News

Ondo Community, LG Boss Exchange Words Over Alleged Imposition Of Monarch

Published

3 years ago

July 18, 2023

Editor

The Obaship crisis in Ijare, Ifedore Council Area of Ondo State, deepened, yesterday, as stakeholders accused the council Chairman, Mr. Alex Oladimeji, of allegedly imposing a monarch on the community.

The stool of the Olujare of Ijare became vacant, two years ago, when Oba Adebamigbe Oluwagbemigun joined his ancestors.

The process of selecting a new monarch became messy following litigation arising from the illegal exclusion of some candidates to the throne including Prince Kola Oyewole

But some Ijare indigenes, in a statement, by Elder Ojo Bamidele, accused the council Chairman, Mr Oladimeji of pushing for one of the candidates, who is his cousin.

Bamidele said: “Members of the Sejeokun Ruling House have been united since the selection process started until some self-appointed adjudicators came on board in the family and wanted to deny some candidates the right to be part of the crucial stage of the process which led to litigation.”

The concerned indigenes, however, exonerated the Ondo State government from the looming chieftaincy tussle.

The statement reads: “The purported forwarding of four, out of the 13 names that applied to be Olujare and initially emplaced before the kingmakers (Afobajes), was a product of arbitrariness meant to unlawfully, nay illegally, exclude the names of candidates that are believed to constitute a threat to the candidates some cabals want to desperately force on the people.

“It is heartwarming that aggrieved stock of the Sejeokun Ruling House, the Olukekere/Osunpamisi descendants, has gone to court to challenge the purported illegal suspension of Chief Aarinmo, the unlawful exclusion of his candidate, Prince Kola Oyewole, and the moonlight frivolous narratives that seek to dislocate the inextricable link the Olukekere/Osunpamisi stock of Sejeokun Ruling House has to the Olujare stool.

“Traditionally, it is within the purview of the kingmakers to choose the Olujare, and the leader of the distinguished Chiefs has cautioned himself from embarking on illegality by processing the four selective candidates sent to him, on the receipts of letters of complaints of unlawful exclusion and court processes contesting the legality of the advancement.

“Permit us to state, very unequivocally, that the government of Ondo State has since distanced itself from being dragged into legitimizing illegality, as the Chairman of Ifedore Local Government, Mr Alex Oladimeji, who is prejudicially pushing for one of the candidates that is his cousin, has made the whole world to believe.

“We also call on the leadership of the Ijare Egbe Omo Elewe Obi to be guided by all the documents before it, and to prevail on elements within it to desist from supporting any initiative that could illegally exclude any of the candidates as the unity of all Ijare indigenes is paramount, even as posterity stands very advantageously to judge the present.”

But in a swift response, the council Chairman, Mr Oladimeji cautioned the stakeholders not to drag him into the wrangling saying he has no power to impose a new monarch on the town considering various chieftaincy laws in the state.

Oladimeji said: “I need to respond to this because all they wrote against me is a blatant lie.

“As a local government Chairman, rules and regulations are guiding the selection of Obas, not only in my community (Ijare). All communities have their declaration/laws that govern them and there is an Ondo State Chieftaincy Law. Nobody can influence me and there is no way I can influence anybody to emerge as the King or force anybody on my town,” VANGUARD quoted him.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Nigerian Students To Picket MTN, MultiChoice, Other Businesses

Published

16 minutes ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

The leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS South-West Zone D, has announced plans to picket South African companies in Nigeria following the ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.

DAILY POST reports that some Nigerians were recently killed in South Africa over the violent attacks.

A statement issued to newsmen by Comrade Adeyemo Josiah Kayode, Coordinator, NANS South-West, Zone D, said that the association is mobilizing to take decisive and lawful action by organizing peaceful picketing and mass advocacy against South African business interests operating in Nigeria.

“We categorically state that the continued targeting of Nigerians under any guise is unacceptable and must come to an immediate end.

“This will include major corporations such as MTN Group and MultiChoice Group. It is morally indefensible for businesses to thrive in an environment where the lives of Nigerians are protected, while Nigerians are subjected to fear and violence elsewhere.

“This contradiction will no longer be tolerated,” the statement said.

News

N5m, N10m Zero-interest Loans: SheVentures Opens Applications For Women Entrepreneurs

Published

2 hours ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) has opened a new round of applications for its SheVentures proposition, offering zero-interest loans of up to ₦10 million to women entrepreneurs to ease access to working capital and support business growth.

The facility provides loans ranging from ₦500,000 to ₦5 million under a general category, and ₦5 million to ₦10 million for sector-specific businesses, with funding capped at up to 50% of an applicant’s average monthly turnover.

At the centre of the offering is a 0% interest rate, with all charges embedded in a transparent structure.

Repayment is structured over four or six months, allowing businesses to match obligations with their cash flow cycles.

Yemisi Edun, Managing Director and Chief Executive of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), said the initiative reflects a deliberate approach to inclusive growth.

“Inclusive growth requires access to capital and the right conditions for businesses to deploy that capital effectively.

“Women-led enterprises are critical to economic activity, yet they face structural barriers.

This intervention aims to help close that gap by providing financing that supports job creation, business expansion, and long-term sustainability for women entrepreneurs.”

“Access to affordable finance remains a major constraint for women entrepreneurs,” said Nnenna Jacob-Ogogo, Group Head, SheVentures and Impact Segments at First City Monument Bank (FCMB).

“By removing the cost barrier and offering quick, flexible funding, this zero-interest loan is designed to safeguard existing jobs, enable businesses to invest in growth initiatives, and foster resilience in challenging economic conditions.”

Women-owned businesses account for a significant share of Nigeria’s small and medium-sized enterprises but continue to face high borrowing costs and limited access to credit.

Through these efforts, SheVentures tackles persistent financing gaps facing women-led businesses, combining targeted funding with broader support to empower women entrepreneurs, encourage business innovation, and enhance their ability to compete on a national scale.

Applications for the zero-interest loan are now open.Apply now.

News

Xenophobic Attacks: Oshiomhole Tells FG To Retaliate Against South African Companies In Nigeria

Published

20 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Editor

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has called on the Federal Government to retaliate against South African businesses operating in Nigeria following the recent attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Speaking during plenary on Tuesday, Oshiomhole said the Federal Government should consider revoking the working license of South African owned companies such as MTN and DSTV.

He argued that Nigeria must respond firmly to what he described as persistent hostility against its citizens.

“I am not going to shed tears. If you hit me, I hit you. I think it is appropriate in diplomacy. It is an economic struggle,” Oshiomhole said.

He argued that while some South Africans accuse Nigerians of taking their jobs, Nigerians should return home and take over employment opportunities created by major South African companies operating in the country, including MTN and DSTV.

“When we hit back, the President of South Africa will not only talk but will also go on his knees to recognise that Nigeria cannot be intimidated.

“We will not condone any life being lost. If a crime has been committed under the South African law they have the right to bring any such person to justice, but to kill our people as if we are helpless, we will not allow that,” Oshiomhole added.

DAILY POST reports that several Nigerians in South Africa have reportedly been attacked, and their businesses destroyed, in ongoing xenophobic attacks in the country.