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Update : Legal Saga may delay appointment of new Alaafin, As Olanite royal family sued the governor, Others

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The Olanite royal family sued the governor, Attorney General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice, and the Alaafin of Oyo (on behalf of the Atiba Traditional Council) in 2020.

The family is seeking, among others, an order that the ‘Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration’ be ammended by the Atiba Local Government Area.

The Alaafin affairs are currently under Atiba Local Government. The monarch is the head of the Atiba Traditional Council.

Though the seven-man Oyomesi is saddled with the responsibility of appointing a new Alaafin, records show that the reviewed 1961 Alaafin Chieftaincy Declaration, which was used to appoint the last Alaafin, Oba Adeyemi III, has since been declared defective by the government, for not accommodating other royal families.

The declaration, which was produced during the reign of Alaafin Bello Gbadegesin (Ladigbolu II), listed only two ruling houses – Alowolodu and Agunloye – as the recognised families to produce the Alaafin. Oba Adeyemi III was of the Alowolodu family.

But multiple petitions by other families forced the government to set up a commission of inquiry on the issue in 1975. The commission recommended that the ruling house should be only one (Atiba Ruling House) since Alaafin Abiodun Atiba, the first Alaafin, gave birth to the two royal families and others agitating for recognition and right to the throne. Only Alowolodu and Agunloye produced the previous Alaafins.

The recommendation for ammendment was approved by the State Executive Council in 1976, but with a directive to Atiba Local Government to carry out the amendment ‘to provide for only one ruling house, the Atiba Ruling House, including all the descendants of Atiba’. The decision was gazetted by the government in 2001.

Yet, the review has not been undertaken despite the white paper which declared the 1961 declaration defective, positing that ‘it did not reflect the true customary law governing appointment to the Alaafin Chieftaincy’. Oba Adeyemi III was the reigning Alaafin at the time.

Frustrated by the local government’s failure to amend the declaration, one of the agitated royal families, the Olanite, sued the the governor, Attorney General (AG) and Commissioner for Justice, and the Alaafin of Oyo (on behalf of the Atiba Traditional Council) in 2020, seeking, among others, an order compelling the amendment to be undertaken.

Next hearing in the suit, which is being heard by an Oyo State High Court is slated for today.

The Olanite family wants the court to determine ‘whether, in view of the fact that the Oyo State Executive Council in its Executive Council Conclusion, dated September 8, 1976, had found the current Alaafin of Oyo Chieftaincy Declaration defective, the same can still be said to be valid and subsisting.

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BREAKING: Tinubu, Starmer Meet as £746m Port Investment Deal Set for Signing

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President Bola Tinubu is currently meeting with United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer in a high-level bilateral engagement aimed at strengthening ties between Nigeria and Britain.

A statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Monday, said the meeting will culminate in the signing of various Memoranda of Understanding and agreements, including those on trade, investment, defence, and cultural cooperation.

The statement said the meeting reinforces Nigeria’s commitment to deepening bilateral relations, attracting foreign investment, and modernising key infrastructure to support economic growth.

It added that a major highlight of the visit was the signing of a £746 million financing agreement between UK Export Finance, the Nigerian Ports Authority, and the Federal Ministry of Finance.

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The statement said the deal will fund the refurbishment of two key maritime infrastructures — the Lagos Port Complex (Apapa Quays) and the Tin Can Island Port Complex.

The President and the First Lady had earlier been the guests of their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.

Tinubu was accompanied by a high-profile delegation, including Senate President Godswill Akpabio; Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dele Alake; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed; and Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu.

Other members of the delegation include Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole; Minister of Culture and Creative Economy, Hannatu Musawa; Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Bosun Tijani; Minister of Defence, Gen. Christopher Musa; National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu; and Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mohammed Mohammed.

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Breaking: Senegal Lose AFCON Crown as CAF Declares Morocco Winners

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Morocco have been officially crowned champions of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after the CAF Appeal Board overturned the result of the final against Senegal. The decision comes after extraordinary scenes in Rabat where the Lions of Teranga walked off the pitch in protest, leading to a retrospective 3-0 forfeit victory for the host nation.

In a detailed statement, the CAF Appeal Board confirmed that the appeal lodged by the FRMF was “declared admissible in form and the appeal is upheld.” This landmark ruling effectively strips Senegal of what would have been their second continental crown, rewarding the hosts for a match that descended into chaos during extra time.

The roots of the controversy lie in a heated moment deep into stoppage time when Morocco’s Brahim Diaz went down in the box. While the referee initially waved play away, a VAR review resulted in a spot-kick for the hosts. This sparked a furious reaction from the Senegalese bench, with head coach Pape Thiaw instructing his players to return to the dressing room in a protest that lasted several minutes.

The CAF Appeal Board found that “the conduct of the Senegal team falls within the scope of Articles 82 and 84 of the Regulations of the Africa Cup of Nations.” By leaving the field of play, Senegal was deemed to have infringed on the regulations, leading to the administrative 3-0 defeat. The ruling sets aside the previous CAF Disciplinary Board decision and confirms that the protest lodged by Morocco has been fully upheld

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NRC Confirms 26 Injured in Mid-Route Train Incident, Says Opeifa

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Mo No fewer than 26 passengers and onboard personnel sustained varying degrees of injuries following a train incident along the Abuja–Kaduna rail corridor on Monday.

The incident, which occurred at about 9:16 a.m. near Asham Station, involved the KA-2 service travelling from Rigasa to Idu. According to an interim report released by the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), a loud bang was heard as the power car and a trailing locomotive collided with one of the coaches.

Preliminary findings indicate that the incident may have been caused by a fault in one or more couplers, leading to a possible disconnection within the train formation. However, authorities confirmed that none of the coaches derailed.

The train had earlier departed Rigasa Station at 7:15 a.m., arriving at Jere slightly ahead of schedule before departing a few minutes later after an additional locomotive was coupled to improve operational resilience.

Following the incident, affected components—including a locomotive, power car, and one passenger coach—were detached from the train to allow the journey to continue safely.

A total of 481 people were onboard at the time, including passengers, crew members, security personnel, vendors, cleaners, and other service providers. Of the 459 passengers booked for the trip, 429 were confirmed to have boarded.

Despite the disruption, the train resumed movement at about 9:42 a.m., arriving in Kubwa at 10:10 a.m. and terminating at Idu Station at 10:39 a.m., with an overall delay of approximately 38 minutes.

The NRC stated that injured persons included passengers, staff, and security personnel, although details of the severity of injuries were not fully disclosed.

Train services on the route were later restored the same day, with subsequent trips resuming operations, albeit with delays. The Managing Director of the NRC, Kayode Opeifa, was onboard one of the recovery services to monitor the situation.

The corporation assured the public that a full investigation is underway to determine the exact cause of the incident and to prevent future occurrences.

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