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Alaafin Of Oyo Seizes Illegal Crown From Babalawo, Hangs It On Tall Stick

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The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, has seized a beaded crown from an Ifa priest popularly known as Babalawo and also hung the crown on a tall tree after the said priest wore the crown during Ifa ceremony and paraded himself as a king.

This action was made by the Alaafin following petitions written against the said Babalawo, Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo (also known as Oba Edu), who was said to have worn a beaded crown during an anniversary celebration in Ifa temple and was alleged to have gotten permission to wear the crown.

 

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the first class traditional ruler over the incident, Oba Adeyemi said he had to take the action in order to avert violence and possible destruction of properties in Isale Oyo over the development.

The statement by the Alaafin reads: “His Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Olayiwola Adeyemi III, The Alaafin of Oyo, the Permanent Chairman, Oyo State Council of Obas and Chiefs, has just averted a protest and possible wanton destruction of lives and properties in Isale Oyo community over the action of babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo (a.k.a Oba Edu), who wore a beaded crown during an anniversary celebration in Ifa temple and was alleged to have gotten permission to wear beaded crown.

“His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyemi III and the palace had been petitioned from many quarters against this Babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo (a.k.a Oba Edu), who is practicing Ifa in Oyo and is under the leadership of Chief Ifaleye Ikusannu, the Oluawo of Oyo.

“The babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo, who wore a beaded crown at his anniversary, the pictures were uploaded and trending on social media. This the Alaafin Oba Adeyemi III described as strange, unfounded lies with no substance and this desecration must stop as the Alaafin condemned the act in it’s entirety vehemently.

“The people of Oyo are very peaceful people. They have internalized religion, they have taken time to organise themselves and their societies into various religious groups. Babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo is not the leader of any of the Orisa religious groups in Oyo metropolis.

“After the Alaafin got wind of the action of this Babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo, the Alaafin activated the internal mechanism of alternative dispute resolutions that was inherited from his forebears to address this strange behaviour of this babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo, which is becoming a new nuisance trend among some traditional religion practitioners outside Oyo metropolis, which seems to want to creep into Oyo town through the back door.

“Information reached the palace of the Alaafin about the gathering of some aggrieved indigenes and youths in Oyo, who were about to take laws into their hands as they considered the actions of this Babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo as an affront and insult to the legally recognized beaded crown wearing obas in Oyo metropolis under the Alaafin of Oyo.

“The youths hence had sworn that they would go to his house, ransack it, turn it inside out and burn it down so that people who have intentions of doing same in the future would take a lesson from such actions.

“On hearing this, the Alaafin quickly sent his aides from the palace with message to the youths informing them that they should stand down as the Alaafin had taken steps and necessary measures in line with the rule of law.

“Babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo is under Chief Ifaleye Ikusannu, he had been summoned to the Oluawo temple, where irrefutable allegations levelled against him that he had worn a beaded crown at his ifa anniversary, which is strange to babalawos, because he is not an Oba let alone a baale and he cannot be parading himself as an Oba in Oyo metropolis.

“He was asked if it was the Aseyin of Iseyin who gave him the crown he was wearing? What jurisdiction was he administering or what local government in Iseyin is his domain? He answered in the negative.

“The Oluawo of the Alaafin of Oyo, Chief Ifaleye Ikusannu and his chiefs after asking if babalawo Ifatokun Jayeola Morakinyo will like to continue his practice in Oyo and would not want to be excommunicated, he was commanded that he must abide by the laws of the land. He was thus commanded to go and surrender his crowns including the one he wore in the trending pictures on the internet to Kudefu in the palace of the Alaafin of Oyo, which he complied with.

“The Alaafin had instructed that the surrendered crowns be nailed and hung on a stick publicly and it is the one that is hung at the Idi Ogun in the palace of the Alaafin for the public to see that no one can crown himself or wear a crown, when it is not statutory or legal with any royal lineage or a baale under the chiefs laws of Oyo State.

“This is an example for other monarchs in Yorubaland where some unscrupulous people for personal aggrandizement are parading themselves wearing beaded crowns and bastardizing Yoruba culture and tradition just because of money.

“Wherever you see youths removing fake beaded crowns from the heads of babalawos, ogbonis, Isegun practitioners and orisa traditional worshippers parading themselves as obas, the youths are protecting the Yoruba culture and tradition because, these individuals are bastardising the revered Yoruba cultures and traditions.

“In doing this, the Alaafin had yet once again averted a situation, which can lead to loss of lives and properties in Oyo and set an example for other traditional rulers in whose domains where such unscrupulous traditionalists are busy wearing fake crowns.”

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Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race

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The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.

The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”

He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”

Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.

He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.

“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”

The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.

He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”

“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”

Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.

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Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency

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The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.

In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.

Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.

“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote

Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.

The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.

‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.

President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded

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Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience

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Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.

The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.

In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.

He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”

The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.

Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.

“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”

Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.

“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”

The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.

By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.

The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.

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