News

Re: Rejoinder: Powerful Lagos, Powerless

Published

2 years ago

November 21, 2023

By Bola Atanda Lawal, Abeokuta

I wish to add my own voice to the ongoing healthy discourse on the above by pointing out some contradictions in one Mr Adedayo Oshodi’s rejoinder to Dr Lasisi Olagunju’s Monday Lines column on the proposed appointments into the Supreme Court.

Mr Oshodi submitted (or admitted) that Lagos and Ogun States were paired for appointments into the Supreme Court, yet he admitted that when Justice George Oguntade from Lagos State retired in 2010, he was replaced with Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour from Lagos. Shouldn’t that slot have gone to Ogun State or could it be that Ogun was too illiterate to have a qualified candidate for a seat in the Supreme Court? Indeed, I have just been told that the last Justice from Ogun State judiciary to be at the Supreme Court was Justice Ebenezer Babasanya Craig who retired in 1989 (34 years ago). Lagos has monopolised the joint slot of the two states for going to 40 years!

Note that Justice Aloma Mariam Mukhtar, whom Mr Oshodi claimed stopped the rotation of Supreme Court seats among states, became the Chief Justice of Nigeria in July 2012. She retired in November 2014.

In anycase, Oshodi’s claim that Justice Aloma Mukhtar stopped pairing of states when she took over as CJN is difficult to believe. Why did he think the Federal Judicial Service Commission put state of origin in front of each of the names it recommended last week?

I also find it curious that Mr Oshodi is justifying the choice of a Lagos-born Justice for the extant slot because, according to him, “the slot available was vacated by a Lagosian in the person of Hon. Justice Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, who retired on 22nd March, 2021 after he was appointed on 16th September, 2010.” This argument is rather funny especially coming from a lawyer. So, when Justice Olufunlola Adekeye from Ekiti State retired in 2012, why was she not replaced with another justice from Ekiti State? Why did that slot go to Justice Kudirat Kekere Ekun from Lagos?

Mr Oshodi in his concluding paragraph argued that the nomination of the two gentlemen from the South West was based on what he called “merit and the time honored tradition of the Nigerian judiciary for seniority.” This is against the facts that are in public domain. The seniority list at the court of appeal shows that the No. 2 man in that court is from the South West (Osun); No. 3 is from the South West (Ekiti); No. 14 is also from the South West just as No. 15 South West (Osun). So, where is “merit and seniority” and justice in jumping over these seniors to pick No. 22 as the priority candidate for the zone?

Mr Oshodi, a lawyer, claimed that balancing in the judiciary is based on the “six geo-political zones (NW,NE, NC, SW, SE, SS) not based on states as suggested by Olagunju.” Could that mean that our judiciary at the highest level does not know that the 1999 Constitution, as amended, does not recognise zones? No where in the constitution is Oshodi’s so called zones mentioned. What the constitution recognises are states.

Oshodi rightly stated that the constitution mandates govt agencies to respect what he called “fulfilment of federal character principle” to avoid lopsided “appointments into national institutions”, yet he took a position that did violence to that provision of the constitution. If there are four slots for a highly educated region like the South West, how can one state out of six take two and a lawyer working for a senior advocate will put pen to paper to justify it? Haba!, It is sad that we are discussing the Supreme Court here. Now we know that, indeed, gold rusts.

News

Insecurity: Former NYSC Director Tasks Corps Members On Self, Environmental Consciousness

Published

2 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

A retired Director, Information and Public Relations, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Directorate Headquarters, Eddy Megwa, has called on all corps members serving in the country to take their personal security seriously, always be self and environmental conscious.

The former Director made the call at the Bauchi NYSC permanent orientation camp, Wailo, Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state on Monday.

He warned that the times were evil, therefore vigilance, self consciousness and consciousness of the environment were of paramount importance.

He also called on them to serve the nation with loyalty, commitment and zeal for patriotism, adding that no nation grew without the selfless service of the citizens and called on the corps members to rise up and make the desired change.

“I want to urge you all to deliberately work towards building a great nation of our collective dreams.

“This is because if we have a country that is working very well, the youths will not be desperate about relocating to other countries of the world for greener pastures,” he said.

Megwa further discouraged the youth from illegal migration, describing it as a suicide mission as many of such ‘desperate people’ ended up losing their lives in the Sahara desert in the most gruesome manner.

The former NYSC Spokesman encouraged the corps members to strive for excellence in all they do and achieve even what their forebears could not achieve.

“There are a whole lot of opportunities you have now and can leverage on which the older generation never had.”

He told his audience not to put their names and their families into disrepute by getting themselves involved in crimes and other unwholesome activities.

“The Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development programme of the NYSC is the panacea to graduate unemployment.

“I want to, therefore, advise you to take advantage of the programme by learning skills that will be useful to you in the future.”

Earlier, Mr Umoren Kufre, the state’s Coordinator of NYSC, appreciated the retired Director for the visit and words of motivation to both camp officials and corps members.

He described the former Director as a living legend that shaped the NYSC Public Relations Unit to what it is today and left his footprints boldly.

News

NiMet Predicts Three-day Sunshine, Cloudiness From Monday

Published

2 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted sunshine and haziness from Monday to Wednesday across the country.‎

NiMet’s weather outlook released on Sunday in Abuja envisaged sunny skies over the entire northern region throughout the forecast period on Monday.‎

It envisaged ‎sunny skies with patches of clouds over the entire central region.‎”For the southern region, ‎cloudy atmosphere with sunshine intervals is anticipated over the region with slim chances of isolated thunderstorms over parts of Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, and Cross River during the afternoon to evening hours,” it said‎According to NiMet, dust haze is anticipated over Kebbi, Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina, Kano, Jigawa, Borno, and Yobe on Tuesday throughout the forecast period.‎It anticipated sunny skies with cloud patches over the entire central region.

“For ‎southern region, ‎cloudy skies are expected over the region with slim prospects of isolated thunderstorms over parts of ‎Cross River during morning hours.‎” Isolated thunderstorms are anticipated over parts of Delta, Ogun, Ondo, Lagos, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom and Cross River later in the day,” it said.‎

The agency predicted dust haze over the northern region throughout the forecast period on Wednesday.‎NiMet anticipated a sunny and hazy atmosphere over the entire central region.‎”For the southern region, cloudy atmosphere are over the region in the morning hours.‎

“Later in the day, isolated thunderstorms with moderate rains are anticipated over parts of Lagos, Ondo, Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ekiti, Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, and Rivers ” it said.

NiMet urged the public to drive under the rain with caution and to take necessary precautions as ‎dust particles would be in suspension over the northern region.

NiMet advised people with asthmatic health conditions and other respiratory issues to be cautious of the present weather ‎conditions.

‎”Airline operators are advised to get airport-specific weather reports (flight documentation) from NiMet for effective planning in their operations.‎” Residents are advised to stay informed through weather updates from NiMet – visit our website – www.nimet.gov.ng.

News

MOWAA: Why I Will Not Appear Before Edo Assembly Panel — Obaseki

Published

3 hours ago

December 1, 2025

Editor

The immediate past governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki, has given reasons he would not appear before the Edo State House of Assembly Ad-hoc Committee set up to investigate funding and ownership of the Museum of West African Arts (MOWAA) and the Radisson Blu Hotel.

The Edo Assembly set up the panel following a request by Governor Monday Okpebholo that the Assembly should probe funding and ownership of the projects.

Amongst what the governor requested the Assembly to investigate is the state government’s N3.8bn investment in the MOWAA and N28bn in Radisson Hotel.

Former Governor Obaseki is scheduled to appear before the Committee on Thursday, December 4th, 2025.

The Committee, had in a letter signed by its Secretary, Bekisu Oshone Wilson, said attendance by Obaseki and others were required as part of the committee’s investigation.

Obaseki, who spoke through his media adviser, Crusoe Osagie, said it was offensive and laughable for the Assembly to invite him over a matter that was already in court.

He said the Edo Assembly should learn to know how the law works.

The former Edo Governor said he could not be subjected to answering separately on the same issue.

“It is subjudice for the former Governor to appear before the Edo Assembly in a matter already in court.

“Why subject him to another round of questioning on the same issues?”

Management of MOWAA had also refused to appear before the Edo Assembly Ad Hoc Committee.

Its Counsel, Olayiwola Afolabi, said the Assembly could only make recommendations but that the Court would make the final decision on the issues.