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Rivers: Court Fixes Date To Hear Suit Against Tinubu, Ibas, Others

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The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has fixed April 10 to hear the suit that is seeking to sack the Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, Rtd.

The suit, which has President Bola Tinubu as the 1st defendant, has been assigned to Justice James Omotosho for hearing.

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The Attorney-General of the Federation, Vice Admiral Ibas, rtd, as well as Attorneys-General of the 36 States of the federation, were listed as 2nd to 39th defendants in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/572/2025.

The legal action was instituted by an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Mr. Johnmary Jideobi, who is praying the court to set-aside as void, “all actions and decisions [howsoever described or made] of the 3rd Defendant [Vice Admiral Ibas (Rtd)] in the name of Sole Administrator of Rivers State, same being unconstitutional, null and of no constitutional force throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria for all purposes.”

READ ALSO: Court Stops Pro-Wike Rally In Bayelsa

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The plaintiff is further praying the court to issue a perpetual order of injunction, restraining the 1st defendant (Tinubu, either by himself, his officers, agents, privies, servants or any other person acting under his command howsoever named, “from either removing, suspending or otherwise tampering with the tenure of the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Rivers State [and indeed any other State in Nigeria].”

Likewise, an order of perpetual injunction, barring President Tinubu, “either by himself, his officers, agents, privies, servants or any other person acting under his command howsoever named, from appointing any Sole Administrator into any State Government House in the thirty (36) of the Federation for any purpose whatsoever.”

In the Originating Summons he filed through a consortium of lawyers led by Mr. Chimezie Enuka, the plaintiff urged the court to determine: “Whether in view of the combined provisions of the entirety of Sections 1, 5(2), 180, 188, 189, 305 and 306 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended and their conflated interpretation, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria [1st Defendant herein] has any constitutional authority [whatsoever] to either remove, suspend or otherwise tamper with the tenure of the duly elected Governor and Deputy Governor of Rivers State [and indeed of any other State in Nigeria] and appoint a sole Administrator [or any other substitute howsoever called or described] such as the 3rd Defendant for that State?”

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Upon the determination of the question, he prayed the court to declare that upon an intimate reading and complete understanding of the entirety of section 305 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, there is NO other circumstance contemplated by the Constitution for the removal OR interruption of the tenure of an elected Governor and Deputy Governor of a State EXCEPT the circumstances contemplated under Sections 180, 188, 189 and 306 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

“A declaration of this Honorable Court that in view of the entirety of Sections 1, 5(2), 180, 188, 189, 305 and 306 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has NO constitutional authority to either remove, suspend or otherwise tamper with the tenure of a duly elected Governor and Deputy Governor of a State and appoint a sole Administrator [or any other substitute howsoever called or described] such as the 3rd Defendant herein for that State.

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“A declaration of this Honourable Court that the purported suspension of the Governor and the Deputy-Governor of Rivers State of Nigeria by the 1st Defendant on Tuesday the 18th day of March, 2025 is unconstitutional, null and void and of no legal effect whatsoever.

“A declaration of this Honourable Court that the purported nomination/appointment and swearing in of Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd)by the 1st Defendant as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State of Nigeria is unconstitutional, null and void and of no legal effect whatsoever.

READ ALSO:South-South, South-East Professionals Demand Reinstatement Of Rivers Democratic Institutions

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“An order of this Honourable Court setting aside the suspension of the Governor and the Deputy-Governor of Rivers State of Nigeria by the 1st Defendant on Tuesday the 18th day of March, 2025 for being unconstitutional, null and void and of no legal effect whatsoever.

“An order of this Honourable Court setting aside the nomination/appointment and swearing in of Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) as the Sole Administrator of Rivers State of Nigeria by the 1st Defendant.”

As well as: “An order of this Honourable Court directing Vice Admiral Ibokette Ibas (Rtd) [the 3rd defendant herein] to vacate, forthwith, the Government House of Rivers State of Nigeria.”

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In a 32 paragraphed affidavit he deposed in support of the suit, the plaintiff maintained that though President Tinubu has the constitutional power to declare a state of emergency in deserving circumstances in any part of the federation, he does not have the power to suspend elected officials like a governor who is not his appointee.

READ ALSO: Ijaw, N’Delta Leaders Talk Tough, Want Wike’s Sack, Peace In Rivers

“As a Nigerian Lawyer and all through my years of practice, I have never seen the word ‘Sole Administrator’ in the amended 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

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“I know that neither the 1st Defendant nor the 2nd Defendant appointed the Governor and Deputy-Governor of Rivers State of Nigeria and that no Governor or Deputy Governor in Nigeria is an appointee of the 1st and 2nd Defendants.

“I know that Nigeria practices Federalism hinged on separation of power.

“I have instituted this suit in the public interest, in the defence of the Rule of Law and accentuation of the supremacy of the Constitution and to preserve the integrity of the Nigerian Constitution which is the most sacred document that holds the Nigerian State in balance and in being.

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“I am genuinely worried that, in the absence of the intervention of this Court, removal of duly elected Governors and Deputy-Governors, may become the pastime of the President thereby opening the floodgate of anarchy capable of consuming this nation.

“It will be in the interest of justice for this Honourable Court to grant the prayers contained on the face of this Originating Summons,” the plaintiff averred.

 

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Popular Skit Maker Dies In Car Crash

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Comedian and skit maker Raji Adetola, widely known as Mr Sanku Comedy, has died after a car accident in Ibadan, colleagues and family confirmed on Tuesday.

The fatal crash occurred on Monday along the Oyo–Ogbomoso road. Photos and videos shared online showed the vehicle plunging into a ditch. Sanku was rushed to hospital with a friend who was travelling with him, but he was later confirmed dead. The condition of his companion remained unclear, though reports suggested critical injuries.

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The 2021 content creator was known for his unique storytelling and comedy skits, amassing a large following on TikTok. His final video, posted a day before his death, went viral after the tragedy. In it, he prayed not to die before reaping the fruits of his labour.

READ ALSO:Three Drown In Rivers Boat Accident

Actress Funmi Awelewa said she had been told Sanku was initially responding to treatment, but he did not survive despite prayers.

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When I saw the news online, I quickly sent one of my students who stays close to Bowen hospital, and he told me that he met one of your friends at the hospital who told us that you’re responding to treatment. I prayed……God, we prayed!!! Kilowa de bai Oloun, Haa Olorun oba oo,” she wrote on her Instagram page.

Fellow skit makers Ozain Comedy and Jidex also paid tribute, with messages shared on Instagram and TikTok.

“Rest well, soldier,” Ozain wrote shortly after influencer Jidex also took to TikTok to speak on his death with the caption, “Rest in peace.”

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Benin Consultative Forum Mourns Its President, Arase’s Death

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Benin Consultative Forum (BCF) has expressed sadness over the sudden passing of its president, Dr. Solomon Ehigiator Arase.

Arase, who served as the 18th Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police Force,died on Sunday, August 31, 2025 in Abuja hospital.

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In a statement signed by the Vice President of the Forum, Dr. Samson Osagie, and Secretary-General, Prof. Edoba Omoregie, the BCF said Arase was widely celebrated for his role in modernizing the Force.

 

He introduced innovative policing models, including the establishment of a state-of-the-art technical intelligence platform, and made history as the pioneer Head of the Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Bureau, where he deployed forensic and non-kinetic strategies to combat complex crimes,” the statement partly reads.

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READ ALSO: BREAKING: Former Inspector-General Of Police, Solomon Arase, Is Dead

The BCF, while describing Arase as a towering figure in Nigeria’s security architecture and an acknowledged intelligence cop within the global security network, recalled his contributions to police reforms, intelligence, law enforcement, and scholarship, especially through his writings on internal security and electoral management.

The Forum noted that Arase’s membership of the Body of Benchers was a reflection of his commitment to excellence, integrity, the rule of law, and service to humanity.

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Until his passing, he was the immediate past Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), where he brought fresh, innovative ideas to police management.

“Beyond his public service, Arase would be remembered as a philanthropist who used his influence and professional networks to uplift communities.

READ ALSO: Police Mourn Ex-IG Arase’s Death

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“Through the Solomon Ehigiator Arase Foundation (SEAF), he provided scholarships to indigent students across Nigeria and championed causes that advanced education, security, and social welfare,” the BCF noted.

The BCF also highlighted his passion for his people, which inspired the formation of the Forum in December 2024 at his Benin City residence.

The BCF said his vision was rooted in building an egalitarian society where culture, security, and development went hand in hand.

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The Edo people, the entire nation, and humanity in general are highly appreciative of his humble service which he rendered with uncommon dedication, grit and compassion,” the statement read.

The Forum extended prayers and condolences to his wife, Mrs. Agharese Arase, and their children, describing his death as a monumental loss to Edo State, Nigeria, and the world.

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OPINION: Crowns Of Crime And Shame

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By Suyi Ayodele

When a man says, ‘Here is where my friend was disgraced yesterday,’ our elders ask us to remind him that the disgrace has become a communal one. No sensible man derives joy from the shameful conduct of his kinsman. Does that philosophy still hold water in Yorubaland today?

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A big Yoruba king was jailed in the faraway United States of America last week. He was arraigned, tried and found guilty of blood profiteering. The Apetu of Ipetumodu, Osun State, Oba Joseph Oloyede, was sentenced to four-and-a-half-year imprisonment by Justice Christopher Boyko of the North District of Ohio, US, for stealing COVID-19 relief funds running into millions of dollars.

Oba Oloyede was portrayed as a blood-sucking demon who took delight in the blood of the victims of the pandemic, COVID-19. He stole $4.2 million meant for the relief programme for the victims. In addition to the jail term, the monarch will also refund the sum of $4,408,543.38 to the US Government.

He will add his home on Foote Road, Medina, Ohio, to the restitution. Oba Oloyede’s bank account with a balance of $96,006.89 will be taken over by the government. The troubled monarch is not entitled to a Cent of the money in the account. The court said the money therein was the proceeds of fraud! That is not the end of his troubles.

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When eventually released, the jailed Ipetumodu monarch will be on the watch-list for three good years. The devil helps him if he misbehaves during his suspended release. He goes back to jail, summarily!

The saddest aspect of the tragedy is that while the trial lasted, Oba Oloyede did not put up any defence, no alibi. He admitted committing the crime. When the charges were read to him, Oba Oloyede simply pleaded guilty to the crimes he committed between April 2020 and February 2022. Kabiyesi was arrested on May 4, 2024, when he travelled to the US. He was sentenced on August 26, 2025!

This is a sad development for the entire Yoruba Race. It is a sad development that we would not want to tell our children. But not the Yoruba of our time. If we were to be the true products of the Omoluabi ethos handed over to us by our forebears, Yorubaland would have been in mourning over the Apetumodu shameful outing in the US. But what do we have now?

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Instead of showing remorse, the elders and elites of the land are busy exchanging words over inanities. Hot exchanges are being traded over unimportant matters. Words that, like the proverbial egg which breaks when thrown on the floor, have been uttered. When the storm calms, the scars will be visible for us to see. Outsiders alike will also see the relics of this current useless war over a non-issue. We left leprosy to treat ringworms!

We are in ruins in this land. The entire Yoruba race is dancing naked in the market square. Those who have no ancestry have come to the open to deride a race that is acknowledged worldwide as the most civilised and most cosmopolitan. The entire Kaaro Oojire is in shambles, dressed in garments of shame because our monarchs are behaving badly!

I sighed in sadness after reading the Apetumodu’s ordeals, I tried to reflect on how Yorubaland arrived at this turning point. Whom did we offend? Has what happened to the children of Oduduwa had anything to do with the curse placed on the race by Alaafin Aole Arogangan? Why are most Yoruba thrones occupied by the dregs of humanity nowadays? Why do we have charlatans and other undesirable elements occupying Yoruba palaces? At the point of my confusion, history beckoned. Yoruba thrones and nitwits, history says, predates this era. How?

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Years ago, when the ant could carry the tortoise on its head, a rich man died. Though the man had two sons, he bequeathed his estate to the extended family members. He left nothing for his sons! Nobody knew why he did that. But the two boys were not stupid. They knew where their father kept his most valuable possession, a giant box of precious stones. The boys, at the cover of the night, stole the box. When the time came for the family to share the rich man’s estate, the box was discovered missing.

From time to time, the boys were selling the gold and other precious stones in the box. They had a mutual understanding until one day, the older boy got greedy. He wondered why his younger one would share the proceeds of their heist with him equally. He decided to have the entire stuff to himself. The older brother stole the remaining items and told his younger one that they had been robbed of them.

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Stealing the king’s flute is not the problem; where to blow it is the issue. The younger brother, suspecting that his older brother was up to something, decided to keep him under close monitoring. With no moment of respite, the older brother used the only available opportunity he had to be alone and carried the box to the palace for their king to keep for him.

Our elders say the third generation of greed will be a burglar (ipele keta okanjuwa, ile lo unko). The king saw the gold and decided to keep it to himself. He called his sorcerer and got the deadliest poison from him. He planned to kill the one who asked him to keep the precious stones. While at it, an incident occurred that required the attention of the king’s diviner.

The diviner, Àsèsèdà Ifá (The one who is new at divination), cast his Opele. But rather than address the issue that brought him to the palace, he told the king that he (the king) was about to do something that would bring eternal shame to him and the throne. He asked the king not to mix gold with poison because the hereafter would spell doom for the king’s lineage. The Oracle, Àsèsèdà Ifá said, directed that the king should return what was kept in his custody to the owner.

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Àsèsèdà Ifá was still on the divination mat when a commotion was heard within the palace precincts. Who had the audacity to fight before Kabiyesi? The parties were brought before the king, and lo, they were the two brothers. The younger one, who suspected that the older brother wanted to cheat him, resorted to violence. When the combatants became inseparable, their family members dragged them before the king.

The king asked what the matter was. The two brothers reported how they stole the box containing their father’s precious stones and how they sold some of the items, and the remaining items went missing. Everyone present was shocked that the boys could steal what their father gave to the entire extended family. But the king had a better understanding of what happened.

The king sent for the box he kept in his room. When brought, he removed the poison on top and emptied the contents on the floor. There were the missing pieces of gold. The king went ahead to share the items between the two brothers and ordered that all the other property the family had taken over be returned to the boys.

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Diviners of old who narrated this story said it is from Ifa Corpus (Odu Ifa) known as Ogunda Ofun, named after the king (Ogunda), who wanted to appropriate what Ofun (name of the older brother) kept in his care. To date, in Yorubaland, one of the divinations done for a would-be oba is Ogunda Ofun with the admonition that he, the would-be oba, must never covet that which belongs to another man- Ogunda Ofun, ogbe mohun folohun (Ogunda Ofun, let the king return that which belongs to another to the owner). Did the Ipetumodu people take Oba Oloyede through this Ifa divination?

Yet another story to buttress that Yoruba thrones have been under siege for a long time.

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A group of alájàpá (itinerant traders) market women set out early in the morning. The destination was Ibadan, Gbagi Market to be precise. They were cramped at the back of the Bedford vehicle, sitting on the wooden benches that were rammed to the floor, and holding on to the wooden body of the vehicle for stability.

Their monies were tied around their waists inside their yèrì and òpóò (long cloth purses). Those purses would not be untied until they got to Gbagi Market, where they would buy the wares they traded in.

The Bedford vehicle, on top speed, suddenly ran into a pothole. The passengers were thrown at one another, knocking heads. The vehicle came to a sudden halt. The driver cursed! He was familiar with the road. It had no pothole on that spot. He could swear to that; the driver knew where the potholes were. And those were not as deep as the one that halted the vehicle.

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His instincts instantly came alive. Danger! This must be the handiwork of some adigunjalè (armed robbers), he muttered to himself. But nobody emerged from the bush to attack them. Shocked! What could have happened then? He asked no one in particular.

A woman asked what happened. The driver remained silent. He manoeuvred the vehicle out of the pothole. He dared not check if he had lost a tyre. Experience taught him never to do that on that spot. Yes, he must move a distance before he can check the state of the vehicle. Then he remembered. The pothole could have been dug to slow the vehicle down. “Òràn dé” (danger looms), he whispered loudly. The tension in the vehicle became intense.

He steadied the vehicle back on the road. Moved a distance, engaged the gear for acceleration. His headlamp picked up the objects ahead. Logs of wood, they were. Someone had barricaded the road. Nobody needed anyone to say who did that. Armed robbers were at work!

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The driver applied the brake and jumped off before the vehicle came to a complete halt. His motor boy did the same. The duo dashed into the bush. Only the women were trapped. It was a case of olórí d’orí è mú (everyone for himself).

Running was useless for the women. Before the first of them could jump out of the vehicle, the armed robbers were already on them. They were ordered out of the vehicle. One after the other, their attackers dispossessed them of their money. Then the unthinkable happened.

One of the women recognised a figure among the armed robbers. She could not be mistaken. It was a figure she would identify among a million men! Sure of her vision, the woman saluted: “Alayé (owner of the world), Kábíyèsí (he who no one can question) Àdìmúlà” (the one you hold to survive).

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Two other women turned to look at the man. They recognised him to be the Kábíyèsí (king) of one of the biggest towns in that axis. Ah! What was Orí Adé (the head that wears the crown) doing among armed robbers? They wondered as they made to pay obeisance as tradition demands. What they got shocked them.

Kábíyèsí raised his cutlass and dealt the first matchet blow on the head of the first woman who identified him. A chilling cry, and she went down. Alayé moved to hit the next woman. She ducked, but not before she got a bow to her arm. The other women took to flight. The party scattered. Àdìmúlà and his gang also took off. They did not forget their loot, anyway!

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The next vehicle carrying another set of traders came to the scene. The driver and the passengers began a rescue operation. The first woman was stone dead. They simply packed her corpse by the roadside; attention focused on the wounded but living. Those who ran away were attracted by the accompanying wailing and came out of hiding.

The day broke with the news of the armed robbery incident. The two women who identified kábíyèsí could only tell their husbands. They were sternly cautioned not to tell any other person. Their husbands then volunteered the information to the elders of the town, who, in turn, also maintained the oath of secrecy.

Later in the day, Kábíyèsí summoned a meeting of his chiefs. He called neighbouring kings too. A company of the esoteric was dispatched to the robbery incident to go and do what tradition stipulates. Curses were laid, and the gods of the land were asked to avenge the sacrilege instantly. Then everyone went home. Did the curses work?

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Yes, they did. Days later, it was discovered that all the trees around the spot withered; they all shed their leaves in the rainy season! What happened? It was gathered that after the esoteric team had performed their rites and left, Kábíyèsí led another team of traditional experts to the spot. Being the king, nobody could question him for the second traditional journey. He was not just Kábíyèsí for fun.

According to the story, on the second trip, kábíyèsí asked that a pig (elédè) be sacrificed. He alone did the ìwúre (royal pronouncement) on that occasion. He simply told the party that he wanted to commune with his ancestors in silence. They responded: Kábíyèsí! Nobody heard what he said. They only noticed that his lips moved. The pig was slaughtered, its blood sprinkled on both sides of the road, and the party headed home. End of ritual! The result was the withering of the trees.

Any adult from Ayebode Ekiti up to the then Arigidi Ekiti (now Ayedogbon Ekiti) in the mid-70s would remember this ugly incident. The Ekiti-ethno-music icon, the late Elemure Ogunyemi, later in one of his albums, alluded to the incident when he sang: Ha ti m’òrí elédè rúbo (we have sacrificed the head of a pig)/ùgbàyí á dèrò kooko (this season will be peaceful).

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But that incident did not go without repercussions for the erring Kábíyèsí. Conscious of the shame that an open reprimand would bring to the town, the elders came together and confronted their king. Of course, when in ìgbàlè (traditional coven) with the elders, Àdìmúlà owned up to the crime.

The elders did what they needed to do and sealed it with a traditional pronouncement. No blood descendant of the kábíyèsí would ever ascend the throne again! They sealed that with Olugbohun. Whoever attempted it would pay with his entire sires. Kábíyèsí was asked to pass the message to his children for onward transmission to the generations to come. He also paid a heavy fine couched as etutu (appeasement items).

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Àdìmúlà thereafter lived and died at an old age. His remaining days on the throne witnessed a lot of crises, though. Other members of his gang died miserable deaths. Another kábíyèsí is on the throne in that town. The people await whether that secret seal will be broken! This story was told in hushed tones, as I tell you today!

Before the above ugly incident, another Yoruba king was once executed for murder. The king was hanged in 1949. He was said to have used a 15-month-old baby girl, Adediwura, for rituals.

The trial of the oba was a huge sensation. The advocacy in the court was the best anyone could imagine. But that could not save him and his accomplices. The trio were executed by hanging. What did the people, his subjects, do to the family of the executed king? Would they ever allow any of his offspring to ascend the throne of the rocky town? But more importantly, what was the Ifa prediction before the oba was enthroned?

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This is where we are missing it in Yorubaland. A lot of misfits are today wearing crowns in the land because they were chosen by other external forces apart from Ifa. The modern-day civilisation has robbed us of our heritage. No would-be oba who spent an average of three weeks in Ipebi (seclusion) would misbehave on the throne.

But that is no more. A would-be oba was once asked to go into seclusion for seven days. He got to the door of Ipebi and put one of his legs inside seven times. He told the people that each step into the Ipebi represented a day. Guess what? He was still crowned king. It happened because the influential members of the community were behind him; he was their candidate! With good money and connections in high places, anyone can become an oba today. Ifa, Yoruba religion, has been shifted and shoved to the background.

Today’s Yoruba foremost kings are at loggerheads. Others are queuing behind them, forming camps. While the fire rages, the farmlands their ancestors left for them are in ruins. The subjects Edumare put under their care are daily killed, kidnapped, maimed and rendered homeless! Obas are going to jail, some fight in public, and many are facing trial for rape and other misdemeanours.

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The Daily Mail of UK on May 19, 2024, ran a story about another king who was “twice deported from America with a lengthy criminal record and a distinct murky past. The paper described the oba as “a conman”, stating that he tried to “cash stolen £247k cheque.” Interestingly, the king has not contested the report as he pontificates on virtually every issue of Yoruba ancestry! The circle of shame has gone round!

Ascending the thrones of Oduduwa is no child’s play. It comes with responsibilities; it comes with self-worth and dignity. If we cannot question these kings’ misbehaving because they are kábíyèsí, they should know that Alálé (progenitors) will ask them; Èsìdá (owners of the land) will judge them on our behalf. Enough should be enough. Our Yoruba obas should allow us to walk the streets with our heads raised. Ìtìjú yi ti ún pò jù (This shame is becoming too much)!

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