News

OPINION: Oyinlola Keeps His Promise Despite Tinubu’s Victory (2)

Published

2 years ago

December 8, 2023

Tunde Odesola

After reading the first part of this article last week, Oyinlola called me, and as my phone was ringing, I was tempted to fetch the bitter kola in my hunter’s pouch, take a bite, gargle some aromatic schnapps and chant the incantation, “Ohun ta wi fun ogbó, l’ogbó n gbo, ohun ta wi fun ogbà, l’ogba n gba, kóse kóse ni ti ìlákòse, á sùn má párádà ni ti igi àjà… tùèh!”

I wasn’t going to harm Oyinlola with my chant. Far from it. I was only going to safeguard the kill that Ògún Lákáayé Ósìnmólè, the god of War and Iron, had secured for me, a gunless hunter, from a gunnery old soldier. I didn’t want to hear, “Tunde, I mistakenly sent some bags of cowries to your vault. I’m sorry; they’re not meant for you. They’re meant for Tunde Kelani, the world-renowned cinematographer.”

Well, if Omo’ba Lagun had tried to recall the ancient legal tender aka cowries in my possession, in the manner Bible-loving Godwin Emefiele recalled the naira, I wouldn’t have been sheepish like the Nigerian masses. I would’ve stood up to him and reminded him of the epic Battle of Òrè during the Nigerian Civil War.

Oyinlola knows the art and science of war. He knows why the intensity of the Òrè Battle is prefixed with the phrase ‘O Le Ku’, Ija Òrè. It was in Òrè, Ondo State, that Biafran forces were turned back by federal forces.

I would’ve refused to return the cowries because in vain the moinmoin seeks escape after entering the house of agidi corn meal. The bracelet is cast on the wrist of Olóòsà, nobody can pull it off! I’ll remind Oyin that the Kelani that directed Ò Lé Kù also directed Agogo Eewo, which affirms the efficacy of African traditional powers. I have the full support of the Awise Agbaye, Prof Wande Abimbola, and the Araba of Osogbo, Baba Yemi Elebuibon.

FROM THE AUTHOR: OPINION: Travelling Through Nigeria In Tinubu’s Yacht

When I picked up Oyin’s call, his voice was unmistakable, “Young man, you want to reveal what we did in secret, abi? I’m going to sue you and press for damages because people are going to bombard me.” I protested, “They’ve been bombarding me too, despite my incantations, sir.” “Na you sabi di fake incantation you’re chanting. You’re muddling ‘Ohun ta wi fun ogbó, l’ogbó n gbo’, and ‘Fírí, fírí loju n ri, bòhùn, bohun làgùtàn ń wò’; the two serve different purposes. One is to make you do what you wouldn’t do, the other is to render you powerless,” he said. Hmm, I could see Oyin doesn’t know Ifa has gone digital.

Oyin belongs to the rich cultural past when mothers exhaled thrice ‘ha! ha! ha!’ before slicing open the gizzard of a freshly killed fowl, nowadays, ‘ha! ha! ha!’ could indicate delirium or the commencement of cult war. Nowadays, everything is muddled up.

Oyinlola continued, “I was the one God used to end the Ife-Modakeke War, not Chief Bisi Akande, as contained in the first part of your article. When I became governor, they were still fighting, albeit on a low scale. So, I went to Ooni Sijuwade Okunade. I told him, ‘Kabiyesi, you’re the only one who can put a permanent end to this crisis’. I said he should cooperate with me. Thereafter, I went to Baba Ogunsua, the late Chief Francis Adedoyin. I told him of the need to put a permanent stop to the war. I pleaded with him to follow me to Ife. And he agreed.

“It was on a Sunday. Modakeke people said Ife people were threatening that Ogunsua should not come. I said the Ogunsua should come in my car, that anyone who wants to kill or harm him would have me to contend with first. When we got to Ife, we entered the palace, and Ogunsua was given a seat, but he refused the seat and sat on the floor.

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“At the meeting, I suggested to Oba Sijuwade that all the lands of Modakeke seized by Ife should be returned, and he agreed. I also urged him to upgrade Ogunsua, who was a baale, to a king. Sijuwade also agreed. Also, I implored Sijuwade to pay all the salaries accruable to Ogunsua, which had been seized, during the war. Oba Sijuwade agreed to that, too. That was how the war ended permanently. So, when people ask what my greatest achievement was as governor, it is ending the Ife-Modakeke war, not the Osun State University, not the numerous infrastructural projects. Human life is sacrosanct.”

Never dig the hole of antagonism deep because you might find yourself in it, counsels a Yoruba proverb. I was the Lagos State Governor’s Office/Lagos State House of Assembly reporter when the letter transferring me to Osun State as correspondent came. Some of my Alausa colleagues I shared my impending destination with warned me of virtually everyone on Oyinlola’s media team. “Ha! Lasisi will want to control you.” “Oh! Oladeji is cunning. You can never know where he’s going.” “Salam is manageable, but don’t trust him totally.” The advice came in torrents. But I never allowed what I had heard about the trio to affect my relationship with them.

I cherish and nurture friendship. An ex-Osun House of Assembly Speaker, Chief Adejare Bello, was the first politician I met when I got to Osun. His enigmatic Press Secretary, the late Olumide Ajayi, (my ‘aburo’) saw me the day I arrived and insisted I must see his ‘oga’ in Ede. I complained it was getting late, but Olumighty begged. He was such an irresistible soul. I succumbed.

When Bello left government, I still kept in contact with him. Bello, now the Ambassador to Mexico, loves football. His team is Real Madrid and his favourite player is Ronaldo. Hardly a day passes without me needling him about the inability of Ronaldo to win the World Cup like my favourite player, Messi did. In return, he would remind me that Real Madrid are superior to Barcelona, my team.

During the Qatar 2022 World Cup, I was rooting for Argentina while Bello was seeking their ouster. When Argentina got to the final and I started to diss Bello, he said in annoyance, “Argentina will never win the cup.” “The cup is already in Bueno Aires,” I fired back. “Do you want to bet?” “Yes, sir, I want to bet.” “How much?” “N100k.” “OK?” Ok!”

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When the referee blew the final whistle and I was jumping about the house, thanking God for crowning Messi’s stellar career with a World Cup, my phone rang, it was Bello, “Tunde, congratulations! Send your account number, please.”

“N100k just like that? Why have you been wasting your time in journalism? Why don’t you become a pundit and make money, Tunde?” I wondered.

I don’t like to bet. The few times I have betted in my life, I returned the won bet. But what’s N100k to an ambassador? Did I ask for the win? Tunde, send your account number jo! I did and heard an alert shortly afterwards.

In 2011, inside PUNCH newsroom, I predicted the outcome of the 2011 Osun governorship election. Saturday PUNCH had on its cover the map of Osun, showing the 30 local government councils. The election was a straight fight between the incumbent, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, and the challenger, Chief Iyiola Omisore. Saturday PUNCH Editor, Mrs Bisi Deji-Folutile, predicted victory for Omisore.

The Executive Director, Publications, Mr Adeyeye Joseph, now Managing Director and Editor-in-Chief, asked if I was the one that shaded each candidate’s areas of strength on the map. He was told I wasn’t. He called for me and directed that I handle the map.

On election day, Aregbesola won in all the 22 councils while Omisore won in the eight I predicted, though there were one or two councils where I predicted victory could go either way. When I got to the office on Monday, Segun Olugbile, the news editor, told me Saturday PUNCH editor was looking for me. When she saw me, she was full of praise for me.

I speak regularly with General Oyinlola. After the 2023 presidential election, I called Oyinlola to get his view. He said Alhaji Atiku Abubakar would win but I said Tinubu would win. He said, “Do you want to bet?” “Yes,” I said. “How much,” he asked?” I said, “Sir, let me stake N500,000.00 to you N5m.” He said, “Which type of betting is that?” Are you betting or not,” he asked with a military finality. I said, “Yes.” “How much?” he asked again. I said, “If I bet N500,000, I’ll win N5m.”

Last Monday, I got an alarm from a microfinance bank. I called Oyin. He said, “I am a soldier. I keep my word.”

Concluded

This article written by Tunde Odesola, a columnist with The PUNCH newspaper was first published by the same paper. It’s published here with the permission from the author.

News

IPF Throws Weight Behind Otuaro-led PAP, Urges Critics To Be Constructive

Published

6 hours ago

November 7, 2025

Editor

The Ijaw Publishers’ Forum (IPF) has openly expressed its support for the leadership of Dr. Dennis Burutu Otuaro (Ph.D.) as Administrator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).

The body, made up of Ijaw media owners across the Niger Delta region, said Otuaro administration has revived confidence, restored focus, and repositioned the programme for the genuine empowerment of Niger Deltans.

Addressing a press conference in Warri, Delta State, on Thursday, the President of IPF, Comrade Austin Ozobo, said since his appointment in March 2024, Chief Otuaro has demonstrated clarity of purpose, measurable achievements, and dedication to service.

Ozobo, flanked by other executives of the body, said “as journalists of conscience, we commend and defend good leadership wherever it is found, especially among Ijaw sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves in service,” stressing that “our allegiance is to the truth, the people, and the progress of the Niger Delta.”

The IPF President, while noting that lending “our voice in support of any public office holder is not out of sentiment, politics, or personal gain, but out of an objective recognition of results, integrity, and purposeful leadership,” said under Otuaro leadership, “PAP has moved beyond mere stipend payments to ex-agitators and launched broader human capital development interventions.”

Ozobo said Otuaro is concerned in “giving the programme a human face… developed for the people of the Niger Delta for a better future,” adding that “he has consistently called for stakeholder inclusion, including women’s participation in the peace process for the Niger Delta.”

“He has reaffirmed the programme’s mandate of promoting sustainable peace, security, and development in the Niger Delta region. Strategic Repositioning of PAP:

“These are not symbolic gestures alone — they reflect a strategic repositioning of PAP to deliver tangible value, particularly through education, vocational training, and stakeholder engagement for communities long impacted by militancy, environmental degradation, and underdevelopment,” he said.

Ozobo, who called on all and sundry to support Otuaro in his bid to actualising the aims and objectives of the PAP in the region, urged critics to see the good things the current PAP administration is doing, and if they want to criticize to be constructive rather than “destructive opposition.”

He added: “Genuine criticism and oversight are welcomed — but what we are witnessing in certain quarters are attempts to undermine a capable, reform-minded leader through misdirection, misinformation, and vested-interest campaigns.”

He, therefore, called on “all arms of government — federal, state, and local — to give PAP the institutional backing it needs to fulfil its mandate. The region deserves no less.”

News

OPINION: Trump Of War

Published

7 hours ago

November 6, 2025

Editor

By Israel Adebiyi

When a man stays too long where he passes excreta, different kinds of flies will visit him. This Yoruba adage carries deep metaphorical meaning about the dangers of overstaying or remaining in an undesirable, corrupt, or degrading situation. It teaches that there is wisdom in knowing when to leave a place, position, or situation. Staying too long in an unpleasant or unproductive environment can bring unnecessary troubles, shame, or ridicule. Just as flies gather where filth remains, prolonged presence in one spot, especially one associated with decay or negativity, can attract unwanted attention, gossip, or enemies. Donal Trump, the “gun blazing” U.S President has hit this home, setting the Nigerian public sphere on fire.

Nigeria’s long, unending bromance with insecurity and the reign of non-state actors breathing down the necks of innocent citizens has finally caught global attention, and not in a flattering way. For years, the most populous black nation sat comfortably amid filth – moral, economic, and political. We normalized insecurity, institutional decay, and leadership failure, as though chaos were a national identity. Now, the flies have arrived, from within and without, and this time, the buzzing comes from the White House.

For those who may have forgotten, back in 2018 in his first term in office, Trump had branded African countries a “shithole”. A subsequent meeting with late President Muhammadu Buhari that same year dwelled largely on the compelling reasons that earn Nigeria that label – killing of Christians in the Middle Belt.
These were his exact words about seven years ago: “We have had very serious problems with Christians who are being murdered in Nigeria. We are going to be working on that problem very, very hard because we cannot allow that to happen.”

Seven years down the line, the same allegations have resurfaced. In a statement that shocked the global diplomatic community, Trump, in his usual unfiltered bravado branded Nigeria “that shameful country” and threatened possible military invasion over what he called “the ongoing Christian genocide in Nigeria.” His words have sparked outrage, debate, and even admiration among some Nigerians. But behind the drama lies a hard truth: a nation that refuses to manage its rot will one day become a playground for the flies of ridicule.

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Let’s not deceive ourselves, Trump’s language was offensive, reckless, and imperialistic. Yet, what moral high ground does Nigeria currently occupy to push back convincingly? Since Boko Haram’s rise in 2009, the country has spiraled from insurgency to banditry, terrorism, kidnapping, and armed robbery. From Chibok to Dapchi, from Southern Kaduna to Benue, and from the Northwest to the Middle Belt, blood has flowed too freely.

Almost two decades later, the question is no longer whether the government can protect its people, it is whether it even knows how to try.

Billions of dollars have vanished into so-called counter-terrorism operations, yet terrorists still move with ease, sometimes better armed than the troops sent to confront them. Villages are erased overnight. Farmlands are deserted. IDP camps have become permanent homes for millions. And in the midst of all this, politicians trade blames, hold thanksgiving services, and prepare for the next election cycle, while Nigerians bury their dead in silence.

It is this silence that the world now interprets as complicity.
And when a nation appears complicit in its own tragedy, it loses the moral right to indignation.

Trump’s threat should offend every Nigerian, but it should not surprise anyone. Nations that fail to fix themselves invite pity, and sometimes, predation. We have built a global reputation as a land of endless potential and endless failure. The “Giant of Africa” now stands on the frail legs of corruption, insecurity, and poverty.

It is this contradiction that emboldens the likes of Trump to hurl insults and contemplate intervention.

For a country so rich in natural resources, human capital, and spiritual fervor, Nigeria’s misery index is a paradox too glaring to ignore. Inflation sits above 30 percent, the naira gasps at ₦1,600 to a dollar, and youth unemployment continues to rise. When leadership turns failure into culture, ridicule becomes inevitable.

The greater tragedy, however, is not Trump’s words but Nigeria’s weakness that made them plausible. For years, our leaders have slept through crises. The insurgency grew under their watch. Banditry expanded under their silence. Farmers abandoned their fields. Schools became abduction zones. The economy bled, and they responded with propaganda and prayer breakfasts.

We have been a country at war without admitting it. And because we have refused to confront our internal decay, our tragedy has become global gossip.

The #EndSARS protest of 2020 was a warning shot, a generation’s cry against oppression and bad governance. Yet, five years later, nothing has changed. The same impunity that dehumanized young protesters at Lekki Tollgate now governs our security architecture. The same arrogance that dismissed public outrage then, dismisses international concern now.

What is perhaps more disturbing than Trump’s arrogance is the chorus of applause from some Nigerians, Christians and non-Christians alike, who celebrated his threat as divine justice. They cheer an outsider’s insult as though humiliation were a cure.

But as the Yoruba proverb warns: “Omo ale lo n fi owo osi juwe ile baba re.” Only a bastard points to his father’s house with the left hand.

Criticizing one’s country is noble when done in the spirit of correction, but applauding its shaming is folly. A foreign bomb will not discriminate between the guilty and the innocent. Trump’s rhetoric is not motivated by love for Nigeria’s Christians, it is driven by the old Western savior complex, where Africa is the backdrop for another man’s ego and another nation’s geopolitical theater.

If history has taught us anything, it is that America does not invade to save, it invades to reshape. Ask Iraq. Ask Libya. Ask Afghanistan. They all began with the language of “liberation” and ended in ruins.

We are a people living dangerously on the brink, between pride and paralysis.

Trump’s verbal assault should not drive us to defensive anger; it should drive us to national introspection. This moment calls for leadership that listens, acts, and reforms with courage.

MORE FROM THE AUTHOR:Nigeria @65: A Long Walk To Freedom

Nigeria must rebuild faith in governance, starting with security sector reforms. We need intelligence-driven operations, proper welfare for troops, and an end to political interference in military command. Every attack on a community should prompt accountability, not recycled condolences.

Equally vital is rebuilding trust between the government and citizens. We must stop treating civic outrage as rebellion. Democracy thrives on the people’s voice, not their silence. When government disconnects from public pain, even sympathy from abroad becomes weaponized.

Finally, leadership must abandon propaganda and embrace truth. Nigerians are not asking for miracles; they are asking for sincerity.

America’s saber-rattling may fade, but the insult will linger if we fail to change. The way out is not to fight Washington’s words, it is to fix Abuja’s reality. A nation that works will not need to plead for respect. The flies will leave when we clean our house.

Nigeria remains a great country, wounded, weary, yet still standing. But greatness is not measured by slogans or population; it is measured by justice, accountability, and the value we place on human life.

If our leaders will finally lead, if our citizens will rise above apathy, and if our institutions will choose integrity over indulgence, then maybe, just maybe, the story will change.

And at that time, when the world looks our way again, it will not be with contempt or pity, but with admiration. Until then, we must keep asking:
When will Nigeria stop attracting flies and start commanding respect?

News

Anambra Poll: INEC Begins Distribution Of Election Materials

Published

8 hours ago

November 6, 2025

Editor

The Independent National Electoral Commission on Thursday commenced the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials to various local government areas across Anambra State ahead of the governorship election scheduled for Saturday, November 8, 2025.

The distribution exercise, which took place at the Central Bank of Nigeria branch in Awka, was supervised by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Dr Queen Elizabeth Awgu, amid heavy deployment of security personnel.

Party agents, representatives of civil society organisations, and security operatives were also present at the venue to monitor the movement of the materials.

The sensitive materials distributed included the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), Forms EC8A, and Forms EC8B, which, according to the commission, would be moved to the various Registration Area Centres (RACs) ahead of the election.

Speaking with journalists during the exercise, Awgu explained that the early distribution of materials was part of measures to ensure that the election commenced on schedule across the state.

She said, “People should come out and vote; participate in this election process. Do not stay at home thinking that your vote will not count, and do not assume that your candidate has already won. INEC is fully prepared for this election, and we are assuring the people of Anambra State of a credible and peaceful exercise.

“Party agents and security operatives jointly supervised the distribution of sensitive materials to ensure transparency. We have been at the CBN since 9 am, and everything has gone smoothly without any challenges or complaints. This shows our readiness and commitment to delivering a credible election.”

Awgu noted that INEC had made comprehensive preparations in collaboration with political parties, security agencies, and civil society organisations to guarantee a free, fair, transparent, and credible process.

INEC officials distributing electoral materials… Credit: Ikenna Obianeri
She said the three categories of sensitive materials—BVAS, Forms EC8A, and Forms EC8B—were being moved to the RACs for final deployment ahead of the election.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in charge of election security in Anambra, Abayomi Shogunle, disclosed that the number of security personnel deployed for the poll had been increased from 45,000 to 55,000 officers.

According to him, the measure is to ensure adequate protection of voters, electoral officials, and election materials across the 21 local government areas.

Shogunle said, “The increase in security personnel is not to intimidate eligible voters but to ensure effective operations and safety at every polling unit. We want to guarantee voters’ confidence in coming out to cast their ballots without fear.

“The number would be increased to 55,000 as against the initial 45,000 personnel. The officers will be drawn from the Nigeria Police Force, Immigration Service, NDLEA, DSS, and other sister agencies. At least three security officers will be deployed to each polling unit across the state.

“We assure the people of Anambra that the election will be free, fair, transparent, and devoid of intimidation. Our collective aim is to ensure the safety of voters, INEC officials, and all stakeholders involved.”

Shogunle, who monitored the process at the CBN office, confirmed that the materials being moved included the BVAS devices and result sheets (Forms EC8A and EC8B) for the Saturday poll.

According to INEC, 16 candidates from 16 registered political parties are contesting in the governorship election to wrest power from the incumbent governor and candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.