News
Why I resigned as Yoruba Nation leader – Akintoye
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.
It was reported 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 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.
“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.”
News
Suspected kidnappers abducts 10 travellers in Ondo
No fewer than 10 passengers have been abducted by gunmen along the Owo-Benin highway in Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.
The gunmen reportedly attacked the commercial bus the passengers were travelling in after which they were marched into the bush.
It was gathered that the passengers were on their way from Akwa Ibom to Akure when the incident happened.
One of the sources, who craved anonymity, disclosed that the driver of the space bus had initially thought that the gunmen were security operatives but realised that they were criminals when they shot sporadically into the air.
” They were kidnapped on the Owo-Ipele road on Saturday morning at about 12 am. Their vehicles were stopped, and they were dragged into the bush to an unknown destination.
“The hoodlums ambushed them and whisked all the occupants of the vehicle into the bush. All the occupants of the vehicle were abducted and nobody heard anything about them since then.
However, the police image maker in the state, Funmilayo Odunlami, however, stated only seven people were kidnapped.
“The police received information that a vehicle was attacked along the Owo/Ifon road, and seven people were suspected to have been abducted.
“Seven travellers were involved; they were coming from Akwa Ibom State in a commercial bus. Our men are already making efforts to rescue the victims from the kidnappers and arrest the perpetrators.”
News
Banditry: End insecurity by 2025 ending – Tinubu gives military marching orders
President Bola Tinubu has issued marching orders to the military to end banditry and general insecurity by the end of 2025.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Defence, Abubakar Badaru, in a viral video.
Following Tinubu’s order, Badaru said the military will continue its onslaught against bandits and all forms of criminalities.
The Minister said bandits are currently on the run and that the military won’t stop until they are all flushed out.
According to Badaru: “The bandits are now on the run, but the military will not rest until we end this thing. The president has given us marching orders to end insecurity in every part of our country by the end of this year.
“The Chief of Defence Staff, NSA are working day and night to actualize that target, as you have seen we are putting pressure on all the theatre operations.
“And indeed, mining activities have been lifted in Zamfara already and this is part of the reason we are meeting today to look at all areas where we have serious security issues and how best we can secure those areas.”
News
50% telecom tariff hike: NATCOMS backs decision as NLC bows to FG’s pressure
The Nigeria Labour Congress bowed to pressure to halt its planned Tuesday nationwide protest against the 50 percent telecommunication tariff hike.
Also, the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers backed the decision by the organized Labour.
Gatekeeper reports that the NLC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Federal Government after a meeting with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Monday night.
In the MoU signed by the SGF, Senator George Akume, NLC president Joe Ajaero, and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Dingyadi, and the National Secretary of NLC, Emmanuel Ugboaja, both parties agreed to set up a technical committee to resolve gray areas in the 50 percent telecom tariff approval.
However, NLC reiterated its rejection of the tariff hike.
“Arising from the meeting convened by the Federal Government of Nigeria on the proposed 50% hike in telecommunications tariffs in the country, which the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) expressed strong opposition to, citing its potential negative impact on the Nigerian workers and the economy with a threat to proceed on a one-day nationwide mass protest, the following resolutions were reached: That there is a need for the parties to sit together in a technical group to resolve most of the thorny areas raised during the discussion; consequently, a 10-man joint committee was set up of five (5) representatives each from the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC); and the committee shall conclude and submit its deliberations within two (2) weeks from this 3rd day of February, 2025.
“The parties call on the Nigerian people to remain calm while this committee concludes its assignment,” the communique after the meeting stated.
Earlier, a civic society organisation known as the National Civil Society Council of Nigeria, NCSCN, had announced the suspension of its planned protest against the 50 percent tariff hike.
Recall that last week, NLC announced Tuesday, 4th February, 2025, as a date for a one-day mass protest against the telecom tariff hike.
In a notice last Thursday by NLC National Secretary, Emmanuel Ugboaja, the union had already asked the state congress and affiliate union to mobilise for Tuesday’s mass protest.
This comes after the Nigerian Communications Commission on January 2025 approved a 50 percent telecommunications tariff hike for operators.
The approval has sparked tariff hike controversy in Nigeria’s telecom sector.
NLC and other telecom subscribers had opposed the tariff implementation, citing the persistent economic hardship Nigerians already face.
Subscribers back nationwide protest suspension.
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