Saudi Arabian authorities have barred renowned Islamic scholar, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, from entering the country to perform this year’s Hajj.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Sheikh Gumi revealed that although the Saudi government issued him a visa for Hajj, he was denied entry into Medina to begin his religious rites.

“For some obvious reasons, my views about the world politics, the Saudi authorities are uncomfortable about my presence in Hajj after giving me the Hajj Visa.

“Thanks to the Nigerian authorities who have pledge to take up the matter immediately with Saudi authorities. That is the value of our cherished freedom and democracy.

“I’m now free to attend to my health and farming activities. We should continue to pray for the safe return of all pilgrims, peace and prosperity for our dear nation,” he said in the Facebook post.

According to BBC, Sheikh Gumi was part of the delegation of Islamic scholars sponsored by the Nigerian Hajj Commission (NAHCON) for the pilgrimage.

Gumi reportedly arrived in Medina last Saturday at around 10:30 p.m. aboard an Umza Air flight alongside other clerics.

However, upon arrival at the city’s airport, Saudi immigration officials barred him from entering the country.

[DailyuTrust]

Scoring below 180 in the JAMB exam may seem discouraging, especially when your dream is to attend a Nigerian university. However, it’s not the end of the road.

There are several alternative admission pathways available for candidates with low JAMB scores.

These programs offer second chances to qualify for full-time degree courses and can serve as solid stepping stones to academic success.

Here are five proven alternatives you should consider:

1. Diploma Programmes 

Diploma programs are short-term academic courses offered by universities and polytechnics. They typically last for two years and focus on practical and foundational knowledge in specific fields such as Business Administration, Mass Communication, or Engineering.

*Why Choose a Diploma Program?

*  You don’t need a high JAMB score.

*  It increases your chances of gaining direct entry into 200 level after completion.

*  It’s ideal for students who want hands-on or career-oriented education.

2. JUPEB/Foundation Courses

The Joint Universities Preliminary Examinations Board (JUPEB) program is a one-year academic program that allows successful candidates to gain direct entry admission into 200 level in participating Nigerian universities.

*  Advantages of JUPEB:

*  No need for UTME.

*  Recognized by over 40 universities in Nigeria.

*  Provides intensive academic preparation in your desired field.

3. Pre-degree/Remedial Programmes 

Pre-degree or remedial programs are usually run by universities to help candidates who did not meet admission requirements improve their academic standing. These programs typically run for 6 to 12 months.

*  Benefits of Pre-degree Programs:

*  Improves your chance of admission in the next academic session.

*  Gives you an academic head start before full university life.

*  Some schools reserve slots for pre-degree students who perform well.

4. Part-time/Weekend Degree Programmes 

Many Nigerian universities offer part-time or weekend programs, especially for working-class individuals or students who want flexible schedules. Admission into these programs usually does not require high JAMB scores or may not require JAMB at all.

*  Why Consider This Option?

*  Flexible class schedules.

*  Learn and work at the same time.

*  Entry is often based on O’Level results and internal exams.

5. Direct Entry (For ND/NCE Holders)

If you already have a National Diploma (ND), National Certificate in Education (NCE), or IJMB/JUPEB qualification, you can apply for Direct Entry admission into 200 level in any Nigerian university.

*  Key Highlights:

*  Bypasses UTME entirely.

* Builds on your prior academic achievements.

* Available for various fields including education, science, and management.

[TheNation]

Officials from the Federal Capital Territory Administration, under the leadership of Minister Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, have sealed the National Headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party.

At exactly 2:06 pm, a group of FCTA staff locked the entrance gate of Wadata Plaza, the PDP’s national secretariat located in Wuse Zone 5, Abuja.

This action follows the FCTA’s recent announcement on Sunday, stating its intention to reclaim properties affected by the revocation of 4,794 land titles due to non-payment of ground rent spanning 10 to 43 years.

Details shortly…

[Punch]

New Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said Monday he has the energy and excitement to deliver success worthy of the Spanish giants as he was presented as Carlo Ancelotti’s replacement.

Alonso will lead the team at the Club World Cup this summer and has signed a three-year deal until June 2028, after Ancelotti departed to take charge of the Brazil national team.

Madrid failed to win a major trophy this season, losing their La Liga crown to rivals Barcelona, who also beat them in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup finals.

Real were dealt a heavy Champions League quarter-final defeat by Arsenal as their European trophy defence also fell short.

“We have fantastic players, we have a team that has a lot of potential, (capable of) a very good present and a very good future,” Alonso said at Real Madrid’s training ground.

“That gives me a lot of reason to come here with a lot of energy and a lot of hope that I can get the best out of all the players and build a great team…

“(I have) the conviction that we can achieve big things, worthy of Real Madrid, worthy of all these European Cups, of all these accomplishments made over so many years.”

Alonso, a technically gifted central midfielder in his playing days, made 236 Madrid appearances between 2009-2014, winning six trophies including the Champions League in his final season at the club.

That was Madrid’s 10th European Cup – La Decima – and they have gone on to win five more in the past decade for a record 15 Champions League triumphs.

The 43-year-old coach led Bayer Leverkusen to a superb unbeaten Bundesliga and German Cup double in the 2023-24 campaign, making him a target for Europe’s top clubs.

Alonso, who was coached by Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho among other managerial greats, said it was a “special day”.

“It’s a day I will have marked in my calendar for life,” continued Alonso.

“I have been away from here for a few years, but I think the link with Madrid and the fans has never ended, it’s always been there.

“And today, when I walked into Valdebebas (the club’s training ground) an hour and a half ago, it was reborn… I have the feeling that it’s the start of an era, as the president said.”

– ‘One of our own’ –

Madrid chief Florentino Perez gave an introductory speech welcoming Alonso back to the Spanish capital.

“This is a very special day for those who love Real Madrid, it will be the start of a new era filled with excitement and intense emotions,” said Madrid president Perez.

“A coach arrives who is one of the best in the world, and who knows what this badge and this shirt means…

“Today we welcome one of our own — Xabi Alonso. Welcome back to your home, Real Madrid.”

Former Liverpool and Bayern Munich midfielder Alonso also won the 2010 World Cup and two European Championships with Spain before starting his coaching career.

Real Madrid’s Club World Cup campaign starts against Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal in Miami on June 18, which will be the first look at Alonso’s project.

Ola Olukoyede, chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), says the agency has recovered some money from crypto bridge exchange (CBEX), a failed digital investment and trading platform.

Speaking during an interview on TVC on Sunday, Olukoyede also disclosed that the EFCC has made arrests in connection with the CBEX fraud, adding that the commission has made significant progress in its investigation.

“We have gone far with CBEX. We have been able to recover a reasonable amount of money. We have gone far. We have made a reasonable arrest,” he said.

“We are not going to give out much because we don’t want the process to be disrupted. We are still after quite a number of people we have declared wanted.”

The EFCC chairman explained that investors may not get their money back in dollars because of the difficult process in converting the money, which was traded in cryptocurrency.

“Even though in the crypto wallet, the same way the money was taken from them. There is no way you will get them in dollars. There is no way you get the dollars in cash without necessarily going through the same process,” Olukoyede said.

He noted that the investigation has been challenging because the fraudsters used “non-custodial wallets”, which means there was no identity attached to the accounts, making it harder to trace the criminals.

“We are still investigating a lot of wallets and the wallets they created are called noncustodian wallets. In other words, no KYC. So, you can’t trace it to anybody,” he said.

“So, from the noncustodial wallet, they moved it to some wallets in Europe, Eastern Europe, particularly Cambodia and from there, they dispersed the money. We have been able to block some of these wallets where money has not been dispersed.

“That is to the extent that we have gone. I even learnt that there are still some of these perpetrators, and Nigerians are still falling victim. I believe people should learn from this.”

In April, reports emerged that CBEX users could no longer withdraw their funds. Many Nigerians who had invested in the platform reportedly lost their money.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)  said that the CBEX digital trading platform is not registered with the agency.

A federal high court in Abuja granted permission to the EFCC to arrest and detain six CBEX promoters over the $1 billion investment fraud allegation.

Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, gave the order following an ex parte application made by Fadila Yusuf, counsel to the EFCC.

[TheCable]

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, Ph.D., GCON, wishes to inform the public that, following extensive consultations with a broad spectrum of stakeholders, he has decided to withdraw the Bill to Amend the Electoral Act 2022 to make voting mandatory for all eligible Nigerians, which he co-sponsored with Hon. Daniel Adama Ago.

From the outset, the Bill was introduced with the best of intentions, which is to bolster civic engagement and strengthen our democracy by encouraging higher voter turnout. Compulsory voting has long been practised with notable success in countries such as Australia, Belgium and Brazil, where it has helped sustain participation rates above 90 per cent, while nations like Argentina and Singapore have also implemented similar measures to foster inclusivity at the ballot box.

Nevertheless, the Speaker acknowledges that lawmaking is ultimately about the people it serves, and that any reform must respect individual freedoms and public sentiment. Rather than compel participation, he is committed to exploring positive incentives and innovative approaches that will make voting more attractive and accessible to all Nigerians.

This withdrawal will allow time for further dialogue on how best to cultivate a culture of voluntary participation that honours both our democratic ideals and the rights of our citizens.

Signed:
Musa Abdullahi Krishi
Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Speaker, House of Representatives, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

President Bola Tinubu's Renewed Hope Agenda is transformational as shown through the gains it has recorded in different sectors of the nation's economy, Prof. Tunji Olaopa has declared.

Olaopa who is the Chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission spoke at the "1st International Conference on Public Policy, Governance and Development" organised by the Department of Public Administration, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, on Monday , May 26, 2025.

In his keynote lecture entitled "Building a Promising Future in Africa through Policy Re-Evaluation: The Defining Issues in Perspective", Olaopa decried a deficit of good governance in the past with an enduring positive developmental impact on the citizens.

He lamented that in the whole of the African continent, development at the country level has been scant except in Botswana, Rwanda, South Africa, Mauritius and Ethiopia. For him, it is this poor development on the continent that has rendered the Renewed Hope Agenda imperative.

He said that in different ways, the agenda has expressed its potential to usher the country into an era of grand development.Highlighting some areas where the Renewed Hope Agenda has made great impact , Olaopa urged scholars and researchers to contribute to the scheme.

He said: " This conversation for me is therefore relevant as an opportunity to challenge scholars and policy researchers as change agents to come on board the moving train of progress being piloted with the benefit of the leadership sophistication of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR’s Renewed Hope Agenda and the imperative need for all hands to be on deck to deepen and consolidate the game-changing eco-system and public trust that has built up for a transformational journey with great promise.

"The Renewed Hope story-line is particularly auspicious because the crisis of development and of democracy in Africa has become especially worrisome, not just for the African stakeholders, but the entire world.

"The success story that is building up indeed provides a scholarly ambience for benchmarking analysis of emerging issues against celebrated strides of high-performing states across the globe and therefore the ventilation of their benefits for learning application to country-level transformational journeys across Africa. This is to say that many of the poster states in the East Asia like Malaysia, Singapore, and emerging powers like China and India and other BRICS countries were in the same league with Nigeria a few decades ago. They have however charted their different paths to the different destinations.

" As Nigeria writes its transformation narratives through the renewed hope prospective, scholars have the opportunity to make research inputs as policy intelligence and policy-engaged research drawing evidence from those things that these countries did differently that Nigeria needs to draw on as lessons of experience for deepening and consolidating the birth of a new dawn that will soon envelope us ."

Olaopa noted how the agenda has transformed the nation's tax system. According to him, the tax landscape is undergoing a significant overhaul as shown in an increase in tax exemption for small businesses from annual turnover of 25-50 million naira, reduction of the burden on businesses, and the rise in revenue collection efficiency.

He said that the agenda "introduces a range of tax incentives to stimulate growth in priority sectors. It also ensures that the poor are protected from adverse effects of tax increases, making it a progressive and equitable reform. It addresses the challenge of multiple and excessive taxation with the reduction in Company Income Tax which will ease the cost of doing business and improve the investment climate".

He said that through the agenda, there is huge hope in agricultural productivity through the implementation of modern farming techniques and technology adoption that supports small-holder farmers to form clusters and cooperatives as they enjoy the economies of scale that come from large-scale farming. "Giant strides are also being made to encourage commercial farmers to adopt small-scale farmers in their region so that they can benefit from knowledge of improved agro-practices, leading to increased yields.
Enhanced access to farm inputs such as fertilizers and improved seeds is boosting crop yields nationwide through the implementation of the National Agricultural Growth Enhancement Scheme (NAGS) Agro-Pocket (AP).
Outstanding results have been recorded in several northern states, thereby reducing wheat importation and FOREX thereto. Cross River State has since been enlisted in the wheat farming programme based on identification of regions with suitable weather conditions. The
Implementation of the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme in Kaduna, Kano, Imo, CRS, Ogun, Oyo, Kwara, FCT is significant in facilitating value-addition to farm produce instead of just sale of raw produce at farm gates; thereby ensuring creation of more jobs and also reducing post-harvest losses. There is also the implementation of dry season farming in most Northern states through the provision of irrigation facilities and infrastructure to reduce rain-fed farming and ensuring year-round agriculture and
aggressive mechanisation programmes in beefing up present low-level tractorization in the country."

In the power sector, Olaopa said that the giant strides recorded through the Renewed Hope Agenda were also evident. According to him, the agenda through its reform has paved the way for the emergence of the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI). To him, the NESI is already fast-tracking electricity projects and private investments into the power sector, "which is bound to resolve the sector’s persistent known historical problems in the medium-term."

He added: "Shortly on assuming power PBAT moved decisively to decentralize the sector with amendment to the Nigeria Power Sector Reform Act (NPSRA) thus breaking the FGN monopoly in electricity generation, transmission, distribution and regulation by signing into law the NPSRA Act 2023. The state governments are therefore now able to participate in the NESI in their various states. Several states namely, Lagos, Enugu, Ondo and Ekiti have latched on to this major reform to begin setting up their own electricity regulators.

"The huge debt burden owed to operators in the power supply value chain has been taken on with the approval of N130 billion from the gas stabilisation fund to gas suppliers and with over $120 million dollar-denominated component. Inadequate metering of customers is being resolved by injecting 3.5 million meters including the 1.5 million meters injected through the World bank Distribution Support Recovery (DISREP) Programme and 2 million through the Presidential Metering Initiative (PMI). These will go a long way to resolve chronic illiquidity challenge that the power sector has faced for decades.

"There has also been significant push towards alternative energy sources, especially solar mini-grid systems being installed in some FG facilities including the Presidential Villa to reduce their dependency and cost exposure. There is rural Electrification Agency (REA) intervention with solar mini-grid systems in some critical sectors like education (first set of those installed in universities already being commissioned), health (in teaching hospitals), agriculture (in some farming clusters to assist with irrigation systems and for improved livelihood in rural areas."

Olaopa also highlighted developments in the maritime sector which according to him, has shown significant growth with increased revenues accruing to the national treasury. Noting that efforts to improve maritime security and safety had yielded significant positive results, he said that the upgrade of ports infrastructure including Apapa and Tin Can Island ports had translated to commendable operational efficiency.

"Overall, the blue economy concept in Nigeria has proved to be a veritable growth driver with great potential", he said.

He said that the Renewed Hope Agenda had provided an impetus for governance reform as expressed in the creation of the Ministry of Regional Development which he described as "an ingenious administrative innovation" that "presents some sort of administrative
answer to the most critical national question bedeviling the nation’s defective and
dysfunctional federalism.

"Making it a move in the right direction to create regional economic corridors growth poles , with redoubled drive towards local government autonomy, presents great bottom-up people-centered potential for accelerated development and national socioeconomic transformation", he added.

Anambra State Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, CFR, beamed with pride and admiration as he joined countless admirers in celebrating his wife, Mrs. Nonye Soludo, on the conferment of a prestigious Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) in Food and Nutrition by the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), Igbariam.

The recognition, awarded during the university’s convocation ceremony, honours Mrs. Soludo’s remarkable contributions to public health, food awareness, and nutrition advocacy through her flagship initiative, Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo—a programme that has grown into a movement touching lives in both urban and rural communities.

In an emotionally resonant message shared across his official platforms, Governor Soludo poured encomiums on his wife, referring to her as a visionary whose passion has reshaped health consciousness in Anambra

“Warmest congratulations to my darling wife, Nonye Soludo, on being conferred with a Doctorate Degree (Honoris Causa) in Food and Nutrition by the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University,” the Governor wrote. “This recognition is a testament to her tireless advocacy for healthy living, which has inspired countless individuals through her initiative, Healthy Living with Nonye Soludo. I am proud of her dedication to promoting wellness and nutrition, and I'm grateful to COOU for this honour. Cheers to my Queen!”

The First Lady’s programme, launched shortly after the Soludo administration took office, has been widely acclaimed for demystifying nutrition and encouraging healthy habits through media campaigns, school outreach, local training, and community health fairs. Her model integrates practical food education with lifestyle improvement, targeting families, schools, and market women.

Behind her calm demeanour and graceful composure is a determined advocate who understands the link between a healthy citizenry and sustainable development. Through weekly radio programmes, market activations, fitness walks, and collaborations with healthcare professionals, Mrs. Soludo has brought nutrition literacy to the grassroots—often using relatable language and indigenous food examples to connect with ordinary people.

Her efforts have also led to partnerships with health experts and civil society organisations, contributing to better maternal and child health outcomes across the state. In schools, her nutrition clubs have helped reduce junk food consumption among pupils, replacing it with fruits and locally sourced nutritious alternatives.

The conferment ceremony at COOU drew a distinguished audience of academics, policy-makers, traditional rulers, and other important dignitaries. In her acceptance speech, Mrs. Soludo expressed deep appreciation to the university, reiterating her commitment to using the recognition as renewed motivation to expand the frontiers of her advocacy.

“I see this honorary doctorate not as a personal accolade but as a call to greater service. Health is wealth, and our people deserve to live well, eat right, and thrive,” she said.

Governor Soludo’s public tribute was not only a spousal commendation but also a reaffirmation of his administration’s holistic approach to governance—where health, education, and wellbeing form the pillars of state-building.

As the First Lady’s profile continues to rise, her story stands as a compelling reminder that impact does not always begin with a political title but often with empathy, vision, and relentless work. With this latest recognition, Mrs. Nonye Soludo further cements her legacy as a transformative voice in Nigeria’s public health narrative—walking side by side with her husband in the mission to build a liveable, healthy, and prosperous Anambra

The decision of the Umo Eno administration to complete the long-abandoned 200-room hotel and a 5,000-capacity convention centre at the Tropicana complex in Uyo is a clear testament to the governor’s maturity; good intentions and good conscience. For the first time in a long while, we have a leader who is not driven by pettiness and meanness in the course of running the government. The Tropicana Complex was initiated by the Akpabio administration in 2008 as a major entertainment and shopping centre, but it was steeped in controversy right from inception. Former governor Attah lampooned the project, arguing that the location was not suitable for such a big multipurpose construction. Attah’s criticisms embarrassed Gov. Akpabio and Akwa Ibom people lost interest in the project. Obong Attah is a strong voice in the state, and when he speaks, many listen.

The failure of Gov. Akpabio to deliver the project before he left office only reinforced Attah’s criticisms. Only the cinemas were functional when Akpabio left. The convention centre was abandoned at the foundation level. The hotel appeared fully built, but it was not open. The children’s park was abandoned with some equipment uninstalled. Rumours flew all over the place on why the Tropicana was abandoned. Some claimed that tests conducted had revealed that the soil condition was not suitable for the construction of a high-capacity project like the convention centre. There were also rumours that the hotel was sinking and would collapse in two years!

Sometime in 2019, I confronted Akpabio with these stories. He debunked the rumours, and told me that the hotel was fully completed and the furnishings he ordered had arrived in 40 containers; and that his successor had deliberately refused to furnish the hotel and open it for business. ‘’But I hear that the building is sinking, Senator’’, I pushed back. ‘’That’s a lie’’, Akpabio countered, adding ‘’the place is solid. I awarded the contract for the furnishing of the hotel to your friend’s wife (he mentioned her name). The containers had arrived, but my successor has deliberately refused furnish the hotel and open it hotel for business’’. With so much money spent on the project, the Tropicana Complex became the single biggest and costliest abandoned project in Akwa Ibom. It was synonymous with corruption and wastes.

I was personally pained by the abandonment of the Tropicana because I had supported and endorsed the project in a series of articles I wrote then, distancing myself from Gov. Attah’s trenchant criticisms. I flew in from Lagos through Port Harcourt to attend the flag-off of the construction of Tropicana by President Yar’Adua. It was obvious that the President was not in good health, but he managed to attend the ceremony in person. The air was thick with expectation and the excitement was palpable. Women sang, danced and the speeches were energetic. Akpabio described the project as unique, noting that it would offer a complete family package of shopping and entertainment - while the children would be playing in the water parks, their parents would be shopping in the malls. The Tropicana was presented as our answer to the Tinapa in Calabar, which was created by another youthful governor, Donald Duke, as Nigeria’s answer to Dubai! But while the Tropicana limped along, the Tinapa flopped soon after Duke left office in 2007.

Gov. Udom Emmanuel added value to the Tropicana by renovating it, creating more malls and inviting a supermarket chain, Grand Square, as the lead retailer. Together with the cinemas, the place then became the best leisure and shopping destination in Uyo. But the hotel and convention centre remained abandoned. Instead of completing the two projects, Gov. Udom Emmanuel chose to build a 21-storey building a few meters from the hotel.

Each time I drive on Udo Udoma Avenue, the sight of the abandoned 12-storey hotel and the thoughts of the billions that went down the drains would tug at every strand of my being. I would then remember the promise made by Ben Murray Bruce, one of the major contractors of the Tropicana on the day of the flag-off. ‘’Mr. President’’, Bruce addressed President Yar’Adua at the ceremony, ‘’this convention centre will be so beautiful that you will want to host the PDP National Convention here when it is completed’’. He went on: ‘’Mr. President, before now, there were some petty farmers on this land, growing various crops, but we have assured the farmers that we shall extend scholarships to their children for relocating them from this location’’. That was in October 2008 during the fag-off of the project. President Yar’Adua died less than two years after the ceremony; and the Tropicana remained uncompleted as a symbol of official depravity.

Then came Saturday, May 24, 2025. Gov. Umo Eno went to the Tropicana to flag-off the construction of the convention centre and the completion of the 200-bed hotel. Both would be completed and put to use next year. The governor said he chose to complete the long abandoned projects because ‘’I came not only to deepen peace and unity in my state, but to deploy my finisher’s anointing, especially on projects that may have gulped billions of our state’s resources already’’. He spoke of the benefits of the hotel and the convention centre as important elements of the tourism industry which he is reviving in the state; and noted that together with the ARISE Park he’s building, Uyo will be a preferred destination for conferences; leisure; recreation and pleasure. Of course, our world-class stadium has made us the football capital of the country already.

Gov. Eno deserves our commendation for electing to be a statesman; instead of a politician. He does not talk of Attah’s project; Udom’s project or Akpabio’s project. For him, all abandoned projects were funded by the people’s money and should be completed and put to use for the benefit of the people. This is the mark of a true and genuine leader who has the love of the state at heart. Eno is not interested in self-glorification and aggrandizement. He only wants to leave the state better than he met it. That is true leadership.

At the Alaafin’s Garden Hall in Oyo on 6 November, 1934, Alaafin Siyanbola Ladigbolu held a storming meeting with the Resident of Oyo Province, the Honourable Mr. H. L. Ward-Price. The Resident was the equivalent of today’s governor; the Province equated today’s state. That meeting was called to discuss the news filtering out that the white man was moving the capital of Oyo Province from Oyo town to Ibadan. 

The meeting was held in a very tense atmosphere. The Lagos Daily News of 13 November, 1934 carried the proceedings verbatim. There is an excerpt here:

The Aláàfin: I summoned this meeting with a view to ascertaining whether the ugly rumour of your impending removal from Ộyó to Ibadan was true or not as I have not been authoritatively informed by you.

The Resident: Who told you that I am removing to Ìbàdàn? 

The Aláàfin: No one did but it is a general talk among my people that you are packing up. 

 The Resident: But who told you that? The Aláàfin should not believe foolish talks and rumours. 

The Aláàfin: If you want to prove the veracity of my statement, just give three pence to a small boy in the street with the request to bring in as many persons as he can find talking on this subject. You will be surprised at the crowd that will throng this place in a minute. It is a common saying everywhere.

The Resident: Anybody can say what he or she likes but I do not think the Aláàfin believes everything he hears. 

The Alâàfin: I do not believe everything but this is too general to be a lie. I and my people do not want you to go. But if you say that you are not leaving Oyó, I am satisfied.

The Resident: I am transferring my Provincial Office to Ibàdàn. That is, my clerks are going to Ibàdàn and I am going to make Ibàdàn my business place. But I shall be living in Ộyộ. 

The Aláàfin: How is it then that you say just now that you are not leaving Ộyó? This is rather suspicious. I do not like it.

The Resident: But can’t the Aláàfin see the difference between the Resident and his staff? I am not removing from Ộyộ; my clerks are. 

 The Aláàfin: I do not want you or your staff to leave Ộyó. Why? I am not pleased at the mere suggestion of it.

The Resident: You see, at Ộyó I have so much work to do through my mails coming in in great abundance. The mails are received twice weekly. Replies to some letters are sometimes delayed through that cause. Whilst at Ibàdàn I can get my mails every day and writing can be reduced or facilitated by the use of phone messages. Letters come from Forestry Department, Agricultural Department, etc., etc. which can be answered at once. 

The Aláàfin: But you are not the first Resident to experience the difficulties of which you now complain. How is it that your predecessors never complained of this and were able to satisfy all concerned? Besides, these difficulties can be easily adjusted. I am not pleased that you should go to Ibàdàn for that reason. 

The Resident: As I have said, while my office remains at Oyó, I shall never have to know the people of Oyó very well. Even some of the chiefs before me now (referring to the Ộyó chiefs present) are not well known to me because I am constantly engaged upon my work at the Residency. But if I go to İbàdàn, then my work is over. I can come to Ộyo two or three days. I shall then be able to devote more time to Oyo affairs than I have hitherto done.

The Aláàfin: This sounds strange! But you are known and addressed as the Resident of Oyo not of Ibàdàn. 

The Resident: I am also Resident for Ibàdàn, Saki, Ifè, etc., etc. as well. 

The Aláàfin: Exactly so by virtue of my position as the overlord of the places cited. But Oyó is your home. You are my Resident. 

The Resident: Yes, I admit that Ộyo is my headquarters and I shall continue to reside there when I finish my work at Ibàdàn. At least I wish to try it; if not successful, I shall bring back my office. I have no mind of changing my headquarters. Do you think I can change that without the sanction of the Governor?  

The Aláàfin: All right. But I am not pleased.

The Resident: Yes, the Aláàfin and the chiefs need not entertain any fear as I shall continue to carry on my work as usual. 

The Aláàfin : All right, let us hope so.

It happened. If Ibàdàn was the capital of the old Western Region and the old Western State and is the capital of Oyo State today, the above is the story as told by J. A. Atanda in his ‘The Divisional Power Structure in the New Oyo Empire, 1914 – 1934’. The article deals with so many issues including the troublous Ibadan-Oyo relations. 

As it turned out, the Resident moved the capital from Oyo to Ibadan without approval from Lagos. And he got away with it. The Aláàfin believed he did it because ‘rebellious’ Ibadan had won him over. The truth was that the Aláàfin had become too hot for everyone to handle and relate with. Ward-Price did it because he thought the Aláàfin was behaving as if he was the boss of everyone – including even the Resident. A month earlier (October 1934), the Aláàfin had reportedly declared that “I know that there is no (one) else besides me but God.” The Resident was supposed to be Alaafin’s boss; he was today’s governor. The man had powers and he used it to teach some lessons in power relations.

Earlier still in 1934, that same Resident had told Oba Aromolaran I, the Owa Obokun of Ijesaland, in his palace in Ilesa that “white ants are eating the legs of the Aláàfin ‘s chair without his knowing.” It was interpreted in Yoruba to the Owa who did not ask the white man to explain what he meant. The oba knew that it was an official acknowledgement of a gradual setting of the sun of what historians call the New Oyo Empire which started with the founding of a new Oyo town in about 1830. Mr. Emmanuel Adedeji Kayode was the orderly (asojú) to the Owa Obokun from 1920 to 1942. He listened to that conversation between Ward-Price and Owa. He retold it to Professor J. A. Atanda in an interview held at his Ereja Quarters residence in Ilesa on 13 June, 1966. 

I do not know in person the present Aláàfin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade. I have not met him but the first and the only newspaper interview he has granted since his choice as the Aláàfin was conducted by me – on the phone. He sounded calm and humble throughout that interview engagement. He spoke on his expectations and laid out his plans for his people. I think I was impressed. Although I know that like an aircraft, the take-off is always difficult, still I feel there are already too many negative vibes since this oba’s coronation. I am writing this today as my own incision in his occiput on how he flies his plane, particularly his handling of the current crisis over the composition and chairmanship of the Oyo State Council of Obas. 

The contentious Oyo State Council of Obas bill was passed some days ago. The new Aláàfin and his townspeople are not happy with that bill. But the authors of the bill originally proposed making Aláàfin the permanent chairman; in his absence, Olubadan and Soun were to serve as concurrent chairmen in that order of ranking. Very loud protests by Aláàfin’s people that their king would not share the seat with anyone even when he is absent woke up the other side – Ibadan and Ogbomoso. They reacted by rejecting the bill as originally drafted, and demanded a rotation of the chairmanship. They will share the seat two years apiece. Now, they’ve won. 

They would win. In particular, the Ibadan would win. They have so much resistance and activism in their checkered history to guide them. Besides, they are brave and daring in reaching for whatever they covet. Their ancestors had it. At the beginning of the Ibadan-Ijaye war in 1861, an Ibadan General who later in life became famously known as Basorun Ogunmola, was reported to have boasted a promise that: “After shaving the crown of the head (Ijaye), he would shave the occiput (Abeokuta).” That was the Ibadan warlord’s way of promising to destroy one enemy after the other. He did not mention Oyo and its king, the Alaafin, but it is there in history that when it was his time to be Baale of Ibadan, Ogunmola told the Alaafin that the title he wanted was that of Basorun, Oyo’s prime minister. And he had it even while someone was holding the title in Oyo. 

Professor Bolanle Awe in a 1965 piece wrote that Ogunmola and, much later, Aare Latosa while establishing an Ibadan empire stretching over the whole of Yorubaland “openly discarded the support and friendship of the Alaafin of Oyo. Of the two leaders, however, Ogunmola was the wiser, in that he replaced the Aláàfin’s friendship with that of the British government…” (See Awe’s ‘The end of an experiment: The Collapse of the Ibadan Empire, 1877-1893’). The effect of that foundational friendship with the new power, the British, is what we see later in the colonial government acknowledging Ibadan over Oyo as the new power centre. 

Potshots aimed at Oyo are Ibadan’s regular bugle songs of freedom. A conference of Yoruba Chiefs was to be held in Ibadan in May 1939. Then a storm ensued over a custom-made damask cloth for the conference. The cloth had the photograph of Olubadan Abasi Alesinloye holding a tiger on a leash. The Aláàfin protested vehemently and the government banned the cloth from being sold and worn throughout the province. Why did the Aláàfin protest? Ruth Watson explains in her ‘Civil Disturbance is the Disease of Ibadan’ (2003, page 159) quoting Olubadan’s driver: “Abasi was holding a tiger, that signifies Oyo under Ibadan because that tiger sign (symbol) belongs to Alaafin. He had rope tied around that tiger’s neck, it was pulled tight.” Between that time, 1939 and now, so many events have occurred which have served to relive that experience of a tiger on a leash. Many more will happen. 

The present Ibadan-Oyo crisis over the chairmanship of Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs I find very vexatious and unnecessary. The new Aláàfin should shake off suffocating creepers from his orange tree and own himself. He should move closer to his ancestor, Atiba, and ask him how he used diplomacy to make the Ibadan serve his purpose; how his son, Adelu, got the Ibadan fight his wars, particularly the decisive one against Kurunmi of Ijaye in 1861-1862. The Aláàfin needs Ibadan and other Yoruba towns more than they need him. I pray for his success but the current noise so early in his reign is very distracting and unnecessary. In fact, if I were the Aláàfin, I would call a strategic, unilateral ceasefire on this council of obas thing; I would withdraw my troops while I reach out to rival kingdoms. There are greater things ahead to do together. 

“Vision is the art of seeing what is invisible to others” (Jonathan Swift). Yoruba ancestors saw today and made it a rule of behaviour that obas must never leave their kingdoms. They also decreed it a taboo for obas to meet face to face. Throughout the period of obedience, no oba compared his height with another and none talked down on another. But the British broke the pot, first in 1886 to sign a treaty; second in 1925 at a durbar for the visiting Prince of Wales. The really bad one was in 1937 when the British called and held a Conference of Obas of Western Province. Since then, intrigues and fights over who sits where have combined to ruin the family. 

What do our obas really do with the present so-called council of obas? What will happen if a state does not have that council? I do not want to ask what will happen if there really is no oba in a town. Should custodians of culture be found fighting over a council that is practically powerless and of no developmental value to the society? Besides, and this is important: Is there an oba today whose kingly arms reach out beyond his kingdom? There was an Oyo Empire at a time when there was no Ibadan. There was an Ibadan Empire which succeeded Oyo Empire at the demise of Oyo and its powers. Today, neither exists. 

From the epochal 1934 to date, Ibadan has not stopped insisting that the present Oyo is not the Old Oyo to which their ancestors belonged and which they served. The British in the 1920s set up a court of appeal for Oyo province and made the Aláàfin its chairman. What was the reaction from Ibadan? Ibadan people refused to take their cases to that court. I got an interesting paragraph from Professor Toyin Falola: “The Aláàfin ‘s Appeals