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OPINION: Can I Tell Our First Lady That Graduates Drive Cabs Here, Too?

Published

2 years ago

March 26, 2024

By Suyi Ayodele

My people have different social stratifications. One of them is a group of people they call olórí àpésín. That simply means those who chose destiny that makes people worship them. Mrs. Oluremi Tinubu numbers among that group. And when you are an olórí àpésín, you don’t feel what the common man feels. And olórí àpésín is like the proverbial child strapped to the mother’s back. He will never get to know how long the journey is. This is exactly Mrs. Tinubu’s fate. She has been strapped to her husband’s back for too long to know how long the journey has been for an average Nigerian, especially in these nine months of her husband in power.

Again, our first lady is not just an olórí àpésín. She is a lot more than that. Looking at her political, financial and social trajectories in the last 25 years, we can comfortably call her an obìrin tí a nfi orí è súre fún obìrin (a woman whose destiny we call upon as blessing to other women). When you are in that classification, reality is completely lost on you. No matter how people in that stratification struggle, they remain apathetic. When you see such persons, you don’t blame them when they are in their most insensitive mode. Rather, you pity them. And, in all honesty, Mrs. Tinubu, and everyone in her class among the pitiless Nigeria’s elite class, has my sympathy.

Last week, Mrs. Tinubu played host to three senators from her home state, Lagos. The trio of Senators Adetokunbo Abiru, Wasiu Eshinlokun Sanni and Ranti Idiat Adebule were in Aso Rock Villa on a courtesy visit to the First Lady. Just imagine how many lucky Nigerian women and housewives have the privilege of receiving in audience, three councillors from their wards. But here, three ‘Distinguished’ senators left whatever they were doing to go to the Presidential Villa to pay homage to the woman after the president’s heart. It was during that visit that Mrs. Tinubu spoke about our conditions. While Nigerians would not know what led to it, we all woke up to watch the video of that visit and what Madam Tinubu said. I hate to make guesses. But, here, I am tempted to think that probably, the three wise men asked Madam Excellency to help talk to her husband to do something about the agony in the land. Don’t take that to the bank, anyway. Then Mrs. Tinubu chose to respond by lashing out at Nigerians who travelled overseas to seek greener pastures and derided them for going abroad to do menial jobs they would not touch with a 10-foot pole in Nigeria.

This is what the wife of our president said: “Look at all those people saying they are going to Japa; they go there. What work are you going to do? You know, work that you refused to do at home where you have loved ones, you now end up to go and do there. With all their education, they’re driving cabs, but they won’t drive cabs here”. She called on Nigerians to help the “poor” among them but added that it is difficult to know the real poor as “…you don’t even know who are the poor. If they don’t ride a car, they will say they are poor. If you don’t have your own home, they will say they are poor.” The president’s wife agreed with the Scripture that “…in the Bible, we even talk about Jesus saying the poor you will always have in the land, and it’s for people whom God has blessed to help the poor.” The summary of her speech as relayed on the Arise TV later is a complete mockery of fellow Nigerians who would not be drivers here in Nigeria but would go to the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States of America and other European countries to go and do menial jobs.

Truth be told, Mrs. Tinubu is right. Yes, Nigerian graduates abroad are cab drivers. Many are caregivers, a euphemism for nannies to old people. Quite a huge number of them are into guard duties. We have those who are cleaners, shop attendants; human payloaders and everything else we can imagine! Many of these folks, and their spouses, hold postgraduate degrees from reputable Nigerian universities. Pity! Again, another truth from Mrs. Tinubu is that these Nigerians would never accept those menial crafts they do with all enthusiasm abroad back home in Nigeria. Truth is bitter. But that is where it ends for Mrs. Tinubu and those other elites with similar warped mentality.

I don’t know much about the activities of witches and their act and art – witchcraft. But I know a little bit of their categorisation. I know the female ones called Àjé (witches), and their male counterparts known as Osó (wizards). Àjé and Osó, are the mildest of the group. At times, they can be appeased. Their level of wickedness can also be curtailed and managed. Next to that class is the Olubi (purveyor of evil). This set ranks higher than Àjé or Osó in that you don’t have to offend an Olubi before she attacks you. These ones are simply not at home with their victims’ wellbeing, the generosity or kindness of the victims towards them notwithstanding. In fact, it is better not to show an Olubi any kindness than to seek to please her. The elder sibling of Olubi is Ofíndòdo. Those in this league combine wickedness with fury. They fight their victims without relenting. They are simply temperamental! And they don’t need any reason to strike. They are the sadists of the groupings. The worst of them all is what people in my locality call Ukòtò (Pit). Ukòtò does not fight her victims. She swallows them. She afflicts them with all manner of plagues. Ukòtò ruins her victims to no end. If for instance, a victim is taken to those who should know and they discover that he or she is under the affliction of an Ukòtò, the one consulted to help stylishly backs out. Why? Ukòtò gets angrier the moment an attempt is made to pacify her. Victims of an Ukòtò don’t get help; no antidote works for them. They are simply ruined for life except the cosmic intervenes on its own. Nigerians are at the mercy of Ukòtòs at the moment. Our leaders combine all the peculiarities of the aforementioned esoteric beings to afflict the citizenry. That is why they have no pity on us. They speak to us as if we don’t matter. And, really, we don’t matter to our leaders. Their hearts have been seared with hot iron; they have sold their souls to Hades. They are as cold-hearted, as they are dead to our pains. Nothing moves them. Nothing pricks their conscience.

A woman at the level of Mrs. Tinubu should have been more circumspect. But she can’t be because that is not the nature of people in her caste. Yes, Nigerians go abroad to work as cab drivers; a job they would not do in Nigeria. But, has Madam Tinubu asked herself where the roads for those Diasporan Nigerians to drive cabs in Nigeria are? If they elect to be drivers here, who guarantees their safety from kidnappers, killer-herdsmen, bandits and other criminals that have taken over our highways and local roads? Does it occur to our First Lady that many of those Nigerians driving cabs abroad were frustrated out of this country? The other time, I saw a video of a young lady, who left her banking job in one of the most prominent banks in Nigeria to pick up a cleaning job in the UK while also going to school there. I asked a friend who also left that same bank as a senior manager to take up a less paying job somewhere else in Nigeria, what the problem is with that particular bank. His response was that the problem cuts across the Nigerian banking industry. He explained that our banking industry is a place where you employ a young graduate and you give her unachievable targets. When such a marketer, mostly a beautiful lady, cannot go the “extra mile”, a sort of euphemism for “corporate prostitution”, she gets fired! He added that that is what is responsible for high staff turnover in most banks. What other options do those victims of the wicked corporate environment have other than to Japa (migrate) to go and do cab-driving (for the males), and cleaning or care-giving (for the females). The banks and other exploitative corporate bodies get away with all the inhuman treatments of their employees because the regulatory bodies saddled with the responsibilities of checking those excesses and near-second slavery treatments have been compromised. That in itself is a failure on the part of the government and that is where Mrs. Tinubu should direct her attention to rather than deriding Nigerians who travel out to do jobs that are below their qualifications. At a time in his life, Mrs. Tinubu’s husband also japed to God’s Own country, America, before he became somebody. So, what’s the fuss about?

It is convenient for the First Lady to talk the way she did because she would never be in the position of parents who laboured to train their children and wards in schools and those graduates stay at home for years without any job. Mrs. Tinubu’s children, I believe, have never had any reason to Japa, because they are either Abimbola (born with wealth), or Mobolanle (I met wealth at home). Her children will never think of going abroad to drive cabs because if they are not Iyaloja General of Nigeria, their husbands are chairmen of Boards of big government parastatals. When we talk about children born with silver spoons, Madam Tinubu’s children simply swallowed the silver spoon and the melting machine at birth. How would their mother not reason the way she did? Has it occurred to her that most parents, whose children are the cab drivers she referred to, are at pains seeing their medical doctor-trained children turn mere cab drivers? When was the last time Mrs. Tinubu took a cab in Nigeria? I have come across scores of Bolt cab drivers who are university graduates on the streets of Nigeria. So, I can conveniently tell Her Excellency that it is not true that Nigerian graduates are not cab drivers here. Some of them are dry cleaners, shoemakers, sales girls and boys in malls and other menial jobs. Most kiosks where the business of Point of Sales (POS) is carried out are owned and manned by graduates! Madam first lady should get on the street to know this fact!

Methinks our leaders need to think more deeply before they talk. Nothing is more painful for victims of Ukoto than to see the same people who put them in such terrible conditions laugh at them! Mrs. Tinubu’s husband was once a senator. He later became governor of Lagos State for eight years. For those eight years, Madam was the First Lady of Lagos. She had all the good things in life. At a time, the husband made her a senator and she occupied that position for another 12 years. In the last nine months, Mrs. Tinubu has occupied the unconstitutional office of the First Lady of Nigeria. A few months ago, she had the privilege of having the sum of N1.5 billion ‘voted’ to her office for cars and other sundry items. Everything she has enjoyed in the last 25 years is at the expense of our common patrimony. In the real sene of it, she an omo ijobo (government pikin)! She is the typical ant in a bowl of sugar (eera inu sugar); she can never understand that there is pain in the land. She lives in a fortress, secured by the State. When she ventures out of the Villa, she has a company of soldiers and other security agents attending to her safety. How would she know then that many of us recite Psalm 91 almost seven times before we dare travel from one location to another? She is a typical eni aye ye (the one life has favoured). The tendency for her to look down on others is high. I only hope she knows the full meaning of Atubotan (the hereafter). Vengeance will one day cry on all our leaders! Ise!

It is sad that Nigerians are being shipped daily abroad for second slavery. If our leaders, especially of this ruinous epoch, had done what is right, we would have no reason to travel to be slaves in the UK, Canada, or any other country for that matter. My late parents-in-law studied in the UK in the late 60s. My late mother-in-law told me that they did not wait for the results of their final examinations to be out before they sailed back to Nigeria. Why? Because Nigeria was good then. That was a period we had human beings as leaders; leaders who put the country first before selves. Those were leaders who never boasted of being richer than a state. Our situation became bad when locusts took over our political space. We are worse off now because we have Ukotos at the helm of our affairs. Witches and their siblings don’t normally fly in the daytime. However, the present ones in power hold courts in broad daylight. While the electioneering that brought Mrs. Tinubu and her husband to Aso Rock lasted, she told all of us that her family was too rich to be bothered about our treasury. Mrs. Tinubu knows how far her riches and those of her husband would go in solving the problems of our graduates going abroad to drive cabs! In her last week’s engagement, she referred us back to the Bible. She made a biblical allusion to the presence of the poor in our midst. I love that! Today is Tuesday. As a good Christian, and in the spirit of Bible study, permit me to commend Her Excellency to the injunction of our Lord Jesus Christ, who told one of the ‘righteous’ Pharisees thus: “If thou wilt be perfect, go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasures in heaven; and come and follow me” (Matthew 19-21).

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[OPINION] Tinubu: Ade Ori Okin Befits KWAM 1, Not Awujale Crown

Published

4 minutes ago

December 20, 2025

Editor

Tunde Odesola

Blood is thicker than water, so the saying goes. But not in every case. Sometimes, workplace fluidity possesses the same viscosity as blood. The seed of my relationship with a longstanding friend and colleague, Hammed Shittu of ThisDay newspapers, was watered in the field of journalism before blossoming beyond the boundaries of deadline.

A relative of the Ẹ̀léjìgbò of Ẹ̀jìgbò, Ọba Ọmọ́wonúọlá Oyèyodé Oyèsosìn, Hammed was raised in the palace; therefore, his upbringing instilled in him the Yoruba social etiquette of respect, humility, integrity, and wisdom. Hammed, whom the Ògìyán of Ẹ̀jìgbò nicknamed Ẹ̀lẹ̀mdí Ìkòkò Ẹ̀wà because of his love for beans, is very funny. He takes as many jokes as he throws. Ẹ̀lẹ̀mdí’s jokes are raw, unrehearsed and far more cracking than the jokes from some unfunny folks who call themselves stand-up comedians.

I nearly got Hammed one day when his laptop went blurry. I kept a straight face as I faked computer expertise, pressing all the letters on his keypad: ‘Control–Shift–Cap Lock–Escape–Enter!’ But the problem persisted. Then, I pressed Escape–Shift–Control–Enter. Still no luck.

With a frown on my face, I broke the sad news: “Ha, Alhaji, there is no more ink in your laptop! You need a refill.” Ẹ̀lẹ̀mdí looked at me suspiciously, processing what I had said, and searching for mischief in my eyes for mischief. But I held my nerve. I didn’t put a price on the ink, that would give me away. For a few seconds, Ìkòkò Ẹ̀wà chewed on my advice. Then, he said in his bright white smile, “Ọ̀dà ni o ba mi ra, mo ra inki. Ara ò fu ọ́,” meaning: “Buy me paint, not ink, unserious fellow.” That was the wicked wit of Hammed. That was in 2003 when both of us were the only ones using laptops in the whole of the Osun State Correspondents’ Chapel in Osogbo.

But literally speaking, I need some ink in my laptop right now because its lettering is blurry from mourning and writing elegies. I’m not one to parrot the scaremongering belief that death doubles its hustle in the last four months of the year Nigerians christened EMBER Months, because each of the months ends in ‘ember’. I don’t believe that during ember months, death casts its net deeper into the world-wide-web called Ayé Àkámarà, to harvest souls and skulls. So far, in this year’s ember months, death has reaped where it never sowed, taking away my in-law and infotech guru, Tayo Adewusi; Owa of Igbajo, Oba Adegboyega Famodun; Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof Siyan Oyeweso; Oluomo of Ife, Honourable Gbenga Owolabi; Chairman, MicCom Golf and Country Club, Chief Tunde Ponnle; and my buddy and top table tennis player, Emmanuel Bamidele aka ‘Baba Alaye’, among others. May the souls of the departed find repose in their Maker, and may the Lord give families, relatives and friends the fortitude to bear the painful losses, amen.

As death was busy causing pain and chaos, some members of the Nigerian elite left many mouths gaping, gasping and saying, ‘Ehn-ehn?, Mba! O ti o, kai’, as they unfolded dramatic spectacles. Or, what do you make of Yoruba’s foremost traditional ruler, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, installing the First Lady, Chief Remi Tinubu, as Yeye Asiwaju Gbogbo Ile Oodua, without the symbolic akòko leaves? Has the Ooni abolished the use of akòko leaves for traditional installation? I think if Yeye Asiwaju Remi Tinubu feels the akòko leaves are too dirty or pagan for her beautiful head, then she doesn’t know the responsibilities that her new title carries. She needs to know that titles walk with obligations hand in hand.

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As Yeye Asiwaju, Madam Tinubu’s primary assignment is the protection of Yoruba culture and tradition. It is absurd that the ultimate custodian of Yoruba culture, the Ooni of Ife, flouted ancestral protocol by failing to perform installation rites on Yeye Tinubu. When rites are flouted, history and meaning collapse, thereby negating the Yoruba cosmic order that enables birds to chirp as birds and rats to squeak as rats. Sadly, the Ooni failed to ‘se bi won ti i se, ko ba le ri bi o ti n ri.’ Gradually, the Ooni is eroding Yoruba culture and tradition by shivering before celebrities and politicians. When will King Ogunwusi shed the toga of Mister Enitan Adeyeye? Yoruba culture and tradition will not survive the brutal hammer of cash and carry; the Ooni must beware.

And Nigerians aahed and ohed when Aisha Buhari, the widow of the most greatest President in the history of Nigeria, General Muhammadu Buhari, spoke in a 600-page biography, “From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari.” Like American poet and civil rights activist Maya Angelou, who discovered why the caged bird sings, more Nigerians now know why the caged crocodile gaped.

On the home front, the Buhari presidency was far from peaceful, Aisha stated in the biography, revealing that Buhari was locking his bedroom door because he feared she (Aisha) might kill him. Aisha also said Buhari did not support the presidential ambition of former Vice President Yemi Osinbajo because the Daura general felt it was inappropriate for Osinbajo to contest against his political benefactor, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

In the midst of the elite confusion ravaging Nigeria, a primate, whose cap looks like the calabash used in drinking palm wine, ministered to a minister that he, hElijah, possesses God’s hotlines, urging the ministered to exchange tithe for ticket. When I saw this elite confusion, I made a quick dash for my dictionary and discovered that another meaning of primate is gorilla.

Do you know what would happen if you whisper this sentence into the ears of a cow, “Prophet Mohammed is dead?” The cow would immediately go mad and gore the speaker because the cow, until the speaker spoke those words, did not know Prophet Mohammed had died. Please, do not laugh; one Islamic cleric told his congregation this crazy tale while his listeners shouted, “Allahu Akbar!” Nothing kills faster than ignorance, not the bullet. To affirm the vacuity in the Islamic cleric’s statement, many Nigerians have since stormed ranches and abattoirs, dragging cows by the ears, announcing the death of Prophet Mohammed. “Ojise nla Mohamodu ti ku,” they chorused. What did the cows do? They looked blankly at the announcers and continued to chew the curd, wondering if Man did not manipulate his way to the top of the order of creation.

I won’t dwell on Alhaji Aliko Dangote’s takedown of the Chief Executive, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, because President Bola Tinubu acted like a dentist exasperated by the odour from a bad tooth, pulling it out swiftly. But surgeon Tinubu should look at all the other teeth in the buccal cavity, including his own.

Now, here comes the weirdest of the Nigerian elite spectacles – the kingship ambition of the Olori Omoba Akile Ijebu, King Dr Wasiu Omogbolahan Olasunkanmi Adewale Ayinde Anifowose Marshall! Popularly called KWAM 1, Ayinde has staked his claim to the throne of the Awujale of Ijebuland via the Fusengbuwa royal family. However, his kingship bid suffered a huge setback when the Fusengbuwa royal family disowned the 68-year-old Fuji musician in response to his expression of intent. The Fusengbuwa royal family is set to produce the next Awujale of Ijebu-Ode.

In the response dated December 11, 2025, and signed by the Chairman of the ruling house, Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi; Deputy Chairman, Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba, and Vice Chairman, Prof Fassy Yusuf, among others, the family told Ayinde that his form was curiously ‘certified by a purported family unit head, one Omooba Adetayo Abayomi Oduneye Eruobodo, on 8 December 2025, two days before your good self (Wasiu Ayinde) signed it’, describing the form as ‘presigned’.

The family said Wasiu’s expression of intent form was not signed by the authorised representative of his purported family unit. “Omooba Adetayo Abayomi Oduneye Eruobodo is not a registered member of the Jadiara Royal House, and therefore, has no locus standi to sign any linkage form on behalf of the family,” the Fusengbuwa family declared, adding that, “ Our extensive investigation has not revealed any proof of your (Wasiu Ayinde’s) membership of the Jadiara Royal House or indeed that of the Fusengbuwa Ruling House.”

Crowns and titles wrestle for space in Wasiu’s cabinet. As far back as 1993, he was crowned the Oluaye Fuji. Two years before the late Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, joined his ancestors in 2022, Adeyemi crowned KWAM 1 as the first Mayegun of Yorubaland. Much earlier, Wasiu had bagged the titles of Golden Mercury of Africa (1986), Badabarawu of Ogijo (1985) and Ekrin Amuludun of Ibadan (1986). He’s also the Balogun of Ilupeju-Ekiti (2025), the Oluomo of Lagos (1999), among countless other titles such as Capo De Tutti.

Wasiu Ayinde’s longest-reigning hit, Ade Ori Okin, is contained in his Extended Play album, The Fuji Sound, released on August 20, 2020. In various versions of Ade Ori Okin, Wasiu tells the world that he possesses a crown similar to that of a peacock. He calls his possession a Fuji crown. He says it was given to him by the pioneer of Fuji music, the late Dr Sikiru Ayinde Ololade Agbejelola Barrister. Wasiu croons that another title was given to him by another Sikiru, the late Awujale of Ijebulan, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the Ogbagba Agbotewole II. He sings that the late Awujale installed him as the Olori Omoba Akile Ijebu, thanking both Barrister and the late Awujale as his great benefactors.

I’ve been a fan of Wasiu since the release of his monster hit, Talazo ’84, in 1984. For his industry and creativity, I admire Wasiu, but I detest his attitude. If Wasiu must know, opinions are divided over the assertion of the peacock as the king of birds. The eagle is generally more acceptable as the king of birds than the peacock, which is incapable of flying long distances. Unlike the eagle and even the hawk, the peacock cannot fly long distances, reason why it accepted the fate of living on the ground.

The kingship of the eagle over the peacock manifests in various countries using the eagle as a symbol of courage in their coats of arms. Examples are Nigeria and the US. Nigeria’s national male football teams are named after the eagle. Yes, the peacock is colourful, but what is the use of shoes to a legless man? What does a toothless man use a toothpick to pick? What is the use of the hundreds of eyes on the peacock’s tail when it can’t fly to see the world?

The peacock, Wasiu’s symbol of kingship, is an interloper, a fàwọ̀rajà, a misfit, who pumps itself up in a pompous spread of plumage to deceive and win the crown. The peacock is an alágbe, a beggar, who having gathered enough alms, wants to mount the throne of great birds. If the peacock is sure of itself, it should fly up to the sky and show the world which schools of flying it went to, and who were its teachers? The throne of the king of birds demands schooling. The peacock should not hide behind any power because the hawk soars in broad daylight, “gbaangba lasa n ta.” Because the rainbow fades off thereafter, I’ll choose character over colour.

Our forebears say morning shows the day. It is not uncharitable to assert that Wasiu is a controversial figure. More than any of the other top Fuji artists, Ayinde has been in the news for the wrong reasons. Bonsue Fuji originator, Adewale Ayuba, is the poster boy for humility and gentleness. The post of the Awujale demands a personality with patience and humility. An Awujale should not be seen slapping people on the street. An Awujale must not be friends with people of questionable character. An Awujale must treat people, especially women, fairly. An Awujale must be decorous – he must not disdainfully address the elderly. The Awujale must not refer to the President of the country as if he was referrimng to his mate or a younger fellow. He must be courteous to the young and old. He must not look down on clerics and call them ‘Ganusiers’. The Awujale must be able to take to correction whenever he errs; he mustn’t refuse to apologise to ‘Ganusiers’when told to do so.

The late Oba Sikiru Adetona would never stand before a plane and attempt to stop it from flying. Nobody in their right senses would. Wasiu Ayinde has done so much for himself and Fuji music; the crown of the Awujale is not befitting for him because he lacks the temperament for the office. As a music superstar, Wasiu belongs to the stage, the limelight, the loud noise, the paparazzi; the palace is a centre of cultivation, good breeding and discernment.

The Yoruba have been beset with all manner of traditional rulers in the past decade. There is one king in Osun whose estranged wife caught him on camera smoking marijuana. An Osun king, the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, was jailed in the US for fraudulent crimes. Most of the traditional rulers misbehaving today were installed by the All Progressives Congress administrations. Ijebu-Ode kingmakers and the Ogun State Governor, Mr Dapo Abiodun, should save the Yoruba nation from the horror of seeing the Awujale singing the praises of people at parties. President Akanbi Ahmed Bola Tinubu, omo Olodo Ide, you know what is good for the people of Ijebuland. Please, do it. Don’t allow màgòmágó to prevail.

Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com

Facebook: @Tunde Odesola

X: @Tunde_Odesola

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Former Delta North senator Peter Nwaoboshi Dies

Published

10 hours ago

December 19, 2025

Editor

Peter Nwaoboshi, the former senator representing Delta north, is dead.

Details of the circumstances surrounding his death were unclear at the time of this report, but according to reports, the former senator died in Abuja on Friday, aged 68.

In a statement, Sheriff Oborevwori, governor of Delta, expressed “profound grief” over the demise of the former lawmaker.

The governor described his demise as a monumental loss to the state, the Anioma nation, and Nigeria.

In a condolence message signed by Festus Ahon, his chief press secretary (CPS), Oborevwori hailed the late Nwaoboshi as a dedicated son of Delta and a bold champion of Anioma interests, whose legacy in nation-building will endure.

The governor said the late senator’s distinguished tenure in the national assembly, particularly as chairman of the senate committee on Niger Delta affairs.

“Nwaoboshi lived a life of service to his people, his party, and the country, bequeathing a heritage of bravery, loyalty, and commitment to public duty,” Oborevwori said.

“On behalf of the Delta State government and people, I mourn my dear friend, Senator Peter Onyelukachukwu Nwaoboshi.

“I extend deepest condolences to his family, the Anioma people, members of the All Progressives Congress, and everyone touched by his life.

“May God grant his soul peaceful rest and comfort to all who grieve this irreplaceable loss.”

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Grassroots To Global Podium: Edo Sports Commission Marks Enabulele’s First Year In Office

Published

1 day ago

December 19, 2025

Editor

The Indoor Sports Hall in Benin City came alive on Wednesday as the Edo State Sports Commission rolled out the drums to celebrate the first anniversary in office of its Executive Chairman, Hon. Amadin Desmond Enabulele. Management, staff, coaches and athletes gathered in an atmosphere charged with pride, reflection and optimism.

The colourful ceremony drew executives and members of various sports associations, officials of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), coaches, athletes and other key stakeholders in Edo sports.

In her welcome address, the Acting Permanent Secretary of the Commission, Mrs. A. P. Amenze, praised Hon. Enabulele for what she described as focused and purposeful leadership. She said the past year had seen renewed confidence, discipline and energy return to the state’s sports ecosystem.

Adding excitement to the event were exhibition bouts and demonstrations by the Kung Fu, Karate, Taekwondo and Judo associations, staged in honour of the Executive Chairman.

Speaking for SWAN Edo State, Chairman Comrade Kehinde Osagiede commended Hon. Enabulele’s open-door leadership style and consistent support for sports development. He noted that the Commission had effectively driven Governor Monday Okpebholo’s “Catch Them Young” policy through practical grassroots programmes that identify and groom young talents across the state.

In recognition of his contributions to sports development and media relations, Comrade Osagiede conferred the Patronship of SWAN Edo State on Hon. Enabulele and presented him with a special anniversary card.

Goodwill messages followed from Executive Directors of the Commission, including Hon. Frank Ilaboya (Edo North), Coach Baldwin Bazuaye, MON (Edo South), Barr. Anthony Ikuenobe (Edo Central), and Mrs. Sabrina Chikere, Executive Director, Sports Development and Operations. Representatives of coaches, athletes and sports associations also took turns to acknowledge the progress recorded under the current leadership.

In his stewardship address, Hon. Enabulele expressed gratitude to Governor Monday Okpebholo and Deputy Governor Rt. Hon. Dennis Idahosa for the trust placed in him, noting that their backing and shared vision had driven the Commission’s achievements.

He highlighted Team Edo’s third-place finish at the 9th National Youth Games in Asaba, where the state recorded its best-ever outing with 79 medals—33 gold, 18 silver and 28 bronze—reinforcing Edo’s reputation as a national sports powerhouse.

The Chairman also pointed to the impact of inclusive and grassroots sports programmes, citing Favour Ojeabu, a visually impaired para-cyclist who won three gold medals to emerge Africa’s champion at the African Track Para-Cycling Championship in Egypt.

Other milestones listed included outstanding performances by Edo para powerlifters on the international stage, historic achievements in cricket, weightlifting, cycling, judo and deaf athletics, as well as structural reforms such as the repositioning of Bendel Insurance FC and deeper investment in grassroots sports development.

Cultural performances added colour and tradition to the celebration, as stakeholders closed the event united in their assessment of the past year as a truly transformative period for sports development in Edo State.