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OPU Europe Summit: ‘Use Yoruba language as tool to foster unity, devt’

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OPU EUROPE SUMMIT

 

The Europe chapter of the Oodua Progressives Union (OPU) at the weekend restated the need to use Yoruba language as a tool to foster unity and development.

The Diaspora group, presently very active in 96 countries in the world, gave the charge during the 7th edition of its European Summit, which held via online Webinar, with over 800 participants from across the world.

The summit, held for over four hours uninterruptedly, had in attendance two prominent professors, including Professor Raheem Kolawole,an environmentalist, from the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana and Professor Duro Adeleke,from Department of Foreign Languages, University of Ibadan,as guests lecturers,as well as several other social, economic and political analysts.

Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, and the global convener of OPU, Iba Gani Abiodun Ige Adams,in his remarks,said the summit has been the rallying point for international discourse,adding that all members of the organization have, in the last seven years, benefitted immensely from the global forum,which, he said, had also helped in shaping the thoughts, ideas and values of the organization.

The Yoruba generalissimo stated further that OPU has developed an enduring blueprints for projecting the developmental agenda of the Yoruba race.

He expressed hope that such blueprints would take care of the future exigencies and challenges of the race.

Adams also insisted that key decisions would be made during the summit,that would also formed part of the recommendations needed for the developmental agenda for all members across the 28 countries in Europe and the southwest in particular.

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“OPU is driven by the only desire to promote Yoruba cultural identity and strive for the progress of our race. Over the last ten years,our organization has been spreading its tentacles, and now it is in 96 countries of the world. And we have made remarkable progress in the area of mobilization, as well as building strong ties among all members”

Aare Adams appealed to all members, especially, in Europe to justify their individual strengths and potentials by bringing into the fold reputable members that are ready to share in the dreams of the diaspora organization.

He said: “At the end of this meeting, I believe this year summit would be able to proffer lasting solutions to most of the problems, especially, in health economy, education,and agric sectors among others.

“This gathering would also raise the hope of the Yoruba nation, assuring them about the prospects of a bright and rewarding future, especially, for the youths”

Earlier in his opening remarks,OPU European Coordinator, Chief Victor Mobolaji Adewale,who is also the Akingbayi Aareonakakanfo of Yorubaland, expressed hope that the 2021 edition of the Summit would broker peace and broaden the knowledge base of all members and participants.

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He, however, pointed out that the COVID-19 global health issues and challenges of last year really affected the world economy.

“COVID-19 created a big lacuna in the life of every country,but the most important thing is that the world has adjusted and still working towards full recovery from the global threats”.

“Today, we have come together as one big family to assess the past years, and formulate worthy ideas that will lead us to a greater future.

“From the theme of the summit, tagged “Setting Developmental Agenda for Yorubaland”, it showed that idea of setting a new, lasting developmental agenda for our race came as an immediate response to recover the loss ground and project the big picture of the OPU dream to the world. And I am sure it would be an amazing experience to be part of this annual summit,” he said.

Meanwhile, Professor Raheem in his speech spoke about unity and the need to develop a plan that would enhance organizational management and boost the morale among all groups in Yorubaland and in diaspora.

He said the major challenges of every Yoruba organization is lack of unity and cohesiveness,including backbiting, adding that such could be tackled with a broad based approach to ensure that there is unity and progress within the various organizations in Yorubaland

See also  Yobe buries 34 victims of Boko Haram's attack on Mafa community

Professor Duro Adeleke, while lamenting the ugly trend by which the Yoruba language was going, urged the Southwest Governors to save the language from going into extinction.

He charged the leaders as well as other language promoters to use the language as a tool to foster unity, and development across all sectors.

His words, “Yoruba Language is a potential tool for solving problems, especially,in education, health, economy and politics among others”

“For instance,in university of Ibadan foreign ambassadors from United States of America, Britain, Europe and Canada come to learn about Yoruba language.They have even gone beyond the language, they also learn about Ifa as a deity”.

“This is a wonderful development, however, it is a wake up call to all and sundry that Yoruba language must not go into extinction”

“Our governors in the southwest must make the Yoruba language compulsory, especially, for students admission into the universities.

In the 28 countries of Europe, their languages remain the first and next to none, that is the secret of their growth and development”,

“We can only get it right in the south west, if we rededicate ourselves to the promotion of Yoruba language. The language should remain the official language in both private and public institutions”, he explained.

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Two Oyo commissioner, special adviser resign

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Two senior officials in the Oyo State Ministry of Budget and Economic Planning have resigned their appointments from Governor Seyi Makinde’s administration.

The officials are Ayobami Ojo, the Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, and Simeon Oyeleke, the ministry’s Special Adviser on Budget and Economic Planning.

In separate letters dated November 2, and addressed to Mr Makinde, both officials said their resignations would take effect immediately, while thanking the governor for the opportunity to serve but did not give specific reasons for their decisions.

In his letter, Ojo referred to his appointment letter dated 22 June 2026 and formally announced his resignation as commissioner.

“With reference to your letter dated 22nd June, 2026 (SP.S.662/2/VOL.IV/192), I respectfully write to formally resign my appointment as Honourable Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, with effect from today, 2nd November, 2026,” he wrote.

He described his time in government as an honour and said he appreciated the opportunity to serve the state.

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Oyeleke also tendered his resignation with effect from 2 November.

In his letter, he thanked Mr Makinde for the confidence reposed in him and the opportunity to contribute to the administration’s policies and development programmes.

He also expressed appreciation for the governor’s leadership, support and encouragement during his time in office.

“I remain grateful for the opportunity to have been part of this administration and to have contributed to its laudable achievements. I also remain committed to the peace, progress and development of Oyo State,” he wrote.

The latest resignations come amid a series of exits of political appointees and other officials from the Makinde administration in recent months.

It would be recalled that Segun Ogunwuyi resigned as the governor’s chief of staff on 12 October, a position he had held since July 2021. His resignation took immediate effect, although he did not state a reason for his departure.

A few hours after Ogunwuyi’s departure, Makinde appointed Bashorun Akinwole, popularly known as Wolekanle, as his replacement.

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On the same day, Tara Adefope, the Director-General of the Oyo State Due Process Office, also resigned from her position, while in late October, Kabiru Salami, the governor’s Executive Assistant on Security Coordination, also tendered his resignation.

Other officials who have left the administration include Funmi Arulogun, a Senior Special Assistant on Diaspora Matters, who resigned in August, citing personal and political considerations.

Babatunde Oduyoye, a member of the Oyo State Advisory Council, also resigned in July, while Fatai Owoseni, a former Commissioner of Police who served as the governor’s Special Adviser on Security resigned in May.

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Good morning! Nigerian Newspapers Headlines: Campaigns: OK Movement insists on independence

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1. The OK (Obi/Kwankwaso) Movement has declared that it will maintain its independent identity while mobilising support for the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) and its candidates ahead of the 2027 general election. 

Movement’s leader John Ughulu said the group remained committed to its original mission of securing the election of former Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and erstwhile Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.

Speaking in an interview, Ughulu dismissed suggestions that the movement’s decision to campaign independently would undermine its support for the NDC, insisting that the focus should be on achieving a common  political objective.

2. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid got a big boost at the weekend with endorsements from across the country. His achievement, the need for consolidation, national cohesion, and other reasons were adduced for the show of solidarity. The presidential election is billed for January 16, 2027

3. The Federal Government has vowed to crack down on inflated public contracts and procurement violations, warning heads of government-owned agencies, corporations, councils, authorities and commissions that they risk sanctions for breaching procurement regulations. The government raised the alarm over contract awards that exceed approved price benchmarks.

See also  Yobe buries 34 victims of Boko Haram's attack on Mafa community

4. The African Democratic Congress has rescheduled its presidential campaign kick-off in Sokoto State to Wednesday, November 4, despite alleging threats, attacks on its members and attempts by the state government to frustrate the event. The party said its decision to proceed with the campaign was a demonstration of its determination to exercise its constitutional rights despite what it described as growing political intimidation ahead of the 2027 general elections.

5. Troops of Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised four leaders of the Islamic State West Africa Province, including two Arabs, a commander and several of their foot soldiers in Kukawa Local Government Area of Borno State. The Army said they were neutralised on October 31, 2026, by combined troops of the Joint Task Force deployed to Kukawa following a massive ISWAP terrorists attack on their locations.

6. United States President, Donald Trump, has agreed to grant an immediate visa to the mother of a 15-year-old Ghanaian boy shot dead in New York, following a request by the city’s mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
Mamdani announced the development on Saturday after speaking with Trump, saying the visa would allow the teenager’s mother to travel to the United States and attend her son’s funeral.

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7. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has arrested two Nigerians based in Europe after they allegedly ingested 200 wraps of cocaine weighing 3.46kg while attempting to travel from Abuja to Paris, France. The suspects, identified as Aliocus Odife and Sam Blackborn, were arrested on Wednesday during the outward clearance of an Air France flight, AF 832, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

8. Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 100-level female student of Plateau State University, Bokkos, while another person sustained injuries during an attack on off-campus student residential areas in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State. It was learnt that the incidents, which occurred on Saturday evening at about 8:40pm, had heightened concerns over the safety of students residing outside the university campus.

9. An early-morning fire outbreak at the weekend destroyed no fewer than 110 buildings and structures at Kofar Ruwa Timber Market in the Kano metropolis. The Kano State Fire Service, while confirming the incident in a statement on Sunday, said the inferno razed 75 permanent buildings and 35 temporary structures across different sections of the market.

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10. The immediate past National Chairman of the Labour Party, Julius Abure, has declared his readiness to align with President Bola Tinubu or former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 presidential election, while ruling out support for the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Peter Obi.

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Relief as suspected Ebola cases in Adamawa tested negative

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The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has said that there are currently no laboratory-confirmed cases of Ebola  in Adamawa.

The NCDC had on Saturday said that there were two suspected cases of Ebola in the north-east state, adding that the individuals had been isolated while contact identification was ongoing.

But in a statement on Sunday, the director-general of NCDC, Jide Idris,
said samples collected from the two individuals, who had symptoms suggestive of Ebola, tested negative after two rounds of testing.

“The report was received by the Adamawa State Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PHEOC) in the early hours of 30 October 2026, following the identification of two individuals presenting with symptoms suggestive of Ebola, requiring further investigation,” the statement reads.

“Hence the alert that was released early this evening. The individuals have been isolated, and appropriate public health measures have been initiated.

“Samples were collected for laboratory testing to establish the cause of the illness. Fortunately, the samples turned out negative for EBV after two rounds of testing.”

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Idris commended the Adamawa health commissioner and his team for their “proactive approach”, adding that the NCDC was working closely with the state government to investigate the report of suspected Ebola cases.

“Currently, there is no laboratory-confirmed Ebola case in Adamawa state,” he said.

“The index case previously confirmed in the Federal Capital Territory remains the only confirmed case reported in Nigeria to date.”

He urged the public to remain calm and avoid sharing unverified information or speculating about the situation.

“The public is encouraged to obtain information from official government and public health communication channels,” he said.

Idris described Ebola as a serious infectious disease that requires prompt identification, appropriate clinical management and effective infection prevention and control measures.

“Anyone experiencing symptoms such as fever, severe weakness, headache, muscle pain, vomiting, diarrhoea or unexplained bleeding, particularly following relevant exposure, should seek immediate medical attention and inform healthcare workers of any relevant travel or contact history,” he said.

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“Individuals should avoid self-medication and follow the advice of healthcare professionals.”

Nigeriaconfirmed its first Ebola case in more than a decade on October 20, after a 42-year-old Swiss woman tested positive for the Bundibugyo strain in Abuja.

The patient, who had travelled from Uganda to Nigeria, was subsequently isolated and treated by Nigerian health workers.

On Monday, the federal governmentevacuated the patient to Switzerland aboard a medical plane.

Her husband, who was identified as a close contact, was also evacuated to Switzerland.

Ali Pate, coordinating minister of health and social welfare, said the patient was clinically much improved, stable, conscious and communicating, with her laboratory test results approaching baseline levels.

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