Author: Tunde Akingbondere
A professor of law at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, and an elder statesman from Idanre Local Government in Ondo State, Professor Olugbenga Oke-Samuel, has criticized the recent unveiling of the Idanre/Akure dual carriageway construction by accusing the state government of misleading the people of Idanre by making them believe the contract for the dualization of the Akure-Idanre road has been fully awarded. Professor Oke-Samuel argued that the supposed 10-kilometer road construction falls short of addressing the critical needs of the Idanre people, who have endured years of neglect and deteriorating road infrastructure. He noted that the section of the road…
Following the arrest of popular media activist, Verydarkman, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has finally disclosed through their insider why they arrested the media activist. The source revealed that the complaints were unconnected to his behavior on social media platforms, where he allegedly harass£d, insulted, and intimidated individuals. “We picked him up based on several complaints that he used his social media platforms to h@rass, insult, and int!midate individuals — actions that may contravene the Cybercrimes Act of 2015,” the insider stated. The source declined to disclose the identities of the complainants or further details regarding the nature…
A Yoruba traditional ruler based in the United States, His Royal Highness Chief Lukman Ojora Arounfale, the Baba Oba of Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, is reported dead following an alleged assault ordered by the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Abimbola Akeem Owoade. The reported brutal assault was reportedly carried out at the Alaafin’s palace and has been connected to a violent fallout between the Alaafin and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, over matters of royal supremacy. Chief Arounfale—an American citizen who had lived in the United States for over four decades—was allegedly attacked alongside his wife…
A face-off had occurred between the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and the Amotekun Security Corps in the Ijoka Area of Akure, Ondo State on 4th May, 2025. A police officer whose name is yet to be disclosed is said to have been severely wounded in the course of the face off which is unconnected with the attempt by the Amotekun Security Corps to prevent the operatives of the Nigeria Police from taking custody of a particular suspect. According to one of the injured officers of the Amotekun Corps, he revealed that the complainant involved in the matter had…
Salient facts have poured out on the brewing but not public rift between the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Owoade, and the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi. A slight development fired by the seeming rift came to public attention on Tuesday, April 29, when Oba Owoade refused to stand up to greet the Ooni, who had approached to exchange pleasantries with him and other monarchs at a programme organised by Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, in Ibadan, Oyo State. In a video that went viral on social media, the Alaafin remained seated and greeted the Ooni casually,…
In recent times, a debate has erupted in the media space. At the heart of this heated debate are the owners of Nigeria’s largest media houses, whose status as journalists was challenged during a television interview with Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory. Olayinka sparked controversy around the definition of a journalist, opening the door for further exploration in this area. In a compelling interview with Professor Ralph Akinfeleye—the pioneer professor of Journalism in Nigeria—he provided succinct insights into the identity of a journalist. Akinfeleye is a graduate of the first World…
The recent unveiling of the Akure-Idanre road dualisation has come with the proposed demolition of structures capable of obstructing the construction project. Our correspondent while taking a walk through some few kilometers in the Akure-Idanre road discovered how many houses, filling stations, churches, shops, supermarkets as well as other facilities have been marked for demolition by the Ondo State Government. While the project has elicited much accolades from the citizens, it has also emerged with the proposed destruction of properties worth millions. The law provides for adequate compensation in these exceptional circumstances when privately owned buildings are demolished in the…
Cleaners in the employment of the Ondo state government through some contracted cleaning service firms have threatened to stage a protest over the failure of the state government to offset their stipends in the last five months, appealing for Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa’s intervention. The employees are responsible for cleaning state government offices, buildings and hospitals. Addressing newsmen on Saturday, the cleaners alleged that those in charge of the payment had refused to disburse the fund after governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa had approved it. They pointed out that despite being paid as low as 25k on monthly basis, the government officials had…
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has criticised Siminalayi Fubara for the walkout on First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s empowerment programme. The minister described the incident as “disturbing and embarrassing”. On Friday, a group of allegedly angry women staged a walke out in a Renewed Hope Initiative event in Port Harcourt, the Rivers capital, while demanding the reinstatement of Fubara, suspended governor of the state. The event was part of an initiative to support 500 women across the state. In a statement issued on Saturday by Lere Olayinka, his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social…
I don’t know what you think about the recent disregard some obas now accord the Ooni of Ife in public. I only hope that, sooner than we fear, we don’t witness a moment when an oba, or even someone of lesser standing, drags the Ooni into public ridicule, stripping away the layers of honour, ancient mysticism, and native spirituality that some of us still revere about that sacred stool. “Familiarity breeds contempt,” said Publius Syrus. And tragically, this Ooni seems to be confirming it. He is gradually demystifying the majesty of the throne. From Sir Adesoji Aderemi to Olubuse II,…