Olu Adamolekun, chairman of Ikere-Ekiti Local Government Area of Ekiti State, has sworn in his advisers and supervisors of wards in the LGA with a cutlass.

In a video making the rounds on social media on Tuesday, the appointees are seen taking turns wielding a cutlass (a totem believed to be for the god of iron) in one hand and either Quran or Bible in the other.

Ògún is a deity in African (Yoruba) traditional religion. It is often regarded as the “god of iron.”

The swearing-in ceremony coordinated by Adamolekun took place on May 2 at the chairman’s office’s conference hall.

Speaking, the LG boss congratulated the newly sworn-in supervisors and advisers while urging them to see their appointment as a call to service.

He further charged them to be guided by the document of the oath of swearing-in and discharge their duties diligently and accordingly.

The supervisors were identified as Femi Ayeni representing Are/Aramomi/Ayetoro Ward, Olu Ogundipe (Okeruku Ward), Idowu Ojo Omowumi (Atiba/Aafin Ward), and Ajayi Mathew Oladele (Ogbonjana Ward).

Others are Sola Alonge of Odose Ward, Boluwaji Daramola (llapetu/ljao Ward), Toyin Owolabi (Agbado/Oyo Ward), Akojiyan Olamilekan Rasaq (Oke Osun Ward) and Filani Motunrayo (Afao/Kajola Ward) sworn in as advisers.

Before this video surfaced, political officeholders usually swear an oath of office using the Quran or Bible while pledging allegiance to the country’s Constitution.

The Otun Olubadan of Ibadanland, High Chief Rasidi Ladoja, on Tuesday, finally withdrew the suit filed against members of Olubadan-in-Council.

High Chief Ladoja instituted a suit against the members of the Council over the beaded crown worn before the demise of the late 42nd Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Lekan Balogun.

The coast is now clear for the enthronement of the Olubadan-designate, Oba Owolabi Olakulehin, as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland.

More to follow…

A former Minister of Communication Adebayo Shittu claims that there were manipulations and fraudulent approvals under the immediate past government of ex-President Muhammadu Buhari.

Shittu served as a minister under the Buhari government but believed many persons close to the former Nigerian president manipulated things to their favour, plunging the country’s economy into a downward slide.

“Let me tell you, there were a lot of manipulations and we even heard that a lot of the so-called approvals did not emanate from President Buhari,” he said on Tuesday’s edition of Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily while responding to comments that the previous government was printing money to run the economy.

“There were a lot of manipulations and fraudulent approvals which did not emanate from the President.”

“I am telling you confidently that a lot of it did not get his attention,” he insisted. “There were a lot of people around the President who exploited their relationship with the President and conspired with the then-CBN governor.

Approvals Without Signatures

Shittu’s claims corroborated that of presidential spokesman Ajuri Ngelale who said many approvals for releasing funds within the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) under Godwin Emefiele did not have Buhari’s signature.

“President Bola Tinubu has come out several times in fairness to him (Buhari), to say, ‘Look, this is what happened under the previous administration’. I think we have to acknowledge the fact that he (Tinubu) understands more than anyone that many of the approvals within the CBN that brought us to this point have no signature to President Muhammadu Buhari and had no knowledge of President Muhammadu Buhari,” Ngelale said.

Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan appointed Emefiele as the CBN governor. However upon assumption of office in 2015, Buhari retained him as the apex bank boss.

He, was, however, removed in June and is being tried for charges bordering on corruption.

Shittu therefore wants Nigeria’s anti-corruption agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to wade into the matter and “probe properly”.

“I hope the EFCC will probe properly as to how these things happen without the President knowing,” Shittu said.