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OPINION: Powerful Lagos, Powerless Osun State

Published

2 years ago

November 20, 2023

By Lasisi Olagunju

If I were a politician, my devotion hours would be to the courts instead of pouring oil on INEC and voters, deities of limited powers. If the gods complain, I would ask them where they were when ugly death was killing sinners and saints. The buck – our electoral buck – stops at the courts. That is our reality.

A list of candidates for elevation to the Supreme Court was released last week by the Federal Judicial Service Commission. Every Nigerian should be interested in every name on that list; they are the electors of our future presidents and governors and lawmakers. They will decide the price of rice and beans tomorrow. Whether salaries and pensions will be paid and drugs will be affordable for the sick are attached to tomorrow’s decisions of the Supreme Court. It is our electoral college. We should ask questions on its proposed justices. How did the nominated get on the list? What qualified them to be there? What disqualified others who are not there? Why is Lagos on the list when it has already filled its quota?

History is replete with cases of people who went to bed free, slept too much and woke up a conquered people. Conquest used to be by the force of arms; now it is mostly through the courts. In Nigeria, the courts are the new military; they take and distribute power to politicians. To live well, escape poverty and captivity, we should take interest in our law courts and in those who sit in judgement there. How are the courts, particularly the Supreme Court, constituted? Ask questions; insist on answers.

The courts are under threats of abduction, immediate past president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Olumide Akpata, warned at the International Bar Association (IBA) conference in France last week. He described the selection process of Nigerian judges as “bizarre”. He said there was “a deliberate attempt” by the Nigerian political class “to capture the judiciary.” He added that they are “achieving results.” He painted the picture of a helpless nation. I agree with him.

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There are 22 jurists on the nomination list released last week, but like in Animal Farm, the chosen are not equally favoured. The big men of power who drew the list put ‘priority’ in front of some; they stamped ‘reserve’ in front of others. What was the criterion (or were the criteria) for giving some priority over the others? Seniority? The seniority list in the Court of Appeal is publicly available on the court’s website; the nominations mock it, particularly for the South-West. Check the nomination list. Crosscheck it with the seniority list of justices of the Court of Appeal. In all the other five zones, seniority appears to have counted in arriving at the recommendations. But, in the South-West, it is a no. So, what was the goal of the appointers? And this is where I am going. I plead that you follow me.

I am from Osun State and I am interested in how it is affected by that list. There are two nominees from the South-West; one was chosen from Lagos and one from Osun State. The one from Lagos has a crown of ‘priority’ placed on it; the gentleman from Osun State is put on the reserve bench. The truth is: Lagos has no slot to fill; it already has Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun as the number two of the Supreme Court. The slot is ordinarily for Osun State to fill and there is a history to that claim. Justice Emmanuel Ayoola, JSC, was the last candidate from Osun State on the Supreme Court bench. Ayoola retired at age 70 in October 2003. He was 90 last month. In simple arithmetic, for the past 20 years, Osun State has not been represented in the apex court – the result of a deliberate act of misallocation. And I will explain.

Listen. How many justices are supposed to be on the Supreme Court? The court itself answers that question on its website: “The Supreme Court of Nigeria consists of the Chief Justice of Nigeria and such number of Justices of the Supreme Court, not exceeding twenty-one, as may be prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly. Presently, the Supreme Court is made up of the Chief Justice and nine (9) other Justices.” A CJN plus 21 justices cannot go round all the 37 states of Nigeria at the same time. When eight masquerades are on the line and there are six bean cakes, the system has a way to get every ancestral costume round the basket of cakes. There is always a way. For the Supreme Court slots to go round, the states are paired or combined in twos and threes and allotted slots which rotate between or among them. Ekiti and Osun states are a pair here.

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Justice Olufunlola Oyelola Adekeye got on the Supreme Court bench representing Ekiti State in March 2009. She retired from the Supreme Court in November 2012. Her exit created a vacancy that should, by right, be filled by Osun State. But smart Lagos, which already had Bode Rhodes Vivour occupying its own slot, got up in July 2013, did a fast one and took what should go to Osun State. It happened and there was no protest from Osun State. You wonder why? It was because Osun State of that era was a colony of Lagos. What happened was a case of olówó gbà’yàwó òle (the rich snatched the fool’s wife). They do that very often. Instead of Osun State’s Justice Jimi Bada of the Court of Appeal moving up to his rightful place at the top, Lagos snatched the slot for its Kudirat Motomori Olatokunbo Kekere-Ekun. The Centre of Excellence then had two slots while Osun State had zero. It is because of ‘Gbajue’ steps like this that the hinterland people like me (àwa ará òkè) always salute Lagos as Eko Ile Ogbon (Eko, home of wisdom).

The wisdom of Lagos here means craftiness and determination. It gets anything it wants because it is Lagos. If you don’t have money, everything you have amounts to nothing – including your wisdom. Lagos is rich both in means and guile – and that combination is lethal. Osun’s strength is more in needless crises and in acquiescence to rape of all kinds.

The retirement of Justice Bode Rhodes Vivour in 2021 should ordinarily reset justice for Osun State at the Supreme Court. But no; it does not appear this will happen. Instead of returning the snatched slot to Osun State after Rhodes-Vivour, Lagos is now positioned to grab it as an addition to Kekere-Ekun. The Federal Judicial Service Commission headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria last week nominated Hon. Justice Adewale Abiru from Lagos State as South-West’s ‘priority’ nominee to join Kekere-Ekun who is already representing Lagos. Check the seniority list of the Court of Appeal where all the candidates were drawn from, Abiru has seniors in the South-West; two of them from Osun State. One of the two from Osun is, in fact, the number two in that court -Justice Jimi Olukayode Bada; another is number 15, Justice Tunde Awotoye. The favoured Lagos man, Abiru, is number 22 – far behind those two. They ignored numbers 2 and 15 and went for number 22 – because he is from Lagos. Even if, for whatever reasons, those two seniors refuse to move up and the choice of the commission is Osun State’s Justice Olubunmi Oyewole (number 32), should he be made to be a ‘reserve’ candidate as the commission has done given the fact that the slot is for Osun State to fill?

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In all these, we’ve seen how untrue our laws are that Nigerian states are equal. There is no equality of states in Nigeria; there are 22 Supreme Court seats for 37 states, Lagos alone takes two. Why is Lagos investing its men in the courts, particularly the Supreme Court? Lagos may be plain-speaking but it is never plain-dealing; it cheats, and it does it without consequences. I call Lagos the Napoleon of the West; it fights for other Pigs by cheating them. When an elder plays a game of ayò with a younger person, he must win, whatever it takes. Kí ni wón nfi àgbà se? What is the usefulness of age if you cannot deploy it to cheat children? That is the political and moral compass of the political entity called Lagos. If you like, disagree with this and flaunt Osun as the elder because it is the ‘cradle’, the ‘beginning’. But, know this: in Yorubaland, the rich is the elder – Olówó l’àgbà. Anyone with loads of years without money exists to be ignored, cheated and exploited.

I suspect the courts are being eyed by interests because with their gavel, judges confer privileges, advantages and freedoms. They also oppress and subjugate. Check how the original owners of lands in the United States lost their rights over their lands and were converted into tenants. Read Lindsay Robertson’s ‘Conquest by Law’ (2005), how the American Supreme Court awarded “all discovered lands” to European “sovereigns” and gave “occupancy rights” to the original owners. How did it happen? Would it have happened if the judges were not of European origin? The Nigerian people have their feet firmly on that route. Their own conquest by law will be complete and completed soon unless they cap their sleeping hours.

A whole country can be helpless. Nigeria is. My dictionary says ‘helplessness’ means “weak or dependent: a helpless invalid deprived of strength or power; powerless; incapacitated.” A whole people can be helpless, especially if they choose to. The 1823 American case referenced above, Johnson v M’Intosh, gave birth to the Discovery Doctrine which, if applied here, would bequeath River Niger and all its lands to Mungo Park and his descendants. Fortunately, our politicians and the judges have not thought of importing it into our laws complete with affidavits averring that they are heirs to Mungo Park’s estate. They may still do it, once they are through with the construction of the courts in the image of their desires.

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The Supreme Court should be the afflicted’s locus amoenus, a pleasant place of refuge, safety and comfort. But how do we tell the story of a court built of blocks of injustice? That is what I see in those who have enough taking from those who have none right inside the temples of justice. Our ancestors had neither good names nor prayers for warlords who pull straws from their neighbours’ roof so that theirs would stop leaking. The current flood from the rains will wash away the house of justice if the owners look on. It is almost a week since that Supreme Court list was out, I have not heard a whimper of protest from those holding the short end of the stick. Osun’s forbearance is legendary. But is it not stupidity to stay in queue when the other party wants everything? Lagos that has Surulere (patience is profitable) has never believed in waiting for its turn.

“He that oppresseth the poor to increase his riches, and he that giveth to the rich, shall surely come to want” (Proverbs 22:16). Enablers of iniquity have not read that verse in their Bible. They have also not read Romans 12:19. – “Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good.” To those who are Muslims and who excuse evil for reasons of class, creed and ethnicity; to them that teach or plead or enforce acquiescence as evil multiplies itself, I commend the words of the Prophet as reported by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Whoever among you sees evil, let him change it with his hand. If he cannot do so, then with his tongue. If he cannot do so, then with his heart, which is the weakest level of faith” (See Sahih Muslim, 49).

Evil will grow and flourish if it is manured with helpless acceptance. And that will be the death of Nigeria, its democracy and our freedoms. Khalil Gibran (1883-1931) was a Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist. He warned us never to refuse anything by accepting it; he said we should never nurse half hopes and fight half battles. He wrote many powerful lines, the most engaging are in his book, ‘The Prophet’ with the avant-garde poem ‘Do Not Love Half Lovers’. I reproduce it here: “Do not live half a life/and do not die a half death/ If you choose silence, then be silent/When you speak, do so until you are finished/If you accept, then express it bluntly/Do not mask it./If you refuse, then be clear about it/for an ambiguous refusal is but a weak acceptance./Do not accept half a solution/Do not believe half-truths/Do not dream half a dream/Do not fantasize about half hopes/ Half the way will get you nowhere/You are a whole that exists to live a life/not half a life.”

I pray we listen – and loudly refuse to choose silence.

News

OPINION: Aláàfin Ọ̀yọ́ Cuddling A Dead Empire (1)

Published

4 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Tunde Odesola

The (Ọmọ) child (tó) is (bá) the (ma jẹ́) father (Àṣàmú) to (kékeré) the (ló ti ń jẹnu) man (ṣámú-ṣámú). Ehn, yes! Deal with it! The mishmash opening sentence is intentional because it is confusion I have on offer today, not peace or order. Not prostration or placation. My esteemed readers can’t be eating Christmas rice and chicken while I wrack my brain to produce an article, which will be digested within 20 minutes, amid mutterings of ‘uhm!’, “na wa o” and “you said it all.” No, I won’t have all that.

Dear readers, where’s my Christmas rice and chicken? At all, at all, na im bad. It’s not only your mouths that can describe the road to Ọ̀yọ́: Ẹnu yín nìkan kọ́ ni wọ́n ń bá dé Ọ̀yọ́. My own mouth too can also describe the road to Ọ̀yọ́ if I sight a plateful of chicken and jollof rice.

Even if my cheeks bulge with a mouthful of rice and my eyes ogle with foodie greed while I clutch chicken thighs in both hands, I still can describe with my mouth 100 roads leading to Ọ̀yọ́. Right now, I’m journeying to the palace of Aláàfin Abimbola Akeem Ọwọade, the Iku Baba Yeye, to celebrate Christmas with him. If you are interested, you can come along; Aláàfin has more than enough food and palm wine to go round.

Now, let’s get a bit more serious. If you run the jargony first sentence of this article through a literary sieve, you will get two intertwined proverbs: one English, the other Yoruba. The English proverb is “The child is the father of the man”, and its Yoruba counterpart is “Ọmọ tó bá ma jé Àṣàmú, kékeré ló ti ń jẹnu ṣámú-ṣámú”. Neither plagiarised the other. Only that the same stream of thought flowed through two different social milieux in different languages, at different eras, before congealing in wisdom. The English proverb was coined by William Wordsworth, an English poet, in his 1802 poem, “My Heart Leaps Up.” Its Yoruba equivalent, “Ọmọ tó bá ma jé Àṣàmú,” is a fruit of logic dangling on a communal tree at the village square.

Since the two proverbs mean the same thing, I’m taking both with me to the Ọlọ́yọ in Ọ̀yọ́. “The child is the father of the man” implies that the gamut of a person’s childhood experiences, character, and values fundamentally shape who they become as an adult, stressing that the innocent, formative years of childhood lay the groundwork for the entire adult life. The proverb has a couple of other meanings, but the meaning I deploy here suffices for this engagement. The Yoruba proverb, “Ọmọ tó bá ma jé Àṣàmú, kékeré ló ti ń jẹnu ṣámú-ṣámú,” means “A child that would grow to become Àṣàmú (an adult), would possess from childhood, Àṣàmú’s sharp oratory skill.”

Let me bore you with the story a deputy governor told me many, many years ago. “Tunde, I was a rascally child. There was no mischief beyond me. One day, I rummaged through my father’s alcohol cabinet, which had all sorts of choice drinks. Normally, I drink from any bottle that tickles my fancy. But, one particular day, I took a swig from a dark bottle, it was so sweet, nice and creamy. I took another swig and fell asleep, right by the cabinet.

“I jerked awake to my father’s car horn. Quickly, I locked the bar, bolted to my room, grabbed a book and sat like a saint. Ha, that was a close shave! Hot air zipped down my nostrils. That night, I slept soundly. I looked forward to another drink from the dark bottle. On subsequent occasions, I drank from the bottle. Each time I drank, I topped it up with a little water.”

“One day, my daddy had some of his fellow top civil servants visiting. He was happy to receive them. He went to his mahogany bar, opened it and brought out various drinks. Clutching ‘my’ bottle, my father proudly announced to his friends that he bought the creamy drink and some others from France. One of his friends took the ‘my’ bottle from him, noticed it was already opened, but he didn’t say anything. As he opened and poured the drink, my heart relocated. The drink that was once chocolate had turned snow-white. When he tasted it, his face crumpled like a deflated balloon. He called my father by his first name and showed him the content in his cup, saying, ‘Lagbaja, this is not from France.’

“My father was no-nonsense. His instrument of chastisement was an entwined six-wire whip. After seeing off his friends, he stormed back in. He called all of us to the sitting room and announced the crime. He didn’t ask who the culprit was. He just said, “I’ll begin with the youngest! Hey, you, come here!”

“My youngest sibling screamed, “Èmi kọ́ o ! It’s not me o! It’s aunty Tamedo. I saw her when she opened your cabinet and drank your drinks! It’s not me o!!”

Unknown to him that the soul of his Irish Cream had been killed by his daughter, the deputy governor’s father lived on false hope, believing that his bar was still as warm as a furnace, not knowing that it was as cold as a refrigerator. He was living in the past, like Aláàfin Ọwọade is doing today.

Enthroned in the first quarter of 2025, Ọwọade has yet to clock one year on the àpèrè of his forefathers. But it appears the Ọlọ́yọ has been reigning for over a decade. The gbas-gbos sound of the pestle pounding the mortar in Ọ̀yọ́ is not a dinner invitation. The sound is the drumbeat of an unnecessary war. On April 11, 2025, exactly six days after his inauguration on April 5, 2025, I wrote an article, “Letter to Alaafin Abimbola Owoade,” in honour of the new king, congratulating him and charging him to rule in peace, love and harmony. In the article, I prayed, “May the land not be angry with your majesty. May Ọ̀yọ́ live in harmony during your reign…Aláàfin, so far, your feet appear set on the path of honour, I beseech thee not to depart from it.”

Upon noticing the unmelodious bata sound emanating from Ọ̀yọ́ palace thereafter, I wrote another piece on May 9, 2025, titled, “Aláàfin Ọwọade: Thy bata drum is sounding too loudly.” In the article, I called on Ọwọade to tread with caution, warning that royalty road is strewn with banana skins. Specifically, I recalled the controversial death of Chief Lookman Arounfale, the Baba Ọjà of Ọ̀yọ́tùnjì, a US community, after he was reportedly attacked in Aláàfin’s palace. However, the palace issued a statement denying involvement in the death of Arounfale.

In the article, I also recalled how the Ọ̀ràngún of Ìlá, Ọba Abdulwahab Oyedotun, and his entourage were allegedly treated shoddily during a congratulatory visit to the Aláàfin.

From day one, I mean, right on Aláàfin’s coronation day, controversy erupted over what many Yoruba sons and daughters perceived as shabby treatment of the Ooni of Ife, Ọba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, whose name was not mentioned at all during the programme. As the culturally recognised head of all Yoruba traditional rulers, the Ọọni was not given the honour to speak at the occasion. This action presupposes that the Alaafin, even before his coronation, nursed a complex against the Ọọni. My personal findings showed that when it was the turn of an oba to speak on behalf of all traditional rulers present at Ọwọade’s coronation, it was the Oloro of Oro in Kwara State, Ọba Oyatoye Titiloye, a couple-of-months-old king, who was called to speak. When it was time for the Alaafin to talk, he failed to recognise the Ọọni or kings from Osun State. I don’t think that’s a good way to treat visitors who left their ‘ile ati ona’ to come and felicitate with you.

In his eight-month reign so far, Ọwọade has visited the Aseyin of Iseyin (Oyo State), Okere of Sak (Oyo State)i, Alake of Egba (Ogun State), Sultan of Sokoto (Sokoto State), Onitede of Tede (Oyo State), Olofa of Ofa (Kwara State), Oluwo of Iwo (Osun State), Emir of Ilorin (Kwara State), and the Olowu Kuta of Owu Kuta (Osun State), on a thank you and familiarisation visit. But he has yet to visit the ancestral and cultural head of the Yoruba nation, the Ooni of Ife, Ọọni Adeyeye Ogunwusi. I suspect Aláàfin Ọwọade is saving the biggest for the last. Iku Baba Yeye is at liberty to choose who and when to visit.

Ọwọade’s attitude became a matter of particular concern for me because the heatmap of his relationship with the Ooni indicates red, while that of the Arole Oduduwa is green. At this juncture, it is good to ask the Aláàfin a pertinent question. How has the Ooni wronged you? As I said earlier, it behoves the Aláàfin to associate with whosoever he desires, but it doesn’t lie in his right to exhibit an attitude that casts the Yoruba in discourteous, arrogant and unroyal light.

I ask again, what has the Ọọni done to deserve disdain from the Aláàfin – when the Ọọni has not publicly disrespected him? Before the Aláàfin thinks I’m doing a paid job for Ogunwusi, he should grab a copy of last Friday’s PUNCH and read how acerbic I was of the Ọọni for installing Senator Oluremi, the wife of President Bola Tinubu, as Yeye Asiwaju Gbogbo Ile Oduduwa, without using the symbolic ‘akoko’ leaves. The title of that my critique is “Tinubu: Ade Ori Okin befits KWAM 1, not Awujale crown”. Aláàfin, nobody send me o; I am just in the queue of Nigerians who demand responsible leadership for our society to grow.

The long queue of Nigerians demanding decorum from their leaders was shocked a few months ago when Ọwọade announced that he was the only traditional authority that could honour anyone with a title that covers the whole of Yorubaland. Ọwọade’s announcement came after the Ọọni honoured an Ibadan businessman, Dotun Sanusi, as the Okanlomo Oodua. Hehehe. The King of Oyo also gave Ogunwusi 48 hours to rescind the title given to Sanusi or face a consequence. The Ọọni has not rescinded the title. And thunder from the Ṣango of Ọyọ has failed to strike Ogunwusi. Abi, does the Aláàfin mean 48 years?
Or was the Iku Baba Yeye ‘catching cruise’ – as the youth of today would say? When confronted with an unserious or funny matter, the youth of today would also say ‘dey play’ or ‘ọ̀rọ̀ àpárá. Is the Alaafin plying?

A foremost traditionalist and Araba of Osogbo, Ifayemi Elebuibon, shared his opinion on the ongoing issue, saying the Old Oyo Empire, which Ọwọade is using as a basis for his preeminent claim, was long dead and buried. He said, “Ọyọ should pay reparation to other parts of Yorubaland that they despoiled. Ọyọ wreaked havoc on fellow Yoruba towns, lording it over towns and villages, and forcing them to pay tributes. When they argue that they rescued Yorubaland, did they fight wars as much as Ibadan? Where were they when Ibadan warriors repelled and defeated the Fulani? The Old Ọyọ empire had collapsed then. So, should Ibadan also get up and say they are superior to Ile-Ife? No. How can a child be older than his father? Did Ọranyan, who founded Ọyọ, not leave from Ile-Ife? So, what are they saying? Is supremacy fight what our kings should be engaged in now?

“Look at how many people Basorun Gaa killed. Look at how many Alaafins he killed? Is that the type of history that we should be proud of? Is that the type of history that a king should derive his present-day authority from, and try to lord it over others as if we are still in the past? The Alaafin should learn patience. Many of our traditional rulers are bringing shame to us. Was it Ifa or a royal election that made Alaafin superior? But the Ọọni derives his superiority from Ifa.”

I reminded Elebuibon that Ifa chose the new Alaafin. He said, “Yes, Ifa chooses kings, but the chosen king must also reinvent himself…”

To be continued.

Email: tundeodes2003@yahoo.com

Facebook: @Tunde Odesola

X: @Tunde_Odeso

News

Makinde Increases Gratuity Payment Of Retirees From N1.5b To N3b

Published

4 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, has approved a 100 per cent increase in gratuity payments for retirees in the state.

The Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Aribatise Adebayo, confirmed the development in a statement made available to journalists in Ibadan on Friday.

Adebayo noted that gratuity payments have increased significantly from ₦1.5 billion to ₦3 billion.

He said the development further confirms the governor’s worker-friendly disposition towards labour unions in the state.

Adebayo added that the governor has not reneged on his promise to continue paying the 13th-month salary at the end of every calendar year.

The statement read, “The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) in Oyo State sincerely appreciates the Governor of Oyo State, His Excellency, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for his commendable and worker-friendly gestures.

“We particularly commend the Governor for increasing the proposed gratuity payment from ₦1.5 billion to ₦3 billion, a decision that demonstrates his deep commitment to the welfare of retirees.

“We also applaud the consistent payment of the 13th-month salary, which has now been paid for the seventh time, as well as the prompt release of subventions.

“These actions further reaffirm the governor’s dedication to the well-being of workers and retirees in Oyo State and his unwavering support for industrial harmony.”

Makinde has felicitated Christians in the state and across the country on the occasion of this year’s Christmas, urging them to continue to live in love and harmony with one another and with their neighbours.

The governor made the call in a Christmas message released on Thursday and made available to journalists by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju.

According to Makinde, Christmas is a season of love, with the birth of Christ as the essence of the celebration, stressing that Christians must reflect this message by showing love to others and living in peace in line with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

He also counselled residents of the state to remain vigilant during the Yuletide, noting that security is a shared responsibility between the government and the people.

The governor urged citizens to report suspicious movements and activities to security agencies through the Oyo State Citizen Emergency Number, 615, reiterating that the principle of “if you see something, say something” remains in force.

He said: “This is to wish our Christian brethren and, indeed, all residents of Oyo State and Nigeria a Merry Christmas.

“Christmas, as we all know, symbolises love as exemplified by the miraculous but humble birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, we must live the message and the essence of the festival.

“Let me also use the opportunity to charge residents of the state to be vigilant and observant as they go about merrying. As a government, we have been up to the task in terms of securing the state, but there is still a role for residents to play. This is why we always say that if you see something, say something, and your government will do something.

“The Oyo State Citizen Emergency Number 615 is active. Please call to report any emergency or suspicion of criminality, and our rapid response system will be activated to bring the situation under check.

“Once again, Merry Christmas!”

News

PHOTOS: SGF George Akume Weds Ooni’s Ex-Queen

Published

4 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, has officially wed Queen Zaynab Ngohemba, the former wife of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi.

The announcement was made public on Friday by a facebook user and member of the Dajoh family, Abraham Double-d Dajoh, via a celebratory social media post.

He confirmed the union between the high-ranking government official and the former Olori of the Ife Kingdom.

The Dajoh family described the union as “beautiful” and “uncommon,” as they formally welcomed her into their fold in Benue State.

In a statement that quickly went viral, the Dajoh family expressed their collective joy, signalling a significant chapter for the SGF’s household.

“We, the entire Dajoh Family, happily join our daddy, uncle and brother, His Excellency, The Secretary To The Government Of The Federation, Sen. George Akume Jugu Dajoh in welcoming his new and uncommon wife, Queen Zaynab Ngohemba-George Akume Dajoh, into the Dajoh family,” the post read.

The family further extended their appreciation to the political associates and supporters of the SGF, urging them to remain steadfast in their loyalty to him as he embarks on this personal journey.

“We appreciate and thank the fans and supporters of Sen. Akume for always standing by him. We enjoin every one of you to continue to support his Excellency even in this beautiful union with Queen Zaynab,” the post further read.

Queen Zaynab, who was previously known as Olori Wuraola during her 17-month marriage to the Ooni of Ife (which ended in 2017), was ushered into her new home with deep cultural reverence.

The Dajoh family emphasised the importance of their ancestral roots in Mbakor and the wider Benue State.

“Welcome to Benue State, the Food Basket of the Nation, welcome to Mbakor, the seat of leadership of the Tiv nation and welcome to the Dajoh family, the home of your darling husband. Welcome home, Queen Zaynab,” the statement concluded.

The announcement coincided with the festive period, as the family used the opportunity to wish Nigerians a happy holiday season.

“We wish you all a happy Christmas Celebration and a Prosperous New Year,” the post read.

Akume, a former Governor of Benue State and a politician, currently serves as a key figure in the President Bola Tinubu administration.

The news of his marriage to Queen Zaynab—a prominent humanitarian and former royal—has become a major talking point across the country’s social and political circles.

Contacted on the telephone on Friday, Akume’s spokesman, Yomi Odunuga, confirmed the marriage.

He, however, said contrary to reports that the wedding was held on December 24, the marriage is over a year old.

“I can confirm the marriage. However, contrary to the rumour that the marriage was concretised in Gboko on Christmas eve when the couple appeared together at an event to celebrate Christmas, it was actually a marriage that is over a year old,” Odunuga said.