News
Irish Court Orders Esabod To Take Down Defamatory Posts On Ooni Of Ife With Immediate Effect
An Irish court has ordered Nigerian born blogger based in Ireland, Esther Esabod Aboderin to take down all defamatory posts on social media on Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, Ojaja II with immediate effect.
According to Journal.ie, Ooni has dragged the Ireland-based blogger, Esther Esabod Aboderin to a High Court in Dublin, Ireland claiming that he has been defamed in a series of contents she posted on social media.
The monarch, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, known as Ojaja II who is the traditional ruler and spiritual leader of the Yoruba people, claims that he has been defamed in video clips and other posts, that have appeared on Facebook and YouTube, by Esther Esabod Aboderin.
He claims that in the postscript he has been wrongly, and maliciously accused of committing serious offences by the defendant. None of the accusations are true, he claims.
The defendant, with an address in Leixlip in Co Kildare but originally from Nigeria, who told the court her blog has 30 million followers, denies the comments are defamatory.
As a result of the posts, the Nigeria-based 45-year-old king, represented in court by Thomas Hogan SC, sought various orders against Ms Esabod Aboderin under the 2009 Defamation Act.
The orders include injunctions requiring her to take down the allegedly defamatory posts and that she or anyone else with knowledge of the order cease posting any more defamatory material about him.
He claims that in the posts he has been wrongly, and maliciously accused of committing serious offences.
When the matter came before Mr Justice Anthony Barr the defendant, who represented herself in the proceedings, consented to injunctions that are to remain in place pending the full hearing of the action being made against her.
She also agreed to remove the allegedly defamatory material from her Facebook account.
The material placed on YouTube, she said, had been posted by others. She told the judge that she would take steps, including asking her followers, to take down the posts.
Mr Hogan told the court that his client, who is a trained chartered accountant who has worked in real estate, was selected in 2015 to be the traditional monarch and spiritual leader of the Yoruba, an ethnic group of 44 million people who mainly live in Nigeria and Benin.
Counsel said that his client first became aware of the defendant’s posts in late May. The contents of her posts were highly defamatory, untrue, and very damaging for the king, counsel said.
Already, the posts have had tens of thousands of views, and were the subject of thousands of comments. He does not know why she posted this material, and has asked the social media firms to take down the posts.
Counsel said that his client does not know the defendant, but believes he briefly met her on one occasion during an official function in the UK.
Counsel said that when the defendant was contacted by the king’s solicitors, asking her to remove the material, she had refused to do this, and had made further comments about lawyers becoming involved.
Counsel claimed that in separate proceedings last year he and his solicitor had represented a Nigerian businesswoman Rosala Uvbi Mku-Atu, who also brought defamation proceedings against the defendant over comments that were posted on social media.
In reply, the defendant said that much of what she said about the king have been posted on the internet, and could be found through a google search.
She said that she had made the posts after being contacted by various people in Nigeria.
She said that she was a blogger and “a herbal doctor,” and said she has written about corruption in Nigeria, but was prepared to remove the posts until the action has been decided.
She agreed with the judge that her defence to the defamation claims would be one of justification.
She also agreed with Mr Hogan that she had been before the courts last year in relation to claims that she had defamed Ms Uvbi Mku-Atu.
Those posts, she said, have been taken down.
Source:E24-7
News
Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race
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.
News
Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency
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
News
Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience
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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