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Kingmakers Object To Makinde’s Appointment Of New Alaafin

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  Kingmakers in Oyo town, Oyo State, have protested the appointment of Prince Abimbola Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo by Governor Seyi Makinde. Owoade’s appointment was announced on Friday in a statement by the state’s Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, sparking controversy within traditional circles. Oyelade said after extensive consultations and traditional divinations by the Oyomesi, the Oyo kingmakers, Owoade was recommended as the new Alaafin of Oyo and subsequently approved by Governor Makinde. “Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade, after thorough consultations and divinations, has been recommended by the Oyomesi and approved by Governor Seyi Makinde as the new Alaafin of Oyo,” he said. However, five prominent kingmakers in Oyo town rejected Owoade’s appointment. The protesting kingmakers include the Basorun of Oyo, High Chief Yusuf Akinade; the Lagunna of Oyo, High Chief Wakeel Akindele; the Akinniku of Oyo, High Chief Hamzat Yusuf; a warrant chief representing the Asipa of Oyo, Chief Wahab Oyetunji; and a warrant chief representing the Alapinni of Oyo, Chief Gbadebo Mufutau. The kingmakers argued that Prince Lukman Gbadegesin was the rightful Alaafin-elect, citing ongoing legal proceedings concerning the selection process. In a letter signed by their legal counsel, Kunle Sobaloju, SAN, they described the governor’s actions as illegal and urged the suspension of the process until the matter was resolved in court. Titled “Re: Illegal & Unlawful Appointment of Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade as the New Alaafin of Oyo,” was made available to Saturday PUNCH, the letter outlined the kingmakers’ opposition to the appointment. It read in part, “On their resolute instruction, we write this letter concerning the purported unlawful and illegal appointment of Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo. “You will recall that on September 30, 2022, at a meeting of the Kingmakers held in accordance with the Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration of 1961, the Kingmakers appointed Prince Lukman Adelodun Gbadegesin as the Alaafin of Oyo by a majority of lawful votes. His name was forwarded to Your Excellency for approval, but you refused to approve it for undisclosed reasons. The Kingmakers thereafter filed an action to stop Your Excellency from truncating the process, which is now pending in the Court of Appeal. “Your Excellency’s recent announcement of Prince Owoade’s appointment, claiming it was made after consultations and divinations, is contrary to the established legal process. The Alaafin is not chosen by consultation or divination but through strict compliance with the Registered Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration of 1967, which governs the selection process. The Bashorun of Oyo, as the head of the Oyomesi, must summon a meeting for the selection, but no such meeting was convened. This decision amounts to executive recklessness and cannot withstand legal scrutiny.” Meanwhile, the Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, has congratulated Prince Owoade on his ascension as the new Alaafin. In a statement issued by his press secretary, Alli Ibraheem, Oba Akanbi described Owoade’s rise as a divine act, affirming it to be in accordance with God’s will.

Everton Sack Head Coach, Sean Dyche

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Everton has sacked manager Sean Dyche, just hours before their FA Cup third-round tie against Peterborough. Everton said in a statement Dyche had been “relieved of his duties as senior men’s first-team manager with immediate effect” after two years in charge, with the process to appoint a new boss underway. The Toffees are once again battling to avoid relegation from the Premier League after winning just one of their past 11 games, with that sole success coming against fellow drop candidates Wolves in December. Everton Under-18s head coach Leighton Baines and club captain Seamus Coleman will take charge against third-tier Peterborough on an interim basis. At the same time, the Liverpool side seek a permanent replacement for Dyche. Former Manchester United and Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, currently in charge of Turkish club Fenerbahce, has recently been linked with Everton. Mourinho has experience working with the Friedkin Group at Roma, although the Italian club sacked him just under a year ago. David Moyes, who managed Everton between 2002 and 2013, ex-England coach Gareth Southgate, Brentford boss Thomas Frank, and Bournemouth manager Andoni Iraola are also among the reported contenders to succeed Dyche. Everton have won only three times in 19 league matches this season and are languishing in 16th place, with only one point separating them from the relegation zone. Asked earlier this week if the club considered his position, Dyche’s answer suggested he knew the sack could be looming. “To be clear, it should be,” the former Burnley boss said. “At the end of the day, if you’re a business of this size, succession planning should surely be part of their diligence. I’ve got no problem with that at all. “I think the noise has grown very powerful here. It does. But we’ve had it before. “The players haven’t lacked effort but it’s affecting them because you can see it in their performances.” Recall that Dyche took charge at Everton in January 2023 and kept them in the top flight despite numerous issues, including last season’s points deduction for breaching Premier League rules on profit and sustainability. They finished 17th in Dyche’s first season, avoiding the drop with a victory against Bournemouth on the last day, and came 15th last term, extending their streak of being ever-present in English football’s top-flight since 1954. But chief among Everton’s problems under the 53-year-old Englishman were a lack of entertainment and a paucity of goals. Everton’s tally of just 15 this season is the second worst in the Premier League, behind only bottom-of-the-table Southampton’s 12. Dyche’s reliance on aggressive long-ball tactics had worked well on a limited budget at Burnley, who defied the odds to stay in the Premier League for much of his 10-year spell as manager. But Everton fans demand more entertaining fare from their team, making it especially painful when they failed to muster a single shot on target in Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth and managed only two in their 2-0 loss to Nottingham Forest in the previous game. That proved the final straw for the Friedkin Group and Everton will now begin the search for their fifth permanent manager in the past four years. Everton’s new owners will be mindful that the club are playing their final season at Goodison Park before moving to a new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock next term. Goodison has been Everton’s home for 132 years and the Friedkin Group would surely like an eye-catching appointment to lead them into the new era. Dyche, who was in the last year of his Everton contract, is the sixth manager in the 20-team Premier League to lose his job this season.

Makinde Approves Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade As New Alaafin Of Oyo

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  Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State has approved the appointment of Prince Abimbola Akeem Owoade as the new Alaafin of Oyo. The approval, announced in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, followed thorough consultations and divinations by the Oyomesi, the traditional kingmakers of Oyo. The governor’s endorsement brings an end to the prolonged anticipation of a new monarch for the ancient kingdom. According to the Honourable Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ademola Ojo, the announcement resolves the socio-political and legal disputes that have lingered since the passing of the late Alaafin, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, on April 22, 2022. Hon. Ojo urged all citizens of Oyo State to celebrate the occasion and offer their support to the new Alaafin. He expressed optimism that Prince Owoade’s reign would usher in an era of peace, prosperity, and unity for the historic Oyo Kingdom. The government, through the commissioner, reiterated its commitment to fostering harmony and preserving the rich cultural heritage of Oyo.

Presidency Criticizes Bauchi Governor Over Irresponsible Politics.

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  The Presidency on Friday urged the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, to face governance and stop “playing Irresponsible Politics,” with the Tax Reforms Bill. It said the governor should occupy himself with dealing with the many problems of his state rather than attacking President Bola Tinubu’s administration. Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Media and Public Communication, Mr Sunday Dare, made this stance in a statement he signed Friday morning titled ‘Gov. Bala Mohammed is Playing Irresponsible Politics.’ Dare was responding to Mohammed, who criticised President Tinubu, saying his economic reform policies are putting the North and Nigerians at large under strain. While receiving the National Chairman Council of Ulama Jama’atu Izalatul Bid’ah Wa’Ikamatis Sunnah, Sheikh Sani Jingir, earlier in the week, the Governor said he is not on good terms with the President, whom he accused of not listening to the people. “It is true that we are not on good terms with him [President Tinubu] because our brothers and sisters are suffering. Even we, the governors, are suffering. Aside from his policies, he does not listen to us,” Mohammed told Jingir, who was a staunch proponent of the Muslim-Muslim Ticket that brought Tinubu to power in May 2023. He expressed frustration over the president’s refusal to address the hardship, adding that the North has been particularly affected by the recent Tax Reforms proposed by the Federal Government. However, the Presidency said, “Governor Bala should face governance and stop using President Tinubu to burnish his vanishing image. Governor Bala is playing Irresponsible Politics. Rather, he should occupy himself with dealing with the many problems of his state. Ambition is made of sterner stuff. “President Tinubu is focused on revamping the economy, and he is working to turn the economic fortunes of the country around. He has a four-year mandate to deliver on his promises. “Nigerians have started to see the real impact of reforms of the Tinubu administration and better outcomes will continue to manifest in the lives of the citizens in the weeks and months ahead.” On the Tax Reform Bills, it said the President urged that anyone and groups that feel strongly about this matter before the National Assembly should take advantage of the legislative process. Therefore, “Attempts to stampede or abort this process must be considered undemocratic and self-serving,” it said. The presidency says the Nigerian public would like to know what Governor Mohammed is doing to make life better for the people of Bauchi State. It queried, “How well are the people of his state who still rank as most impoverished among Nigerians faring under his leadership? “How well has he, as Governor, used the increased resources at his disposal to improve the quality of life of his people?” Just like President Tinubu has a duty to all Nigerians, “Governor Bala has a greater duty and responsibility to the people of his state,” therefore, “Constant blustering and playing irresponsible politics will not relieve him of his duty to the people of Bauchi State his leadership has impoverished,” Dare noted

Trump Sets Up Meeting With Putin Amid Ukraine Conflict

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  US President-elect Donald Trump said Thursday that Russian leader Vladimir Putin wanted to meet and that a rendezvous between the pair was being arranged. He made the statement just a week and a half before taking office, following promises during his campaign to bring peace to Ukraine, which has been under Russian invasion since February 2022. “He wants to meet, and we’re setting it up,” Trump said at a meeting with Republican governors at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. “President Putin wants to meet, he’s said that even publicly, and we have to get that war over with, that’s a bloody mess.” Trump has never made any concrete proposals for a ceasefire or peace deal, and has often criticised the large amount of military aid the United States has sent to Kyiv. Trump has also frequently mocked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as a “salesman,” while raising eyebrows in Washington by rarely criticising Putin — and even speaking admiringly of the Kremlin leader. In addition to criticising the massive military aid sent to Ukraine under President Joe Biden, Trump has raised doubts over continued US involvement in the Western military alliance NATO. The United States under Biden has been Ukraine’s biggest wartime backer, providing military aid worth more than $65 billion since February 2022. AFP

California Wildfires: Death Toll Climbs To 10

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  The number of fire-related deaths has increased to 10 as authorities and the medical examiner continue to respond to reported fatalities. The Department of Medical Examiner said they have received notification of 10 fire-related deaths as of 9 p.m. Thursday. Authorities have not identified the deceased and are awaiting next of kin notification. The medical examiner said identification could be delayed due to fire conditions preventing them from responding to all the death locations. Traditional identification using fingerprints and visual identification may also not be available, delaying the process even further. Officials discovered remains Thursday in Pacific Palisades, making it the second fire-related death in the area. That was in addition to four confirmed fatalities in the Eaton Fire. It’s unclear which of the Southern California fires burning are responsible for the four other deaths out of the 10 total. Thousands of people remain displaced and tens of thousands are without power as the destructive fires continue to burn.

Lagos Teacher Remanded For Slapping A Three-Year-Old Pupil,Pleaded Not Guilty

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  Stella Nwadigo, a teacher accused of physically assaulting a three-year-old pupil at Christ-Mitots International School in Ikorodu, Lagos State, was brought before Magistrate M.O. Kusanu at the Ogba Magistrate Court on Thursday. Nwadigo, who was apprehended after a video surfaced online showing her repeatedly slapping the young child, Abayomi Micheal, reportedly pleaded not guilty to the charges read to her. The Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Agency disclosed this in an update on X.com on Thursday. The statement read, “Following the ongoing viral case of child abuse, all concerned parties appeared today, 9th January 2024, at the Ogba Magistrate Court. (sic) “The matter was assigned to Magistrate M.O. Kusanu. Two charges were read to the suspect, to which she pled not guilty.” Nwadigo’s defence counsel was said to have applied for bail, which the court reportedly set at N200,000. The statement added, “Her defense counsel applied for bail, which the court set at ₦200,000 and two verifiable sureties. “The suspect has been remanded in a correctional facility, and the case is adjourned to the 18th January 2024 for trial.” The viral video, which showed Nwadigo repeatedly slapping Abayomi while attempting to teach him how to write the number six, ignited public outrage, leading to widespread calls for justice. Nwadigo was also suspended by the school’s management, while Abayomi was reportedly hospitalised following the incident.

Yoruba, Igbo, Others Should Divide If Nigeria Isn’t Working – Sunday Igboho

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  Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, has said many Nigerians are no longer proud to identify themselves as citizens of the West African nation. In a video seen online on Thursday, Igboho, who was spotted at an airport in the United Kingdom, said corruption, insecurity, and a bad economy are the reasons for the lack of patriotism in the country. The separatist also stated that various ethnic nationalities should be allowed to go their separate ways if the country cannot function as a unified country. Igboho said Yoruba youths, who have gained valuable knowledge and experience from travelling worldwide, are eager to transform the Yoruba nation into a modern, prosperous society similar to that of Europe. He said, “Even inside the airport, there is no security. They can steal your belongings inside your bag (in Nigerian airports). All these are the things dissuading people from being proud of the country, Nigeria. “Things like that make us sad to identify ourselves as Nigerians. This is why we advocate for separation. If Nigeria is not working as a country, it is better we go our separate ways. “Our (Yoruba) youths will transform Yoruba nation. Most of them have travelled across the world, and they have learned a lot. If they come back to Yoruba land, the knowledge will help them build it and transform the nation like those in Europe.” Punch

Outrage As US Pastor Makes Lady Apologise To Congregation For Pregnancy

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  A viral video of Pastor Terry Jackson of True Vine Apostolic Church of Christ, Hampton, Virginia, publicly rebuking a young woman for being pregnant outside wedlock has sparked outrage and debate on social media. The footage, which reportedly happened on Sunday, shows the pastor instructing the visibly emotional woman to address the congregation. Standing at the centre of the church, she tearfully apologised, saying, “I want to apologise to everybody in here because I am pregnant. I’m sorry, y’all. I just hope that y’all forgive me. Keep on praying for me.” In his response, Jackson condemned her actions, describing the situation as “out of order.” He further declared that the church would not celebrate her pregnancy with events like a baby shower. “If you sin, you don’t wait later to repent. We don’t condone sin. Ain’t no baby showers. That’s what you lose when you have a baby out of wedlock, ain’t nobody in this church bout to attend one.” “Thank God that God didn’t take you out of here,” the pastor said. The video has drawn widespread criticism, with many accusing the pastor of public shaming. Others supported his approach, arguing it was necessary for discipline. Social media users weighed in with diverse opinions. American journalist Jemele Hill condemned the pastor’s actions, writing on Instagram, “The only person who should be ashamed in this scenario is the pastor. I hope she finds a new church home.” A commenter on Instagram, blk_charleston, wrote, “Why does she need people’s forgiveness? Did they die for her sins?” Deedle, tweeting as @VanillaDeedle, “Why does she have to apologise for her sin in front of everyone in the church?? All those people sitting in those pews should be up there confessing theirs also. You know they’re all full of sin as we all are.” Republican Rach ❤🐘, tweeting as @patrioticmaine, “You can condemn the sin of sex outside of marriage without condemning the individual or the innocent life she is carrying. Nothing a bout this is biblical or Christlike.” Some defended the pastor’s stance. On X, The Watcher, tweeting as @bythebookjulie,”The Pastor of True Vine is a hundred per cent correct. Sometimes it takes shaming bad choices that will effect the lives of everyone else and her future generations!” DBSSTEELER, tweeting as @dbssteeler29754, “The Bishop is right. Don’t go on like there was no transgression, chastise the transgressor. 99% of what’s wrong with modern women is men letting bad behaviour go on unchecked.” Others highlighted the importance of grace and compassion. A commenter, @spottedlamb777, tweeted, “She confessed her sin, baby is coming, it’s time to support that girl and her child.” Don Elswick, tweeting as @do5925, “Show grace, with the caveat, we all have missed the mark of godliness in our lives. Love restores.” According to the church’s website, Jackson’s vision for True Vine Apostolic Church is to follow the Lord’s guidance in teaching the gospel, administering baptism, and bringing new souls to Christ. While Jackson has not commented on the controversy, the incident has reignited discussions about how church leaders should handle sensitive matters involving congregants.

West Ham Appoints Ex- Chelsea Manager Graham Potter,Head Coach

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  English Premier League club, West Ham, has confirmed the appointment of former Chelsea boss, Graham Potter as its new head coach. “West Ham United is delighted to welcome Graham Potter as the club’s new head coach. The 49-year-old joins the Hammers on a two-and-a-half-year contract and will take charge of his new team for the first time when the Irons travel to Aston Villa in the FA Cup third round on Friday evening. “A highly-respected and sought-after coach, Potter has been awaiting the right opportunity after leaving his last role at Chelsea in April 2023 and was the Board’s unanimous choice to take the club forward in line with its objectives and ambitions. “Potter, whose progressive style and flexible tactical approach previously impressed at Swedish club Östersund, Swansea City and Brighton & Hove Albion, has a passion for a return to Premier League management and is relishing the opportunity to work with West Ham United’s talented squad of international players,” the club statement read on Thursday. More details later…

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