News

Alaafin Stool: Oyo Mesi Divided Over Shortlisted Contestants

Published

2 years ago

September 17, 2022

Editor

Ten contestants for the stool of the Alaafin of Oyo were said to have been shortlisted by the Oyo Mesi, who are the kingmakers in the town.

The Head of the Oyo Mesi, who is also the Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yussuf Ayoola, said this on Friday in a statement by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Alaafin of Oyo, Bode Durojaiye.

He said Ifa (oracle) would be consulted to pick the next Alaafin among the shortlisted contestants.

Basorun stated that members of the Oyo Mesi would soon meet to deliberate on the next step, which he said would be an Ifa consultation.

The statement read, “Whoever emerges among the shortlisted aspirants will be the candidate and the next Alaafin of Oyo.

“The state government is not only aware but carried along in all our proceedings before, during, and after the interview period. The state government was ably represented by the chairperson of the Atiba Local Government Area and some officials of the council.

“On the Alapinni matter, he is a member of the Oyo Mesi but presently indisposed. To follow the due process, he needs to be represented in order to keep him abreast of development. He cannot be left out in the scheme of things. Hence, we request his representative. Health is wealth. We wish him a quick recovery.”

“People should watch their utterances and refrain from reckless comments capable of causing an implosion.

“People entrusted with the peace and tranquility of the town should not just rush to the press for mischief. It is better for one to find out about what he or she doesn’t know from the authentic source, than going to the press to cause disaffection.”

But the Iba Samu of Oyo, High Chief High Chief Lamidi Olayanju, when contacted, told our correspondent that he knew nothing about the shortlisted candidates.

Olayanju said, “I called Basorun and he told me that he was the one behind the news that 10 persons had been shortlisted. Four of us know nothing about it. When we completed the interview on Thursday, we all agreed that we would meet next Tuesday to do that but hearing that 10 persons had been shortlisted on the radio is news to me. I called Basorun and he told me he authored the news.

“I heard it on the radio that we had shortlisted 10 but I am telling you I am not part of that and I called four of us and they said they did not know anything about it. Agbaakin (High Chief Asinmiyu) told me he was not part of the decision to pick 10 contestants; Akinniku (High Chief Amusa Yusuf) also told me that he was not part of it; Alapini ( High Chief Rasheed Sheu)
is indisposed.”

Asked if the rest of the kingmakers would abide by the shortlisted contestants, he said, “Can you, yourself, abide by such a decision? We don’t know anything about it, we didn’t know when he picked them, so, we can’t abide by such.

“If we agree with him and the remaining contestants drag all of us to court, how are we going to defend what we were not part of?”
PUNCH

News

VIDEO Newly Appointed LG Supervisors, Advisers In Ekiti Take Oath Of Office With ‘Ogún’

Published

38 mins ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

A video showing newly appointed supervisors and advisers of Ikere-Ekiti LGA in Ekiti state were sworn in with an ‘Ògún’ totem and the Quran.

A viral video shows the supervisors and advisers swearing at the conference hall of the office of Olu Adamolekun, chairman of Ikere-Ekiti LGA.

The oath of office was administered on the appointees by Adamolekun. The appointees could be seen taking turns to wield a cutlass (a totem for the god of iron) in one hand and a Quran in the other.

While administering the oath of office, Adamolekun asked the appointees to repeat the following in Yoruba

‘’From today, I will be loyal and truthful to BAO (Ekiti state governor), and Monisade (deputy governor), APC and its leaders. I will take instructions from the leaders. If I refuse to do so, Ogun or Quran should kill me. For this, I will be truthful” each appointee said as they took their oath

In Nigeria, public office holders usually swear an oath of office using the Quran or Bible, while pledging allegiance to the constitution.

Watch the video of the swearing-in ceremony below:

News

JUST IN: DSS Arrests Wanted Oyo Motorpark Boss, Auxiliary

Published

1 hour ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

The Department of State Services has reportedly arrested the wanted former chairman of the Oyo State Park Management System, Mukaila Lamidi, popularly known as Auxiliary.

The PUNCH reliably gathered that Auxiliary was arrested at about 4:00 pm on Tuesday at his residence in the Olodo area of Ibadan, the state capital.

Although the reasons for his arrest are still sketchy, a source who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity because of the weight of the matter said it was because of an interview he granted on Saturday, May 4, in which he called out Seye Famojuro, a trusted ally of Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde, for being behind his woes.

In the interview he granted to Media personnel, Ajibola Akinyefa, in the Yoruba Language, the former PMS chairman said, “If he (Famojuro) is the governor or Seyi Makinde is, we will know. It is just a matter of time. Everybody will face the consequences of their actions. The people he chose to manage the park are cheating themselves.

When asked if it was his hooliganism that led to his removal, Auxiliary queried how many people reported that he beat them to the police.

He further said that Seye would still return to Ijesha because Ibadan is not his homeland.

“Seye will still go back to Ijesha because Ibadan is not his town. Only Governor Seyi Makinde and I will remain here because we won’t run away. And I see that the bird is not working, but God feeds it. Seye will reap the seeds of his actions,” he added.

In May 2023, Auxiliary was arrested after being linked to an alleged attempt by his loyalists to cause trouble in the state following the dissolution of the PMS committee by Makinde.

An impeccable source who spoke with PUNCH Metro said the police acted swiftly to prevent a breakdown of law and order in the state, adding that during the raid, Lamidi escaped which led to him being declared wanted.

The source, who craved anonymity over fears of harassment, said, “From what we gathered, the police acted on the information that some members of the Auxiliary’s camp wanted to cause trouble based on the government disbanding their operations in the state.

“So, the police were proactive, stormed their location, made some arrests and recovered some arms and ammunition. But Auxiliary was not arrested. The people arrested were in connection with the fact that intelligence linked them to an attempt to cause trouble in the state today.”

However, attempts to reach the spokesperson for DSS, Peter Afunnaya, proved abortive as several calls made to him were unanswered and text messages ignored.

News

Benue To Build Brewery As Residents Spend N850m On Beer Monthly

Published

3 hours ago

May 7, 2024

Editor

Benue State Government has concluded plans to start production of beer brand to stop capital flight to other states.

The Managing Director of Benue Investment and Property Company, Dr Raymond Asemakaha, disclosed this to journalists on Tuesday.

He said that the beer’s name will be unveiled during its launch in December.

Asemakaha, who took journalists on a tour of the proposed brewery, water, and bakery factories in Makurdi, the state capital, said that the initiative to set up a brewery came as a result of recent studies showing that a huge amount of money leaves the state every month on beer consumption.

Asemakaha said the company was out to give Benue and Nigerians a high-premium quality beer made in the state using local raw materials.

He said that BIPC was not in competition with any brewery company therefore, would do everything for the people to enjoy a beer with a difference.

He said, “Basically, when we came on board, we understand that the rate of alcohol consumption in the state is between N850 million per month.

“We understand that the people that are selling these beers have taken this money out of Benue State.

“So, we discovered and said no, all what we need to do is to float a new company that we can be able to observe and retain the cash flow within the system. That is why we are embarking on beer production.

“This N850 to N870 million is a monthly sale of beers in the state, and within the month of December, they have made one billion naira in sales. So, one of the things we are doing is to help retain the cash flow within the system.”

According to the MD, the estimated production capacity is 180,000 bottles per day, and the fermentation period is 15 days.

“We will crash the price of beer in the state, but we are not going to compete with them (other breweries). We want to retain the cash within us. It is our own thing. So, the people here, our brothers and sisters, should be able to key in and take our products,” he said.

While stating that raw materials will be locally sourced, Asemakaha stated that the factory would commence full production by the first week of December.

“What we want to do is that this season, we want to give people seedlings so that we can go back to production and take those products from them to plant and harvest,” he added.

The managing director said that the brewery project would cost between ₦700 and ₦800 million, just as he expressed assurances that the amount would be sourced.