₦airaland Forum

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has said that the ongoing fuel scarcity in the country may persist until the Federal Government takes effective action on petroleum products availability.
The declaration comes even as independent oil marketers and other private petroleum products operators insist that the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, is running a monopolistic system.
President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese, told Vanguard, “Clearly from the perspective of our own study, in as much we are concerned with the current situation we find ourselves, scarcity will continue. However, like we rightly said, if Federal Government is having a political will to address these issues, definitely, we will get out of this quagmire. For now, I’m sure we will still continue to find ourselves in where we are.
“NNPC, through its Products and Pipeline Marketing Company, PPMC, subsidiary is trying everything possible to see that this scarcity issue is resolved, but it also requires the commitment of all stakeholders.”
Regarding the loading of products at the depots of PPMC and other marketers, he argued that, “It is not an issue of Capital Oil, or Mosimi, it is an issue of the process. We need to change our approach, we need to change our structure in terms of the way and manner we carry out these operations.”

President Muhammadu Buhari Tuesday in Malabo condemned recent political
violence in Rivers State, saying that the killing of people over political
differences was primitive, barbaric and unacceptable.
“We will deal decisively with all sponsors of violence. I have given the
security services clear directives in this regard.
“We will show that violence in any form will no longer be tolerated
before, during or after elections,” the President said at an interactive
meeting with Nigerians resident in Equatorial Guinea.
President Buhari said that the Independent National Electoral Commission
will be encouraged to explore the possibility of Nigerians abroad voting
in the 2019 general elections.
Noting that some African countries have started allowing their citizens
resident abroad to vote in national elections, the President said that he
fully empathised with the desire of Nigerians in the diaspora to vote in
national elections.
President Buhari pledged that he will therefore do all within his
powers to fulfil that desire.
“I want all Nigerians to know that I respect them and their right to
choose their leaders,” he said
The President also said that establishing a new national airline was not
currently on the Federal Government’s list of priorities.
President Buhari declared that his administration’s main area of focus now
was reducing the level of poverty in the country.
The President said that developing the infrastructure needed to boost
production in all sectors of the economy and create more jobs for young
Nigerians, as well as other actions that will directly improve the living
conditions of ordinary Nigerians will continue to be prioritized by his
administration.
President Buhari was responding to complaints by members of the Nigerian
community about the absence of direct flights between Nigeria and
Equatorial Guinea.
The President assured them that his administration’s war against
corruption will remain “fearless, relentless and merciless”.
“We will be merciless and relentless in pursuing all those who abused
public trust. Nigerians will see how some of the elite conspired to run
the nation down,” he said.
Lalasticlala

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has revealed the illegal plot
by the Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi and INEC National
Commissioner, Mrs Amina Zakari to swap authentic results from polling
units with fake results on March 19, 2016.
Also, Governor Wike declared that any attempt by the Former Governor
to move around polling booths on election will be vehemently resisted
by the people who will publicly disgrace Amaechi for violating the
electoral guidelines.
Speaking during the grand finale of the Rivers East Senatorial District
Campaign Rally of PDP at Elele in Ikwerre LGA, Governor Wike said:
“All those who plan to swap result sheets, may their souls rest in peace.
Nobody will rig in Rivers State.
“Anybody who thinks Amaechi will give them result sheets to swap, should
be ready to swap their dead bodies. I have told the REC, you were here
before, you can’t play games with me “.
The governor said it is his responsibility to take steps to stop
politicians plotting to rig elections in the state with the connivance
of INEC National Commissioner, Mrs Amina Zakari.
He informed that the University of Port Harcourt Vice Chancellor was
compelled by Amaechi and APC leadership drew up a list of INEC
Adhoc staff dominated by former APC caretaker committee chairmen and
confirmed APC members to organise the rerun elections. He announced
the names of the APC leaders on the list of Adhoc staff.
He noted that he had written a formal letter with proofs and details to
INEC National Chairman, complaining of the issue.
The governor said that President Buhari should not allow Amaechi
cause crisis in the state because of his personal interest.
In his remarks, National Chairman of the PDP, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff
stated that the Rivers State is a PDP state where the people are
satisfied with the performance of the Governor.
Deputy National Chairman of the PDP, Uche Secondus described Amaechi as
a confirmed thief who stole Rivers monies which he used to finance APC
National campaigns.
Rivers State PDP Chairman, Bro Felix Obuah alleged that Former Governor
, Rotimi Amaechi is the Chief sponsor of cultism in the state.
Lalasticlala

The Swiss government has confirmed that it has so far returned $723 million (about N142.43 billion) of stolen funds ceased from the family of the late former head of state, Sani Abacha, to the Nigerian government over the last 10 years.
The amount excludes $321million (about N63.24 billion) which the Swiss authorities recently said recently it was planning to repatriate to Nigeria.
These details are contained in the agreement signed on March 8, 2016 in Abuja by representatives of the Swiss Federal Council and the Nigerian government.
The agreement, titled “Letter of Intent on the restitution of illegally-acquired assets forfeited in Switzerland,” was signed by Nigeria’s Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, and the Swiss Head of Foreign Affairs Department, Didier Burkhalter.
The document, obtained by PREMIUM TIMES, reveals that $321 million acquired illicitly by the Abacha family, was initially deposited in Luxemburg before being confiscated by the Swiss Republic Judiciary and Canton of Geneva following a December 11, 2014 forfeiture order.
The agreement says funds to be returned to Nigeria would contribute to the implementation of social programmes for the benefit of the Nigerian people in “an efficient and accountable way, guaranteed by a monitoring by World Bank”.
Acknowledging the cooperation of Switzerland and Nigeria as an excellent opportunity to fight against corruption at domestic and international levels, the signatories to the agreement recalled the long partnership by their two countries in asset recovery based the principles of national interest, trust and mutual respect.
Considering Chapter V of the UN Convention against corruption, which is the international legal framework for asset recovery, the signatories also drew attention to Article 51 of the document that states afford each other measures of cooperation and assistance.
The agreement also emphasized the need for the process of repatriation of the stolen funds to be undertaken based on international best practices of transparency and accountability in a manner that satisfy the scrutiny of civil society and the international community.
The signatories affirmed, among others, their intention to maintain a fruitful cooperation based on trust and respect in order to enable transparent and efficient use of the funds for the benefits of the Nigerian people.

Ekiti State Governor, Mr Ayodele Fayose has urged President Mohammadu
Buhari to pay more attention to security and economic issues affecting
Nigeria, instead of focussing on those of other countries and
persecuting perceived political enemies, describing the President’s
condemnation of Sunday’s terrorist attack on the Grand Bassam Resort
in Cote D’Ivoire as hypocritical and demonstration of insensitivity to
the plight of Nigerians.
The governor, who described terror attacks anywhere in the world as
condemnable, said; “If President Buhari could afford to pick his phone
and call the Ivorian president, Alassane Ouattara, immediately after
the attack, Nigerians must ask the President why he kept mute for days
over the Fulani herdsmen massacre of over 300 Agatu people of Benue
State, the Mile 12 Lagos killings and wanton destruction of properties
among others.”
In a statement issued by his Special Assistant on Public
Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, Governor Fayose said it
was strange that President Buhari was more concerned with the killing
of 16 people in Cote D’Ivoire than the Fulani herdsmen’s murder of
over 300 citizens of Nigeria.
He said it was alarming that even when someone of the status of former
Senate President, David Mark was attacked by the Fulani herdsmen last
Saturday when he went on inspection of the eight communities
completely destroyed by the Fulani herdsmen, there was no reaction
from the President condemning the terror attack.
The governor said; “From all indications, our President has abandoned
governance. The only thing going on in the minds of those running the
affairs of this country in Abuja is how to entrench themselves in
power by crushing anyone perceived as capable of hindering them.
“That is the reason they are using the Department of State Services
(DSS) to harass and intimidate us here in Ekiti, under flimsy excuses
like investigation members of the State House of Assembly for alleged
forgery of tax certificates when the Ekiti State Government, which
issued the certificates have not complained to the DSS that its tax
certificates were forged by the lawmakers.
“That is also the reason the President keeps showing his anger against
Nnamdi Kanu and his Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) agitators
while the same President has failed to approach the economy and
insecurity, especially the Fulani herdsmen menace with the same level
of anger.
“Even when their own Information Minister, Lai Mohammed has told
Nigerians that the economy has gone out of the hands of the President,
they keep using anti-corruption fight to persecute opposition elements
both in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and their own party, All
Progressives Congress (APC), forgetting that fighting corruption is
not a substitute for putting food on the table of Nigerians.
Lalasticlala

A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Etche Local government area, Chief Emma Anyanwu has disowned his first son, Charles Anyawu for allegedly leading a military raid on his home and community in Ulakwo.

Chief Anyanwu at a media briefing in his home town of Etche accused the Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi for ‘misleading’ his son.

Charled Anyanwu has been estranged with his father. He was appointed a Special Adviser to former Governor, Rotimi Amaechi. After the founding of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Charles abandoned his father in the PDP to join Amaechi in the APC.

Amaechi also appointed Charles as the Caretaker Committee Chairman of Etche Local government area after which he was arrested along with 5 others for illegal possession of fire arms where they were arraigned at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt.

However, The PDP Chieftain, Emma Anyanwu who is also a veteran journalist said, “I want to re-emphasize that Charles is no longer my son. He led the military into my house. But that is not even the case. He led the military to pull down the Ulakwo town hall which I owe my allegiance. He has been disowned for his behaviour. For destroying the town hall, he remains disowned. He doesn’t possess the qualities of the Anyanwu family. He has been stripped of all his rights,” he said.

President of Omega Fire Ministries, OFM, Apostle Johnson Suleiman, has rained curses on Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State, over a bill aimed at substituting the Kaduna State religious preaching law if passed into law. The bill is directing that pastors and churches must be licenced to preach.
The Senior Pastor of OFM, in a video being circulated on the social media, warned the governor to “revoke your law or die!”
Recently, Governor El-Rufai reportedly sent a bill to the State House of Assembly to regulate religious preaching across the state.
The bill titled: “A bill for a law to substitute the Kaduna State religious preaching law, 1984.
“It is also aimed at banning the usage of loudspeaker for religious purposes, other than inside a Mosques or Church and the surrounding areas outside the stipulated prayer times (8:00pm).”
Government wanted the Assembly to enact the law that will stop the playing or circulating of, “all cassettes, CDs, flash drives or any other communication gadgets containing religious recordings from accredited preachers other than inside one’s house, porch, Church, Mosques and other designated place of worship.”
The bill seeks to ban sales or playing of any cassette containing “religious recordings in which abusive language is used against any person or religious organisation or religious leaders (past or present).”
The bill, if passed into law, will prohibit sales of religious books, usage of abusive and derogatory terms in describing any religion. The bill proposes that any person found guilty of preaching without a valid licence and other offences under the law “shall be liable to two years in prison or pay a fine of N200, 000.”
The Apostle, commenting on the bill, said it is not applicable in Nigeria, hence, will not be enacted.
He said, “They will appoint their own who will make it hard for the church but easy for the mosque. When it comes to the mosque, they give them a very good area but when it comes to the church, they gives bad areas. We are not trouble makers. Don’t trouble us.
“I want to warn the Governor of Kaduna state. I have read on papers many times how he abused Jesus. I have read many things and Christians came after him, he said they are joking, nothing can happen.
“We have become men of God before you became Governor.
“I am talking to the Kaduna Governor. Listen, I am not against sanitizing the state but if you say people should get license for preaching, it is not applicable in Nigeria.
“Even a herbalist does not get license for practicing herbalism. Why not tell witches that they need licence to fly?
“When you say license for preaching, you are standing against the Constitution that says freedom of worship. I have no problem, we can test powers now. There are certain laws that cannot happen in this country, not when Nigeria is under God.”
He asked the Governor to stay off his plan, “unless you want your cabinet to reduce; people may just sleep without waking up,” he added
http://dailypost.ng/2016/03/14/religious-bill-revoke-your-law-or-die-apostle-johnson-suleiman-dares-governor-el-rufai/
lalasticlala

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki has reiterated the commitment
of the current Senate to supporting the Buhari administration’s fight
against corruption, saying “under my watch the Senate will never cover
corruption except if the information didn’t come to us”.
Speaking with a team of editors of the London based “The Economist”
newspaper at the weekend, Saraki, according to the statement by his
Special Assistant on Public Affairs, Mohammed Isa, said the Senate is ever
ready to partner with President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure the success of
the anti-corruption war.ý
The Senate, he said had already demonstrated such commitment through its
interventions on many alleged corrupt transactions such as its swift
investigation and adoption of a report on the management of the Treasury
Single Account (TSA) that saved the nation about N7billion and the
exposure of the inconsistencies in the 2016 budget.
The step, he said was a departure from the past where such reports were
either watered-down or not presented for debate and adoption. He cited the
report he presented to the last Senate on the over N1trillion fuel subsidy
scam that never saw the light of the day.
In furtherance to the commitment, the Senate President said Nigerians
would in the next few weeks be availed with the details of the National
Assembly budget which will be a departure from the tradition of having one
line item budget.
“For the first time we promised Nigerians to give out our budget
breakdown. The committee will make its report available by next week. We
are resolved to break the tradition of one line item,” he emphasized.
Saraki said though party differences exist between the senators, citing
example of the leadership tussle, he, however said, national interest and
the desire of each senator to fulfil the promises made to Nigerians have
become the guiding principle of the senate in their team work.
On the economy, he said the Senate has embarked on series of legislative
interventions to create conducive environment for the private sector, as
he said, “it is only when the private sector thrives that the issue of
unemployment will be addressed and the nation’s GDP will increase.”
“Few days ago, we received a report on the laws that need to be amended in
order of priority importance to ease doing business and overall private
sector participation in the stimulation of Nigeria’s economy. We will soon
commence the implementation of the recommendations in the report in
addition to pushing for the amendment of the Procurement Act to stimulate
and protect our local industries,” he assured.
He blamed lack of firmness and consistency in policy implementation by the
past administrations as the main obstacle for the growth of the private
sector.
“If people have confidence that these policies have come to stay, nothing
will stop them from coming to invest in the country,” he stressed.
He allayed the fears that the low prices of oil will have negative impact
on the implementation of the 2016 budget, saying that, “what we need to do
is to block leakages and show more transparency.”
“If we can block leakages, stop the wastages and institute a culture of
transparency in governance, the revenue in-flow will not be substantially
affected. Without these, even if oil is sold at more than a $100 per
barrel, we will continue to witness a decline in revenue in-flow as we
witnessed in the past,” Saraki said.
Lalasticlala

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike has declared that former
Governor Rotimi Amaechi is a failed governor who needs urgent psychiatric
evaluation and treatment.
Governor Wike said Former Governor Amaechi is monstrously corrupt,
pointing out that after his litigation on his indictment by the
judicial Commission of Inquiry, his (Amaechi’s) prosecution over the
embezzlement of Rivers resources will take place.
Speaking at the PDP Rivers West Senatorial District Campaign rally at
Ahoada on Saturday, Governor Wike said that only a man with psychiatric
disorder will compare his failed eight years in office to just eight
months of the new administration.
He said the former governor failed in his eight as the state chief
executive. According to him, Amaechi lacks proper parental upbringing
hence his desperation in the political arena.
Governor Wike said that the APC has refused to campaign for the rerun
elections because they are relying on the military and security
forces to rig.
“He is a psychiatric patient who was at the radio station abusing people
who are old enough to be his fathers/mothers simply because his party
lost at the Supreme Court.
“We will defeat Amaechi again and again. No matter the deployed to
Rivers State, the PDP we will all the seats “.
The governor said that Amaechi during his radio tour confessed that
the military has been handed over to him to rig elections in the
state. He added that the plot would fail woefully as the Rivers people
will defend their mandate.
He pointed out that Amaechi’s personal friend Mr Tosin Ajayi was
posted to Rivers State as DSS director with the evil objective of
creating the environment of rigging.
He said : “Only yesterday, I intercepted the communication of the DSS
director and the Brigade commander where they were planning on the ways
of rigging the election alongside Amaechi. That plot has failed.
“Amaechi lacks sound parental upbringing. He has vindicated us when he
said that he has been given the army to rig the rerun elections. I know
the Chief of Army staff very well. He should not allow a psychiatric
patient to use the Army to rig.
“Is Amaechi now the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces that he
talks about deploying soldiers? Our people will rise up to defend their
votes. They will make the needed sacrifices their votes”, Governor Wike
said.
He reminded the people that on May 27, 2015, Amaechi made a statement
that his (Wike ) administration will be unable to pay salaries and
execute projects. He said he has confounded through the execution of
pro-people projects across the state, payment of salaries and
pensions.
lalasticlala
http://pointblanknews.com/pbn/exclusive/need-psychiatric-attention-wike-tells-amaechi/

Increasingly, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, is becoming a tool in the hands of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, SaharaReporters sources in Kwara State say.
The Senate President, who is facing prosecution for alleged false declaration of assets and possible loss of his exalted position, is using a variety of weapons to fight his political battles, and the most prominent of his battle axes are the Emir and State Governor Abdulfattah Ahmed.
A recent victim of the onslaught is Alhaji Ibrahim Oniye, Makaman Ilorin, who was suspended by Governor Ahmed as Chairman of Kwara State Parent-Teachers Association.
The suspension of Oniye, who was also barred by the Emir from stepping into his palace, did not come as a shock to many people in the state.
The man, although blind, is a reputed straight talker, who is not afraid to speak the truth to those in authority. His fearless nature was said to be one of the attributes that endeared him to the late Emir Aliyu Abdulkadir, the 10th Emir of Ilorin, who appointed him the first Makaman of the Ilorin Emirate in 1993.
Our sources say what got Oniye into trouble was his decision to tell Alhaji Sulu-Gambari that more people in Kwara are angry with Saraki and are actually cursing him. Oniye was said to have told the Emir that those cursing Saraki are mainly the poor, who see the Senate President as one who has taken what belongs to them and continues to do so through Governor Ahmed, who is seen as a stooge.
Alhaji Oniye was said to have made this observation known to the Emir at a meeting called by the latter to find out why huge financial outlays on prayers by Saraki failed to stop the Supreme Court from halting the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) from going ahead with the Senate President’s prosecution.
In attendance at the meeting were prominent Muslim clerics and Ilorin title holders, who preferred to deodorize the real situation until Oniye spoke and told the meeting about the anger of Kwarans with Saraki.
The treatment of Oniye by the palace and the governor has sparked disquiet in the state and invited scrutiny of the Emir.
SaharaReporters sources said that as word leaked that Alhaji Oniye had been suspended and that his PTA chairmanship would be taken away, the political establishment in Ilorin reversed the decision. By the time SaharaReporters reached Alhaji Oniye, it was apparent he had ready-made answers. Carefully picking his words, he denied he had not been suspended and blamed the news on those that might be jealous of his many titles and prestigious position within the Ilorin Emirate.
He also said he was never removed as the PTA chairman at the state level. He stressed that as he had never been “queried or indicted” for any malfeasance, he couldn’t have been removed.
Asked if he had spoken up for teachers whose salaries had remained unpaid in the state, he waxed philosophical saying he is the “father of all” and then asked rhetorically if there are no unpaid teachers in Osun, Bauchi, Kano and other places.
When SaharaReporters pressed Alhaji Oniye regarding the Saraki trial in Abuja, he gave interesting answers. First, he said it was his duty not to allow the image of Ilorin to be dragged in the mud by the trial since Saraki was Ilorin’s son, and later, that he would advise people not to jubilate over Saraki’s predicament unless he is pronounced guilty by the tribunal. When our reporter read this portion of his statement to him he asked that it be taken out completely saying he had no comment on Saraki because he doesn’t want to be dragged into politics.

The Emir of Mubi, HRH Alhaji Isah Abubakar, has advised the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop deceiving the electorates if it wants to excel.
The first class Emir said this when he played host to the entourage of APC acting chairman in Adamawa, Ibrahim Bilal, who visited him as part of his tour of the 21 Local Governments in the state.
Isah said that if APC works with God-fearing and qualified people irrespective of religion, gender and status, the country will witness tremendous growth.
“I’m a Father to all of you here. If cannot tell you the truth, I’m not a good father. Do what your electorates wants you to do, that is what democracy is about.”
The monarch advised party officials to stop imposing candidates on the electorates as it could have a bad effects on the people and governance in Nigeria.
He called for peaceful co-existence among APC members, saying only such will unite the party.
The Emir said APC will only stand the test of time if it is fair to all and sundry without any favor of tribe, ethnicity or religion.
Earlier, Ibrahim explained that his visit was to seek royal blessings and prayers for APC to succeed in Adamawa and the country at large.
Bilal also told the Emir that he and his delegation were going round to fraternise with party officials in all the 21 LGAs so that the APC will be more united to face future challenges.​
Lalasticlala

Destined2win:
Never knew Lalasticlala was Diepreye's son

scholes0:
Who asked you about who your lord is?

I no be historian but what i knw is Jesus Christ is Lord

A Yoruba historian, Rufus Adebowale, has disagreed with feuding Yoruba monarchs, the Awujale of Ijebuland, Sikiru Adetona, and the Alake of Egbaland, Adedotun Gbadebo, on their perspectives on the hierarchy of Yoruba traditional stools.
He said both the Awujale and the Alake were inaccurate in their analyses of the history of the Yoruba race.
Mr. Adebowale, a prince from the Okukenu ruling house of Egbaland, however backed Oba Gbadebo in some of his claims and attacked Oba Adetona for being critical of the Egba monarch.
The historian spoke to journalists in Abeokuta on Friday while reacting to the widely publicized contentions between the traditional rulers on the seniority of their stools.
According to him, Awujale is a foreigner in Yoruba land, as the Ijebus originated from Wadai‎ in Sudan.
Mr. Adebowale said as a foreigner in Yorubaland, the Awujale and his Ijebu people lacked the authority to speak on the history of the Yoruba race.
The 72-year old historian also declared that the Alake distorted history by claiming that Alaafin was next to the Ooni of Ife.
He said the statement credited to the Awujale that the Alake was a junior traditional ruler was very insulting and‎ a distortion of history.
Mr. Adebowale said, “I read about the tongue-lashing of Awujale on my royal father, he said Alake is a junior Oba in Yorubaland, this is a great distortion of history.
“My royal father is extraordinarily humble, he manages peace and unity and not crises and that is why he is ignoring‎ all those things from the Awujale,” he said.
“In the first instance, Awujale shouldn’t have dabbled into the issue‎ of Obas in Yorubaland because he is not of Oduduwa origin, the Ijebus came from Wadai and my contemporary authority is Pa Olusegun Obasanjo because he had put it to Awujale himself that they are not Oduduwa descendants.
“What Awujale said was very insulting and a great distortion of history. Our progenitor father is Oduduwa who came from Saudi Arabia. When he was coming from Saudi Arabia, he came with an aide who was later named Ooni, by the time he was dying, he left all he had in the‎ possession of Ooni; Omonide, his wife; and Okanbi, the only
surviving son.
“First of all, the Ijebus know who is who in Yorubaland, their progenitor father emulated Oduduwa, they are from Wadai, that man heard that Oduduwa had‎ settled down in a place called Ife, he also came down and settled.”
According to Mr. Adebowale, who is from the same ruling house with the incumbent Alake, the correct order of seniority ranks the Ooni of Ife as the foremost Oba in Yoruba land, while the Alake is the third behind the Oba of Benin.
“Alake said Ooni is the foremost Oba in Yorubaland, that is‎ very correct, because Ooni had known Omonide and Okanbi who now beget the Obas in Yorubaland.
“There is a part of‎ the history that says that Oduduwa died at Ife. Omonide, Oduduwa’s wife died in Egba forest at Alake’s place.
“So, when she died at Egba forest, she was buried and when the Egbas were coming to Abeokuta in 1830 August, they came to Abeokuta with the pots which she was using in preparing concoctions for her children;‎ they were at Ake palace here where we worship Omonide every year.”
He explained that other Obas in Yorubaland, including the Alafin of Oyo, had never contested the superiority of the Alake.
“So all others, they do not contend superiority with Alake; the Orangun, Owa Obokun, and some others like Alaketu, so you can see now that to say Alaafin is next to Ooni is a great distortion of history, Mr. Adebowale said.
“What I am contending here is that Awujale who is not of Yoruba origin cannot be requesting for yardstick in setting out our seniority cadre.
“Both Awujale and Alake lacked history. If Alake is Alake of Ake, what‎ concerns Awujale who is a foreigner? We are grandchildren of Oduduwa.”
lalasticlala
http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/200005-war-monarchs-egba-historian-backs-alake-says-awujale-foreigner-sudan.html

udmbat:
Ajalorun of Ijebu-Ife is far above all of them listed. Ask the ooni of ife if you dont believe me.

The Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, has berated the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Gbadebo, for categorising himself among the five top monarchs in Yorubaland.
At a fundraiser for a professorial chair instituted in his honour by the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye, in Lagos on Thursday, the Awujale said the Alake was a junior oba in Yorubaland.
Reacting to a categorisation of monarchs by the Alake recently when the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, visited him (Alake), Oba Awujale said the Egba monarch was peddling falsehood and turning history upon its head.
The Awujale said, “The Alake, while receiving the Ooni in his palace, said Yoruba Obas (the ‘Big Five’ so to say) had been categorised with the Ooni in the first position followed by the Alaafin, the Oba of Benin, with the Alake coming fourth and the Awujale occupying the fifth spot in that order. He also went further to quote wrongly from a 1903 Gazette to support all the fallacies in his statement.”
He added that when he learnt about the comment, he contacted the Alake, who he added, vehemently denied saying so.
He added, “In a recent discussion between the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Akiolu, and me, we also touched on the same issue and the Oba of Lagos told me that he too had asked Alake the same question, which he had again denied vehemently.
“Regrettably, however, when the said statement few days later was continuously credited to the Alake on the pages of newspapers, I expected him to deny it or issue a rebuttal, but he did not do so.
Therefore, I consider it necessary to debunk the falsehood and misrepresentation of facts from the Ake Palace so as to put the records straight.”
The Awujale argued that the 1903 Gazette referred to by the Alake was just a newspaper publication.
“The first question to Alake is: who categorised the Yoruba Obas and when? I challenge him to produce the document of the said categorisation. It is a known fact that Alake was a junior traditional ruler under the Alaafin at Orile Egba before he fled to Ibadan for refuge as a result of the war then ravaging the Yorubaland.
“Following the defeat of Owu by the Ijebu Army in 1826, the Owus became refugees all over Yorubaland. Some of the Ijebu troops that fought the war proceeded to Ibadan, where they met the Alake and sacked him; consequently forcing him to seek refuge at Ake in Abeokuta in 1830, where, of course, he met the Osile, Olowu and Agura already settled at Oke-Ona, Owu and Gbagura sections of Abeokuta township respectively.
Even then, the Olubara of Oyo origin had always argued that all the aforementioned four rulers met him in Abeokuta and therefore claimed to be their landlord.
“To even refer to the Alake as ‘the Alake of Abeokuta’, not to talk of Egbaland, is a misnomer, as his control since his arrival at Ake in 1830 and till today is restricted to the Ake section of Abeokuta. The official Government Gazette testifies to this fact.
“In short, the Alake, from history and all available records, is a very junior traditional ruler in Yorubaland. His peers in Ijebuland are the Dagburewe of Idowa; Ajalorun of Ijebu-Ife; Akija of Ikija-Ijebu; Olowu of Owu-Ijebu; Oloko of Ijebu-Imushin; Orimolusi of Ijebu-Igbo and Ebumawe of Ago Iwoye.”

Finally, after unprecedented delays, orchestrated postponements, and induced adjournments, Bukola Mesujamba Saraki goes to court tomorrow. His appearance at the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) tomorrow renews hope to Nigerians because the suspense has been killing them. The Nigerian people can now respond to his court appearance with collective sigh.
Bayo Oluwasanmi
It has been a good year, or perhaps a bad one, for hauling our corrupt politicians before the courts. However, Nigerians have come impatiently sick at legal maneuvers of Mesujamba. He has been largely successful in delaying his trial and by implication delayed his possible sentence with complex procedural for appeals. Political malfeasance of our corrupt politicians with gripping headlines dominate the news. It reads like the almanac of political corruption, scandals, and dirty politics. But few public thieves are as colorful as Mesujamba. Mesujamba's name and pictures are plastered in all the Nigerian media and all over internet.
How could a crass, incorrigible, proud, wicked, corruptly corrupt, power drunk Mesujamba with a narcissistic-personality disorder with a trial bordering on gibberish that defies political gravity dominate the national stage, make monkeys out of us, and pose an existential threat to our March 28 Democratic Revolution? Mesujamba's legal wranglings, and long stalled trial rooted in prevarication is an apocalyptic harbinger of how corruption fights back. His unnecessary monopoly of center stage in our politics has dragged on for too long. The manipulation of our criminal justice system by Mesujamba poses a lasting danger to our democracy.
Mesujamba is arguably the most corrupt politician in Nigeria. He's been caught with his hand in the cookie jar, so to speak, many, many, many times over the years. Mesujamba's long association with corruption has proven that our lawmakers are lawbreakers. For many years, Mesujamba have dodged the political graveyard and managed to rebound. Though he was responsible for amassing slush funds and assorted embezzlement, yet he was never charged.
This monster has become a one-man wrecking crew of anything that represents morality or decency. Strangely, he's done it all with money. Instead of using our stolen money for public good like building homes for the homeless, establish businesses and employ the army of the jobless, he prefers to use the money to destroy our lives, our freedom, and our way of life. He's spent millions if not billions to buy judges and completely remake the judiciary by destroying our criminal justice system. For years, the whole judicial apparatus of the nation was rearranged in order to let Mesujamba off the hook of any criminal conviction.
Several times, Mesujamba refused to go to trial and insisted that his fundamental rights were violated and that the court or a legally constituted tribunal has no jurisdiction to try him. We lost count how many times the corruption and false declaration of assets lawsuit against Mesujamba was postponed. Each time before postponement, Mesujamba would go on shopping spree to buy a judge who was ready to do his bidding. His latest two shopping spots were the law offices of Kanu Agabi and the judicial reporters' station.
Now that the trial will commence fully tomorrow, Nigerians expect swift disposition of the case. To Mesujamba, it's been a long flight from the law. But to Nigerians, “the wheels of justice turn slowly, but grind exceedingly fine.”
So, let the trial begin in earnest!
bjoluwasanmi@ gmail.com
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