Headline
Why I Resigned As Yoruba Nation Leader – Akintoye [Read Detailed Resignation Letters]
The former leader of the apex body of the Yoruba self-determination struggle, Ilana Omo Oodua Worldwide, Prof. Banji Akintoye, has advanced reasons why he stepped down from his position.
The PUNCH reports that the former Yoruba Nation leader handed the baton of leadership to his former Deputy, Prof. Wale Adeniran, citing old age and a weakened body system as his reasons.
But in a letter addressed to Adeniran and sighted by our correspondent on Thursday, Akintoye explained that he did not resign from the position to evade responsibility over the crisis rocking the self-determination group.
READ ALSO: JUST IN: Akintoye Steps Down As Yoruba Nation Leader
Read the full content of Akintoye’s resignation letter below:
“Dear Wale, I write this letter to you in your position as Chairman of Ilana Omo Oduduwa to congratulate you and the newly elected Executive Council of Ilana.
“I also hereby inform Ilana through you of my departure from further responsibilities in Ilana. I urge you and all others not to think that this step is a consequence of recent difficulties in Ilana. As you know better than any other person, I have been seeking for over a year now to take my leave from Ilana because combining the duties of Ilana with the duties of the greatly elevated demands of the Self-determination Struggle has been too heavy for me at my age. I am greatly honored that you as the closest person to me in Ilana, most Ilana members, and all Ilana committees, have for months been urging me not to leave Ilana because, according to you all, Ilana is my special ‘baby’ in the whole Self-determination Struggle. But you would remember that in a special meeting of leaders of the Self-determination struggle from all over the world about a month ago, you and all the other meeting participants agreed graciously that I should give up my duties in Ilana because of my heavy accumulation of duties to the higher levels of the whole struggle.
“As for our current difficulties in Ilana, I am sure you would testify that I am not leaving because of them, and that, in general, even the greatest of difficulties never make me quit. I am imbued with God-given confidence that I can bear all things and solve the most tortuous complications among men, because God in His mercy has given me the gift of a heart that loves all persons in all situations.
“Still, I must ask you to forgive me for leaving Ilana to you in its current condition. I had wanted to leave Ilana immediately after the special meeting of worldwide leaders about a month ago, but I decided to help you to iron out some of the ongoing difficulties before leaving. Unfortunately, things have not improved as quickly as I expected, and you now have to face a situation in which some of our extremists are still compounding the difficulties. However, I have much confidence in you – including confidence that you will find ways to steer our Ilana back to the path of compromise, unity and strength.
“Finally, I must congratulate and thank you for your very high quality of leadership in this struggle for our embattled nation. I must congratulate and thank you, particularly for your bearing with strength and fortitude the frequent vilifications and false accusations. We who have stepped out bravely to liberate our Yoruba nation and to save it from being destroyed by the destructive forces of Nigeria are going through a lot of fire from our own people. No doubt, we shall soon be hearing from some habitual detractors that it was you who disloyally plotted against me and made me to leave Ilana, but we must not let such talk bother us in any way. By the grace of God, we shall win this war and liberate our Yoruba nation, and thereby giving our nation the freedom it desires to develop into a greatly respected modern country in the world.
READ ALSO: INEC Office Fire Attacks: Yoruba Nation Agitators, Politicians Fingered
“Of course, you know that I shall always be available to you – to you personally as a friend and close associate in the higher levels of the Self-determination Struggle, and to Ilana as Patron and Mentor in the way that I am Patron and Mentor to other Self-determination Organizations.
“I thank God for His leadership qualities in you and thank you for giving yourself so unstintingly to our struggle for our nation. Accept my best wishes for you and your family.”
Headline
Nine Countries With Nuclear Weapons In The World
Since the first atomic bomb was developed in 1945, only a small number of countries have acquired nuclear weapons.
Concerns about the spread of these weapons led to the signing of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) in 1968, which aimed to prevent further proliferation. At the time, only a few states had nuclear capabilities.
However, since then, the number has grown to nine, with North Korea being the only country to withdraw from the NPT and subsequently develop nuclear weapons.
READ ALSO: US Struck Iran With B-2 Bombers, Submarine-launched Missiles – Top US General
Combined, the United States and Russia possess roughly 87 per cent of the world’s total nuclear inventory and about 83 per cent of the warheads stockpiled for military use. Of the estimated 12,241 nuclear warheads worldwide, around 9,614 are part of active military stockpiles, ready for deployment via missiles, aircraft, ships, or submarines.
According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), these are the nine nuclear-armed states and their estimated warhead counts:
Russia – 5,459 nuclear weapons
United States – 5,177 nuclear weapons
China – 600 nuclear weapons
France – 290 nuclear weapons
United Kingdom – 225 nuclear weapons
India – 180 nuclear weapons
Pakistan – 170 nuclear weapons
Israel – 90 nuclear weapons
North Korea – 50 nuclear weapons
Headline
FULL LIST: Nigeria Emerges As Africa’s Third Most Formidable Military Force
Nigeria has secured the third position among African nations with the most formidable military forces in the 2025 Global Firepower Military Strength Index, according to Global Firepower’s annual report cited by The PUNCH on Monday.
The index evaluates 145 countries based on over 60 metrics, including troop numbers, equipment capabilities, financial resources, logistical efficiency, and geographical advantages to assess military strength.
In the 2025 rankings, Egypt maintains its lead as Africa’s top military power, followed by Algeria in second place and South Africa in fourth. Nigeria’s rise to third underscores its growing military capabilities, driven by investments in personnel, equipment, and counter-terrorism efforts.
READ ALSO:Italian PM Trumpets Plan To Boost African Economies At EU Summit
Here is a list of African countries ranked in the 2025 Global Firepower Index.
1. Egypt (19)
2. Algeria (26)
3. Nigeria (31)
4. South Africa (40)
5. Ethiopia (52)
6. Angola (56)
7. Morocco (59)
8. Democratic Republic of the Congo (66)
9. Sudan (73)
10. Libya (76)
11. Kenya (83)
12. Chad (84)
13. Mozambique (89)
14. Tunisia (90)
15. Tanzania (92)
16. Cameroon (93)
17. Ivory Coast (102)
18. Mali (104)
19. Zambia (109)
20. Ghana (110)
21. Zimbabwe (111)
22. South Sudan (113)
READ ALSO:Rape: Nigerian Pastor Rearrested In South Africa
23. Uganda (114)
24. Namibia (116)
25. Niger (119)
26. Eritrea (120)
27. Republic of the Congo (121)
28. Botswana (122)
29. Mauritania (123)
30. Senegal (125)
31. Burkina Faso (129)
32. Madagascar (130)
33. Gabon (133)
34. Liberia (138)
35. Sierra Leone (140)
36. Somalia (142)
37. Central African Republic (143)
38. Benin (144)
Headline
Middle East Crisis Dominates EU Foreign Ministers’ Brussels Meeting
The foreign ministers of EU member states on Monday were set to discuss the latest developments in the Middle East at their June meeting in Brussels.
The talks come amid growing international alarm after the United States joined Israel in launching strikes against Iranian nuclear facilities.
A key question for the ministers will be whether Europe can help steer the crisis back towards diplomacy.
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas on Sunday urged all sides “to step back, return to the negotiating table and prevent further escalation,” in a statement posted on X.
READ ALSO:
Another item on the agenda is an internal EU review concluding that Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip are not in line with the principles established for its close cooperation with the European Union.
The report, requested by EU foreign ministers in May, questioned whether Israel was still adhering to the basic principles of the EU-Israel Association Agreement.
These include that relations between the parties to the agreement are based on respect for human rights.
The finding relates, in particular, to Israel’s blockade of aid supplies into the Gaza Strip, where some 2 million Palestinians live.
READ ALSO:
Israel had blocked aid from reaching the devastated coastal territory for almost three months, saying that the Palestinian extremist organisation Hamas was benefiting from the supplies.
The governments of the EU member states and the EU now face the question of whether and how to respond to the analysis, options range from suspending the current partnership agreement to imposing economic sanctions.
German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who is expected to attend the talks in Brussels, was among those who opposed initiating the review.
The German government argues that maintaining open channels of communication with Israel is essential.
(NAN)
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