BIOGRAPHY HISTORY OF JAN ŽIŽKA.

BIOGRAPHY HISTORY OF JAN ŽIŽKA.

....A Czech national hero general nicknamed "One-eyed Žižka", having lost one and then both eyes.

STATUE OF JAN ZIZKA 

A castle near Litoměřice. He gave the biblical name of Chalice (Kalich in Czech) to this new possession. He was born in the small village of Trocnov in the Kingdom of Bohemia into a family from the Czech nobility. According to Piccolomini's Historia Bohemica, he had some connections with the royal court from his youth, and later held the office of Chamberlain to Queen Sofia of Bavaria. He fought in the Battle of Grunwald (15 July 1410), where he defended Radzyń against the Teutonic Order. Later he played a prominent role in the civil wars in Bohemia. He led the Hussites during the first important clashes of this conflict in the Battle of Sudoměř (1420) and in the Battle of Vítkov Hill (1420). In the Battle of Kutná Hora (1421) he defeated the army of the Holy Roman Empire and the Hungarian Kingdom. The effectiveness of his field artillery against the royal cavalry in this battle made it a successful element of Hussite armies.

Žižka's tactics were unorthodox and innovative. In addition to training and equipping his army according to their abilities, he used armored wagons fitted with small cannons and muskets, anticipating the tank of five hundred years later. He exploited geographic features to the full and maintained good discipline in his armies. He had to quickly train peasants to repeatedly face highly trained and armored opponents who usually outnumbered his own troops.

A monument was erected on the Vítkov Hill in Prague to honor Jan Žižka and his victory on this hill in 1420. It is the third largest bronze equestrian statue in the world.

EARLY LIFE:

Jan Žižka was born in one of two Meierhofs of the village Trocnov (nowadays part of Borovany in the České Budějovice District). An old legend says that he was born in the forest under an oak growing just next to the fields and little ponds belonging to the Meierhof. Žižka's family belonged to the lower Czech gentry (zemané) but did not own much estate. Little is known of the rest of the family too. Jan Žižka had several siblings but the only names known to historians are brother Jaroslav and sister Anežka. The family had a crayfish in their coat of arms.

The date of Žižka's birth is not known. A document dated 3 April 1378 mentions Johannes dictus Zizka de Trocnov (Jan called Zizka of Trocnov) as a witness on a marriage contract. On the basis of this document, it is assumed that Žižka must have been of legal age at this time and was born around 1360. Nevertheless, there is no direct evidence whether Jan Žižka listed on this document was identical with the Hussite general. For example, Czech historian Tomek and his followers supposed it could have been the military leader's father. They argued that if Žižka were adult in 1378, he would be too old to become such an able commander after 1419. Others, such as Šmahel, admitted that even such an age might not have prevented him from successful leadership. Furthermore, historian Petr Čornej notes that "Žižka" was not a family name but a specific nickname that is not attested in any other member of Žižka's family.

In the years 1378-1384, Žižka's name appears on several property documents, which indicate that he was struggling with long-term financial problems. In 1381, Žižka is attested in Prague, in connection with the settlement of the inheritance on the Trocnov estate. It is unclear how to connect this stay with Piccolomini's later report that young Žížka received an education at the Prague royal court. A 1384 document also mentions some Kateřina, a wife of Johannes dictus Zizka. This document states that Žižka sold the field he had once acquired from Kateřina as a dowry. After this date, Žižka's name disappears from historical documents for 20 years and it is generally assumed that he became a mercenary soldier.

ŽIŽKA AS AN OUTLAW:

Although some of the south Bohemian nobility led by Henry III of Rosenberg took part in various revolts against the king Wenceslas IV at the turn of the 14th and 15th century (the king was even held captive in the Rosenberg's castles of Příběnice and Český Krumlov for a short time), there is no evidence of Žižka's participation in these conflicts. It is supposed that in the early years of the 15th century Jan Žižka already controlled his family property. However, the family probably got into financial problems and started selling parts of their estate. Some sources suggest that Žižka's father took the place of the royal gamekeeper before he died in 1407 near Plzeň and Žižka himself might have been taken into the royal service, too, but the evidence is not clear enough.

However, beginning in 1406, Žižka starts appearing in the black book (acta negra maleficorum) of the Rosenberg estate as an accused bandit. Unfortunately the reasons of this change are not known, but the fact that he declared open hostility to Henry of Rosenberg and also to the city of Budějovice and their allies suggests that he was trying to fight some injustice against his house and to enforce some of his rights in this way. Šmahel assigns the boom of south-Bohemian banditism in that time to the continual growth of the estates of the rich house of Rosenberg (and of the church estates too) and simultaneous indebtedness and pauperization of the lower gentry together with the thirst for land among their subjects, which resulted into big social tension in the area. These circumstances may have eventually forced Žižka to leave his residence in Trocnov. Historian Tomek also speculated that he might have been forcibly deprived of his small hereditary property, which was not uncommon in that time. As a result he started leading the life of an outlaw, partly supported by the local nobleman Valkoun.

In any case, violence broke out and Žižka tried to harm his enemies on any possible occasion, using as his allies also local bandits led by Matěj Vůdce (Matthew the Leader) who were seeking only financial profit. The group camped in various places, including a farm in the village of Sedlo (nowadays part of Číměř), a mill not far from Lomnice nad Lužnicí, at a house of an unknown woman in Hlavatce or simply in the woods. The bandits were mugging merchants and other people travelling on south Bohemian highways. In that time mugging, holding people for ransom and attacking small towns were the main source of the group's income who used it for their living and to pay spies and temporary hosts. Žižka took part in these raids and at least one murder of a man belonging to the cohort of Henry of Rosenberg.[10] Žižka and the bandits were also in touch with some more powerful enemies of Henry of Rosenberg. For example in 1408 Žižka took part in preparations for conquering the castle Hus near Prachatice (whose burgrave was Mikuláš of Hus who later became one of first commandants in Žižka's army in the beginning of the Hussite Wars). He was also dealing with Aleš of Bítov about his help in an attempt to conquer the towns of Nové Hrady and Třeboň. Another nobleman asking his help was Erhart of Kunštát who wanted to attempt the stronghold of Slověnice.

Some of Žižka's companions were eventually captured, tortured, and executed, including Matěj Vůdce. Žižka's situation changed on 25 of April 1409 when king Wenceslas agreed that his conflict with the city of Budějovice should be finished and on 27 June he pardoned him (calling him "faithful and beloved") by a special letter. At the same time he ordered the city council of Budějovice to do so too. This suggests that the king admitted that Žižka was at least partly right in the conflict.

GRUNWALD (1410):

According to the Polish chronicler Jan Długosz, in the following year (1410) Žižka served as a mercenary during the Polish–Lithuanian–Teutonic War. It is assumed that he was on the winning Polish-Lithuanian side of the Battle of Grunwald, also called the 1st Battle of Tannenberg, one of the largest battles in Medieval Europe.[18][19] It was fought on 15 July 1410, and the alliance of the Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, led respectively by King of Poland Jogaila (Władysław II Jagiełło) and Grand Duke Vytautas (Witold), decisively defeated the Teutonic Knights, led by Grand Master Ulrich von Jungingen. Most of the Teutonic Knights' leadership were killed or taken prisoner. The Knights never recovered their former power and the financial burden of war reparations caused internal conflicts and an economic downturn in their lands. The battle shifted the balance of power in Eastern Europe. Długosz reports that after the battle, Žižka was serving in the garrison of the town of Radzyń.

THE CIVIL WAR:

Early in 1423, internal dissent among the Hussites led to civil war. Žižka, as leader of the Taborites, defeated the men of Prague and the Utraquist nobles at Hořice on 20 April. Shortly afterwards came news that a new crusade against Bohemia was being prepared. This induced the Hussites to conclude an armistice at Konopiště on 24 June. As soon as the crusaders had dispersed, internal dissent broke out anew. During his temporary rule over Bohemia, Prince Sigismund Korybut of Lithuania had appointed Bořek, the lord of Miletínek, governor of the city of Hradec Králové. Bořek belonged to a moderate Hussite faction, the Utraquist party. After the departure of Sigismund Korybut, the city of Hradec Králové refused to recognize Bořek as its ruler, due to the democratic party gaining the upper hand. They called Žižka to its aid. He acceded to the demand and defeated the Utraquists under Bořek at the farm of Strachov (in the area of today's Kukleny within Hradec Králové) on 4 August 1423.

Žižka now attempted to invade Hungary, which was under the rule of his old enemy King Sigismund. Though this Hungarian campaign was unsuccessful owing to the great superiority of the Hungarians, it ranks among the greatest military exploits of Žižka, on account of the skill he displayed in retreat. In 1424, civil war having again broken out in Bohemia, Žižka decisively defeated the "Praguers" and Utraquist nobles at Skalice on 6 January, and at Malešov on 7 June. In September, he marched on Prague. On the 14th of that month, peace was concluded between the Hussite parties through the influence of John of Rokycany, afterwards Utraquist archbishop of Prague. It was agreed that the now reunited Hussites should attack Moravia, part of which was still held by Sigismund's partisans, and that Žižka should be the leader in this campaign. However, he died of the plague at Přibyslav on 11 October 1424 on the Moravian frontier. According to chronicler Piccolomini, Žižka's dying wish was to have his skin used to make drums so that he might continue to lead his troops even after death. Žižka was so highly regarded that when he died, his soldiers called themselves the Orphans (sirotci) because they felt as if they had lost their father. His enemies said that "The one whom no mortal hand could destroy was extinguished by the finger of God."

He was succeeded by Prokop the Great.

SOURCES:

Bílek, Jiří (2007), Hádanky naší minulosti 7. Čtyři Janové a bratr Prokop, Euromedia Group Praha. p. 172–173. ISBN 978-80-242-1952-3.Count Lützow, The Hussite Wars, J. M. Dent & Sons London, E. P. Dutton & Co. New York (1909).

RESEARCHER: COMR. OLAMIDE AKINWUMI JAMES.

AKINWUMIOLAMIDE09@GMAIL.COM

09068215955

MEET NEW EKITI STATE GOVERNOR, BIODUN OYEBANJI OYEBANJI, BAO.

MEET NEW EKITI STATE GOVERNOR, BIODUN OYEBANJI OYEBANJI, BAO.

....A new dawn with Hon. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji.

His Excellency, Gov. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, Executive Governor of Ekiti State. 

Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of All Progressives Congress (APC) won Ekiti 2022 governorship election after defeating PDP and SDP candidates; Bisi Kolawole and Engr Segun Oni.

Biodun Oyebanji popularly known as BAO will take oath of office on Sunday and after expiration of Dr Kayode Fayemi’s second term.

Below is the profile of new Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji:

Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji was born on December 21, 1967 to Ezekiel Kunle and Esther in Ikogosi-Ekiti. He began his education at the Baptist Primary School in his hometown before attending the Awo Community High School; C.A.C. Grammar School, Efon-Alaaye; and District Commercial Secondary School, Aramoko-Ekiti. He then earned a first degree in political science from the Ondo State University (now Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti) in 1989.

Oyebanji earned a master’s in political science from the University of Ibadan (UI).

With credentials solidifying his knowledge in the field of political sciences, he sojourned into academics. He became a lecturer at the department of political science of the University of Ado Ekiti, where he worked for four years. His next path led to managing the treasury and financial services at the defunct Omega Bank Plc (now Heritage Bank) till May 1999 after which he segued into politics and governance.

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji

ONE OF EKITI’S LONGEST-SERVING PUBLIC OFFICERS

Throughout Ekiti’s 26 years of existence, Oyebanji has been in public service for over 11 of those.

He began his political career as a special assistant on parliamentary affairs to Niyi Adebayo, the state’s first elected governor, in 1999 and then later became the chief of staff in the latter stage of the administration in 2003.

Then the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Ayodele Fayose came into power, and Oyebanji was on a six-year hiatus from public service. He returned in 2009 but as the chairman of the governing board, citizenship and leadership training centre, federal ministry of youth and sports development — a position he held from June 2009 to December 2010.

After a court ruling sacked Segun Oni of PDP in 2009 and Kayode Fayemi was elected governor in 2010, Oyebanji was first appointed the commissioner for integration and inter-governmental affairs before he was tapped to head Ekiti’s office of transformation strategy and delivery (OTSD) a year later.

He was then named the commissioner for budget, and economic planning in 2013 and held the position till October 2014.

In 2018, after Fayemi was elected for a second term, Oyebanji got back into public service and was appointed secretary to the state government (SSG), a position he held until he resigned to join the governorship race in late 2021.

IleriOluwa..RestoringourValues Through Effective Leadership.

BRIEF HISTORY OF IRAGBIJI TOWN IN OSUN STATE.

BRIEF HISTORY OF IRAGBIJI TOWN IN OSUN STATE.

“Iragbiji oloke meji tako tabo lori agba”. It means Iragbiji made up of two rocks male upon the female.

For those steep in the tradition and history of Yorubaland, the mention of Iragbiji always evokes the people’s traditional praise them: “Iragbiji oloke meji tako tabo lori agba”. It means Iragbiji made up of two rocks male upon the female. The modest town with a rather slow laid back mien common to most small towns in the semi rural areas, is scenic. It has one major road from Ikirun meandering through the town heading to Igbajo, Ada and other towns. There are other small roads. 

The towns visage is greatly influence by the rocky hills that form a kind of arc round it. But the hills are not austere. Trees, shrubs and other economic plants fight with the igneous rocks fro space. It is as if they have reach a kind of mutual agreement that but the trees and the rock should co-exist side-by-side for the sustenance of the community.

Here man and nature, most especially the hills, have come to co-exist that one can hardly be mentioned without the other. Although hills are  the basis for the aesthetic beauty of this town, but it actually one of the hills, Okanyilule that has become the symbol of the town.

Okanyilule spectacular hill is at the back of the town towards the boundary between the Iragbiji people and Obaagun town. The rocky hill juts out high into the sky. Right on top of the rock another one is delicately place as if a superhuman giant had picked the rock and balance rock on top. It is a spectacle and marvel for many. It is from this rock that Iragbiji people got cognomen. Moving inside hill area is difficult with rocks and shrubs blocking the way. But finally one managed to make the it to the hill of course with scratches from plants. The site was worth the trouble. But according to the naitves, there was more to the hills than the aesthetics.

Oba Abdul-Rasheed Olabomi is the traditional ruler of the town. Cultured and well educated, talking about the tourist endowments of Iragbiji, most especially the famous Okanyilule hill seems to bring the out him. He has deep knowledge about his town’s history and talks about it like a history professor lecturing university students. He occasionally laced his speech with Yoruba songs in praise of his town. He talks about the Okanyilule hills: “The Okanyilule Hill is historical to Iragbiji. It is a monument that really depicts and connotes what Iragbiji is. Part of our cognomen says ‘Iragbiji owners of double hills, one fell down, while the other is still standing.’ Okunyilule has a history dating back to about 200 years ago. 

There was a dispute over the ownership of the hills area and the land around it. It involved the then monarch of Obaagun, a neigbouring town to Iragbiji. The monarch of Iragbiji then was Oba Oloyede Dada. Then there were no policemen, there were no soldiers and there were no courts; but traditionally, when issues like that arose, our people in the past had their own method of settling such dispute. What was then was to invite all the Obas around Iragbiji area. It involved the then Timi of Ede, the then Ataoja of Osogbo, Oragun of Illa. All of them went to the foot of the hills and asked each of the monarch to prove that their ownership. Eventually the Aragbiji said, to prove that he was the owner of the land and the hills, that within seven days, the two hills, Tako-Tabo, one male and one female standing on each other, one will roll down within seven days. The then Oloba Agun said nothing of such would happen. To the glory of Almighty God, on the third day, the small hill sitting on the other one, one of them rolled and fell down.

Since then, Iragbiji has considered the Okunyilule hill a monument. In fact every year, people go there salute the courage of our forebears who were able to stand by the truth, uphold and also say the truth. We also commend the gods who allowed the truth to manifest in the rolling down of one of the hills. Today, it is the symbol of Iragbiji on our letter head. Anything we do, we would always allude to the Okanyilule hill. It is one of our prime monuments. We are proud of it.”

So, what are some of the things to attract a tourist to Iragbiji. The Oba has an answer: “Around the Okanyilule Hils, we have about four sites. There is a source of water at the Okayilule Hills. There is the site where the earliest migrants to iragbiji, called Iledesi,. That was where they settled. There is also a source of water we call Oloti. It was not Oloti from source, it became Oloti down the stream. If you get in there, you will see the marvels of the work of Almighty God, how water is gushing out from the base of the rock. It is as site to behold.

“When you leave there, you want to visit Oke Iragbiji itself, which has its own historical connotation. It started with the establishment of Iragbiji, about 600 years ago.

“History has it that our great grandfather, Sokungbade, was a great man, a hunter . when he arrived here, he went on hunting expedition to the pick of the hill, Oke Iragbiji. He was chasing an antelope and the antelope entered a hole on top of the hill. History has it that he entered and and the antelope and the hunter came out in front of what we now have as the palace. We cannot prove the veracity of that claim, but that is in our oral history. In those days, so many things did happen that we will see now and feel they are unbelievable. Since that time, our people have been celebrating the hill annually in what we call, Oke Iragbiji Odun rioke. We normally celebrate it last week of July every year. On top of that hill too, we have the Ayeye stream. 

The stream has its source, on top of the hill. The water is always very clean and chilled. Then it was forbidden for anybody who was not a prince to go there draw water or have anything to do with it because it was sacriligoues. The water, before now, was said to be highly medicinal for barren women. The beleive3 was very strong that taking a cup full of that water, a barren woman would conceive. During annual festivals, people go to the stream to make a lot of pledges, the barren, sick and so on. history has it that about 100 years a go, there was an outbreak of small pox all around the then Yoruba land, if not Nigeria. That it was the water from Ayeye stream that was taken to heal the ailment. So, the water is regarded as highly medicinal and spiritual.

“We leave that place, we have the traditional wall fence, Odi. We have tow types: the earth wall fence and the rocky wall fence. According to our history, the two types were put up by extra-terrestrial beings. That our fathers in those days were so powerful that they invoked the spirit to help them construct the two traditional wall fences. Today, we still have relics of the fences. The earth fence has collapse, but we still preserve some of them. Leaving Iragbiji, one is left with the feeling of having been to a town where the people and nature are at peace.

Source: Gossip House

Researcher: Comr. Olamide Akinwumi James 

FAYEMI HONOURS OUTSTANDING YOUTH IN EKITI STATE.

FAYEMI HONOURS OUTSTANDING YOUTH IN EKITI STATE.

...assures them of continuous mentorship in leadership.

Ekiti State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi yesterday, 11th October, 2022 presented awards and letters of recognition to 11 Outstanding Ekiti Youths who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields of endeavour, including the 17 years old Master Idowu Jeremiah who made nine distinctions in this year’s May/June WAEC and scored high in UTME.

The Governor alongside the Governor-elect, Mr Biodun Abayomi, Her Excellency, Erelu Bisi Fayemi, Her Excellency, Dr Olayemi Oyebanji, the deputy Governor-elect among others, made the presentation during a Youth Forum and award ceremony at the Obafemi Awolowo Civic and Conventional Centre, Ado Ekiti, as part of activities marking the end of the second term of the Fayemi-led administration in the State.

The award titled “Outstanding Young Persons' award 2022 (Omulabi Award 2.0)”, which was the second edition, was presented to 11 promising young men and women who have distinguished themselves in different categories including entertainment, academic, governance, agriculture, humanitarian activities, Activism, Gender Advocacy, ICT and digital research, Media and Sports among others.

The awardees are: 

Arewa Omoye (Entertainment (movie)

Oluwaseun Ogunsakin (Sports)

Ayobami Oluwatosin Durodola (Activism)

Ayotomiwa Morenikeji Ayodele (Advocacy)

Olawale Kadri (Leadership/ Governance)

Titilayo Abigail Obileye (Communications/Media/Journalism)

 Mayowa Ekundayo (Enterpreneurship)

 Adedotun Moses Omoleye (Humanitarian Services)

Ayodele Akande (Communications/Media/Journalism (Broadcast Journalism)

 Oluwatosin Adaraniwon (ICT & Research)

Idowu Blessing Jeremiah (Academic Excellence).

Certificate of Service was also presented to Eyitayo Fabunmi, the Chairman National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Ekiti State Chapter and Rt. Hon Toba Fatunla. Speaker, Ekiti Youth Parliament, Ekiti State.

Responding to the question on why he appointed a large number of young persons to serve in his administration, during a panel discussion, Governor Fayemi explained that he found them demonstrating huge capacity, courage, commitment and integrity in their service to the State.

Dr Fayemi said he attached much importance to mentorship and would  establish a school of democratic leadership to mentor and develop young persons in leadership positions after leaving office.

In his final words to young persons in the State, Fayemi said, "in everything you do convince yourself that you are doing the right thing. That conviction should not be from anticipated approval or adulation from those who will benefit from it. Because more often than not when you do good some of the beneficiaries, will hate you,  just ask your conscience, do what you think is right and leave the rest for posterity to judge.

"Many of the young people that I have around me have also demonstrated capacity, they have demonstrated commitment, they have demonstrated competence, and they have a huge load of integrity, 

"If we are to take the Chief of Staff who just turned 40 the other day. He has been with me since he was 27 when I became Governor in 2010, he started as my Personal Assistance, and then became my Deputy Chief of Staff, before he became the Chief of Staff to the Governor.

"He may be young but he has capacity and a lot of experiences and so many things I entrust into his hand he has been able to deliver on and his age doesn't even come into the picture, it is his capacity, his experience, his competence and his ability to oscillate within different spectrum; the young, his contemporary, and those who are older than he is and he has functioned effectively. You can say the same of the Commissioner for Finance, the Commissioner for Health and several of my other appointees.

"For me it is important to mentor because I have enjoyed a greater deal of mentorship, and that is why I always try within my view to always give opportunity to young people."

The Governor-elect, Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji in his words, assured the Youth that he would build on the legacy of his predecessors by continuing to provide platform for Youth who exhibit diligence, character, courage, competence, and compassion.

He added that his administration, just like that of Governor Fayemi, would expose the Youth to opportunities that would improve their lives in their various areas of endeavour.

Earlier in his speech, the Chairman of the Youth Forum engagement Committee, Mr Moses Olusanya Ademiloye lauded the contributions of Governor Fayemi to Youth development in the State and expressed gratitude to the Governor for providing the platform that enables Youth to contribute their quota to nation building and development of the State.

EKITI CIVIL SERVANTS GRADUATE FROM POSTGRADUATE COURSE FACILITATED BY FIRST LADY.

EKITI CIVIL SERVANTS GRADUATE FROM POSTGRADUATE COURSE FACILITATED BY FIRST LADY.

.…Governor's wife says SDGs can't be achieved without gender equality.

The first set of civil servants in the employ of the Ekiti State Government have graduated from a postgraduate programme facilitated and sponsored by the First Lady, Erelu Bisi Fayemi.

The beneficiaries who graduated from Executive Masters programme in Gender and Development Studies at the Ekiti State University (EKSU) expressed profound gratitude to the Governor's wife for contributing to their personal development and career progression through the course.

Speaking while playing host to the graduands, Erelu Fayemi emphasized that Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) cannot be achieved in Ekiti State without gender equality which she said was critical to development in the society.

The First Lady stated that the knowledge acquired by the graduands would go a long way to open doors of opportunities in their choosen careers and make them to be better equipped in contributing their quota to the implementation of policies that would lead to the realization of SDGs.

Erelu Fayemi pointed out that the outgoing administration recognized the importance of gender mainstreaming hence the creation of the department in the faculty of interdisciplinary studies.

She directed the Ministry of Women Affairs to begin to prepare another set of senior officers who would benefit from such government scholarship scheme towards equipping them in such area that could be very important to the society.

"It is one of our initiatives that we are proud of. Let me now assure you once again that the exit of this outgoing government does not mean the end of the programme, it will be continued by the incoming administration since it is the same political party ," she added

Earlier, the course participants led by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Arts, Culture and Tourism, Mr Bamidele Arowosola said the new course of study had exposed the beneficiaries to interdisciplinary and specific study of Gender Development, Poverty Studies and Wealth Creation, Policy Analysis, Social Work, various theories and teachings on problems relating to gender issues among many other things.

He said the graduands were already fortified with the skills and knowledge to address imbalance in gender equality, improvement of lives of women, men and children as well as ways to develop guidelines in assisting government to reduce poverty in the society. 

Mr Arowosola promised the participants' readiness to contribute their quota in resolving developmental challenges facing the state at large.

The beneficiaries who were selected from various Ministries, Departments and Agencies appreciated the Governor's wife for initiating such programme  further showed their appreciation with presentation of gift to the First Lady .

"We wish to state that your kind gesture and efforts towards the capacity development of workers in the public service are historic. We have therefore determined to be ambassadors of gender equality in the public service, mainstreaming gender equality in our different offices as agents of change," one of them said.

ONI FAILS TO BRING MORE WITNESSES TO GIVE EVIDENCE, GETS LAST WARNING FROM TRIBUNAL.

ONI FAILS TO BRING MORE WITNESSES TO GIVE EVIDENCE, GETS LAST WARNING FROM TRIBUNAL.

....PANEL ADJOURNS TO OCTOBER 11

The three witnesses scheduled to give evidence in support of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Chief Segun Oni, before the Election Petition Tribunal were not called by the Petitioners to testify at Friday's proceeding of the Ekiti State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Ado Ekiti.

Oni and SDP who are the 1st and 2nd Petitioners said they would not be able to take the three witnesses in view of a fresh application filed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) with which they was served earlier in the day.

The Governor-elect, Mr. Biodun Oyebanji and the Deputy Governor-elect, Mrs. Monisade Afuye are the 1st and 5th Respondents respectively in the petition. The All Progressives Congress (APC) is the 2nd Respondent while Alhaji Mai Mala Buni is the 3rd Respondent. INEC is 4th Respondent in the petition.

With the latest application, INEC now has two applications before the three-man Panel which the Petitioners insist must be heard before they bring their next set of witnesses to give evidence at the Tribunal.

One of the two pending INEC  applications is a Motion on Notice to object to the subpoena to compel the appearance of the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) to produce some documents and give evidence at the Tribunal.

The Petitioners through their counsel, Mr. Obafemi Adewale (SAN), sought an adjournment of sitting  while also informing the Tribunal that they had filed objection and counter affidavit and accordingly served parties in the petition.

Adewale, said the Petitioners "vigorously and vehemently" opposed what he called the "disruptive motion by INEC seeking leave of the Tribunal to continue with the witnesses already listed to give evidence after the determination of the two pending motions.

But the Respondents opposed the application of the Petitioners insisting that the already listed witnesses should be taken in line with the dictates of the Pre-Hearing Report agreed to by all parties in the petition.

The disagreement among lawyers in the two sides of the divides sparked exchange of verbal jabs albeit in a friendly manner sometimes throwing everybody inside the courtroom into laughter.

Counsel to 1st and 5th Respondents, Prince Lateef Fagbemi (SAN) while opposing the application of the Petitioners saying "this is not the appropriate situation to grant such an adjournment" arguing further that "such an adjournment must be based on cogent and compelling reasons."

Fagbemi said the Tribunal had given an order that parties should forward the schedule of the order of their witnesses for Day 3 as they are all polling units agents of the Petitioner on the day of election.

He maintained that the two pending motions have nothing to do with the evidence of the witnesses who intended to give evidence on how election went on their polling units saying "there was no basis for not calling the witnesses for Day 3in line with Paragraph C of the Pre-Hearing Report."

Counsel to 2nd Respondent, Chief Akin Olujinmi (SAN), adopted "in-toto" the submission of Fagbemi urging Their Lordships to reject the Petitioners' application which he described as "disrespect to the noble lord's ab initio."

Counsel to 3rd Respondent, Mr. Umar Abdulhameed, adopted what he described as "the brilliant submission of the learned counsel to the 1st and 5th Respondents (Fagbemi)" in opposition the Petitioners' request for adjournment.

Counsel to 4th Respondents, Chief Charles Uwensuyi-Edosomwan (SAN), simply said "we will all do our duty and work while noting that the motion in question was not ripe for hearing.

The Tribunal in its short ruling delivered by its Chairman, Justice Wilfred Kpochi, recalled that the Panel had earlier provided the roadmap in the Pre-Hearing Report in which it was decided that hearing would take place everyday and witnesses would be heard on stipulated days while those who failed to appear would be deemed to have abandoned their case.

Justice Kpochi said the pending application by INEC was capable of causing a dislocation on the sequential order of proceedings including the evidence of witnesses as the Panel had not been told of the "boomerang effect" it will have.

While agreeing with Fagbemi that the Petitioners' request to stop their witnesses from continuing with their evidence was contrary to one of the resolutions at the Pre-Hearing stage, the Panel "would be reluctant in invoking such an order for now."

While holding that the Petitioners' position was necessitated by INEC's new application, it was incumbent on them (the Petitioners) to know that they should not come with applications that will ebb away the time available to adjudicate on the petition.

Justice Kpochi said the Panel would "reluctantly" grant the application of the Petitioners but it was granting same with "last warning" to them.

He subsequently adjourned hearing to Tuesday, October 11 for the continuation of hearing of the petition as the Federal Government has declared Monday, which would have been the day to adjourn to, as a public holiday.

THE STORY OF ADO BAYERO.

THE STORY OF ADO BAYERO.

...One Of The Strongest And Powerful Emir In The History Of The Northern Nigeria.

Image: Sarkin Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero.

The story of Sarkin Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero is indeed the story of the transformation of the Emirate from the authority that controlled the society to the status of community leadership that earned its Islamic legitimacy through service to the people and commitment to the ideals of the Islamic Faith.

He was a leader of Muslims of all shades of opinions not only in Kano but in many parts of Nigeria and the world. Various groups seek his blessings in their activities largely because of his influence and the fact that he is one of the most respected Nigerians.

Ado Bayero lived for eighty four years (1930-2004), fifty one (1963-2004) of which were at the helm of Kano traditional authority. This institution has been in existence since 999 AD with Bagauda (999 to 1063) as the first King. The institution survived because of its capacity to adapt to changing circumstances of the world.

It has been affected by global Islamic currents beginning with the Wangarawa who came to Kano during the reign of Sarkin Kano Yaji (1349-1385) and made him to adopt Islam as the official religion of Kano.

The next epoch was that of Muhammadu Rumfa (1463-1499) when Shaykh Muhammad bn Abd al-Karim al-Maghili wrote the first constitution for a sub Saharan African state to guide Rumfa. The Jihad of Shehu Usman Danfordio made Islam the ideology of the people and the state. Sarkin Kano Ibrahim Dabo established the Sullubawa Dynasty.

Abdullahi Bayero (1926-1953) and his son Muhammadu Sanusi (1954-1963) harnessed the connections of the Tijaniyya to resist colonial annihilation of Islamic culture. Ado Bayero put Kano at the national and global stage when he became one of the most influential Muslim leaders in the world. 

According to the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center Amman he was “regarded as a wise counselor both at home and abroad because of his experience and ability to mediate between cultures”. He was “an important asset in promoting mutual understanding and resolving conflicts between different ethnic and religious groups”.

Legacies of Ado Bayero;

As the Emir with the longest reign (1963-2014) since the Jihad of 1804 he bequeathed a glorious legacy on the foundation laid by Sarkin Kano Muhammadu Rumfa (1463-1499) and consolidated by Sarkin Kano Ibrahim Dabo (1819 to 1846) his ancestor and the founder of their Sullubawan Dabo.

This dynasty is almost two hundred years old. Ibrahim Dabo the youngest member of the Emirate Council when he became the Emir was known for his piety and devotion. Rumfa established the sarauta and Dabo established the dynasty. Since when Islam became the official religion of the State, during the reign of Sarkin Kano Yaji (1349-1385CE) the Sarakuna (Kings and later Emirs) remained the custodians of Islam. When Ado Bayero became the Emir in 1963 there was only one Juma’at Mosque in Kano which was the first to be modernized in Northern Nigeria by Sarkin Kano Alhaji Abdullahi Bayero (1926-1953).

Sarkin Kano Alhaji Ado Bayero constructed Abdullahi Bayero Mosque the second Juma’at Mosque he commissioned in 1971 since then he has commissioned over fifty Juma’at Mosques in Kano Metropolis, over 100 in the state and many others in other parts of the country. No other than Nigeria leader has had this privilege.

He became the leader of Hausa Muslims where ever they were. They looked up to him as the symbol of Hausa Islamic culture because Kano is the leading center of this cultural bloc with over 70 million speakers of the Hausa Language. No other African traditional leader has had this influence. He was on the list of the most influential Muslims of the World published by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center Amman because according to the center he was “regarded as a wise counselor both at home and abroad because of his experience and ability to mediate between cultures”.  He was “an important asset is promoting mutual understanding and resolving conflicts between different ethnic and religious groups”.

Apart from his support for the Local Government Reforms as a result of which most other traditional leaders across the country gave their support he participated actively in sensitising the people to accept free and compulsory primary education introduced by the Federal Government which needed local government support and participation.

Kano now has the highest public primary school enrolment of 1.9 million pupils as at the last enumeration. The people accepted his call to enroll in schools because of the confidence they had in him as the greatest supporter and patron of Islamic education. He supported more Islamiyya Schools than any other leader in Nigeria. All the people of Kano always pray for him because of this. As a man of Allah he was attacked in January 2013 after he had commissioned an Islamiyya School at Murtala Muhammad Mosque this was the last he did.

He had commissioned and supported hundreds in the last fifty years. In Kano he did everything possible to support all efforts geared to the socio-economic development of his people.

As the Chief Executive of the Native Authority before the Local Government Reforms under which he controlled land allocation he discharged his duties with equity and sense of justice. This encouraged investment and consolidated Kano’s commercial pre-eminence in northern Nigeria. Because of his status and the confidence they had in him many investors came to Kano. A very recent example is the Ado Bayero Shopping Mall the first ultra modern shopping mall in northern Nigeria, a major private sector initiative with investors from all parts of Nigeria.

It brought leading African retail giants; Shoprite and Game to Kano. He was a mentor of his people. In 1988 he supported the first public presentation of a book in Kano which I wrote and in 1990 he personally invited the neighboring Emirs to the public presentation of two books I wrote, one on the Jihad in Kano and the other on the Sullubawan Dabo which was the first on the dynasty. I remain indebted.

He did these things and so many others.

Rest in peace ICON