Author: Lawal AbdulSalam Olawale

A former governor of Osun State, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, has lost his elder sister, Mrs Victoria Moradehun Popoola (née Oyinlola) to the cold hands of death.

 

Mrs Popoola died on Thursday, December 28, 2023. She was 87 years old.

 

Mrs Popoola, a retired midwife, was Prince Oyinlola’s mother’s first child.

 

She was the one who took over the motherly role for the former governor on the death of their mother in 1959 when he was just eight years old.

 

It was while staying with the late Mrs Popoola who was working in Sokoto that Oyinlola joined the Nigerian Army in 1969.

 

Prince Oyinlola, described his late sister as his “second mother,” saying that her death marked the end of an era in the larger Oyinlola family.

 

She was the oldest of the surviving children of Oba Moses Oyinlola, the late Olokuku of Okuku.

 

Among dignitaries who have sent messages of condolence to Prince Oyinlola was his former deputy, Erelu Olusola Obada, who described Mrs Popoola’s death as “a great loss.”

 

May the entire Oyinlola family be comforted at this period. My heartfelt condolences to His Excellency. May her soul rest in perfect peace at the bosom of God,” Erelu Obada said

Governors present at the Jerico Ibadan, Oyo State residence of the Akeredolus were Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Abiodun Oyebanj (Ekiti), and Ademola Adeleke (Osun).

Governors of the South-West region have paid a condolence visit to the family of the late former Governor of Ondo State Rotimi Akeredolu.

 

Akeredolu died on Wednesday in Germany. He was aged 67.

 

Governors present at the Jerico Ibadan, Oyo State residence of the Akeredolus were Dapo Abiodun (Ogun), Abiodun Oyebanj (Ekiti), and Ademola Adeleke (Osun).

 

Abiodun disclosed this on his X handle, sharing pictures from the visit.

 

“During this period of immense grief, we express our deepest sympathies and offer our support to the family of the late Governor Rotimi Akeredolu. He lived a remarkable life, leaving behind an indelible mark on the pages of history.

As we navigate through this heartbreaking time, we beseech God to grant Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s soul eternal serenity and tranquility in His tender embrace. May His divine grace bestow comfort upon his sorrowful loved ones, empowering them with the fortitude to bear this irreparable void,” he stated.

 

While Seyi Makinde of Oyo State was not spotted during the visit, the Lagos State Governor visited the late governor’s family.

 

Meanwhile, the Ekiti State Government has declared three days of mourning for Akeredolu.

 

According to a Friday statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Yinka Oyebode, Governor Oyebanji directed that all flags at public buildings across the state be flown at half-mast.

 

The Oyo State Governor Makinde had earlier declared a three-day mourning in his state in honour of the deceased.

 

Since Akeredolu’s death, tributes have continued to pour in from prominent figures in the country including President Bola Tinubu.

 

Tinubu described Akeredolu as a man who moved Nigeria towards equity, fairness, and justice

 

Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has approved the release of 246 inmates from various correctional facilities across the state.

 

A statement issued on Friday by the state Attorney-General for Justice, Mr Lawal Pedro, said the governor also commuted 39 inmates on death row to life imprisonment.

According to Pedro, Sanwo-Olu signed the release order on Dec. 20 on the recommendation of the Advisory Council on the Prerogative of Mercy and in cognizance of the New Year celebration.

The approval for the release of the inmates was in line with the commitment of the governor to decongest correctional facilities in the state as part of the justice sector reforms.

 

The commissioner said that the Advisory Council on Prerogative of Mercy in reaching its recommendations exercised due diligence in its deliberation of the applications in line with the applicable guidelines.

 

“The Council took note of the information provided by the correctional authorities, the nature of the offence, period of incarceration, age, health and behavioural conduct of the inmates,” Pedro said.

 

The exercise was under the provisions of Section 212 (1) (2) of the 1999 Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria (amended).

 

 

Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has expressed shock over the death of his Ondo State counterpart, Rotimi Akeredolu.

 

Adeleke, who said he was deeply troubled by the news of the demise of Akeredolu, described his death a a huge national loss.

The Osun governor, in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, stated, “Arakunrin Akeredolu was one of the finest minds in the country’s legal profession, and as a colleague in the Governor’s Forum, his wise counsel and constructive contributions are hard to miss. Nigeria lost one of its finest, and I’m hugely shaken.”

 

Adeleke condoles with the acting governor of Ondo State, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, the family of the deceased, the government and the people of Ondo State over this painful loss, urging them to keep his memory alive by sustaining his legacy of good deeds and impacts.

 

He stated, “In this moment of grief and pain, I offer my deepest sympathy to everyone touched by Arakunrin Akeredolu’s demise and pray to God to grant him eternal rest while hoping for his immediate family;

 

“… the government and the people of Ondo state that he left behind find comfort in the life full of accomplishments that he lived.”

The Comptroller of Kwara State Command of the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Aminu Shamsuddin, has cautioned men and officers of the command to stay away from any form of corruption..

Shamsuddin said that any corrupt personnel found engaging in bribery and corruption will be dismissed from the service.

 

The comptroller, represented by Deputy Comptroller Momoh Aliyu, made this statement during the passing out parade of the newly recruited officers on Wednesday in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State.

A total of 190 officers were inducted at the occasion.

 

“Avoid bribe in the course of your duties. If you are caught in the act, you will be dismissed from the service,” Shamsuddin warned.

 

While congratulating the new officers and welcoming them to NIS, he urged them to be submissive, well-behaved, and loyal to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

According to him, the first step to becoming an officer in NIS is to be inducted into the service to have some prior knowledge of the job.

Ondo Deputy Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa has been sworn in as the State’s substantive Executive Governor following Governor Rotimi Akeredolu’s demise.

State Chief Judge, Justice Olusegun Odosola administered the oath of office at the Cocoa Conference Hall of the Governor’s office in Akure.

 

Present to witness the swear-in ceremony are top Judges in the state, government officials and politicians.

Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State is dead.

 

According to reports, Akeredolu died in Lagos on Wednesday

 

The Ondo governor died at the age of 67.

It was learnt that he was managed by State House doctors up to his death because they could not fly him abroad.

 

“Akeredolu is dead; he died in Lagos,” a reliable source told Vanguard.

 

“They were looking for dialysis machines to be sent to his secret location in Lagos last week.”

 

Recall that the ailing governor returned to Nigeria in September following a three-month medical leave in Germany.

 

Recently, he went on another medical leave after being directed by President Bola Tinubu to hand over power to his deputy, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.

 

His deputy, Aiyedatiwa, has been standing in as acting governor.

 

Following his return to Nigeria in September, Akeredolu stayed in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital and tried to govern his state from there, leading to public outragw

 

Akeredolu’s wife, Betty announced the suspension of activities lined up to celebrate her 70th birthday.

 

The Ondo first lady announced the suspension of the activities in Twitter posts after questions were raised over plans to have a fanfare despite her husband’s ill health.

 

Betty, in a statement via her X handle, said, “Hello Family and Friends. This is to inform you that all activities lined up to mark my 70th birthday are hereby suspended till further notice due to unforeseen circumstances beyond my control. Sorry for any inconvenience caused by this development.

 

“Nevertheless, be assured that I will be celebrated in style upon my return. Thank you for your understanding. I remain Arabinrin a.k.a Ada Owere I,” she added

A grieving Governor Mutfwang, who spoke on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, said the attacks were unprovoked and tasked security agents to unravel the sponsors of the “carnage” and their blood-thirsty foot-soldiers.

 

“Just when we had finished preparations for Christmas, unprovoked attacks were unleashed on our communities,” a sombre-faced Mutfwang narrated the blood-curling simultaneous attacks by assailants on over 15 communities in the Bokkos and Barkin-Ladi Local Government Areas of the state on Christmas eve.

Several houses were set ablaze by the attackers on Sunday night. The gun-wielding and blood-curling men also looted farm produce and destroyed properties as they butchered the residents.

As I am talking to you, in Mangu Local Government alone, we buried 15 people. As at this morning, in Bokkos, we are counting over 100 corpses. Not to talk of that of Barkin-Ladi.”

 

Several houses were said to have been set ablaze by the attackers who also looted farm produce and destroyed properties in the process.

 

 

The governor said the attacks were “unprecedented and monumental”, noting that though the assailants intended to break the spirit of the people and pull down the two local governments, the spirit of the people on the Plateau remained unfazed.

 

Mutfwang, however, said the response time by security agents, especially the men of the Nigerian Army can be better.

 

The governor also said the attacks were unconnected to land disputes between aboriginal dwellers and marauding terrorists. He warned that the people attacked could defend themselves but it might get to a time that the people might not be able to restrain themselves from defending themselves and their lands against the assailants