The Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Ikorodu has granted the order that Wunmi, the wife of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba aka Mohbad, be served notice of the pending DNA test application by substituted means.

This was contained in a statement signed by a member of the legal team to the Aloba family, Monisola Odumosu, and obtained by PUNCH Metro on Wednesday.

In the application filed by the legal team to Joseph Aloba, father to the late singer, the family sought an order to serve Wunmi by posting all the originating processes and other processes in the suit on the last-known address of the respondent.

According to the statement, the legal team led by Emmanuel Oroko had argued that the sheriff had attempted twice to serve Wunmi the court process but failed.

Odumosu stated that “If the process were served on the last-known address of the respondent by Order of the Court, it would constitute good service and she would be aware of the pending suit. The Chief Magistrate granted the order and ordered that the respondent be served by posting the court process on her last known address.

“It will be recalled that the Aloba family is contesting the paternity of baby Liam and filed an application before the Family Court wherein it sought an order of the court against Wunmi to present herself and baby Liam for a DNA test at any recognised laboratory in Lagos.”

The statement added that the singer’s wife, in a viral video, said she was ready for a DNA test, noting that she had never been available for the court sheriff to serve her the originating motion.

Odumosu however disclosed that the matter had been adjourned till next month for the report of service.

When contacted, Wunmi’s lawyer, Taiwo Olawanle, denied knowledge of the court order.

He said, “We don’t have the court order. If we have an order, we will advise her to adhere to it. That is not a problem. But we are not aware of any order. I am just hearing that from you.”

Mohbad died at the age of 27, on September 12, 2023, with circumstances surrounding his death sparking controversies on social media.

Being a former record label signee of Marlian Music owned by Naira Marley, Mohbad left the label in February 2022. The Lagos State Police Command had on September 18, 2023, inaugurated a 13-man special investigation team to probe the singer’s death.

His death also led to the arrest of Naira Marley and controversial Lagos socialite, Balogun Eletu, also known as Sam Larry, amongst others.

The singer’s body was on September 21, 2023, exhumed for autopsy to unravel the cause of his death.

Yoruba World Congress Worldwide (YWC) has urged security agencies to fish out the sponsors of Saturday’s attack on the Oyo state government secretariat.

The group made this declaration via a statement made available to newsmen through its Secretary General, Engineer Stephen Ajayi on Wednesday.

Recall that some people who claimed to be Yoruba nation agitators had on Saturday stormed the Oyo state Secretariat in a bid to take over the House of Assembly.

YWC in its reaction, enjoined the security operatives to fish out those who sponsored the attack.

The group noted that the need to arrest the sponsors was necessary in order to serve as a deterrent to others.

“This is to formally inform the general public that the Yorùbá World Congress Worldwide (YWC) dissociates herself from any form of violence or any treasonable acts that could jeopardise the peace and order in Yoruba land, and in Nigeria as a whole.

“Following the invasion of the Oyo State secretariat on the 13th April 2024 by some individuals of Yoruba Nation Agitators, to cause mayhem in Yoruba land and to cause confusion in Nigeria, we see their actions as barbaric and ill advised.

“The Yoruba World Congress Worldwide (YWC), UK, by this open letter, rejects and completely dissociates ourselves from the actions of these individuals.

“To serve as a deterrent to others, we advise that the law enforcement agencies should fish out the sponsors of the criminal elements from their hideouts and bring them to book without delay,” it said.

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, said yesterday that the apex bank is not defending the Naira with the nation’s foreign reserves.

He was speaking against the backdrop of the recent decline in Nigeria’s foreign reserves corresponding with massive appreciation of the Naira in the foreign exchange market (forex), fueling speculations that the apex bank pumped forex into the market to dwarf demand pressure and shore up the value of the local currency.

Speaking at the on-going Spring Meetings of the IMF the World Bank, Cardoso said that his team at the apex bank is determined to nurse a foreign exchange market ruled by the principle of willing buyers-willing seller.

Cardoso said: “Defending the naira seems to be a prevalent theme. Let me be very clear: it is not our intention to defend the naira.”

He acknowledged recent discussions on declining reserves, but argued that “defending the naira goes against our core philosophy and policy. We want a naira that performs based on market forces, as long as we have a vibrant foreign exchange market.”

Cardoso, who acknowledged the past reliance on Bureau De Change (BDCs) to meet forex needs for essential purposes, like education and travel, said the bank has shifted towards a market-driven approach.

“The recent changes in our reserves are not for defending the naira”, the CBN boss clarified, adding “they are for settling obligations that were due. After all, that’s the primary purpose of holding foreign reserves.”

He highlighted the importance of collaboration with the federal government, particularly regarding fiscal policy. “Monetary policy is just one side of the coin. We need a strong handshake with the fiscal authorities he stated.”

The governor pointed out to specific examples of cooperation, such as advocating for the release of fertilizer reserves held by the previous administration to enhance food production and address food inflation, which he acknowledged falls outside the direct purview of the CBN.

“The issue of Ways and Means [borrowing by the government from the CBN] is no longer an issue,” Cardoso declared, indicating a key point of contention has been addressed.

The CBN governor defended his decision to embrace orthodox central banking practices, which included a substantial interest rate hike of 600 basis points within a short period. He acknowledged the difficulty of the decision but insisted that it is necessary to build confidence in the naira.

Cardoso pledged increased communication with Nigerians and stakeholders to manage expectations.

“We want Nigerians to be realistic. The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has consistently explained the rationale behind our actions,” the CBN boss asserted.

He promised to strengthen communication channels and utilize various platforms to improve transparency.

Expressed satisfaction with the early results of his policies, he said: “Within two months of taking office, the naira was considered the worst performing currency globally. Within six months, it became the best performing.”

Cardoso stressed the importance of trust in achieving policy objectives.

“Boldness alone is not enough,” he cautioned, adding that “without trust, even the most well-intentioned policies will underperform. There seems to be a disconnect between public expectations and the realities of what the CBN can achieve.”