₦airaland Forum

Okeowo Olasunkanmi

NASU OAU has renamed their Association, Integrity Workers Union.

The workers union renamed its body based on what it termed corruption by the National body of NASU and negligence, the Association has also vowed to fight the alleged imposition of a new Vice Chancellor to the end.

This position was communicated by the NASU OAU Chairman at the University Senate building.

The National body of NASU had earlier dissolved the OAU chapter of the Association, citing flagrant abuse of the Association code of conduct which NASU OAU(Now integrity workers Union) has denied saying the National body is only insincere.

This is coming as Obafemi Awolowo University has sworn in the new Vice Chancellor , Prof Salami who has promised to make the university a pride of all.


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http://theinsidernewsng.com/oau-nasu-changes-name-now-integrity-workers-union/

NASU members displayed what they called Coffin of Prof Omole, the outgoing VC of OAU today, see some pictures below
- http://theinsidernewsng.com/check-out-the-casket-nasu-made-for-prof-omoleoutgoing-oau-vc/


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NASU members displayed what they called Coffin of Prof Omole, the outgoing VC of OAU today, see some pictures below
- http://theinsidernewsng.com/check-out-the-casket-nasu-made-for-prof-omoleoutgoing-oau-vc/


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From Executive Council ACJOAU

Closure of OAU, Matters Arising

Today, 22nd of June,2016, we received with huge sadness and shock the closure of Obafemi Awolowo University till further notice.

The reasons for the closure of Ife Varsity is based on the ongoing workers protest against alleged imposition of the new Vice Chancellor on the University community, we however do not want to dwell on rightness or wrongness of protests but the effect constant disagreement has had on students in the institution.

It has become a norm that OAU is known for unstable Calendar, we go on strike almost every session based on disagreement, however we must note that it is high time we find an alternative conflict resolution mechanism, we should remember that fresh students for instance have been at home for several months before resuming, ASUU were on leave for 56 days and it seems, the grass is suffering without due consideration from quarters.

We are in no way contesting the right to protest nor the powers of the school to declare closure but when this decisions alter future of thousands then we may begin to ask what we are been thought as leaders of tomorrow.

Historically, the last three years have come with strike and coincidentally those strike have been in the month of June, we cannot fold our arms and watch, let's know that other Universities also experience disagreements but if there was unity, things can be sorted out.

Fresh students have been on Campus for close to one month doing almost nothing and after one month they have been asked to return back home, definitely we may say this is a norm in Great Ife but things are becoming overbearing.

We totally want to express our deep concern towards this latest development, we know fully well that Students even have to travel again to long distances and looking at the rate of accidents lately, it is not advisable that students leave the University, remember that they never came for Tourism and shouldn't leave like they are on expedition, safety of life and property which the University has attached this decision to may not be achieved if students are allowed to travel in the Psychological state the Strike action must have left them, we must ensure that we stop repeating same mistakes that we have repeated all along.

OUR RECOMMENDATION.

-That the alternative dispute resolution mechanism of dialogue should be utilized.

- Students should see the present crisis as their concern, from information we have gotten, students may continue to suffer if we don't play a diplomatic role in solving this issue rather than taking sides or using this medium for popularity, a five man committee should work assiduously to ensure that impact of students is felt in efforts to resolve this issue, efforts should be that of Goodwill and not self interest

- The University authorities should consider the safety of students really and psychology of new students who have not been cleared even at Department level, the 56days leave already granted to ASUU, the decision to ask students to proceed on strike may not serve its purpose and should be looked into, Universities exist for students, decisions like this only leaves more to be wanted, it is unsafe to ask students to proceed home and it is unfair to postpone Academic activities after many postponement.

- Even though the case between NASU,SSANU and the Governing council is in Court , we believe that a common ground can be reached, we are recommending that aggrieved parties dialogue extensively

-- We are recommending a Congress of Great Ife students especially at this critical time and moment.

We believe at every point in life of a society disagreement may occur but ability to handle issues is essential.

At ACJOAU, we will continue to assert strength of the pen without fear or favor.


Signed

Olanrewaju Oyedeji
President, ACJOAU

Adebayo Faith
General Secretary

Abegunde Cephas
Public Relations Officer


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Olanrewaju Oyedeji

Obafemi Awolowo University has unveiled procedures for admission screening into the University for 2016/17 session.

This was communicated through a press statement from the university Registrar, Mr Awoyemi.

Read the statement below


"Candidates who made Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife their first choice in the 2016 UTME/DE and scored 200 and above are hereby inform to log on to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife website (www.oauife.edu.ng) or eportal.oauife.edu.ng for their admission screening, Candidates are required to log on to University eportal and click on 2016 ADMISSION
SCREENING-UTME/DE APPLICANTS using their JAMB Registration Numbers to download RRR (Remita Retrieval Reference) and use it to pay for Eportal Access Charge on Remita platform which accepts cash payment via bank or master card".

The statement further read, "Candidates can access the University eportal anywhere to effect payment in any branch of Banks, Candidates who are awaiting results are also eligible to apply for the screening, Only awaiting result candidates who applied within the specified period will be allowed to upload their results when they are released."

Thereafter, candidates will be required to do the following on the EPORTAL after payment has been confirmed by Remita on the EPORTAL:

1. Update JAMB data

2. Upload SSCE result (WAEC or NECO)

3. Scan copy of certificate/online WAEC or NECO result (Statement of result from schools not allowed)

4. Upload picture (if not available)

5. Print Admission Screening Report

Closing Date for screening of UTME candidate is 15th July, 2016 while the Closing date for screening of Direct Entry is 30th July, 2016.

Candidates are required to bring copies of the Admission Screening Report on resumption if admitted.

This new procedures is due to Federal Government directive that Post UTME should be scrapped.


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Obafemi Awolowo University has officially announced Prof Ayobami Salami as Vice Chancellor of the institution, this is despite protests by workers.
Read their statement below



"The Governing Council, at its Special meeting
held on June 6, 2016, considered the report of the
Joint Council and Senate Selection Board for the
appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor for the
University and decided to appoint Professor
Ayobami Taofeek Salami as the eleventh Vice-
Chancellor of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile
– Ife, for a term of five years with effect from
June 24, 2015.
Professor Ayobami Salami, aged 52, hails from
Ibadan, specifically from Akinyele Local
Government Area in Oyo Central Senatorial
District, Oyo State, Nigeria.
He attended the following higher educational
institutions:
University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo
University), Ile-Ife – 1982 – 1986
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife 1987 – 1989
African Regional Centre for Training in Aerospace
Surveys – 1989 – 1990
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife – 1992 –
1996
He possesses the following qualifications:
Sc (Geography) 1986
Sc (Land Use and Natural Resources
Management) 1989
PGD (Remote Sensing Applications/GIS) 1990
D (Space Applications and Land Use/Natural
Resources Management) 1996
Professor Salami joined the services of the
Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife as a Research
Fellow II in the Institute of Ecology and
Environmental Studies on 1st February, 1991. He
rose through the ranks to the grade of Professor
on 1st October, 2003.
He had served as the Director, Institute of
Ecology and Environmental Studies of the
University (2006 – 2010) and Head, Space
Applications and Environmental Science
Laboratory (2005 till date). He is currently the
Deputy Vice Chancellor (Academic) since 1st
August, 2011.
Professor Salami had also served as a Member of
the Senate of the Obafemi Awolowo University,
Ile-Ife, from 2003 till date after having served as
an Elected Member from 1996 – 2000. In
addition, he had served as a Member of the
University Governing Council from 2003 – 2007
and had at various times, served on several
committees in the University either as Member or
Chairman.
Professor Salami has to his credit, several
university, national and international fellowships,
honours, awards and consultancies. He had also
served as a Member of the Accreditation Panel of
the National Universities Commission to various
universities in Nigeria at different times.
Professor Salami has obtained numerous grants
from several organizations such as National
Space Research and Development Agency
(NASRDA), Abuja; Nigerian Maritime
Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA);
Ecological Fund Office, Office of Secretary to the
Government of the Federation, The Presidency,
Abuja; National Centre for Remote Sensing, Jos;
International Institute for Geo-Information Science
and Earth Observation (ITC), The Netherlands;
International Secretariat of System Analysis for
Research and Training- International Geosphere-
Biosphere Programme (IGBP), Washington D.C.;
UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic
Commission; United Nations Development
Program (UNDP); United Nations Environment
Program (UNEP); International Centre for
Theoretical Physics (ICTP), Trieste, Italy; Ramboll
Natura AB, Sweden; European Union (EU);
International Development Research Centre
(IDRC); and International Steering Committee for
Global Mapping (ISCGM), Japan among others.
An Eisenhower Fellow (USA) since 2009,
Professor Salami has supervised the thesis of 7
Ph.D. and 31 M.Sc. degree students in the
University and is currently supervising 3 Ph.D.
students. He has served as an External Examiner
to several foreign and Nigerian Universities.
He delivered the 220th Inaugural Lecture of the
University titled “Space Applications and
Ecological Haemorrhage: The Nigerian Experience”
in 2009. Professor Ayobami Salami has 75
publications to his credit in Books, Journals,
Conference Proceedings and Technical Papers.
A renowned Professor of Space Applications and
Environmental Studies, Professor Ayobami Salami
is married to Professor (Mrs.) Abiodun Olusola
Salami and they are blessed with children."

Sgd
O. Awoyemi
Registrar and Secretary to Council


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We did not appoint any VC- Counsel to Mgt Insists

Olanrewaju Oyedeji and Nelson Olaoye

A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo has adjourned the case revolving round the legality of Professor Ayobami Salami as Obafemi Awolowo University Vice Chancellor till July 6, 2016.

The Court adjourned the case after disagreement between counsel to the Management and NASU .

Counsel to NASU, Barrister S.T.A Raji had submitted that the court rule on the contempt of court by the Governing council of Obafemi Awolowo University. Raji said this to counter the motion by lead counsel of Obafemi Awolowo University, Barrister Anu Ogunro said that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear case, he argued that there was no contempt of court as no Vice Chancellor was appointed and in any case the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case has to be decided first before case alleging contempt of court order by the Governing council can be entertained.

After listening to arguments from both parties for five minutes each, the Judge adjourned the case till July 6th, 2016, to rule on whether allegations of contempt of court will be attended to before case bordering on jurisdiction or otherwise.

Speaking to The Insider after the court ruling, NASU counse, S.T.A Raji said " The University Management have committed a big offence and with their denial, they cannot go ahead to appoint a new VC till the court decides the case on July 6, 2016"

OAU Management counsel, Anu Ogunro, maintained that no Vice Chancellor was appointed by the council.

With the latest development, Obafemi Awolowo University may not be with a Vice Chancellor after the expiration of the tenure of current VC, Professor Bamitale Omole on 23rd June, 2016.

The Insider was reliably informed that the appointment if it goes on will amount to contempt of court order.

NASU Chairman, Comrade Wole Odewunmi, however said "We are contented with an acting Vice Chancellor. We will continue to protest till July 6, 2016".


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Olanrewaju Oyedeji

Osun state government has denied threatening to expel Christian students.

In an exclusive chat with The Insider, spokesman of the government, Semiu Okanlawon said the reports circulating round that the state government plans to expel Christian Students are false.

Semiu said "The state government never threatened to expel Christians, it is very unfortunate that we have been accused wrongly, what we said was that any student found violating school rules and regulations will be expelled, whether the person is a Muslim or Christian"

The Government spokesman further revealed that students who are Christians are also allowed to cover their heads, Semiu said " I am aware that some churches do not permit their members who are female to open their hair, they can also come with their beret to school, after all some school uniforms use beret, the fact is Hijab only aids decency and since a court of repute has decided, the normal thing is to appeal the decision, a student going to school on Robe does not go well, Beret can be said to be Hijab, it harms no one"

Semiu described the situation in Osun state as similar to what happened in Lagos state where Muslims were barred by the Court from wearing Hijab to School "Why did Muslims not Violate the rule?" he quipped.

"We have no plan to expel anyone, we were only misinterpreted, what we referred to are school laws, saying we meant Christians is wrong" Semiu concluded.

Osun state has been in crisis since a court ruling legalizing wearing of Hijabs in Public Schools.

Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has contested this decision and ordered students who are Christians to put on Church Robes and Garments to school.

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http://theinsidernewsng.com/we-never-threatened-to-expel-christian-students-osun-govt/

Osun State, CAN has insisted that Christian
students will continue to adorn choir robes and
other church garments to school as long as their
Muslim counterparts are allowed to wear hijab
(veils).

Following a High Court Judgement granting
Muslim students the permission to wear hijab to
school, some students of the Baptist High
School, Iwo, on Tuesday and Wednesday went to
school clad in church garments. To make
matters worse, Governor Aregbesola threatened
to expel any student caught wearing church
garments to school.

Speaking on behalf of the body, the Vice-
Chairman of Osun CAN, Pastor Moses Ogundeji,
reiterated its stand against the will of the
governor.

“The governor should be ready to expel all
students in the state. He should be ready to
expel those wearing hijab because hijab was
never part of the school uniform.”

“If the governor is fighting for the rights of the
Muslims, we will also fight for the rights of the
Christians,” the cleric stated.
Ogundeji further noted that Christians would
take over the sponsorship of any students
expelled for wearing church garments to schools.

He said Christians would continue to wear
church robes if Muslim students are allowed to
wear hijabs in schools established by Christian
missionaries.

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credits: TheBoss Newspaper

Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola, CFR (24 August 1937 – 7 July 1998), often referred to as M. K. O. Abiola , was a popular Nigerian Yoruba businessman, publisher, politician and aristocrat of the Yoruba Egba clan.

He ran for the presidency in 1993, and is widely regarded as the presumed winner of the inconclusive election since no official final results were announced. He died in 1998, after being denied victory when the entire election results were dubiously annulled by the preceding military president Ibrahim Babangida because of alleged evidence that they were corrupt and unfair.

Early life
. His name, Kashimawo, means " Let us wait and see ".

Moshood Abiola was his father's twenty-third child but the first of his father's children to survive infancy, hence the name 'Kashimawo'. It was not until he was 15 years old that he was properly named Moshood, by his parents.

MKO showed entrepreneurial talents at a very young age, at the age of nine he started his first business selling firewood. He would wake up at dawn to go to the forest and gather firewood, which he would then cart back to town and sell before going to school, to support his old father and his siblings. He later founded a band at age fifteen where he would perform at various ceremonies in exchange for food.

He eventually became famous enough to start demanding payment for his performances and used the money to support his family and his secondary education at the Baptist Boys High School Abeokuta, where he excelled. He was the editor of the school magazine The Trumpeter, Olusegun Obasanjo was deputy editor.
southwest
At the age of 19 he joined the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons ostensibly because of its stronger pan-Nigerian origin compared with the
Obafemi Awolowo-led Action Group .

Career
In 1956 Moshood Abiola started his professional life as bank clerk with
Barclays Bank plc in Ibadan, South-West Nigeria.

After two years he joined the Western Region Finance Corporation as an executive accounts officer before leaving for Glasgow, Scotland to pursue his higher education. From Glasgow University he received a first class degree in accountancy. [4] He also received a distinction from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

On his return to Nigeria, he worked as a senior accountant at the University of Lagos Teaching Hospital, then went on to Pfizer , before joining the ITT Corporation, where he later rose to the position of Vice-President, Africa and Middle-East of the entire corporation, which was headquartered in the United States.

As a result, Moshood Abiola spent awhist lot of his time and made most of his money in the United States, whilst retaining the post of chairman of the corporation's Nigerian subsidiary.

In addition to his duties throughout the Middle-East and Africa, Moshood Abiola invested heavily in Nigeria and West Africa.

He set up Abiola Farms, Abiola bookshops, Radio Communications Nigeria, Wonder bakeries, Concord Press, Concord Airlines, Summit oil international ltd, Africa Ocean lines, Habib Bank, Decca W.A. ltd, and Abiola football club. In addition to these, he also managed to perform his duties as Chairman of the G15 business council, President of the Nigerian Stock Exchange , Patron of the Kwame Nkrumah Foundation, Patron of the
WEB Du Bois foundation, trustee of the Martin Luther King foundation and director of the International Press Institute.

Philanthropy
Moshood Abiola with H.E. Pankratiy, Metropolitan of Stara Zagora and head of the Department for Ecumenical relations of the Bulgarian Orthodox church
Moshood Abiola sprang to national and international prominence as a result of his philanthropic activities.

The Congressional Black Caucus of the United States of America issued the following tribute to Moshood Abiola:

From 1972 until his death Moshood Abiola had been conferred with 197 traditional titles by 68 different communities in Nigeria, in response to the fact that his financial assistance resulted in the construction of 63 secondary schools, 121 mosques and churches, 41 libraries, 21 water projects in 24 states of Nigeria, and was grand patron to 149 societies or associations in Nigeria. In this way Abiola reached out and won admiration across the multifarious ethnic and religious divides in Nigeria.

In addition to his work in Nigeria, Moshood Abiola was a dedicated supporter of the Southern African Liberation movements from the 1970s and he sponsored the campaign to win reparations for slavery and colonialism in Africa and the diaspora. Chief Abiola, personally rallied every African head of state, and every head of state in the black diaspora to ensure that Africans would speak with one voice on the issues.

Remembrance of M.K.O. Abiola

Chief MKO Abiola's memory is celebrated in Nigeria and internationally.
12 June remains a public holiday in Lagos and Ogun states.

There are also remembrance events arranged across Nigeria.

MKO Abiola was known for his charisma and for being a man of the people.

As a prominent social activist, democratic freedom fighter, and successful business figure, the continuing support for MKO Abiola is part of his legacy. MKO Abiola Stadium and Moshood Abiola Polytechnic were named in his honour.

There were also calls for posthumous presidential recognition. A statue, MKO Abiola Statue was also erected in his honour.

Despite his popularity or because of it, MKO Abiola occasionally attracted criticism from political activists and detractors. Controversy was caused by a song by Nigerian musician, Fela Kuti.

Kuti was a charismatic multi-instrumentalist musician, composer and human rights activist – famed for being the pioneer of Afrobeat music as well as a controversial figure, due to his unusual lifestyle and apparent drug use.

It is believed that Kuti had entered into an acrimonious dispute relating to a contract with MKO Abiola's record label [citation needed] .

He used the abbreviation of
International Telephone & Telegraph (IT&T) in a song criticising big multinational corporations.

The song,
ITT accuses such companies of draining Africa's resources and makes specific reference to MKO Abiola ("they start to steal money Like Obasanjo and Abiola".

Awards and Honors

Moshood Abiola was twice voted international businessman of the year [citation needed] , and received numerous honorary doctorates from universities all over the world.

In 1987 he was bestowed with the golden key to the city of Washington D.C., and he was bestowed with awards from the
NAACP and the King center in the USA, as well as the International Committee on Education for Teaching in Paris, amongst many others. In Nigeria, the
Oloye Abiola was made the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland.

It is the highest chieftaincy title available to commoners amongst the Yoruba , and has only been conferred by the tribe 14 times in its history. This in effect rendered Abiola the ceremonial War Viceroy of all of his tribespeople.

According to the folklore of the tribe as recounted by the Yoruba elders, the Aare Ona Kakanfo is expected to die a warrior in the defence of his nation to prove himself in the eyes of both the divine and the mortal as having been worthy of his title.

He was awarded the third highest national honour, the Commander of the Federal Republic posthumously in 1998.

Involvement in politics
Abiola's involvement in politics started early on in life when he joined the
National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) at age 19.

In 1979, the military government kept its word and handed over power to the civilian. As Abiola was already involved in politics, he joined the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1980 and was elected the state chairman of his party.

Re-election was done in 1983 and everything looked promising since the re-elected president was from Abiola's party and based on the true transition to power in 1979; Abiola was eligible to go for the post of presidential candidate after the tenure of the re-elected president.

However, his hope to become the president was shortly dashed away for the first time in 1983 when a military coup d'état swept away the re-elected president of his party and ended civilian rule in the country.

After a decade of military rule, General Ibrahim Babangida came under pressure to return democratic rule to Nigeria. After and aborted initial primary, Abiola stood for the presidential nomination of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and beat Ambassador Baba Gana Kingibe and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar to secure the presidential nomination of the SDP ahead of the 12 June 1993 presidential elections.

Abiola had managed to work his way out of poverty through hard work and symbolized the aspirations of many downtrodden Nigerians.

His commitment to the plight of ordinary Nigerians included establishing Abiola bookshops to provide affordable, locally produced textbooks in the 1980s when imported textbooks became out of the reach of ordinary Nigerians as the naira was devalued. He also made available daily necessities such as rice and soap at affordable prices in the market.

Presidential elections
Moshood Abiola's Hope '93 political manifesto
For the 12 June 1993 presidential elections , Abiola's running mate was
Baba Gana Kingibe . He overwhelmingly defeated his rival, Bashir Tofa of the
National Republican Convention .

The election was declared Nigeria's freest and fairest presidential election by national and international observers, with Abiola even winning in his Northern opponent's home state. Abiola won at the national capital, Abuja, the military polling stations, and over two-thirds of Nigerian states.

The reason why the election was so historic, was because men of Northern descent had largely dominated Nigeria's political landscape since independence. The fact that Moshood Abiola (a Southern Muslim) was able to secure a national mandate freely and fairly remains unprecedented in Nigeria's history. However, the election was annulled by Ibrahim Babangida , a political crisis that ensued which led to General Sani Abacha seizing power later that year.

During preparations for the 2011 Nigerian Presidential elections there were calls from several quarters to remember MKO Abiola .
Imprisonment

In 1994 Moshood Abiola declared himself the lawful president of Nigeria in the Epetedo area of Lagos island, an area mainly populated by (Yoruba) Lagos Indigenes. He had recently returned from a trip to win the support of the international community for his mandate.

After declaring himself president he was declared wanted and was accused of treason and arrested on the orders of military President General Sani Abacha , who sent 200 police vehicles to bring him into custody. MKO Abiola has been referred to as Nigeria's greatest statesman.

His second wife Alhaja Kudirat Abiola was assassinated in Lagos in 1996 after declaring public support for her husband.
Moshood Abiola was detained for four years, largely in solitary confinement with a Bible, Qur'an , and fourteen guards as companions. During that time, Pope John Paul II , Archbishop
Desmond Tutu and human rights activists from all over the world lobbied the Nigerian government for his release. The sole condition attached to the release of Chief Abiola was that he renounce his mandate, something that he refused to do, although the military government offered to compensate him and refund his extensive election expenses. For this reason Chief Abiola became extremely troubled when Kofi Annan and Emeka Anyaoku reported to the world that he had agreed to renounce his mandate after they met with him to tell him that the world would not recognise a five-year-old election.

Death
Abiola died under suspicious circumstances shortly after the death of General Abacha. Moshood Abiola died on the day that he was due to be released, on 7 July 1998. [22] While the official autopsy stated that Abiola died of natural causes, Abacha's Chief Security Officer, al-Mustapha has alleged that Moshood Abiola was in fact beaten to death. al-Mustapha, who was detained by the Nigerian government, but later released, claims to have video and audiotapes showing how Abiola was beaten to death. The final autopsy report, which was produced by a group of international coroners has never been publicly released.

Irrespective of the exact circumstances of his death, it is clear that Chief Abiola received insufficient medical attention for his existing health conditions.

As recounted at the time in a BBC interview with special envoy Thomas R. Pickering , an American delegation, which included Susan Rice , visited Abiola and during their meeting with him, Abiola fell ill, with what was presumed to be a heart attack which caused his death.

A clause in Abiola's will required that his heirs could prove that he was their father. Over seventy people were able to show that Abiola was their father using DNA tests. Seven children were descended from his second wife,
Alhaja Kudirat Abiola.

On the 29/02/2016
Former President Thabo Mbeki gave his views on what happened.

President Mandela resisted all this until news came through that on the very first day of the 1995 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) held in New Zealand CHOGM, the Nigerian Government had executed Ken Saro-Wiwa and eight of his Ogoni colleagues. He then immediately joined others strongly to condemn the Abacha Government and approved the suspension of Nigeria from the Commonwealth.

Thereafter, despite strong presentations about human rights, South Africa’s strenuous efforts to get SADC and the OAU to impose sanctions against Nigeria produced a negative response throughout the Continent, leaving South Africa isolated on this matter.

President Mandela had visited Nigeria in 1994 and engaged General Abacha on the matter of the release of Mr Abiola.

In July 1995 I led a small delegation of our Government to Nigeria to meet General Abacha. This time our focus was on the two matters of persuading General Abacha and his Government to release the Ogoni leader, Ken Saro-Wiwa, and his co-accused, as well as to release Generals Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Yar’ Adua, who were detained for allegedly having been involved in a planned coup d’etat.

We met General Abacha at 02.00 hrs (2 a.m.) at his offices. Having heard us out, he told us that he would reflect on what we had said and would respond to us before we left Nigeria.

A day or so later, then Chief of Defence Staff and effective Deputy to Abacha, Lt Gen Oladipo Diya, invited us to lunch. During this lunch he gave us General Abacha’s response to the issues we had raised.

This response was that with regard to the matter of Ken Saro-Wiwa and his co-accused, Gen Abacha could not intervene to stop a legal judicial process which involved murder charges.

However, if the accused were to be found guilty and sentenced to death, he would use his prerogative as Head of State to reprieve the accused so that they would not be executed.

Gen Diya also reported that Gen Abacha had said that there was a military tribunal which was considering the matter relating to Generals Obasanjo and Yar’Adua. It was necessary that he should allow the tribunal to complete its work. His view was that the tribunal would recommend the release of the two Generals, failing which he would again intervene to release them.

After asking Gen Diya to convey our thanks to Gen Abacha for the commitments he had made, we suggested to him that it would be best that the Nigerian Government makes the necessary announcements when the time came, rather than that we should do this. Diya agreed to this and said that Gen Abacha would issue the necessary orders at the appropriate moments.

Our delegation still had a small challenge to address. We had travelled from South Africa with a journalist. Treated by our Nigerian hosts as a member of our delegation, she was present at the lunch where Gen Diya gave us Gen Abacha’s response.

She therefore had a real “scoop”! Together with her we agreed that if she were to publish what we had been told by Gen Diya, the likelihood was that not only would the Nigerians deny the story, but this would also inevitably condemn Ken Saro-Wiwa and others and Generals Obasanjo and Yar’Adua to death.

A principled person, she kept her word not to publish her “scoop”, convinced as all us were that Gen Abacha had made a commitment to President Mandela and South Africa which he would honour.

It was with this knowledge that President Mandela left South Africa to attend the New Zealand CHOGM meeting. When Ken Saro-Wiwa and others were executed, President Mandela was truly surprised and genuinely outraged that Gen Abacha could evidently so easily betray his solemn undertaking in this regard.

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Olanrewaju Oyedeji and Nelson Olaoye

The Management of Ladoke Akintola University(LAUTECH), Ogbomosho has shut down the campus and ordered that students vacate the school premises.

In a statement obtained by The Insider and signed by the Registrar, Dr J.A Agboola, students have been ordered to leave the school premises on or before Monday, June 13,2016.

The Insider was reliably informed by internal sources in the institution that the closure is connected to unpaid salaries of workers.

It was revealed that Osun and Oyo states have failed to fund the institution for a long time, due to economic crisis which has extended to LAUTECH.


The statement obtained states "The Vice Chancellor, on behalf of Senate and upon recommendation of the Committee of Provost and Deans, has approved that Semester Break in respect of the 2015/2016 Harmattan Semester be observed by 100 – 500 – Level Students with effect from Monday, June 13, 2016 and until further notice."

It further stated that Postgraduate students and undergraduate students on internship are not affected by this "harmattan break"

"Meanwhile, academic activities as they have to do with Postgraduate Students and Undergraduate Students on Internship programme are not affected by the break. Also final year students are free to consult their project supervisors during the break."

The University however informed the students that 2015/2016 Harmattan Semester Examinations will commence immediately on resumption after the break.

There are also speculations that the tuition fee in the University which was increased recently will be further reviewed upwards.

 

meanwhile students have threatened protest read why via

http://theinsidernewsng.com/unpaid-salaries-lautech-management-orders-students-out-of-campus/

cc fynestboi

Olanrewaju Oyedeji

A graduate of Obafemi Awolowo University,simply identified as Christian as allegedly stabbed his mother to death in Ede, Osun state, Nigeria, The Insider can report.

Christian a member of the Deeper life Ministry was reported to have stabbed his mother, Saturday, 11th of June, 2016.

The cause for the act has not been confirmed as at the time of filing this report as members of Division of State Security, have taken him to an unknown location.

Christian according to friends Is an easy going man and the reason for this action is not known.

He is said to have a sister named Ruth, who is just in her senior secondary school three(SS3).

read more and read reactions via

http://theinsidernewsng.com/oau-graduate-stabs-mother-to-death-in-the-heart-in-ede/