In a statement, the Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of the online newspaper, Gabriel Akinadewo, said while Fubara is the Special Guest Speaker, former Governor of Ogun State and Chairman, Senate Committee on Navy, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, is the Keynote Speaker of the lecture with the theme: ‘Nigeria’s Socio-Political Challenges: Whose Fault, Leaders or the Led?’

The chairman of the event is former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olabode George.

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Other personalities billed to grace the lecture are former Police Affairs Minister, retired Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (Special Guest of Honour); Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams; former Director-General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, Dr. Dakuku Peterside (Guests of Honour) and Professor Akin Onigbinde, the Executive Secretary, Centre for Policy and Development Studies, Ilepa, Ogun State (Special Guest).

President, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba, and President, Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, Maureen Chigbo, are Chief Hosts.

Freedom Online is an online news published by SWAAYA Limited, Lagos.

The post Fubara, Daniel, Bode George, Olubolade, Gani Adams, others for Freedom Online’s 6th yearly lecture Thursday appeared first on Frontpageng.

There is “two fighting”, as we used to say in those kindergarten days, between two prominent Yoruba Nation agitators – Sunday Adeyemo aka Sunday Igboho and the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) leader, Gani Adams aka Iba Gani Adams and Are-Ona-Kakanfo. Igboho alleged that Gani Adams defamed him, damaged his reputation and assassinated his character in a leaked video that went viral. It makes no sense to repeat the contents of the video here.

Igboho is pained and, like Shylock in William Shakespeare’s Merchant of Venice, he wants a pound of flesh from Gani Adams, first, to redeem his allegedly viciously damaged character and, secondly, to teach Adams an object lesson. Therefore, Igboho has approached the courts and is demanding damages in the region of N500 million from Adams.

The Yoruba have sterling qualities in many areas of human endeavour but, placed side-by-side Nigeria’s other nationalities, they are not known as good political strategists.

Efforts made by Adams and other concerned Yoruba leaders to placate Igboho has been in vain. Explanations by Adams that he meant no harm has fallen on Igboho’s deaf ears. When two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers. Therefore, supporters of the Yoruba Nation project at home and abroad are miffed that two foremost generals of their cherished cause are bent on washing their dirty linen in public. Rather than let wise counsel prevail, they seemingly have chosen to dance naked in public.

If I were Adams, I would have been circumspect enough not to voice what he was alleged to have said about Igboho. And if I were Igboho, I would be mindful to control the damage already done in the interest of the cause that I hold dear, and for which I have already suffered irreparable losses in the hands of the Nigerian state.

The altercations and vituperation between two Afenifere groups led respectively by Pa Reuben Fasoranti and Pa Ayo Adebanjo appeared to have receded in recent times from the very bad tempers that was witnessed in the period preceding, during and immediately after the last election. While it lasted, the disagreement was ferocious; it was also humbling. Two generals who share in the glory of the Awolowo years, still seen, till tomorrow, as the golden age of the Yoruba people, tugged relentlessly at each other as supporters urged them on.

Truth be told, it was a war of proxy of sorts, which some of the supporters instigated as well as cashed in upon to feather their own nests. Now, I imagine if I were the son of nonagenarian or octogenarian parents, whether I would allow that they be denied their well-deserved retirement and rest and be tossed up and down, dragged here and there by people cashing-in on their goodwill for self-aggrandizement.

READ ALSO: Deep calleth out to the deep…, By Bola Bolawole

Elders must learn to hand over the baton to the younger generations, not only in politics but also in business as well as in ministry. Recommended textbook: Pastor Wale Adefarasin’s “The succession crisis in Nigeria”. This book is available online. It is not only African heads of state that are guilty of the sit-tight syndrome; there are so many other closet president-for-life personalities in many aspects of our national life.

One of the qualities of good leadership is to know when to quit, not to stay beyond one’s welcome or usefulness. Quit the stage when the ovation is loudest! Hand over the baton to a worthy successor who will further build upon the foundation already laid. It is a relay kind of race, not a sprint. To the supporters or followers: Allow our living ancestors to take a bow! Leave them to retire and enjoy a well-deserved rest!

When Mrs. Modupe Abiola-Onitiri made her declaration of the sovereign state of Yoruba land, she was both grandstanding as well as making history. If a census is taken, I will not be surprised if there are elements of the Yoruba self-determination struggle that support her move: audacious to some, reckless to others. But such is the history of struggle the world over! When Isaac Adaka Boro decided to take up arms and fight for his Ijaw or South-south people, he was a fool to many; today, however, he is the hero of his people with monuments erected in his honour in many places.

The first persons to disown Onitiri were her erstwhile comrades in the agitation for a Yoruba Nation. What points were they trying to make? There are occasions when silence is golden! I am not a fan of Onitiri’s style of agitation. I do not think her modus operandi will achieve the desired result but I will not jump at the slightest opportunity to castigate her publicly. If you disagree with her style, go on with your own style and leave her with her’s. Demolishing the house where she made her declaration is infantile and begs the issue. What has the house got to do with it?

Many of those parading as leaders of the Yoruba Nation struggle are mere agitators with no sound knowledge of struggle. They are lumpen elements led by pseudo-radicals with no sound knowledge of the theory and praxis of struggle. The blind leading the blind. I believe, though, that one day, the Yoruba will have their Yoruba Nation, just like every other nationalities desirous of taking their destiny in their own hands will do – because it is the right thing to do; because it is the surest way to Nigeria’s greatness and development; and because it is the ONLY solution to the problems bedeviling the country. Point at one developed country where ethnic groups dominate ethnic groups. Nationalities are respected and allowed to control their own internal affairs and develop at their own pace. Whether we like it or not, that is where Nigeria must head.

Those castigating Onitiri for declaring Yoruba Nation came out a few days later to write a letter to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu demanding a referendum that would take the Yoruba people out of Nigeria! Tell me, where do they differ from the woman? Their point of divergence is “how” to achieve the same goal. But history teaches that no particular “how” suits the defenders of the status quo. So, if you think that because you stand on the rooftop to announce that your approach is non-violent, the authorities will be kinder to you than those who advocate armed struggle, you delude yourself!

And let no one think that those who are run underground today, dubbed as terrorists, will always remain so. Mandela was a “terrorist” before he became the first black president of South Africa. Fidel Castro and his comrades languished in jail before the tide turned against Fulgencio Batista. Mao Tse-tung and Lenin were “terrorists” who became leaders of their respective countries when their revolution succeeded.

My advice to Yoruba leaders is this: Stop castigating one another. They want to quit Nigeria; leave them to agitate for what they believe in. They want restructuring; let them go ahead and agitate for restructuring. Leave those who want to quit to quit. Those that want restructuring should focus on restructuring. Many roads, not one, lead to the market. The message is the same; only the rendition differs. So, why get in each other’s throat?

The Yoruba have sterling qualities in many areas of human endeavour but, placed side-by-side Nigeria’s other nationalities, they are not known as good political strategists. This is also showing in the way the leaders are prosecuting the Yoruba Nation struggle. They are quick to throw one another under the bus. How can a house divided against itself stand?

Many of those parading as leaders of the Yoruba Nation struggle are mere agitators with no sound knowledge of struggle. They are lumpen elements led by pseudo-radicals with no sound knowledge of the theory and praxis of struggle.

 FEEDBACK

Bola, I had exactly the same thoughts as you while driving through the Ibadan/Ife/Ondo road last week; an extremely shameful experience. Also shocking are the areas you mentioned on the just-concluded Lagos-Ibadan express road. Regrettably, this is what is going on all over the country. Is there any hope, one would ask! – Akin Akinsola.

Civil servants both at federal and state levels are the real corrupt elements in Nigeria. Each and every one of them have his/her registered companies in the drawers of their table. In the Ministry of Works which David Umahi heads, the president of the civil servants’ union told him that he (Umahi) cannot tell them what to do! Rather, they are the ones that will tell the Minister what to do! “We will be here, and you will come and go”, the guy told the minister in the open in a video that went viral! As for Bobrisky, somebody said the South-west conspired to save themselves from embarrassment and decided to put him out of circulation, for him to get back his senses. They did it in such a way as not to attract foreign-power interests. By his own name, Bobrisky knew he was playing a game that would eventually put him in trouble. – Mazi Coleman Obazi.

Phillip Shaibu deserves the treatment meted out to him by Obaseki. Shaibu bit the fingers that fed him right from obscurity up to prominence in Edo State politics. He openly disgraced Adams Oshiomhole, thinking he would be compensated for his disgraceful act. Phillip was not the first deputy governor to be impeached, neither will he be the last. -Mohamed Adeola Bello.

*Bolawole (turnpot@gmail.com 0807 552 5533), former Editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of its Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-chief, was also the Managing Director/ Editor-in-chief of the Westerner newsmagazine. He writes the “ON THE LORD’S DAY” column in the Sunday Tribune and “TREASURES” column in the New Telegraph newspapers. He is also a public affairs analyst on radio and television.

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FrontPage reports that the indication is contained in a letter by Ayinde’s lawyer to Gani Adams over the matter.

Recall that on Wednesday, March 20, 2024, Ayinde’s lawyer, Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, served a notice to Gani Adams, to retract what he described as “heavy and damaging allegations” against his client.

According to Ayinde’s lawyer, refusal to retract the claim might lead to a legal action against him.

The allegation in the audio clip which has since gone viral, borders on a supposed plot by the Chief of Staff and popular human rights activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, to eliminate the Are Onakakanfo.

Ayinde said he had received several calls from within and outside the country, as well as personal visits following references to him in a press statement, titled “I did not take part in killing Chief Bola lge”, by Sunday Adeyemo, denouncing the accusation of the Are Onakakanfo.

In response to the notice for retraction, Oluwole Kehinde debunked the claim against his client, Are Onakakanfo.

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In the letter dated Monday, March 25 and addressed to Ayinde’s lawyer, Olumide-Fusika, Kehinde said the allegation against his client was untrue.

In the letter, seen by our correspondent, the Are Onakakanfo’s lawyer stated: “In the circumstance, our client denies any responsibility for the publication of any alleged defamatory remarks complained of by your client, and thus not liable for the said defamatory remarks of and concerning our client.

“We therefore urge you to advise your client to withdraw any perceived claim against our client accordingly.”

In his reply to the request, Ayinde’s lawyer said his client would allow the matter to rest based on the position of the Are Onakakanfo that he was not responsible for the circulation of the audio clip said to be containing the alleged defamatory statement; that the content was a concocted, distorted and disjointed part of a private conversation he had with another person in 2021, and that he never meant, nor intended the defamatory imputation complained of against him by his utterances in the said audio clip.

The letter dated Wednesday, March 27, 2024 and signed by Olumide-Fusika reads in part: “In the circumstance, unless you dispute what has been summarized above as his understanding of what you were asked by your client to communicate to him, my client will allow the matter to rest.”

He stated further: “Kindly assure your client that my client appreciates the fact that the public office he holds and his conduct in it is liable to scrutiny and criticisms by any and every member of the public that feels ill-served by any act or commission or omission by him in that office. While he will not hold anyone in grudge in exercising that right, it is his reasonable expectation that anyone doing so, including your client, the Are Onakakanfo, abides by truth, fairness and the paramountcy of public interest.”

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The assurance was given on Tuesday by the spokesman of the command, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi, while speaking on a morning programme on Faaji FM.

This is as the leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, and Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, also gave indication that his group would play critical roles in stemming the criminal activities.

Gani Adams also spoke in a separate interview on Tuesday on a programme by Faaji FM.

Stating the efforts of the police command, Oyeyemi said Ogun State command had, in connection with neighbouring police commands, been strategising on stemming the tide of the activities of criminals.

He said the police had on different occasions neutralized some kidnappers caught in the forest along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Speaking on the current cases of kidnapping along the expressway, Oyeyemi assured Nigerians that soon, those involved would be apprehended and dealt with.

He however said, for security reason, he would not disclose the plans on ground to deal with the situation.

While speaking on the evolving spate of kidnapping on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Gani Adams urged Yoruba not to be afraid over the development.

He said they were aware of the development and had been making efforts to reach out to security agencies over the matter.

He spoke of the existence of the security outfit of the Yoruba –south West Security Stakeholders Group.

According to him, the group is made up of about nine key Yoruba security groups, including Oodua Peoples Congress and Agbekoya.

He said the group was working hand in hand with security agencies, including Amotekun.

It would be recalled that no fewer than five passengers were said to have been kidnapped on Saturday, January 8, 2022.

Also, on Saturday, January 15, 2022, three persons were reported kidnapped at Ishara-Remo area of Ogun State.

The development has caused anxiety among Nigerians.

The post Lagos-Ibadan Expressway: Ogun Police, Gani Adams speak on kidnapping appeared first on Frontpageng.

Gani Adams gave the assurance in his reaction to the release of the members of OPC detained by the Oyo State police command.

The police detained the men after handing over Iskilu Wakili alleged to be behind kidnapping and killing in Ibarapa area of Oyo State.

The OPC members are Dauda Kazeem, Awodele Adedigba and Ramon Hassan.

The OPC members arrested Wakili and three others after they were said to have engaged them in fierce gun battle.

However, the police said the OPC operatives were held for arson which was alleged to have led to the death of an unidentified woman in the encounter with Wakili.

The OPC members were however granted administrative bail.

In his reaction to the release of the OPC members, Gani Adams expressed appreciation to all who condemned the unjust detention of those who arrested Wakili.

The statement issued by Gani Adam’s media aide, Kehinde Aderemi, reads in part: “I want to appreciate all those who have raised their voices against the unjust detention, including well-meaning Nigerians, public opinion experts, socio-cultural groups such as Afenifere, Yoruba Summit Group and the media for their support while the situation lasted and I want to assure Nigerians that the OPC will continue to support and complement the efforts of all security agencies, including the police, in ensuring that the South West is safe.”

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The Coordinator, Defence Media Operations, Maj.-Gen. John Enenche, gave the assurance while answering questions from newsmen at the briefing on military operations across the country on Thursday in Abuja.

Enenche, who said there was nothing to fear about the claim, added that security agencies were ahead of the evolving security challenge.

Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo-in-Council, was said to have disclosed, in a communique issued after an extraordinary meeting of the council, that suspected ISIS operatives and terrorists were now in Oke-Ogun, Oyo State.

“More worrisome, the intelligence report also reveals that suspected ISIS operatives have positioned themselves in Niger State via Ibaruba land and are now within the Oke-Ogun corridor of Oyo State.

“Indeed, the Intel also reveals that about 500 power bikes and assorted ammunition belonging to the terrorists have been sighted along the abandoned Lusada route moving towards Sokoto, from Igbo-Ora in Oyo State,” he claimed.

Enenche, however said that the claim was nothing, but just an alarm and that Nigerian security agencies were equal to the task, and would not handle it with a kid’s glove.

The coordinator, who said that the security agencies were on top of the situation, also reiterated the determination of the military to put all measures in place to be ahead of the challenge.

“From the report I have, it is just that one where the U.S. AFRICOM advised and cautioned us about, so I believe that is what people are magnifying.

“But I can tell you that we have put machinery in place together with other security agencies.

“So, we should be careful, because we get such stories everyday, which may be fake, though it could be true, but we don’t overlook such things.”

He said that definitely the operatives at the defence intelligence agency would see it and they would inform him accordingly on what to do.

“So, my response is that it is not new and if it is new, tell the public that we have every machinery in place together with other security agencies as usual to handle it with their cooperation.

“Thank God that it is the civilians that are providing the information, they need to provide it and as they provide, all the contingencies will be put in place to address the issue,” he said.

He said that the security agencies in the country had been working and they would deal with the situation accordingly.

He gave assurance that the collective efforts of the entire security agencies in the country including the general public was going to help the military in addressing the situation.

He said that the Military High Command commended all the gallant troops of the Armed Forces and personnel of other security agencies for the feat recorded in various operations across the country.

“Troops are further encouraged to remain determined and sustain the tempo in curtailing the activities of terrorists, armed bandits and other criminals.

“The High Command of the Armed Forces also reassures the general public of its unwavering commitment to securing the country for all human activities to strive.

“Members of the general public are, as always, enjoined to continue providing timely information on the activities of criminals in their various localities to the nearest military and other security agencies location for prompt and effective action,” he said.

Source: NAN

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Adams, while speaking with journalists on the sideline of a security summit tagged, “South West Security Stakeholder’s Group”, organised by the Oodua Peoples Congress, OPC, said before insecurity became unbearable in the region, he had written letters to all the governors and traditional rulers on the need to prepare ahead but they were adamant until the situation got out of control.

According to him, herdsmen had been living in the region for long going about their cow rearing business without any blemishes until the recent past when some criminals came.

He disclosed that the need to get rid of the criminals in the region informed his decision to commence the South West Security Stakeholder’s Group meeting with the first one held in Lagos, second one in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital.

He said the meeting would move to Osun, Ondo, Ekiti and Ogun states respectively later.

He said, “Before now I had foreseen that the insecurity confronting some parts of the country would extend to South West; I took pain to write our governors and traditional rulers but no response from them.

“Now that the issue is becoming unbearable, they are looking for way forward. I learnt from grapevine that some of our governors are waiting for approval from the Presidency to involve private security.

“North East has its own private security outfit that is complementing the effort of Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police.  Even in some parts of North West, there are private outfits.  There is Hisba in Kano which has been in existence for long, complementing the efforts of law enforcement agencies on Sharia law.

“If our governors are too reluctant to act, we as a group and private security outfit will unite and organise ourselves to send warning signal to these criminals that South West is no more safe for them.

“We shall continue to organise ourselves, unite all other socio-cultural and socio-political organizations, including our traditional leaders and political leaders so that we can start speaking with one voice until the South West governors are ready for us.”

The post Gani Adams tackles S’West governors over state of insecurity appeared first on Frontpageng.

The group, in a press statement signed by its president, Comrade Razak Arogundade and National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Adeshina Akinpelu, described the 25th anniversary of OPC by Adams as ill-conceived, selfish and attempt by him to further destabilise the Yoruba pressure group.

They accused Adams of celebrating the anniversary of a group he was not the founder and trying to take credit for the works of others.

“It came to us as a surprise that Gani Adams will once again come out to hoodwink Yoruba people into believing that he founded OPC by organising its anniversary.

“Here is a man who never accorded the late founder of OPC, Chief Fredrick Fasehun any respect while alive. It is the sweat of the late founder that he is trying to reap from today,” the group said.

OPC New Era further said that it was very wrong for Adams who had continued to encourage disunity of the group and Yoruba race to organise anniversary of OPC’s existence.

“Ask Adams who celebrated the 25th anniversary of OPC the kind of relationship he had with the founder of the

group, and other leaders who made OPC what it is today?

“Ask him if he had ever visited the families or had any welfare plan for the families of our members who died during the struggle,” the group stated.

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The Aare Atunluse of Aworiland, Segun Osifeso, made the remark during a reception in honour of Aare Gani Adams.

Osifeso noted that the contributions of the Aare Gani Adams would continue to be a reference point and a rich resource in any national discourse.

He described him as a visionary and charismatic leader whose exemplary leadership style was worthy of emulation.

Osifeso said Aare Adams was a cultural ambassador of high standing whose passion and dedication to the advancement of Yoruba culture and tradition was undiluted.

“Over the years, this inimitable Yoruba leader has clearly shown that he is not just a foremost cultural ambassador whose first love is the promotion of Yoruba culture and tradition, but that he is also a mentor who imparts values, virtues and character which are key components of leadership and it is a custodian of Yoruba culture and tradition of Aare Adams’ calibre that we sorely desire in our society,” Dr. Osifeso said.

Osifeso noted that he was proud to identify with Aare Gani Adams’ landmark achievements, stressing that the Yoruba race would remain grateful to him for his sacrifices for the unity and stability of the region in particular and Nigeria in general.

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His declaration was made against the backdrop of the Friday killing of Mrs Funke Olakunrin, daughter of the leader of the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, Pa Reuben Fasoranti.

She was killed by suspected herdsmen along Kajola-Ore Road, Ondo State.

Adams, however, said whenever the Yoruba’s move to stop the atrocities, the world should not complain as the Yoruba had at different times raised alarm about the crimes of the suspected herdsmen in the South-West.

Stating that the Yoruba people were not paper tigers and dogs who could only bark and not back, he said the world should be reminded of the attention that had been drawn to the criminality that triggered reactions.

Adams declaration is contained ina statement issued on Saturday by his Media Assistant, Kehinde Aderemi.

His words:  “We only want the whole world to know what has been done and being done to our people.

“They should be aware of the actions that preceded our reaction when it eventually comes.

“We are not bereft of ideas of how to stop this criminality on our land.

“It is just so that we should not be blamed when the reaction comes.

“We are like the proverbial goat that is being chased.

“When it gets to the wall, it will certainly react.

“We are at that stage now.”

Iba Adams said the Yoruba race had met over a period of three weeks on the security threat to the people, calling on governors of the South West states to ensure the conclusion of the security summit process.

He equally charged all traditional rulers to take bold steps to stamp out killings by Fulani herdsmen in their domains.

He said there should be a process of identifying visitors or new settlers in every community, adding that the leader of the visitors or settlers must be known to the traditional rulers.

He commiserated with Pa Fasoranti, praying God to comfort him and his entire household.

“Papa, this is a very trying time, but it is certain justice will come,” he said.

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