Category: News

Father says his late son, Taiwo Has Been the family’s Only Hope Since 2019

Mr. Asaniyi Rufus, father of the late Asaniyi Taiwo, pilot of the military plane that crashed last week has said that only God can console his family and appealed to the government for help after the tragedy that occurred.

He shared this with journalists at his Ibadan residence on Monday while lamenting the death of his first male child. He said: “I struggled to ensure that my children have the best. I did farming for 32 years to support my teaching job, just to ensure that my children have the best of education.”

“Since my retirement in 2019, Taiwo has been the one sustaining my family. All the responsibilities of the family had been on his shoulder, being the first male child. “He was a blessing to us and our extended family. I had thought that the chain of hardship had been broken, but God took him away.”

“I want to appeal to the government to please help me find jobs for them because God has taken my beloved Taiwo away,” he said, visibly upset.

The late pilot’s mother, Mrs. Rachael Asaniyi, also visibly upset, asked for the government’s assistance.

“My heartbeat has gone. It is only God who can console the family. “I am a teacher due for retirement in February 2022. Taiwo was my son and my friend. I don’t know what to say or do now, but I have put everything in the hands of God,” she said, trying and failing to hold back the tears.

The family’s first child, Mrs. Oluwatoyin Olaoye also spoke to the visiting journalists and spoke highly of her late brother. She revealed that the family, although bereaved, has found some comfort in the fact that he lived a fulfilled life in his time on earth.

Secretary-General of the Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr Kunle Olajide

The Secretary-General of the Yoruba Council of Elders, Dr Kunle Olajide, has said Nigeria may not last till 2023 when another round of general election will hold.

Olajide said the level of mutual suspicion among various ethnic nationalities in the country and the level of attacks against the government agencies were an indication that all was not well with Nigeria and urgent actions must be taken to bring it back from the brink.

Popular Activist and politician, Adamu Garba, has slammed President Buhari and all Northern governors who were absent at Ibrahim Attahiru’s burial yesterday in Abuja. Despite the funeral took place in Abuja, the president was still absent.

Nigerians are still dragging the president and other governors over failure to attend Ibrahim Attahiru and other military officers’ burial. The Northern governors ignored the burial only to attend AGF Malami’s son’s burial.

Adamu Garba referred to President Buhari’s absence as a “National embarrassment to Nigeria.”

Adamu Garba’s statement reads: “Even the fact that our President is not there to pay his last respect is a national embarrassment to us, wallahi.

I don’t know why everything in this country would have to be different

“What signal are we extending to our men & women in uniform? Those on the frontline? Why is this?

“If a whole COAS died and does not deserve the attention of the highest national authority, what will be the thinking of the lower cadre officers?

“All governors & President are supposed to attend his funeral unfailingly.

It is a symbolic gesture of solidarity with our military.

We must work on the spirit of our national consciousness.

There are things that no matter what, we should not take for granted.

Our leaders must understand that a country like Nigeria should be led from the frontline.

We should love our national heroes death or alive.

President Muhammadu Buhari has expressed sadness over the air crash that claimed the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and other military officers.

Buhari Deeply saddened by the air crash that claimed the lives of the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Ibrahim Attahiru, and other military officers. All of them are heroes who paid the ultimate price for peace and security in the land.

“This crash is one mortal blow to our underbelly, at a time our Armed Forces are poised to end the security challenges facing the country. My condolences to the families of the deceased, the entire military, and all Nigerians. The deaths of these officers will not be in vain!”

Flight Lt. AA Olufade Just got Married Two Months Ago.

He was One Of The Victims Of The Military Plane Crash

Crashed military plane manifest
COAS Entourage:

1. LT GEN I ATTAHIRU.
2. BRIG GEN MI ABDULKADIR.
3. BRIG GEN OLAYINKA.
4. BRIG GEN KULIYA.
5. MAJ LA HAYAT.
6. MAJ HAMZA.
7. SGT UMAR.

CREW

8. FLT LT TO ASANIYI.
9. FLT LT AA OLUFADE.
10. SGT ADESINA.
11. ACM OYEDEPO.

…May his soul Rest In Peace

US court declines jurisdiction in MFM’s Olukoya libel suit against Badejo, the United Kingdom blogger.

A case instituted against a United Kingdom-based blogger, Maureen Badejo, for libellous publications against the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (Worldwide), Dr Daniel Olukoya, at the United States District Court, in the Northern District of California, has been dismissed for lack of personal jurisdiction by the court.

Starnews Nigeria reports that the court also denied pastor Olukoya a motion filed to seek a default judgement against the Popular blogger, Badejo.

Recalled that an Ogun State High Court in Abeokuta had on February, in a default judgment, slammed N500 million damages against Maureen Badejo, for libellous publications against the General Overseer of Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (Worldwide), Dr Daniel Olukoya, and the church.

The Court also granted “a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant by herself, her agents, servants, privies or other persons howsoever called or described from further making, publishing and/or disseminating defamatory stories and statements about the claimants or any one of them.”

But the case has since been appealed by Badejo who said she was not heard by the court and was not aware of such a case in Nigeria because according to her, “she was not served and does not reside in Nigeria”.

In a similar case in the United Kingdom High Court, Queen’s Bench Division, Badejo has approached an appellate court to set aside a judgement delivered in favour of Dr Olukoya and his Church by the Queen’s Bench Division High Court where a perpetual injunction was obtained by Pastor Olukoya and his church, MFM, restraining her (Maureen Badejo), from further publishing defamatory words against or concerning Dr Daniel Olukoya, his family, and his church, the Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries.

But in the recent judgement by the US court, the case instituted against Badejo by Dr Olukoya was dismissed.

Because the Court lacks personal jurisdiction over Defendants, Plaintiffs’ motion for default judgment is DENIED, and the case is DISMISSED. The Clerk is directed to TERMINATE the case. IT IS SO ORDERED. Dated: May 6, 2021”, Justice Haywood S. Gilliam, Jr., the United States District Judge

The Lagos State Police Command on Monday granted N500,000 bail to detained Nollywood actor, Olanrewaju James, popularly known as, Baba Ijesha for alleged sexual assault.

His lawyer, Adesina Ogunlana in a telephone call told Vanguard that his client was granted administrative bail by the police in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties.

He said: ” Yes I can confirm to you that my client has been granted bail by the police. The terms of the bail include two reliable sureties- a blood relation and a level 10 civil servant. We are currently working to meet the bail conditions.”

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), has warned that the end of the Nigeria as a united country is becoming more and more likely, following calls by 17 Southern governors requesting for President Muhammadu Buhari to restructure the country.

The ACF made the statement through its National Publicity Secretary, Emmanuel Yawe, in response to resolutions reached by the governors at a meeting in Asaba, Delta State on Tuesday.

The Governors in the same meeting, also banned open grazing and advised Buhari to convoke a national dialogue to address the salient issues confronting the nation.

But Yawe said while the ACF supports ban on open grazing, he however said before deciding on the restructuring of the federation, the nation must first decide whether it wants to remain one indissoluble unit or not.

“Our position on this is informed by the fact that some of the advocates of restructuring are at the same time advocating the dissolution of Nigeria. Are they believers in Nigeria at all? We must all agree to let Nigeria be, before we move forward,” Yawe told The Punch.

ACF said it had nothing against the call on President Muhammadu Buhari to address Nigerians on the concrete steps he has been taking to address insecurity in the land.

“There is nothing wrong with their call on the President to talk to Nigerians. As a politician, he should jump at any opportunity to communicate with the electorate.

“On the issue of ban on open grazing, I don’t think there is problem here with the stand of the ACF.

“At our last National Working Committee meeting in Kaduna, the national leader of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria spoke to us at length.

“He said he and his organisation had decided that the only way forward, and that in the interest of MACABAN, was to embark on ranching and that they were waiting for government’s policy.

“If MACABAN wants open grazing banned, not only in the southern part of Nigeria but all over Nigeria, who are we to say otherwise?

“On the issue of dialogue, the ACF has always believed in this if the aim of the dialogue is to promote the unity and progress of the whole country, our forum will hold dialogue with any state and group of people that share our cherished ideals of unity, justice, peace and progress,” Yawe stated.

The President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Thursday, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, his family, and members of his church of his son, Pastor Dare Adeboye.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, the President urged them to find comfort in the teachings of the Holy Scriptures that those who have chosen to serve God faithfully will see Him as He is in eternity.

The statement was titled ‘President Buhari commiserates with Pastor Adeboye on the death of the son.’

It read, “President Muhammadu Buhari extends deepest sympathies to the family of Pastor Enoch Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, on the passing of his son, Pastor Dare Adeboye.

“Also commiserating with members of the RCCG on the demise of the Assistant Pastor in charge of Region (Youth) 35, President Buhari urges them to find comfort in the teachings of the Holy Scriptures that those who have chosen to serve God faithfully will see Him as He is in eternity.

“The President prays God Almighty to grant the departed rest in His everlasting kingdom and comfort grieving family, friends and associates.”

The actor has now taken to Instagram to condemn the actions of Baba Ijesha following the release of the footage.

He, however, lamented that his hesitation to jump to a conclusion concerning the allegation against Baba Ijesha was taken to mean he was supporting the suspect.

He also condemned the act of using the minor as bait for Baba Ijesha who is said to have also molested the girl seven years ago.

According to him, “If the girl was your child, can you make her go through such trauma again in the name of gathering evidence?”

Yomi Fabiyi said this in a statement titled, ‘It Is Criminal To Molest A Minor Or Use A Minor As A Trap To Gather Evidence.’

The statement read, “It is disturbing and unfortunate viewing the images of the released CCTV footage of a minor been sexually abused by a senior colleague, Mr Lanre Omiyinka a.k.a Baba Ijesha. There is no excuse for this act. I condemn this act, it is embarrassing and disappointing.

“I have carefully waited for reliable options before jumping to a conclusion as done in a civilised society, a stance a handful misconstrued as supporting the suspect, it is a shame a handful in Nigeria still engage in social media recklessness in the name of social media age. NOWHERE HAVE I SUPPORTED OR CONDONE SUCH, someone just placed the idea and many without caution jumped on it. If you are not enlightened, SEEK KNOWLEDGE.

“The only person free from arrest and prosecution is the young lady. Several red lines were crossed, IGNORANCE is never an excuse. The key question every honest person should be asking is, “if the girl was your child, can you make her go through such trauma again in the name of gathering evidence? Where are the social services and domestic violence unit in Lagos State? Shelve press release and sentiments, swing into action.

“The law is sacrosanct and we all can agree a lot more needs to be done TO PROTECT CHILDREN IN NIGERIA. I am sad, we have failed many innocent children and it is time we rise to this challenge, THE WORLD IS WATCHING.