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Real reason Alaafin didn’t visit Ooni during Osun trip – Aides

Published

1 year ago

June 7, 2025

Ooni of Ife and Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi and Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade

Real reason Alaafin didn’t visit Ooni during Osun trip – Aides

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Owoade, did not pay a courtesy call on the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, during his recent visit to Osun State due to the Ooni being out of the country, according to the monarch’s aides.

Speaking on the issue, Alaafin’s Personal Assistant, Kolade Oladele, clarified that the original plan was to visit the Ooni first. However, they were informed ahead of time that Oba Ogunwusi was unavailable.

“We didn’t ignore the Ooni during the visit. We reached out to the palace but were told that Ooni wasn’t around. Ooni’s palace was the first point of call in our initial itinerary, but we had to visit the Oluwo first because of the development,” Oladele said.

Oba Owoade’s stop at the palace of the Oluwo of Iwo on Tuesday stirred speculation about a possible rift between him and the Ooni. The tension escalated when the Oluwo publicly stated that the Alaafin held supremacy over all other traditional rulers in Yorubaland.

Sources indicate that the Oluwo and the Ooni have had ongoing disagreements, and the latest comments were interpreted by many as part of the power tussle between the camps of the two revered monarchs.

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However, Oladele insisted there is no bad blood between the Alaafin and the Ooni, stressing that Oba Owoade remains committed to unity among Yoruba leaders.

“I always tell people that there is no rift between Alaafin and the Ooni. Baba (Alaafin) doesn’t have time to begrudge anybody. What is paramount to him is the unity and development of the Yoruba race, and he is committed to achieving that.

“We didn’t visit Ooni the other time because Alaafin’s protocol officer, who reached out to Ooni’s palace, was told that Baba wasn’t around. I want to tell you that we will pay an appreciation visit to Ooni and Governor Ademola Adeleke very soon. Alaafin isn’t fighting anybody,” he added.

Supporting this, the Olowu of Kuta, Oba Adekunle Oyelude, confirmed that the Alaafin had planned to call on the Ooni before heading to Iwo.

“I was privy to the arrangement. Alaafin truly wanted to visit Ooni, but Baba was not at home. Alaafin didn’t ignore Ooni at all. The two traditional rulers will work together for the progress and unity of the Yoruba,” the monarch said.

However, the Ooni’s palace offered a slightly different account. The Director of Media and Public Affairs, Moses Olafare, said there was no official word from the Alaafin’s camp prior to the visit.

“We were not notified that Alaafin was coming to visit Ooni. Nobody contacted us either through letter or phone call before Baba travelled out of the country.

“What we got was from one of our security operatives, who informed us that somebody called him from the Alaafin’s palace to ask if Baba was around, and he told the person that we were not around. Everybody knew we were not around. There was no notification or any form of communication suggesting that Alaafin was coming to visit Ooni before we left the country,” Olafare stated.

Despite the conflicting accounts, both palaces maintain that there is no animosity between the traditional leaders, who remain central figures in the cultural and spiritual leadership of the Yoruba people.

Real reason Alaafin didn’t visit Ooni during Osun trip – Aides

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Renewed Hope Mass Transit: FG Launches 100 Electric Buses for Federal Workers

Published

9 hours ago

August 26, 2026

Trends Admin

Renewed Hope Mass Transit: FG Launches 100 Electric Buses for Federal Workers

Head of Service describes initiative as ‘parting gift’ as first batch of 37 buses commissioned in Abuja.

The Federal Government has inaugurated 100 Renewed Hope Mass Transit electric buses to provide safer, more affordable, and reliable transportation for federal civil servants nationwide. The initiative, approved by the Federal Executive Council, aims to ease the financial burden of daily commuting and improve worker productivity. The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HCSF), Mrs Didi Walson-Jack, disclosed this at the commissioning of the first batch of 37 buses at Eagle Square, Abuja, on Wednesday. Walson-Jack, whose tenure ends on Thursday, described the inauguration as a “dream come true” and her “parting gift” to the federal civil service.

The buses were acquired through the Renewed Hope Infrastructure Development Fund and are part of the administration’s efforts to translate its policies into practical interventions that directly impact the lives of Nigerians. The Head of Service said she could not have asked for a more fitting way to end her tenure than to hand over an initiative that would continue benefiting civil servants long after her departure. She stated that the commissioning was providentially her parting gift to her dearly beloved federal civil servants, as in a little under 24 hours, her time as Head of the Civil Service of the Federation comes to an end. She added that she could not have asked for a more fitting note on which to close this chapter of service than receiving and handing over the keys to something that will keep moving, keep working, long after she has gone home. The remaining 63 buses are expected to be delivered by December 2026. Each bus can accommodate up to 200 passengers and travel at least 200 kilometres on a full charge.

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Walson-Jack emphasised that transportation goes beyond moving people from one location to another, noting that the daily commute directly affects workers’ finances, safety, punctuality, and productivity. She described the intervention as both a welfare measure and an investment in a more productive civil service. She explained that for many civil servants, the daily commute shapes their finances, their safety, their punctuality and ultimately their productivity. She noted that an intervention that makes transportation safer, more reliable and more affordable is therefore not a peripheral welfare gesture; it is an investment in a more productive civil service. According to her, the buses would ease the financial burden on workers and reduce the risks associated with daily commuting. The initiative demonstrates that the Renewed Hope Agenda is being translated into practical interventions that workers can directly experience. Walson-Jack linked the mass transit programme to other Federal Government interventions, including the upward review of the national minimum wage, wage awards following the removal of fuel subsidy, digitalisation of government services, improved pension administration, promotions, employee compensation, and health insurance.

The HCSF disclosed that operations would commence with a pilot phase on selected routes before the full rollout of the Federal Civil Service Renewed Hope Mass Transit programme. She added that the buses would also be deployed, where appropriate, to federal secretariats across the states. A special purpose vehicle has been established to manage the operations, maintenance, and long-term sustainability of the buses, ensuring transparent and sustainable operational frameworks with clearly defined routes, schedules, regular maintenance, qualified drivers, passenger safety, cleanliness, and effective monitoring.

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Walson-Jack urged civil servants to protect the buses as public assets, describing them as valuable assets provided for their benefit. She told the civil servants that they are theirs to use, but also theirs to protect, urging beneficiaries to reciprocate the government’s investment through improved punctuality and commitment to duty. She advised them to treat these buses as their own personal assets.

The Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Senator John Enoh, described the commissioning as a significant milestone in the federal government’s efforts to improve civil servants’ welfare. He noted that the deployment of the electric buses would help ease transportation challenges while supporting the government’s broader sustainability and development objectives. Enoh also described the initiative as an opportunity to promote local content, develop Nigerian talent, and encourage the production of goods and services capable of competing with the best globally. The buses were assembled locally, aligning with the government’s “Nigeria First” industrial policy and its ambition to build domestic manufacturing capacity. The Director-General of the National Automotive Design and Development Council (NADDC), Mr Joseph Osanipin, and his team were commended for their collaboration in ensuring that the buses were developed in line with the objectives of the national automotive policy. The HCSF also endorsed a proposal that the Federal Civil Service anthem should be played on the buses, saying it would reinforce the identity and pride of civil servants and help them connect with the Service during their daily journeys.

Renewed Hope Mass Transit: FG Launches 100 Electric Buses for Federal Workers

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Ikeja Electric announces maintenance, warns of power interruptions in Lagos

Published

9 hours ago

August 26, 2026

Trends Admin

Ikeja Electric announces maintenance, warns of power interruptions in Lagos

Ikeja Electric Plc has announced a maintenance exercise at its Oworonshoki Injection Substation in Lagos, warning residents and businesses in affected communities to expect temporary power interruptions during the work.

The electricity distribution company said the maintenance involves the replacement of panels at its 3 x 15 MVA Oworonshoki Injection Substation and is scheduled to run from August 24 to September 3, 2026.

According to Ikeja Electric, the exercise is necessary to strengthen its distribution infrastructure and improve the stability and reliability of electricity supply to customers connected to the network.

The company said several 11kV feeders linked to the Oworonshoki substation would be affected during the maintenance period, potentially resulting in interruptions for customers supplied through the affected lines.

The feeders listed by the electricity distribution company are 11-OworonJNJ-T1-Bariga, 11-OworonJNJ-T1-Hospital, 11-OworonJNJ-T1-Ifako, 11-OworonJNJ-T2-Ladilac, 11-OworonJNJ-T2-Oworo, 11-OworonJNJ-T2-Pedro, 11-OworonJNJ-T3-Anthony, 11-OworonJNJ-T3-Gbagada and 11-OworonJNJ-T3-GTB.

Customers and businesses connected to these feeders may experience electricity supply disruptions at different times while the maintenance work is being carried out.

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Ikeja Electric apologised for the inconvenience the exercise may cause and appealed to affected customers to be patient and understanding throughout the maintenance period.

The company said the intervention forms part of its broader efforts to upgrade electricity distribution infrastructure, improve network performance and provide a more dependable power supply to customers across its coverage area.

The maintenance is expected to be completed on September 3, after which electricity supply to the affected areas is expected to return to normal, subject to the operational condition of the network.

Ikeja Electric also urged residents and other stakeholders to help protect electricity infrastructure by remaining vigilant and reporting activities that could expose distribution facilities to vandalism or damage.

The company thanked its customers for their cooperation and continued support as it carries out the infrastructure work.

Residents in the affected areas are advised to plan accordingly during the maintenance period, particularly households and businesses that depend heavily on electricity for daily activities.

Ikeja Electric announces maintenance, warns of power interruptions in Lagos

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BREAKING: Tinubu Orders Immediate Rescue of Niger Mosque Abduction Victims

Published

1 day ago

August 25, 2026

Trends Admin

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

BREAKING: Tinubu Orders Immediate Rescue of Niger Mosque Abduction Victims

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered the Armed Forces, the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services, and all relevant security and intelligence agencies to intensify efforts to immediately rescue victims of the Niger mosque abduction. The directive was disclosed in a State House statement on Tuesday by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga. Tinubu expressed outrage over the abduction and killing of innocent citizens by criminal elements in the state.

Tinubu described those responsible for the attack as “enemies of peace and enemies of humanity” and vowed that they would not go unpunished. “Those who carried out this cowardly attack on defenceless Nigerians are enemies of peace and enemies of humanity, who will not go scot-free,” the President said. The President extended his condolences to the families of those killed in the assault. “I extend my deepest condolences to the families of those who were killed in this barbaric assault and pray that Almighty God grant them eternal rest, and grant their loved ones the fortitude to bear this painful loss,” he said. He assured the affected communities of the nation’s support: “You are not alone. The entire nation shares your anguish. We will not rest until your sons, daughters, mothers and fathers are brought back safely to you.”

The President has directed the Service Chiefs to provide him with regular briefings on the progress of the rescue operation until all those abducted are accounted for. “Terror will not cow Nigeria. We will defend our people, protect our communities, and uphold the sanctity of human life,” Tinubu affirmed. The Federal Government has pledged to support the Niger State Government with all necessary resources for recovery, relief, and security reinforcement.

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The attack occurred on Friday, August 21, 2026, when suspected terrorists invaded a mosque in Gidan-Zana, Kpenya village, Dekara District, Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State. The gunmen reportedly stormed the mosque at about 2 p.m. during Juma’at prayers and immediately began taking worshippers away. Children, women, and elderly residents were among those reportedly taken, while some villagers fled into a nearby forest to escape the attackers. Among those reportedly taken were the village head of Ka’ada, who had recently regained freedom from captivity, and the 90-year-old father of the District Head of Dekara. An armed group posted a video on Facebook and WhatsApp showing what residents said were hundreds of women, children, and older people abducted during the attack. The footage shows children crying while an armed man speaking Hausa addresses the families of those being held and asks them to identify their relatives. If confirmed, it would rank among Nigeria’s largest mass kidnappings in recent years.

The Niger State Government has acknowledged that the number of persons abducted is still being verified. In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Obed Nuhu Nana, the government urged the public to refrain from circulating unverified reports or casualty figures that could heighten anxiety or compromise ongoing security efforts. The Chairman of Borgu LGA, Mohammed Nasir Abdullahi, confirmed that about 30 of those abducted had been killed by their captors, adding that “from the records I have, those kidnapped were a little above 60.” Residents, however, have given higher estimates, with some estimating between 60 and 80 people were kidnapped, while others suggested as many as 600 may have been taken.

Amnesty International has urged Nigerian authorities to act urgently to secure the victims’ release and address the growing wave of abductions targeting rural communities across northern Nigeria. The organisation described the incident as particularly concerning because the victims were abducted while observing Friday prayers. Amnesty said at least 1,100 people were abducted between January and April 2026, while noting that available figures vary and may significantly underestimate the actual scale of the problem. The organisation warned that victims of previous mass abductions had reported severe abuses, including torture, starvation, sexual violence and amputation.

Niger State has experienced repeated violent attacks in recent years, including banditry and kidnapping, as Nigeria continues to battle terrorism, abduction, and other security challenges across its northern and central regions. The Borgu-Kainji corridor has become a hotspot for armed groups operating around Kainji Lake National Park. Residents have reported that seven out of ten wards in Borgu LGA are currently affected by insecurity, with hundreds of people, mostly farmers, displaced and dozens killed in recent months. Over 300,000 people are estimated to be displaced in the area. The Kpenya attack occurred barely a week after gunmen killed at least 32 people during Friday prayers at a mosque in Ungushi community, Sokoto State, including the mosque’s imam. Mass abductions for ransom have become common in parts of northwestern and north-central Nigeria, where heavily armed criminal gangs frequently raid villages, schools, and highways.