News
Fayemi Queries 11 Traditional Rulers over Insubordination
Ekiti State Government has issued “administrative letters” to no fewer than 11 first class traditional rulers over alleged non-cooperation with government and leadership of the state traditional Council.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the memo, entitled: “Re-Absence from State Functions and Council of Traditional Rulers’ Monthly Meetings,” was issued to the affected monarchs, late on Wednesday, and given 72 hours, within which to explain themselves.
The letter accused the rulers of refusing to make themselves available at both state functions as well as monthly meetings of the State Council of Traditional Rulers, for about eight months, since August 2019.
The letter was signed on behalf of the government by the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs, A. O. Adeoye.
The three paragraph letter, addressed separately to the traditional ruler, reads: “It has come to the attention of Mr Governor that Your Royal Majesty has not been attending the monthly statutory meetings of the State Council of Traditional Rulers and state official functions since August 2019.
“Your conspicuous absence at the council meetings and state official functions, without any excuse or justification is considered inimical to the proper administration of the chieftaincy institution you represent.
“Therefore, Mr Governor has directed that Your Royal Majesty should forward your representation for this inaction, through this office within 72 hours on the receipt of this letter.”
NAN learnt that the latest government action, sent jitters to some palaces, and traditional institutions, on Thursday, over insinuations that government might be preparing ground for suspension or outright deposition of the traditional rulers.
The letter climaxed an eight-month cold war between the affected traditional rulers and the governor.
It would be recalled that crisis began when last year, the governor appointed the Alawe of Ilawe Ekiti, Ajibade Alabi, as the new Chairman of the State Council of Traditional Rulers.
The group of traditional rulers, in showing grievances, had consequently dragged the governor to court to challenge the appointment, and also vowed not to cooperate or attend any meeting or function where the appointee is present or presides.
Meanwhile, Governor Kayode Fayemi, on Thursday, said he had no plans to dethrone any of the traditional rulers, served with administrative letters.
He said it was a mere “administrative letter”, and not a query, to explain why they had continually absented themselves from state functions and Traditional Rulers Council meetings within 72 hours.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Governor’s clarification was coming, apparently following palpable tension which the information concerning the letter had generated in some palaces and among their subjects.
Some of them thought the affected monarchs were already on the brink of being relieved of the throne.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Yinka Oyebode, in a statement obtained by NAN, in Ado Ekiti, also said only 11 of the monarchs received the administrative letters.
He said the Ekiti State Bureau of Chieftaincy Affairs is responsible for the coordination, management and welfare of the Traditional Council and its affairs.
“The Bureau briefed the Governor, on the prolonged absence of some members of the State’s Traditional Council meetings at state’s function and traditional council meetings at the local government level.
“Mr Governor directed that the Bureau should write the affected traditional rulers to find out reasons for their absence.
“The Attorney General then wrote to the Bureau on Mr Governor’s directives.
“Consequently, the Bureau (through a senior official), wrote to the affected traditional rulers seeking for reasons for their prolonged absence at council meetings.
“The formal nature of the letter is what is being misconstrued to be a query.
“Contrary to insinuations, this is merely an administrative matter which is neither contentious nor confrontational. It is definitely not a ploy or plan to remove any Oba (traditional ruler) from office.
“As public officers, our traditional rulers act as the direct link between government and their domains; they have expected duties and functions, and as an administrative head, Mr Governor should be aware of the reasons why such duties are not being carried out.
“It is on record that some of the Obas had earlier written Mr Governor to give legitimate reasons for their absence which have been accepted.
“In Ekiti State, our traditional rulers are well respected and revered as custodians of our culture and traditions.
“The Fayemi Administration is committed to the welfare and protection of the cultural heritage of our people which the Kabiyesis hold in trust.
“Any rumour claiming that Governor Fayemi is planning to dethrone any Oba in Ekiti State is a deliberate and malicious misrepresentation of the true situation.
“It is obviously an attempt from opposition to create chaos and confusion between the Ekiti State Government and the good and law abiding people of Ekiti State.
“The Governor holds all our traditional rulers in high esteem and reverence as expected of a well cultured person.
“No arm of government discussed nor considered dethroning any Kabiyesi at any time because there is no basis for such,” the governor’s statement reads.
(NAN)
Former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has reiterated Nigeria’s vast potential and resources, emphasizing the country’s ability to become a global leader. Speaking at the ongoing Ecobank Design and Build Expo at the Ecobank Pan African Centre (EPAC) in Lagos, Obasanjo praised Ecobank for organizing the event, which highlights the architecture, building, construction and design sectors, National Association of Online Security News Publishers, NAOSNP can report.
During his visit, Chief Obasanjo toured the various pavilions showcasing cutting-edge trends, innovations, and sustainable practices in architecture, construction, building materials, household appliances, engineering, and interior design. He expressed admiration for the high quality of work displayed by the exhibitors.
The former president called on leaders at all levels to leverage Nigeria’s resources and drive the nation’s economy to new heights.
The five-day event, themed “Building Nigeria Together,” kicked off on November 27 and will run until December 1, 2024. Sessions begin daily at 10:00 am, with over 60 exhibitors set to showcase their latest products and innovations.
Among the prominent global brands exhibiting are SABA Steel, Nigeria’s largest steel manufacturer; Coleman Wire & Cables, West Africa’s leading cable producer; Donna Spectre, a key player in indigenous oil and gas logistics; Dulux Paints, a top paint brand in Nigeria; HTL Africa, a forward-thinking architectural firm; ITB Nigeria Limited, a leading construction company in Nigeria and West Africa; and Mota Engil Nigeria, a civil construction giant, among others.
The Nigerian Police Force has denied allegation of instigating Chieftainy Crisis in Osun community.
The Force made the rebuttal via a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), ASP Mayegun Aminat, on behalf of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police incharge of the unit, AIG Ogundele Ayodeji, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP).
The statement noted that it was imperative to make the clarification, stressing that both the Online report and the petitioners were false in their narratives.
The FCID maintained at no point did Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun involved himself or the police in the chieftaincy tussle of the community, adding the IGP has no knowledge of what was going.
The statement reads in full:
Clarification on False Report Regarding Chieftaincy and Police Involvement in Kingship Selection.
The Nigeria Police Force has become aware of a false and misleading report published by Sahara, which claims that the “Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Muyiwa Adejobi, passed down an order from the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to arrest the intending Chief and threatened other kingmakers who insisted that due process must be followed.”
We wish to categorically clarify that this report is inaccurate and does not reflect the facts. The Nigeria Police Force is not involved in the selection of traditional leaders, and at no point did the IGP order the arrest of any individual in connection with the kingship selection process.
The arrest mentioned in the report was carried out following a formal petition submitted by members of the community. The petition alleged that certain kingmakers were engaging in acts of extortion, bribery, conduct likely and threat to life and demanding money from individuals seeking to assume the position of the Olojudo. This form of conduct is not only unethical but violates traditional practices and undermines the integrity of the selection process.
Upon receipt of the petition, detectives from the Special Enquiry Bureau at the FCID Annex in Lagos launched a thorough investigation. The investigation led to the questioning of one individual who admitted to receiving money, as detailed in the petition. Furthermore, this individual acknowledged that others were also involved in this illegal practice and confirmed that payments were made to secure positions.
The investigation is ongoing, and additional individuals suspected of being involved in extortion and bribery will be invited for questioning. Once the investigation is complete, legal charges will be filed against those found culpable.
AIG Ogundele Ayodeji, psc+, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of the FCID Annex Lagos, has urged the public to come forward with any relevant information that could assist in the investigation and ensure that justice is served. He also issued a stern warning to anyone attempting to involve the leadership of the IGP or the Nigeria Police Force in corrupt practices. AIG Ogundele Ayodeji emphasized that anyone found guilty of such behavior will face the full force of the law. As Nigeria police force is not part of kingship selection process and wont parake in such act as the Nigeria Police Force remains committed to maintaining professionalism, integrity, and transparency in all its operations. We reiterate the IGP’s zero-tolerance stance on corruption and affirm that the Force will continue to work diligently to ensure that justice is upheld in all matters.
NTT Summit confirms Keyamo, Musawa, three other ministers for 7th edition in Abuja
Minister of Aviation and Aerospace Development, Mr. Festus Keyamo SAN, and his counterpart at the Ministry of Culture, Arts, Tourism and Creative Economy, Dr. Hannatu Musa Musawa, are among a host of five federal ministers billed to participate at the 7th edition of the National Tourism Transportation (NTT) Summit and Expo, in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
According to the chairman, organizing committee, Mr. Odusanwo, this year’s Summit is to reaffirm the need for synergy and collaboration in areas of operations of the tourism transportation sector for national economic growth and development, as he reeled out some of the presentations expected as sub-themes of the Summit during plenary sessions.
He further disclosed that event speakers for this year’s edition are drawn from key players of the public sector, represented by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and the Organized Private Sector (OPS), as drivers of the industry.
“These include; the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), leading discussions on the sub-theme; “Encourage Massive Investment in Water Front Properties, Resource and Etiquette Training;” Nigeria Tourism Development Authority (NTDA), to head discussions on: ‘Connect and Explore: Trusted Travel Hub for Seamless Journeys’.
“The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) will lead presentations on ‘The Relevance of Directional Signs in Tourism Transportation’ ; and the National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC) will lead presentations on ‘Artistic Collaboration and Partnership in Tourism Transportation’
“The National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR) to lead the panel of discussants on ‘Personnel Training for Enhanced Performance and Service delivery in Tourism, Transportation, and Allied Industries ‘; while the Nigeria Meteorological Agency (NiMet) is leading discussions on ‘Impact of Climate/Weather Forecasting on Tourism in the Sectoral Planning of Nigeria.’
“The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) will chair discussions on ‘Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export Procedures: Sharing Expertise on Export Documentation, Logistics and Freight Management in the Tourism Transportation Sector.’
Odusanwo stressed that NTT summits has since inception in 2018, offered the platform for public and private sector stakeholders, producers and consumers in Nigeria and Africa to come together, share ideas, experiences, exchange knowledge and showcase their skills in the growth, development and promotion of the nation’s economic endowments, this time, by promoting the ideals of the value chain inherent in the tourism transportation sector.
Participants at the two-day event will be drawn from major key players and stakeholders in the transportation and tourism sectors such as the airlines, tour and travel operators, administrators of the aviation industry; the maritime industry operators, road transport operators, including major transport owners, car hire and hail ride services. In addition, road traffic and safety agencies, including the FRSC, motor insurance companies; state transport ministries and agencies; rail transport services, are also expected to take part.
Others are operators of the Tourism and Hospitality (T&H) industry including, tourism resort operators, national parks; museums and monuments, state tourism ministries and boards, festivals and tourism events managers; fast food operators; M.I.C.E and destination managers; as well as, service providers in the banking, oil and gas industries.
