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OPINION: Akeredolu And The Absurdity In Ondo State

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By Suyi Ayodele

“How many governors are in Oyo State?” The question was directed at me by an Abuja-based senior journalist. He is equally a friend. I was confused. Rather than answer, I put a call across to him. “Bros, what type of question is this?” He laughed. He told me that someone played the same prank on him, and he chose me as his own victim too. Then I understood what he was driving at. We discussed other issues, and I terminated the call. But ever since, the question has refused to go away. How many governors are indeed in Oyo State? You may ask your next-door neighbour the same question.

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Oyo State is the ‘luckiest’ state in Nigeria, today. The state has two ‘sitting’ governors. One of the governors was legitimately elected by the people of the state. His name is Governor Seyi Makinde (GSM). He resides in Ibadan, the state capital, carrying out his constitutional duties as the governor of the state. The second ‘governor’ is Arakunrin, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, who was elected as the governor of the second neighbouring state of Ondo State. To get to Oyo State from Ondo State, you must cross Osun State. When Akeredolu adopted the prefix, “Arakunrin” instead of the honourific “His Excellency”, that his peers in the remaining 35 Government Houses answer, we all believed that he came with humility. Akeredolu, for almost a year now, has been in Ibadan, directing the affairs of Ondo State. We must know that the man known as Aketi, is not in Ibadan by his freewill. Circumstances beyond his control and human understanding, pushed him to relocate to Ibadan. He has our sympathy for that. Not just our sympathy, Arakunrin Akeredolu has our daily prayers as we wish him well in whatever battle life has thrown at him. That is the best we should, and can, and must do for him, at this most critical period of his life. Anything beyond this becomes an absurdity.

The people of Ondo State elected a governor that would stay in the state and direct the affairs of the state. They did not bargain for a proxy governor. The constitution itself envisages a situation like the present Akeredolu’s debacle. That is why the drafters of the constitution made provision for the office of a deputy governor. In any situation where the governor cannot perform his duties efficiently and effectively, his deputy is expected to take over, either in acting capacity, or as substantive governor. What is happening in Ondo State between Arakunrin Akeredolu and his deputy governor, Mr. Lucky Orimisan Ayedatiwa, is pure abnormality! There is no other name for it. It is even more unfortunate that Akeredolu is the one at the centre of it all! If gold rusts, what will iron do!

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That Governor Akeredolu is not enjoying the best of health at the moment is no longer debatable. That his health impairment is affecting governance in his home state is equally undeniable. Then what is the way out? That should be our concern. We are asking for the way out because we live in a country where everything is upside down. Were it not so, Akeredolu’s case should have been the model, the template that every civilised society should copy. Here is a man who is bigger than a colossus in constitutionality. In all ramifications of life, Akeredolu has paid his dues. Unfortunately, his antecedents are in sharp contrast to his present behaviour. Why is his gold rusting? How would a man who ascended to the pinnacle of the legal profession as a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and who at a time was the number one lawyer in Nigeria as the President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), find himself in this situation and would refuse to do that which is right, noble, and just? Why, if we may ask, will an Akeredolu make nonsense of the provisions of the constitution of Nigeria, the very document that he took an oath to protect, defend and uphold? Something is missing!

The first time Nigerians got to know officially that Arakunrin Akeredolu was not in perfect health was on June 13, 2023, when the governor sent a letter to the Ondo State House of Assembly that he would be embarking on leave to attend to his health. In that letter, Akeredolu officially handed over power to his deputy, Ayedatiwa, to act as the governor of the state. Not a few Nigerians hailed the move. We all thought that the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel was here with us. Alas! We were mistaken! Akeredolu was expected to spend 21 days outside the state for his medical leave. Before the expiration of the 21 days, the governor sought and obtained an extension. Then days rolled into weeks, and weeks into months, until the governor, on September 8, 2023, after almost three months, wrote to the Assembly that he was back to take the reins of power as the governor. That was when the real crisis started. The pliable Ondo State House of Assembly, for whatever reason, began an impeachment process against the deputy governor. That incident has led to not less than five litigations in various courts of coordinate jurisdiction. And in all the matters before the courts, Ayedatiwa has triumphed. The latest being the ruling by an Abuja Federal High Court, which last week refused to vacate the order it issued restraining the Assembly from proceeding with the impeachment notice until the substantive issues before the courts were determined. The Assembly is on appeal against the ruling. You may wish to ask, as I do: what is the Ondo State House of Assembly after? Whose drumbeats are the members dancing to over the impeachment move?

While the impeachment tango lasted, the party which jointly produced Akeredolu and Ayedatiwa, the All Progressive Congress (APC), came into the matter and initiated a peace move. As matters stand between the governor and his deputy, it appears that the APC peace initiative is a ruse, after all. The governor is as unrelenting as his deputy is perpetually embattled. I asked an old friend from the Akure axis what the problem was. His response shocked me. Ayedatiwa, the old folk said, “Has no manners and is not loyal to his principal.” I asked my friend if that was not the same allegation levelled against Agboola Ajayi, the former deputy governor to Akeredolu during his first term. My friend responded: “Suyi, honestly, Aketi (Akeredolu), has not been fortunate with his deputies.” Really? I was not convinced. Fortunately, my friend is also a ‘village boy’ like me. So, it was not difficult for me to ask him about the wisdom in the saying of our elders to wit: When a woman lacks manners, she says she has never been lucky with husbands – Obirin so iwa nu, o ni ohun o gbori oko waye. How come it is easy for people to conclude that Akeredolu’s two deputies have not been of good behaviour without paying attention to the character of the governor himself? What do you say of a man whose every wood in the cooking place bellows only smoke (bawo ni gbogbo igi se nse eefin)?

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Since the ‘return’ of Akeredolu from Germany on September 8, 2023, the governor has not been seen in Akure, the state capital. A competent source, however, said that two Saturdays ago, the governor was in his Owo home town to see one of his old relations. The source said that the old relation was worried that he had not seen his cousin, the governor, in a long while; and when told that Akeredolu was in Ibadan, the old man in his late 80s, elected to travel to Ibadan. On hearing that and in deference to the old man, Akeredolu, the source added, had to travel to Owo and returned to Ibadan that same day. Governor Akeredolu now resides in Ibadan, permanently. Who governs Ondo State in his absence? He has transmitted a letter of resumption to the legislative arm. By that, the deputy governor reverts to his constitutional position as an assistant waiting for assignments from the governor. Now that the governor is perpetually absent; and his deputy is not only redundant, but has been given a ‘laborious task’, who rules Ondo State? I hope nobody would come up with the argument that the governor can rule the state from any part of the country. In the rote learning of “states and capitals”, my two-year-old granddaughter knows that Ibadan is not the capital of Ondo State! What is bad is bad; no matter how much we love the man with a gangrene-infested sore, nobody uses the water oozing out of its pores to cook okro soup! Akeredolu and his handlers cannot make Ibadan the capital of Ondo State at the expense of Akure! But that is what they are unwittingly doing!

For whatever anyone may think, the issue of Akeredolu goes beyond Ondo State. That the governor is holding on to power despite the knowledge of his ill health in the public space is a collective shame of the entire Yoruba race which prides itself as the most civilised in the nation. And there is no doubt about that; the Yoruba people are civilised, sophisticated, and urbane. What we are experiencing in the region now is the season of the locusts. The current politicians in the zone have become lords over the people. They have turned the once politically vibrant Yoruba people to a conquered race; one at the mercy of those they ‘elected’ to govern them. This is strange, very strange in all ramifications. The Yoruba are not known to condone impunity. At a time in the history of the people, the womenfolk rose to defend the land. Check the exploits of Mrs. Olufunmilayo Ransome-Kuti (1900-1978), and how she led the Egba women to fight a sitting monarch in Abeokuta, over indiscriminate taxation. What about Madam Efunporoye Osuntinubu, later known as Efunroye Tinubu (1810-1887), who assisted two Oba of Lagos; Akintoye and Oluwole, to ascend to the throne when they were about to be short-changed? If Chief Gani Fawehinmi were to be alive today, what would be his attitude to this crass impunity? Where are the Yoruba men and women of honour in this Akeredolu matter? Why is no one of note talking; why are the nobles of the land not condemning this charade which is an absolute breach of the constitution and a slight on the collective sensibility of the people?

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I am not holding any brief for Ayedatiwa. I don’t even know him. I am not in any way defending his ‘good or bad manners’. What I know is that the case of the Ondo State deputy governor is like the proverbial bad onigangan (talking-drum drummer), who was hired for an occasion, and has been paid. Whether he can drum very well or not, he will finish his performance on the occasion he was hired for. You may not hire him the next time. At his swearing-in in October 2020, nobody asked Ayedatiwa if he would be “mannerly” or not. It is even an aberration for anyone to demand the loyalty of a deputy governor to his principal, the governor. That may be morally fine, but not constitutionally expedient. The deputy governor is expected to be loyal and faithful to the provisions of the constitution and the people of the state only. The same thing is applicable to the governor.

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The folly of changing deputy governors like babies’ diapers started with this political dispensation. In his eight years as governor of Lagos State, Bola Ahmed Tinubu had three different deputy governors in the persons of Mrs. Koforola Bucknor-Akerele (1999-2002), Femi Pedro (2003-2007), and Prince Abiodun Ogunleye (2007). His new political soul mate, Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State had three deputy governors in his first term, namely: Abiodun Aluko, Bisi Omoyeni, and Biodun Olujimi, who later became his political nemesis. The same was with Orji Uzor Kalu in Abia State, who also got rid of his deputy, Dr. Enyinnaya Abaribe. For over three months now, Akeredolu and his legislators have been trying to get rid of his deputy, but they have not succeeded. Why?

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We need to pay more than cursory attention to the names the deputy governor answers. Are there hidden meanings to those names? His surname, Ayedatiwa, means: “The world has become ours”; baptismal name, Lucky, depicts one that is favoured; and his middle name, Orimisan, says: “My head is good.” Akeredolu and the House of Assembly may have to do the unthinkable to be able to get rid of the deputy governor. And should that happen, it would amount to another breach of the law. Lawyers, we are told, are priests in the temple of justice. Akeredolu is not just a lawyer, he is a father of lawyers. It is only impunity that will, in the face of the obvious fact that he lacks the physical and mental capacity to govern, make the former human rights activist-turned politician continue to cling to power at the expense of the people.

Ondo State is the loser in the present situation. The absence of the governor in the state has put the state at the mercy of political profiteers, Buccaneers, and rapacious locusts, who are feeding fat on the people. Most annoying is the fact that Ondo State is the ‘world headquarters’ of Afenifere, the Yoruba socio-cultural group. If there is any time Afenifere is expected to speak truth to power, it is now. The leaders of Yoruba cannot afford to remain silent while this impunity continues in Ondo State. The Yoruba Council of Elders must speak, and speak, loudly now. When you have elders in the marketplace, the neck of a baby strapped on his mother’s back should not be bent precariously. The neck of Ondo State‘s baby is not just bent; it is dangerously bent. The goat is about to die in its tether, while the elders look on. The voices that rose against President Umaru Musa Ya’Adua in 2010 are loudly silent on Akeredolu. Why? The APC, which claims to be the party of our redemption, is also not saying anything. The feeble voice of the half-dead People’s Democratic Party (PDP), issuing an ineffective three-day ultimatum to Akeredolu to either resume or resign, is like that of the lone voice in the wilderness. Nobody pays any good attention to the PDP and its lethargic opposition nowadays. Truth be told, this act will never happen if the APC were to be in opposition. The entire Ondo State would have been on edge by now. But the case in Ondo State has gone beyond political affiliation. Every man of good conscience must condemn the impunity of Akeredolu and his handlers. They should respect the law, respect the people, and respect themselves.

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JUST IN: Oldest Missionary To Nigeria, Ruth Elton, Is Dead

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British-born Nigerian missionary, Ruth Elton, reputed to be the oldest missionary has passed on at the age of 91.

Ruth Elton, born 7 September 1933, was a British-born Nigerian missionary whose lifelong dedication to faith, healing, and revival left an indelible mark on communities across western and central Nigeria.

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It was learnt that Elton died on Saturday at Sharon compound, Alafia Bamin Quarters in Ilesa, Osun State.

She was the only daughter of Pa Elton and her remains have been deposited at the mortuary.

READ ALSO: BREAKING: Former Customs Comptroller-General, Ahmed Aliyu Mustapha, Is Dead

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Ruth Elton, daughter of Sydney Granville Elton (Pa Elton), who is referred to as one of the founding fathers of Pentecostalism in Nigeria, had approached a Kaduna court and nationalised as a Nigerian.

At old age and despite the happenings in Nigeria, she still held in high esteem her father’s prophecies that although Nigeria could be known globally for corruption, it would only for a while as new dawn would beckon when the country would be known worldwide for righteousness and prosperity.

Elton moved to Nigeria in 1937 with her parents and served as a Christian missionary across Egbe, Okene, Koton Karfe, and other parts of Kogi, Ondo, Oyo, and Osun States.

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A naturalised Nigerian, having renounced her British citizenship in the 1970s, she embraced the country completely and became fluent in Ebira and Yoruba.

Elton, who remained single, believed that she had made a true mark in the country and apart from her missionary work, she saw her efforts in taming infant mortality, especially in Okene, Kogi State as a generational impact.

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Relating her experience on infant mortality in the country, Elton recently noted that many newborn babies had passed on due to lack of proper care and hygiene, adding that the practice of force-feeding babies contributed to the challenges, especially in the face of poor awareness.

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DANGER: Six Incurable Diseases You Should Know — And Their Causes

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Diseases are medical conditions that affect the body and disrupt its normal functions. Although healthcare professionals and researchers have made significant progress in finding cures for many diseases, there are still several illnesses without a permanent cure.

While treatment may help manage symptoms or prolong life, the diseases themselves remain incurable.

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In this article, Tribune Online takes a look at six incurable diseases you should know.

HIV/AIDS

Probably the most well-known disease on the list, Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is a virus that attacks and weakens the immune system, which can develop into Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). At this stage, the immune system becomes too weak to fight infections. Although antiretroviral therapy (ART) helps patients live long and healthy lives, there is still no permanent cure for HIV.

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Causes

HIV is primarily contracted through specific bodily fluids: blood, semen, vaginal fluids, anal mucus, and breast milk. The most common ways HIV is spread are through unprotected vaginal or anal sex and sharing needles or syringes. Mother-to-child transmission can occur during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.

READ ALSO:WHO Raises The Alarm On Looming Diseases, Disasters

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Cancer

Cancer is a disease caused by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells, affecting organs such as the lungs, breasts, and prostate. Treatments like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation can manage or remove some cancers, but there is no universal cure.

According to Healthline, there is a difference between cure and remission when it comes to cancer. A cure means all traces of cancer are eliminated and will not return, while remission refers to a state where few to no cancer cells remain. Remission may be complete, with no detectable signs of cancer, often within the first five years after treatment, or partial, where the cancer has shrunk but is still present. Even in complete remission, hidden cancer cells can remain and cause the disease to return.

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Causes

Cancer, unlike HIV, is not a contagious disease. Instead, it arises from genetic mutations within cells, which can be inherited, develop over time, or be caused by environmental factors like radiation and chemicals. These mutations cause cells to grow and divide uncontrollably.

Diabetes

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Another incurable disease is diabetes. It is a chronic condition where the body cannot properly control blood sugar levels.

READ ALSO:Heart Diseases, Cancer Lead Causes Of Death Worldwide – Report

While there are many types of diabetes, the major ones are Type 1 and Type 2. In Type 1 diabetes, the body produces little or no insulin, while in Type 2 diabetes, the body cannot use insulin effectively. Although medications, insulin injections, and lifestyle changes help manage the disease, there is no cure. Over time, diabetes can lead to complications such as kidney failure and heart disease.

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Causes

Diabetes is also not contagious. Type 1 diabetes is mainly due to genetics and environmental factors that trigger the immune system to attack insulin-producing cells in the pancreas while Type 2 diabetes on the other hand is caused by a combination of factors such as genetics, lifestyle, and insulin resistance

Alzheimer’s Disease

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Alzheimer’s disease is a brain disorder that slowly destroys memory and thinking abilities. It is the leading cause of dementia among older adults. The disease worsens over time and makes it difficult for patients to perform daily activities. Current treatments can only slow down symptoms or improve quality of life, but they cannot stop the disease or reverse the damage.

Causes

Alzheimer’s develops in the brain when abnormal protein deposits build up, damaging nerve cells and affecting memory. Age, genetics, and family history are the strongest risk factors, while lifestyle factors such as poor cardiovascular health can also contribute to the development of this incurable disease.

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READ ALSO:Things You Need To Know About Anthrax Disease

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

Not only is this disease incurable, but it also does not have a known cause, according to Professor of Neurology Mayowa Owolabi. Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the nerve cells controlling voluntary muscles. Over time, the nerves that send signals from the brain to the muscles weaken and die, causing patients to lose the ability to move, speak, eat, and eventually breathe.

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Causes

ALS is not a disease that spreads from person to person. The exact cause is unknown, but research suggests it results from a mix of genetic and environmental factors. In some cases, it runs in families, while in others, it occurs randomly.

Parkinson’s Disease

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This is another disease scientists have yet to find a cure for. It is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that mainly affects movement. Parkinson’s disease develops gradually and is marked by tremors, stiffness, and difficulty with balance and coordination.

The condition occurs when nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine become damaged or die. While medications and therapies can help control the symptoms, there is no cure for Parkinson’s disease, and symptoms worsen over time.

Causes

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Like some other incurable diseases, Parkinson’s does not spread like an infection. It develops when nerve cells in the brain that produce dopamine become damaged or die. While the exact cause is not fully understood, Mayo Clinic notes that factors such as genes and environmental toxins may play a role in the development of the disease.
(TRIBUNE ONLINE)

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Police Urge Bauchi Residents To Remain Calm Amidst Soldier’s Death In Bauchi

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The Police in Bauchi state has called on all the residents of the state to remain calm after a soldier was shot dead by a police officer in the state.

CSP Ahmed Wakil, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) made the call on behalf of the Commissioner of Police in the state, Sani Omolori-Aliyu.

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According to him, Inter-agency security forces have initiated a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate incident which led to the death of the soldier.

The PPRO recalled how a blogger narrated the incident that a member of the Nigerian Army attached to 33 Artillery Brigade was fatally shot while attempting to intercept a truck suspected of transporting solid minerals from an illegal mining site in Futuk, Alkaleri Local Government Area of the state by a mobile police Inspector on illegal duty.

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The blogger also said that the incident occurred on August 25 at about 7:50 p.m. when personnel from the 33 Artillery Brigade, Bauchi, purportedly stopped a truck with the registration number Gombe 676-BLG at a checkpoint in Futuk village.

“The report further added that the truck driver refused to comply, prompting the Guard Commander, Master Warrant Officer, Ali Haruna, now deceased, to pursue the vehicle with his team on motorbikes until they managed to intercept it.

“That upon stopping the truck, Inspector Yusuf Ibrahim, a mobile police officer, exited his vehicle and opened fire on the Guard Commander, striking him in the abdomen.

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“The blogger added that the soldiers at the scene overpowered the policeman and disarmed him. The injured officer was transported to the Gombe Specialist Hospital for urgent medical attention, but tragically succumbed to the gunshot wound,” said the PPRO.

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He however, explained that preliminary investigations, revealed that the truck is associated with Guruje Mining Company Limited and ZURFI Company Limited, which possessed valid legal licenses in Gwana, Alkaleri LGA.

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He said that this authorisation pertained to the extraction of lead and zinc minerals, which was obtained from the Mining Cadastre Office, Federal Republic of Nigeria, effective from 12th May 2023.

Wakil added that the companies have complied with all mining operational protocols of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act of 2007 and possessed a certificate of incorporation pursuant to the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 2020.

READ ALSO:Bumper Harvest: Foundation Distributes 6,000 Fertilizers To Farmers In Bauchi

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“The mobile police officers attached to these companies were formally requested and approved to provide security for the safety of expatriate workers and fulfil other security responsibilities associated with the company. Inspector Yusuf Ibrahim was among those assigned to this duty.

“The company successfully extracted a substantial quantity of lead and zinc minerals, which were proposed for export, and relevant fees as revenue paid to the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, referenced by RRR code 3212-7561-4841.

“The Bauchi state Police command has constituted an investigation team of experienced detectives in collaboration with the Nigerian Army military police and are tasked with collecting and assessing all relevant information surrounding the incident’s remote and immediate causes,” Wakil said.

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