THE STORY OF OBALUFON, THE LONGEST KING OF ILE-IFE THAT REIGN FOR 400 YEARS ON THRONE

THE STORY OF OBALUFON, THE LONGEST KING OF ILE-IFE THAT REIGN FOR 400 YEARS ON THRONE

OBALUFON STATUE 

In the history of all 50 Ooni that have reigned in Ile Ife before the present king Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, Obalufon Ogbogbodirin is said to have lived longest, thus the Ogbogbodirin sobriquet after his name which literary means one who lived for a very long time.

The statue of Obalufon Ogbogbodirin, the Ooni who lived for centuries.
Ooni Obalufon Ogbogbodirin is said to be the fourth king of Ile Ife. He is said to have reigned for centuries and later transfigured into a metal figurine as he aged and eventually become a deity.

But there is more to Obalufon even in death. He has become a prayer point for every Ooni that have reigned after him. The present Ooni once revealed that “Obalufon Ogbogbodirin holds the spiritual classified codes for Ooni‘s long reign.”

We gathered that every Ooni that has reigned after Obalufon Ogbogbodirin have gone to where his figurine his, knelt before it and prayed to live as long as he had lived before they are crowned. It was learnt that Obalufon shrine till date plays an important role in the installation of every Ooni after him as Aare crown is always blessed in his shrine before it will be placed on the head of the new Ooni.

Though Obalufon has a groove where he is being worshipped, Ooni Ogunwusi brought him closer to the people when he ordered that an image of him be erected in the Enuwa palace where he lives.

Source: Gossip House
Researcher: Comr Olamide Akinwumi James
09068215955

The History Of Calabar You Must Know.

The History Of Calabar You Must Know.
....the home of business, capital of Cross River State.

Calabar, formerly Old Calabar, town and port, capital of Cross River state, southeastern Nigeria. It lies along the Calabar River, 5 miles (8 km) upstream from that river’s entrance into the Cross River estuary. Settled in the early 17th century by the Efik branch of the Ibibio people, the town became a centre for trade between Europeans on the coast and Africans farther inland. Fish, cassava, bananas, palm oil, and palm kernels were traded at Calabar for European manufactured goods, and the town also served as a major slave-trading depot. Duke Town and the other Efik settlements near Calabar—Creek Town, Henshaw Town, and Obutong (Old Town)—were forcibly united into the loosely knit state of Old Calabar by the Ekpe secret society, which was controlled by the towns’ merchant houses.

By the mid-19th century, after the waning of the slave trade, Old Calabar’s economy had become based on the export of palm oil and palm kernels. After the chiefs of Duke Town accepted British protection in 1884, the town, which was called Old Calabar until 1904, served as capital of the Oil Rivers Protectorate (1885–93), the Niger Coast Protectorate (1893–1900), and Southern Nigeria (1900–06) until the British administrative headquarters were moved to Lagos. It remained an important port (shipping ivory, timber, and beeswax, as well as palm produce) until it was eclipsed by Port Harcourt, terminus (1916) of the railroad, 90 miles (145 km) west.

The name Old Calabar (as distinguished from the port and river named New Calabar, 120 miles [193 km] west) was originally given by 15th-century Portuguese navigators to the African inhabitants of that part of the Gulf of Guinea coast. This region was the main source of the Calabar bean, a poisonous bean that, when ingested, markedly affects the nervous system.

Calabar international seaport

The completion of roads from Calabar to Arochukwu, Ikom, and Mamfe (in Cameroon) and the Calabar–Itu–Expene highway (which provides easy access to the rest of Nigeria) contributed to Calabar’s initial importance as a port. The port still exports some products, including oil, natural gas, palm produce, timber, rubber, cocoa, and piassava fibre. The town has a sawmill; rubber-, food-, and oil-palm-processing plants; and a cement factory. Wood carving is a traditional art of the Efik, and the town’s artisans sculpt ebony artifacts for the tourist market in Lagos.

Calabar has long been an educational centre. Its first church school, established by the Rev. Hope Waddell of the Free Church of Scotland in 1846, helped influence the Ekpe secret society to pass a law (1850) prohibiting human sacrifice. The University of Calabar (1975), a college of technology, a teacher-training college, and numerous secondary schools are located in Calabar. Pop. (2016 est.) urban agglom., 895,000.

From 1725 until 1750, roughly 17,000 enslaved Africans were sold from Calabar to European slave traders; from 1772 to 1775, the number soared to over 62,000. Old Calabar (Duke Town) and Creek Town, 16 kilometres (10 mi) northeast, were crucial towns in the trade of slaves in that era. HMS Comus, as part of the British blockade of Africa against the slave trade, sailed into Duke Town in 1815, where she captured seven Spanish and Portuguese slave ships. African-American writer and slave John Jea came from the area. A small mulatto community of merchants was located there that had links to missionary and other merchant colonies in Igboland, Lagos, and across the Atlantic.

The city was the home the first social club in Nigeria, the Africa Club[citation needed]. It hosted the first competitive football, cricket and field hockey games in Nigeria. Among the city's firsts were the first Roman Catholic Mass (held at 19 Bocco Street, Calabar – 1903) and the oldest secondary school (Hope Waddell Training Institution – 1895) in eastern Nigeria.[citation needed] The school later graduated Nnamdi Azikiwe, who was elected as the first President of Nigeria.

The city has several museums (including the Slave History Museum), a botanical garden, a free trade zone/port, an international airport and seaport, an integrated sports stadium complex, a cultural centre, one of the most prominent universities in the country – the University of Calabar, a slave history park and several historical and cultural landmarks. It also has several standard hotels, resorts and amusement parks. The former Liberian warlord Charles Taylor lived in the old colonial palace in the city, under an agreement that led to the end of his country's civil war, before fleeing extradition to Liberia in March 2006.

The Tinapa Resort, a development by the Cross River State government, lies to the north of the city beside the Calabar Free Trade Zone.
The Cross River State Annual Christmas Festival held every year attracts thousands from within and beyond Nigeria. The festival, includes music performance from both local and international artists. Other annual events include the Calabar Carnival, a boat regatta, fashion shows, a Christmas Village, traditional dances and the annual Ekpe Festival.

Calabar features a tropical monsoon climate (Köppen: Am) with a lengthy wet season spanning ten months and a short dry season covering the remaining two months. The harmattan, which significantly influences weather in West Africa, is noticeably less pronounced in the city. Temperatures are relatively constant throughout the year, with average high temperatures usually ranging from 25 to 28 degrees Celsius. There is also little variance between daytime and nighttime temperature, as temperatures at night are typically only a few degrees lower than the daytime high temperature. Calabar averages just over 3,000 millimetres (120 in) of precipitation annually.

Calabar has three principal landlord kingdoms, namely the Qua Kingdom of Ejagham (Ekoi)/Bantu origin, the Efut and the Efik Kingdoms. The Qua Kingdom has the Ndidem of the Qua nation as the Grand Patriarch, the Efut have the Muri munene as the Grand Patriarch, and the Efik Kingdom patriarch is known as the Obong.

Before the colonial period, Calabar, originally known as Akwa Akpa, was a kingdom with the City of Calabar as the site of government. Calabar has three different monarchs, the Obong of Calabar as the ruler of the Efiks and the Ekpe secret society as the stool on which the Obong of Calabar sat. The Ndidem of Calabar is the ruler of the Quas and paramount ruler of Calabar Municipality which is the seat of government. The muri munene of the Efuts who is the ruler of the Efuts and paramount ruler of Calabar South.

Calabar people are mainly people from the old Calabar province – Calabar South, Calabar Municipality, Akpabuyo, Bakassi, Biase, Odukpani and Akamkpa, but as commonly used in Nigeria, the term "Calabar people" could also refer to the indigenes of Greater Calabar as well as the people of the original South Eastern State of Nigeria who are at present the people of Akwa Ibom State and Cross River State.

Calabar is the headquarters of the Eastern Naval Command. The city has a new model school, Nigerian Navy Secondary School, situated in Akpabuyo, about 10 minutes' drive from the airport. This new school complements the existing Nigerian Navy Primary School and Naval Officers Wives Association Primary School, both situated at Ikot Ansa Calabar.

Researcher: Comr. Olamide Akinwumi J.

Akinwumiolamide09@gmail.com 

09068215955

Source:

"Brief History of Cross-River State:: Nigeria Information & Guide". nigeriagalleria.com. Retrieved 5 July 2018.

^ Iliffe, John (1995). Africans: The History of a Continent (illustrated, reprint ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 149. ISBN 0-521-48422-7.

Ekiti: Kayode Ojo's Suit, The True Account.

Ekiti: Kayode Ojo's Suit, The True Account.

...Describing the Sodeinde story as misleading.

The Kayode Ojo Campaign Organisation (KOCO) has reacted to a story in the social media credited to one heritage news blog and written by one Gbenga Sodeinde, describing it as total false and representation of what transpired in the court room. 

The organisation, in a statement titled: EKITI: KAYODE OJO'S SUIT, THE TRUE ACCOUNT and signed by its Media aide, Alhaji Deji Aiyelabowo was released to newsmen on Monday in Ado-Ekiti. 

Describing the Sodeinde story as misleading, the group noted that it has its representative, Gbenga Ogedengbe in the court room who gave the true account of what transpired. 

Ogedengbe account has released according to the statement reads: "I was personally present in the courtroom at the Federal High Court, Ado Ekiti, on Friday, the 22nd day of July 2022, where the case of Engr Kayode Ojo challenging the APC party candidature of Mr Biodun Oyebanji was being heard. 

"I was emotionally disturbed when I discovered that a false report of the proceeding that I saw online was credited to an online media practitioner, Mr Gbenga Sodeinde. 

"Sodeinde, certainly was not anywhere around the court, but most  likely, he had relied on the information gathered from some people, who do not know the difference between 'plaintiff' and 'defendant'. 

"But had the good privilege of financial packaging through their longtime romance with people in power."

Sodeinde had reported that Kayode Ojo, who was one of the aspirants that contested the party primaries said he won the  last APC governorship primary in Ekiti State based on the result which he saw on the social media. 

"That story was not only a falsehood, but an hypocrisy of the highest order. When has seen things on social media become a social stigma or object of derision? 

"In the contemporary world, there is no discussion under the sun that can go without the mention of social media. So, if social media was ever mentioned inside the court room, how has that translated to the illusionary statement of the writer?

"News related to JAMB and WAEC results are read on social media. News of politics and government activities are daily posted on social media.

"Sensibly, what should have been the issue  is not that something was posted on social media or not, but the authenticity/reliability of the source that posted which was most expected of the counsel to the defendants to ask for, had it been they prepared for defence.

"While waiting for the conventional electoral authority, in the Nigeria of today, election results from each polling unit are often uploaded by party agents for the public to cross check in the event of fraud by the supposed neutral electoral umpire. 

"So, would Kayode Ojo not have relied on the report of his party agents during the controversial primary election, either it was posted to him on the social medial or not? Social media has become a social archive depending on how it is used.

"Nevertheless, no one can rule out here, that the social media story might be to distract the general public from focussing on how the first, the second and the third defendants (APC, Oyebanji and INEC) danced naked during the court proceeding."

The organisation therefore faulted The report by Sidenide, asking that, "the falsehood presentation of the report did not mention how their counsels were said to have been out of time in all their responses to the petitions filed by Kayode Ojo.

"How Kayode Ojo's lead counsel, Mr Alex Izinyon (SAN) has endlessly been citing orders of the  court, electoral act 2022, and the constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, which they said was supreme to all other rules, in reinforcing his argument regarding why the court should declare Kayode Ojo as the winner of that controversial APC primary.

"Sodeinde did not remember to say how the Oyebanji's lawyers had monotonously been citing, over and over, ordinary guideline of a political party in a case which centres on governorship position

"I for one, that case was my first time of witnessing how a defendant would go to court without a single witness in a manner which suggested an helpless concession of defeat.

  

"While Kayode Ojo himself, and his 6 witnesses were fully on ground in the court, Biodun Oyebanji and and his own witnesses were nowhere to found.

"Rather, they were asking the court for an extended date to argue for a motion for an extended date, to start preparing for their defence, not even to bring their own witnesses, which hitherto according to the current electoral act, they supposed to have filed on or before 22nd of April, 2022.

"As we read here, in a case that has been initiated since February 9, this year, no single witness has come out to testify and contest the claim of Kayode Ojo that the said primary election was manipulated in favour of Mr Biodun Oyebanji, who is now the governor elect. 

"No witness has shown up to counter Kayode's claim that the party's returning officer in all the 16 local government areas were either past or present appointees of Mr Governor, the alleged godfather of Oyebanji. 

"No withess in the court to debunk Ojo's claim that the supporters and the members of the campaign council of  Biodun Oyebanji also served as local government returning officers who collated the result, on the strength of which Oyebanji was declared the winner." 

However, the organisation representative said that no witness was present in the court room to challenge the principal's (Kayode Ojo) claim that some of his supporters were harrassed and hounded out of some voting centres. The organisation advised that Sodeinde should have been more professional in his story, rather than offering himself to write falsehood which definitely can not help the course of his paymaster.

SEA Speaks On Tinubu Personality And Kindness.

SEA Speaks On Tinubu Personality And Kindness.
...Tinubu a man who has mended many broken hearts with the little opportunities within his reach.

Capt. Sunday Ebenezer Adebomi, one of All Progressives Congress APC stakeholders in Ekiti State has described Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, APC Presidential Flagbearer in the forthcoming 2023 Presidential elections as a kindhearted man who has contributed tremendously to humanity development in the country.
According to him, "I know a man who is passionate about humanity and his acts of selfless service is worthy of emulation. His personality is second to none, and his humility for God and Nation has stood the test of time. Tinubu did a lot in Lagos raising the IGR from 600M to 55B, help in restoring democracy, made Lagos the best in."

He further stated the qualities that makes Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu Exceptional than others.
He said, "If it's about EXPERIENCE, If it's about COMPETENCE, If it's about NETWORKING, If it's about DEVELOPMENT, If it's about ACCESSIBILITY, If it's about REPRESENTATION, If it's about JOB OPPORTUNITIES.
Most importantly, if it's about CHARACTER..
E gbe fun OMOLUABI, His Excellency Biola Ahmed Tinubu, he explained."

He urged Nigerians to support and vote for Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the forthcoming 2023 Presidential elections to become the President of Nigeria.
"A vote for him is a step forward for National Unity, Development, Progress and Prosperity.
VOTE CREDIBILITY
VOTE TRANSPARENCY
VOTE ACCOUNTABILITY
VOTE ASIWAJU BOLA AHMED TINUBU FOR PRESIDENT OF FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA 2023."

#SEA MEDIA TEAM FOR BAT2023

NOTABLE MARKET'S IN IBADAN MEETROPOLIS

NOTABLE MARKET'S IN IBADAN MEETROPOLIS

The acts of buying and selling is predominantly a fundamental tool for sustainable economic growth and development. Pertinent to this, the reason for availability of markets in countries, states and locality are not far fetched

Market is simply a place where buyers and sellers meet for transaction of goods or services. Everybody loves shopping, but when it comes to Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State Nigeria, the inhabitants take it to another level. Being a very large city, Ibadan is dotted with a numbers of notable markets which have continued to draw in thousands of buyers daily.

The cosmopolitan nature of Ibadan city coupled with its large population has attracted many sellers and farmers. The prices of goods in these markets in Ibadan are considered cheap by many compared to relatively expensive markets in states like Lagos, Nigeria. I would reveal to you some of these markets in Ibadan and where to locate them.

Agbeni Market:
Agbeni is a large wholesale market in Ibadan along the Ologede Street. Notable building found around Agbeni is the Methodist Cathedral, founded in 1905. It made up of hundreds of small shops/stalls arranged in a single stretch. The distributors consist of major and minor distributors who usually maintain a main office and a sales outlet in the market.
Unique attraction.
Prices of goods in Agbeni markets are very cheap.
You can get any form of household items in Agbeni.

Bodija Market:
It is one of the most busiest markets in Ibadan. Bodija Market was created in October, 1987 by former Military Governor, Tunji Olurin due to the overcrowding at the Orita Merin foodstuff market. It contains a number of open small stalls/shops scattered around the market. Bodija Market is located along the Secretariat-UI road of Ibadan-North local Government area of Oyo state.

One can find all sorts of households products, agricultural produce and manufactured food items. It also has an abattoir where hundreds of cows are slaughtered daily and a timber market located close to it.
Unique attraction:
It is predominantly dominated by Hausa and Yoruba traders.
It is the major hub for sale of cattle and livestock in Oyo state, Nigeria

Aleshinloye Market:
Aleshiloye market is a popular market where you can get several gift items, household items and jewelries.

It was gutted by fire in August 2014 and efforts are being made to reconstruct it. Some items that sell majorly in the market are plastic craft, home ware, kitchenware, clothes, shoes, fabrics and materials.

The price of goods in Aleshinloye are a bit pricey but you can be  rest assured of getting quality items

Ogunpa Market
It is located around Dugbe Alawo axis of Ibadan-North Local Government, which is the most commercial area in the whole of Ibadan.

In January 2015, the government made plans to build a 975 million Naira modern market at Ogunpa due to its poor state. It is popular for selling made in China goods and locally manufactured ones in the form of fashion ware, household items and machinery etc.
 
Oja-Oba:
It is translated as the King’s market because it is located close to the Olubadan’s (Head chief) palace. Goods are usually displayed in front of the traders’ houses, which are usually tightly packed with little space for ventilation

Oja-Oba popular for fruits and raw food stuff like pepper, tomatoes, plantains, yams, and the likes go for great prices here.

Bola-Ige International Market (Gbagi market):
It is one of the biggest market in Nigeria, located on the Ibadan-Ife Express road a mile away from Ibadan International Airport.  It is about a kilometer from the Lagos–Ibadan Express road; this gives it easy accessibility. It is widely considered to be the first international markets in Nigeria. Over 1million people do various businesses in Gbagi Market ranging from foreigners, artisans, apprentice, workers and distributors. It is a popular market for buying all sort of fabrics, shoes, bags, jewelries which usually enjoys high patronage from women shopping for their various occasions.

Oje Market:
Oje Market is an ancient market reputed to be over 100 years in existence. It is located centrally in Ibadan and situated about 1km from the palace of Olubadan of Ibadan, paramount leader of Ibadan, palace. It is regarded as one of the oldest market where Yoruba fabrics are been sold to traders who come from  all over Africa.

It sells mostly international fabric and local fabrics, such as Aso Oke, Sanyan , Alaari, as well as ornamental bead of various sizes. One can also get herbs used in curing various forms of ailments.

Dugbe Market:
It is located in Ibadan Central Business District and it is a major hub for transport and trading. It first began operation at Ekotedo and today it stock assorted number of goods.

It has several landmarks such as the cocoa House which was the first story building in Nigeria and the recently built Cocomall in Dugbe, which houses several local and international retail stores like Shoprite, Mr Price, Cashncarry etc. Dugbe market is the biggest clothing market in Ibadan, Oyo State. It is made up streets separated by beautiful shops adorned with foreign Clothing labels.

Bashorun Market:
Bashorun market is a relatively small market in Ibadan that is located around the Akobo Bashorun axis of Ibadan

It is made up of rows of small shops facing each other. It sells every day household items, food stuff and goods. Its prices are usually high compared to other markets. Most of the traders in Bashorun market get their goods from Bodija Market, hence it is difficult getting some items.

Apete Market:
This market is situated close to the Sango axis of Ido Local Government area of Oyo State. It can be found close to the Polytechnic of Ibadan. There are a good number of goods that can be bought at the market from fresh farm produce, manufactured goods to electronics etc.

Source: infoguidenigeria
Researcher: Comr. Olamide Akinwumi James.
09068215955

SUBEB: kebbi State To Provide Quality Assurance To Schools

SUBEB: kebbi State To Provide Quality Assurance To Schools.

By SouthwestNews

Kebbi has over eight hundred and fifty thousand pupils in primary and junior secondary schools. SUBEB

The Executive Chairman of kebbi state universal basic education board, professor Khalid Jega has disclosed that over 850,000 pupils are in both primary and junior secondary schools in the state.

Khalid, stated this while addressing the stakeholders meeting on the conduct of kebbi state national personnel audit with universal basic education commission UBE team from Abuja, in kebbi.

Professor Khalid said, that the kebbi state universal basic education aims aspecially on the data of their staff teaching and non-teaching pupils enrollments is aggravating by gender, age, class, school, town, local government areas, both primary and junior secondary schools public and private schools, all present.

Khalid added that, all the update information needed on the level of the completion of the projects done, or the ongoing by the state universal basic education board (SUBEB).

The kebbi state to provide Quality assurance to those schools and also to the leaning environment are there enough, classroom are there in good Conditions, facilities which could be a determined factor for attending the schools especially for a girls child.
He added, minimum qualification for a teacher I. kebbi now is National Certificate of Education (NCE).

Earlier, the team leader of universal basic education council ( UBEC) for Abuja to kebbi state professor Onoja Onuche, explained that the main objective of the exercise was to check out the enrollment of public, quality of the teachers, both non and teaching environment stressed that, kebbi state has done well in the past and hoping that the state would performed excellent again in the audit exercise.

Buhari Approves Three New Permanent Secretary

Buhari Approves Three New Permanent Secretary

President Muhammadu Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of three new Permanent Secretaries in the Federal Civil Service following the recently conducted selection process, to fill existing vacancies.

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Folasade Yemi-Esan, who made this known on Friday July 22 in a statement signed by Deputy Director, communications, office of the Head of Service, Ahmed Abdullahi said the newly appointed Federal Permanent Secretaries and their states of origin are:

Jafiya Lydia Shehu, representing Adamawa state, Udo Okokon Ekanem, Akwa Ibom and Faruk Yusuf Yabo, representing Sokoto State

The statement adds that a date for the swearing-in and deployment of the new appointees will be announced in due course.