of our 60 million Yoruba people of the Ekiti, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo State, respectively, plus the Yoruba Local Government Areas of Kogi and Kwara State, and the Itshekiri homeland of Delta State, all together constituting the Yorubaland in Nigeria, hereby most humbly place our crowning request before Your Excellency as follows:

“That the Nigerian Federal Government shall, within the next two months, but not later than June 15, 2024, inform us Yoruba Self-determination Movement that the Nigerian Federal Government has graciously agreed to our proposal for negotiation and that they have set up a negotiation team that will meet and have a dialogue with our Yoruba Nation’s negotiation team.

“That the Nigerian Federal Government shall invite the United Nations, African Union and the Economic Community of West African States, to send observers to the negotiation meetings.”

It, therefore, promised to forward the list of its negotiation team to the government as soon as it received a message in response to its request for the negotiation.

Perceived marginalization

Afenifere faulted the group’s position on many grounds.

First was the reason adduced for the request to exit Nigeria which was based on the perceived marginalization that the Yoruba are suffering in Nigeria.

It maintained that the problems bedevilling Yorubaland and Nigeria as a whole “are not merely because multi-ethnic groups make up the country”.

Rather, Afenifere, according to the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Jare Ajayi, the country’s multifarious problems can be traced to a lack of good governance. 

The group went on, “There is no doubt that the lot of Yoruba can be better than it presently is. But whatever deprivation Yoruba may be experiencing today in the Nigerian nation is not due mainly to the fact that they are Yoruba.

“The deprivations they are suffering could be traced to the general misgovernance that corporate Nigeria had been subjected to over the years if not decades.

“Meaning that marginalization, deprivation, injustice, misgovernance etc that Yoruba may be experiencing today is, if truth is to be told, not peculiar to Yoruba alone.

“We are not, by this submission, claiming that Yoruba are getting the best or should not be better served.

“Far from it. What we are saying is that it would be unfair to use the excuse of the deprivations in the land as an alibi to want to leave Nigeria. “What we should clamour for is good governance that will enable every segment of the society to have a better lease of life”.

Doubtful call

Tunji Light-Ariyomo, a former APC governorship aspirant, told Sunday Vanguard at the weekend, “l was under the impression that it was a woman, Mrs. Onitiri-Abiola, that made the call in a widely circulated video.

“Many reliable news channels also featured stories about some Yoruba Nation agitators, purportedly acting under her instructions, storming Agodi Secretariat in Ibadan with dane guns, pump action rifles and charms to declare the Republic of Oduduwa.

“It is doubtful that Prof. Banji Akintoye and Chief Sunday Igboho would take that route at this time. If indeed they have, it would be most unfortunate.

“This is because the issues at stake are all-encompassing and every Yoruba person, from Ijumu in Kogi State and parts of Niger State to the creeks of Ilaje and even Itshekiri, to Idiroko in Ogun State and the lands of the Egun people in Badagry, is a bonafide equal stakeholder.

“If they intend to opt out of Nigeria, the majority of those people will express their concurrence. But I am very sure that most Yoruba only came across this news just like that.

“More importantly, the majority of the Yoruba believe in the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu who is the current President of Nigeria.

“They believe in the leadership of the elder statesman, Pa. Reuben Fasoranti, the current de facto head of the Yoruba race as leader of Afenifere.

“I don’t think any of these two leaders are in support of the quest to exit Nigeria. This is also applicable to our traditional rulers. Is the Oonirisa in support? The Ewi of Ado Ekiti, is he in support? The Alake of Egbaland or the Deji of Akure Kingdom, are they in support?

“I concur that this is not the Nigeria of our dreams.

“I concede that our country has foundational structural flaws that continue to hamper growth and development.

“Amos 3:3, a prominent verse in the holy book, says ‘Can two walk together except they agree?’

“Hence, I agree that Nigeria needs to fix its fundamental problems, agree to a template for equitable and egalitarian coexistence among its ethnic nationalities and tribes, and embrace a model of governance that does not condone wastages and profligacy or impose the will of one ethnic group upon others. We can look at models of governance in other countries – nations with more than one primary ethnicity like the United Kingdom etc.

“The UK is officially four countries with each having its relative autonomy. England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland even attend international sporting events in their names!

“The consensus forged in support of appalling evil today in Nigeria derives its strength from identity politics.
“If an Ijaw woman steals billions of Naira, you could suddenly see many Izons rallying in her support.

“If an Igbo man steals billions, you could easily see many Igbo youths rallying in his support. Ditto the Yoruba, the Hausa etc. “Ethnicity is a powerful sentiment, just like religion. If we however evolve a model of governance that ring-fences ethnicity, it would no longer be an issue. It would then stop being a weapon that could be conjured at will by looters of our common patrimony.

“So, my counsel is that we work with other regions across Nigeria to evolve a model for the country of our dreams”.

‘Drop the issue for now’

Also speaking on the letter, the National President of the Soludero Hunters’ Association, Anabi, said he took exception to the call for the exit of Yoruba from Nigeria.

He said, “I will implore Prof Akintoye to please drop the issue for now because the current president is a Yoruba man and the best thing for us is to support him to make the country surmount its numerous challenges.

“But I will call on all our leaders to look into the complaints of Professor Akintoye and Sunday Adeyemo and tackle them because no one is blind to the evil that Fulani herders continue to perpetrate.

“President Tinubu should please help us to empower local security men like hunters so that we comb all forests and flush out all criminal elements that make it difficult for our people to farm. 

“We should drop this call for our good so that it doesn’t lead to another bloodshed because it’s not all that easy to exit a nation without violence”.

Meanwhile, Fehintola, an Oyo State-based legal practitioner, on his part, noted that
Akintoye deserves attention.

“First, we have to consider his antecedents as an academic and a veteran politician with rich ideological clout”, he said.

Stole from community to buy arms

The goals of Correctional centres, otherwise known as Prison , are to strike a balance between punishment, rehabilitation and public safety while preparing inmates for a productive life after release.

However, in Nigeria , these goals have suffered severe set back as most inmates rather than being transformed into a better version of themselves, return back to the society hardened than they were before going to jail.

This was the case of a suspected leader of a kidnap gang arrested by the Rivers State Police Command under the watch of CP Olatunji Disu.

The suspect, Gift Ogbo (39), who is receiving treatment in the hospital, from injuries sustained during a botched kidnap operation , disclosed that he formed his gang while serving his 11 years jail term for a murder case.

Ogbo, who said he had never been to a classroom since birth, recalled how he roamed his village in Ndele, Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State, during school hours, searching for opportunities to pilfer.

Due to his alleged villainous disposition, he was nick named ‘Akwa Ndele’, with parts of his body designed with bold scars .

Arrest

Saturday Vanguard gathered that on March 29, 2024, Ogbo, led three members of his gang on a kidnap mission, in their operational tricycle, on Nkpolu road.

They reportedly intercepted a white Mercedes-Benz ML 350 4matic , parked on the road, with two occupants in the driver and passenger seats. 

But in an act of bravery, driver of the Mercedes who attempted to reverse and escape, hit a wall .
He reportedly drove menacingly towards two suspected members of the gang that stood in front of the car ,and ran over them.

The two suspects were

Ogbo and another member identified simply as Oyi-Baba, who were the gang’s muscle men. They were abandoned at the scene by their fleeing colleagues.

A mob was said to have descended on them and was at the verge of setting them ablaze when a Rapid Response Team that was contacted arrived the scene.

While Oyi-Baba reportedly died in the hospital, Ogbo , is still undergoing treatment, according to Police sources.

Prison gang

From the hospital bed, Ogbo, said, “ In 2012, I attacked one of my uncles during an argument over a parcel of land and he died in the process. 

I was arrested and charged for murder. While serving my 11 years hail term, I made friends with some inmates.

“Upon my release in December 2023, I returned to Ndele and rallied two old friends, Gift Kpanuku, aka Oyi-Baba and one Sunny, aka Onye-meme.

”We teamed up with two released members of the gang I formed in prison: Isaac and Ugo and immediately devised a plan to start a kidnap-for-ransom gang.

“ We stole from residents of Ndele to raise money for arms. We raised 370,000 and used it to purchase two locally made shot guns in Akwa-Ibom from Smart, a gunrunner I also met in prison.

Operations

“ We went on the first mission on March 13, 2024, at about 8.45 p.m. We snatched a red Mazda 323 from a local taxi driver to use as operational vehicle. On that same evening, we met a man and his wife who parked their car in front of a doctor’s office at Nkpolu. We ordered them out of their Volkswagen Touareg, pushed them into the back seat of the car and drove off with them, abandoning the stolen Mazda.

“ But on the way to our hideout, there was traffic .While contemplating an alternative route, the woman jumped out of the car. In anger, I shot her husband in both thighs, and we sped off.
We took him to a compound in Eleme, took his gold chain, gold wristwatch , his phone and wife’s phone which she left . We used his ATM card to withdraw N530, 000, via

Tunde Onakoya, the chess master, has taken to social media to reveal that someone gifted a house to his parents.

Onakoya, in a post via X on Friday, disclosed that the house gift for his parents is the “single greatest thing” anyone will ever do for him.

The chess master appreciated the person who gifted his parents the house, although he did not mention names.

Onakoya, who recently broke the Guinness World Record (GWR) for the longest chess marathon, also recalled his humble beginnings.

The ‘Chess In Slums Africa’ founder narrated how his mother worked as a cleaner so he could get an education. He added that his father worked as a danfo driver so they could feed and survive.

“Someone gifted my parents a new house today. It’s the single greatest thing anyone will ever do for me in this lifetime. Thank you My mother worked as a cleaner in the same school I attended so I could get an education while my dad worked as a Danfo driver/bus conductor so we could feed and survive,” he wrote.

“My greatest joy in life is to be able to give them both the life they truly deserve.”

Law Lee, an associate of embattled singer, Naira Marley, has made a snide remark about the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly called Mohbad.

Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.

In an Instagram post on Friday, Law Lee expressed his level of hatred for Mohbad.

His statement came after Portable tackled Zinoleesky, on social media for acquiring a Ferrari despite not having a hit song.

According to him, the hatred for the deceased increases every day even after his death.

He explained that Mohbad’s alleged disparaging remarks about fellow artist Oniyide Azeez aka Zinoleesky led to a public confrontation towards him on social media by a controversial artist, Habeeb Okikiola aka Portable.

He further stated that if Mohbad had not made negative remarks about Zinoleesky, Portable wouldn’t have made such a move.

He wrote, “Every day my hatred for Mohbad keeps increasing even after his death …. If not for all those miscap about zino na why this @portablebaeby get mind dey sub am .. Fooooooooooool.”

A former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022.

The Lagos State Police Command had, on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer’s death.

A probe into his death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, among others.

The duo’s had before their arrest faced criticism for allegedly mistreating Mohbad before his passing in September 2023.

The Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria has expressed concern over the detrimental impact of medical practitioners emigrating abroad in search of better opportunities, revealing that 72,000 out of 130,000 registered doctors failed to renew their practice licenses in 2023.

The MDCN highlighted that only a meager 58,000 have renewed their licenses, emphasizing that such a trend will not only strain healthcare services but also overwhelm the limited available personnel.

Dr. Fatima Kyari, the Registrar of the body, conveyed these sentiments on Friday during the induction and oath-taking ceremony of 20 newly qualified doctors at the Edo State University, Uzairue.

“The council has so far registered 130,000 medical doctors to practice in Nigeria since its inception 61 years ago and the council is mandated to regulate the practice of medicine, dental, and alternative medicine in Nigeria.

“But only 58,000 doctors have renewed their annual practising license in the year 2023 following the increase in migration of doctors outside the country,

“However, the doctors must meet the requirements to earn those increases in quota. We will partner with them to ensure that they meet those requirements, and as we try to ensure that, standards must be upheld,” he added.

Kyari, who was represented by the Deputy Registrar Dr Victor Kolawole, noted that the induction of the 20 newly qualified doctors would add to the existing workforce in the health sector which is being depleted by the day.

She, however, admonished the inductees to uphold the ethics of the profession, warning that the council is mandated to regulate the activities of the practitioners as well as punish offenders.

The institution’s Vice Chancellor, Prof Emmanuel Aluyor, while speaking, explained that the upgrade of the Central Hospital, Auchi to a teaching hospital has enhanced facilities for the training of the medical students and uplifting the standard of healthcare services in Edo North and its environs.

While commended Governor Godwin Obaseki for his unwavering support for the university, he enjoined the inductees to uphold the ethics of the profession, saying he is confident that they would bring honour to the institution and MDCN.

“I urge the state government to sustain efforts towards improving facilities at Edo State University Teaching Hospital, Auchi.”

However, the acting Provost, of the College of Medical Sciences, Dr Kenneth Atoe, said 20 medical graduates from the college are the second batch of Batch B inductees.

He advised the newly qualified medical graduates to uphold the ethical standards of a medical professional, saying, “You must internalise the values of honesty, integrity, and selflessness.

“These virtues are not only essential for building strong doctor-patient relationships but are also integral to upholding the ethical standards and trustworthiness expected of a medical professional.

“By embodying these values, doctors not only fulfil their professional obligations but also contribute to the maintenance of public trust in the medical profession.”

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission says it has confirmed the receipt of the refund of $760,000 paid as advanced school fees by Yahaya Bello, former governor of Kogi, for his children at the American International School, Abuja.

Dele Oyewale, spokesperson for the EFCC, confirmed the development in Abuja on Friday to journalist.

“The school has refunded the entire $ 760, 000 to the EFCC’s recovery account,” he said.

Earlier, the American International School of Abuja had asked the EFCC to provide “authentic banking details” for the refund of fees paid for the children of the former governor.

Bello was accused of using funds from the Kogi State Government to pay $720,000 in advance for fees of five of his children.

The children attending the school are enrolled in Grades 2 to 8.

In an effort to apprehend Bello regarding an alleged N80.2 billion scam, EFCC agents besieged his Abuja home on April 17.

Usman Ododo, the governor of Kogi, reportedly arrived at the residence while the operatives were there and reportedly whisked Bello away.

In a letter addressed to the Lagos Zonal Commander of the EFCC, the school said the sum of $845,852 has been paid in tuition “since the 7th of September 2021 to date.”

AISA said the sum to be refunded is $760,910 because it had deducted educational services already rendered.

“Please forward to us an official written request, with the authentic banking details of the EFCC, for the refund of the above-mentioned funds as previously indicated as part of your investigation into the alleged money laundering activities by the Bello family,” the letter reads.

It added, “Since the 7th September 2021 to date, $845,852.84 in tuition and other fees have been deposited into our bank account.

We have calculated the net amount to be transferred and refunded to the State, after deducting the educational services rendered as $760,910.84.

“No further additional fees are expected in respect of tuition as the students’ fees have now been settled until they graduate from ASIA.”

The school said it would draw the attention of the anti-graft agency if there were any further deposits by the Bello family.

In a statement signed by Greg Hughes, AISA also said, “Ali Bello contacted the school on Friday 13 August 2021 requesting to pay the family school fees in advance until the students graduate from High School.”

The Chairman of the EFCC, Ola Olukoyede, had earlier revealed that the former governor transferred $720,000 from the government’s coffers to a bureau de change before leaving office to pay in advance for his child’s school fee.

Olukoyede revealed this during an interview with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said, “A sitting governor, because he knows he is going, moved money directly from government to bureau de change, used it to pay the child’s school fee in advance, $720,000 in advance, in anticipation that he was going to leave the Government House.

“In a poor state like Kogi, and you want me to close my eyes to that under the guise of ‘I’m being used.’ Being used by who at this stage of my life?”

The Katsina State Command of the Nigerian Police Force has apprehended Ahmadu Usman, aged 55, from Farfari village, Batagarawa LGA, Katsina, in relation to a suspected case of culpable homicide.

While parading the suspect, the command’s spokesman, ASP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu, said on April 1, 2024, at about 8 am, one Rahinatu Hassan, 32, from Gyanke village via Batagarawa LGA, who was heavily pregnant was in labour and having difficulties delivering the baby.

“Hence, the services of the suspect were employed to assist the woman in safe delivery, unfortunately, the suspect, knowing fully well that he is not a trained midwife, forcefully dragged the baby out of the womb with the head severed from the body (in the process)”.

Aliyu added that upon receipt of the report, detectives were promptly dispatched to the scene and the woman was rushed to the hospital for medical attention, while the suspect was subsequently arrested.

He said during investigation, the suspect confessed to committing the offence while investigation was still ongoing.

...in Nigeria 98, 000 women die annually from the use of firewood and charcoal

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Gas 360, Emmanuel Uwandu has revealed that cooking with firewood and charcoal is equivalent to smoking 20 packages of cigarettes.

He stated this on Friday, 26th April, 2024 during the unveiling of the 20,000 metric tonnes of Liquified Petroleum Gas Depot Project by Windek Energy Limited in Atabrikang Aquaha, Ibeno Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Uwandu emphasized the dire situation, particularly in the Niger Delta region, where approximately 21,000 women lose their lives each year due to reliance on firewood and charcoal.

Drawing a stark comparison, he equated cooking with these traditional fuels to smoking 20 packs of cigarettes daily, highlighting the immense health risks faced by Nigerian women on a daily basis.

He lamented the lack of attention given to this silent killer, stating that while diseases like malaria and HIV/AIDS receive significant focus, the deadly impact of cooking with “dirty” fuels often goes unnoticed.

Despite being the leading cause of mortality in Nigeria, clean cooking initiatives receive minimal funding compared to other health interventions.

Uwandu urged both national and sub-national governments to prioritize clean cooking solutions and seize global opportunities to address this issue.

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He emphasized the need for robust policies and government support to transition communities from reliance on dirty fuels to cleaner alternatives. Ultimately, he called for concerted action to save lives and improve the health and well-being of Nigerian women across the nation.

Uwandu said, “Cooking with firewood, and charcoal is equivalent to smoking 20 packages of cigarettes For an average smoker that is too much, that is what women in Nigeria have to deal with daily.

“In Nigeria 98, 000 women die annually from the use of firewood and charcoal and across the 774 local governments that translates to about 2,700 deaths annually.

“In Niger Delta alone 21, 000 women die from the use of firewood and charcoal. If we bring that home to Akwa Ibom State 31 Local governments 75 women die every year from the use of firewood and charcoal”.

Today, in Nigeria, cooking with dirty fuel is the highest killer of Nigerians but for some reason malaria and HIV get the attention, and nobody talks about cooking with dirty fuel. Globally, 4.6bn dollars was provided to fight against malaria and HIV for Nigeria but clean cooking receives less than 200 million dollars, we have to do more.”

He urged Nigerian governments at both the national and sub-national levels to seize global opportunities for clean cooking.

Emphasising the importance of action, he stated that the global committee seeks robust clean action plans on policy and governmental support.

Their aim is to facilitate the transformation of communities from reliance on dirty fuel to embracing clean cooking practices.

Prophet Chukwuemeka Ohanemere, popularly known as Indaboski, has declared that now that he is back, the Naira will surely appreciate against the dollar.

In a video captured at the airport upon his arrival from London, Indaboski confidently boasted,” boasted: “This is Indaboski Bahose. The war and the battle.

A man full of power and activities. The only man who tells you, “I will bring down a dollar,” and he gets it done. When I left the country, dollar began to rise; now, I am back, I will continue where I stopped.”

Earlier, during one of his church gatherings, the self-proclaimed prophet asserted that his mystical prowess, known as ‘Abidoshaker,’ was responsible for the decrease in the dollar to naira exchange rate.

Famous singer, David Adeleke, aka Davido, has recently revealed that his family has four power plants that distribute energy to most Nigerians.

He said this during an American podcast, ‘Business Untitled,’ Davido spoke on his family business and personal investments.

Davido disclosed, “I once tried to go into cryptocurrency because Nigeria is big on crypto. Apart from that, me and my family have like four power plants worth a lot of money, We distribute energy to most of Nigeria.”

Two years after my husband’s death, his family threw me and our children out of his house

He further revealed that his wife is passionate about culinary arts, as they are in the process of establishing a restaurant for her

“My wife is into culinary. We are trying to start a restaurant for her. But my main business is what I love; my music.”

While Davido hails from a prosperous family with interests in the energy sector, there may be differing perspectives on his assertion regarding their role in supplying Nigeria’s energy demands, as majority of Nigeria’s significant thermal and hydropower facilities are government-owned.