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Ojude Oba: Ijebuland's cultural festival becomes global tourism

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FOR decades, the Ojude Oba Festival has remained more than a colourful cultural gathering in Ijebuland; it has evolved into one of Nigeria’s biggest tourism spectacles, attracting thousands of visitors, celebrities, diplomats, culture enthusiasts and international tourists annually. Held in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, the festival, celebrated on the third day after Eid-el-Kabir, has become a vibrant showcase of Yoruba heritage, fashion, horsemanship, music and communal pride. From the richly adorned regberegbe age groups to the thrilling horse-riding displays by Balogun warrior families, Ojude Oba has steadily transformed into a globally recognised cultural tourism brand. The festival gained greater international prominence during the reign of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, who ruled for more than 60 years before his death in July 2025.  Under his leadership, the festival witnessed remarkable expansion, attracting corporate sponsorships, international media at...
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Insecurity: US panel accuses Police, Army of collusion in militias’ attacks

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*Says 1.3m people displaced in Middle Belt crisis *Pushes ban on paid lobbying for CPC countries *Seeks legislation authorising US-based Nigerians to sponsor resettlement for persecuted minority groups *Trump orders Pentagon to protect Nigerian Christians targeted by ISIS – Hegseth lMBF, Afenifere concur THE US Commission on International Religious Freedom, USCIRF, yesterday accused some police and army officers of colluding with Fulani militias in deadly attacks and mass abductions targeting religious communities across Nigeria. It also urged US Congress to bar individuals lobbying on behalf of foreign governments Washington had blacklisted for severe religious freedom violations from receiving payment for such services. This is even as US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, revealed yesterday that President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to prioritise Nigerian Christians targeted by ISIS, adding that the directive quietly led to the killing of ISIS’ second-in-command in Nigeri...
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Atiku defeats Amaechi, Hayatu-Deen to win ADC presidential ticket

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has won the presidential primary election of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). Tunde Ogbeha, the returning officer of the ADC presidential primary election, announced Abubakar as the winner of the primary poll yesterday night. Abubakar polled 1,846,370 votes to defeat two other contenders — Mohammed Hayatu-Deen, former managing director of the defunct FSB International Bank and Rotimi Amaechi, former governor of Rivers. Amaechi polled 504,117 votes while Hayatu-Deen got 177,120 votes.
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How toddler, 7 teachers, 39 students kidnapped

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The Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu (right), when he visited Oyo communities over school attack .  •Communities list names, ages of victims  •25 pupils, teachers still missing in Oyo — Police •IGP deploys additional detectives •We’re deploying resources to secure return of victims — DHQ •It’s a national disgrace — PFN •Atiku to Tinubu: You can’t govern by obituary statements •Nigeria losing its humanity — Peter Obi •OPC to FG, govs: Equip us to confront perpetrators  A two year old toddler, Christianah Akanbi, of Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School, is among the 46 persons kidnapped by terrorists in some communities in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State last Friday. According to community leaders, a total of 46 persons – seven teachers and 39 students – were abducted from Community High School Ahoro-Esinele and Yawota Baptist Nursery and Primary School. Four motorcycles were also snatched from villagers (three from the Yawota community and one from...
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FG okays 40% peculiar allowance for civil servants after strike threat

*NAAT to FG: Your 30% salary increase offer provocative THE federal government has officially approved the long-awaited 40 per cent peculiar allowance for federal civil servants, following intense pressure and threats of industrial action by organised labour. This came as the National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, yesterday rejected the 30 per cent salary increment offer, describing it as provocative. The approval of the peculiar allowance for federal civil servants, Vanguard gathered, came after a marathon meeting on Tuesday personally presided over by the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Esther Walson-Jack, in Abuja. A peculiar allowance is a special extra payment approved for federal civil servants to address unique job-related conditions or economic challenges not fully covered by their basic salary. It is called “peculiar” because it is meant to cater for the specific or peculiar nature of public service work and welfare needs. For federal civil ...
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Why I visited APC chairman — Wike

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, has dismissed the furore over his visit to the All Progressives Congress APC national chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, on Tuesday, declaring that he does not practice “politics of enmity” and owed no one public account of his private associations. Wike, who spoke with journalists during an inspection of ongoing road construction in Karu, Apo-Karshi and Kubwa yesterday, dismissed the controversy as a misreading of a straightforward personal gesture between two former ministerial colleagues. He said:  “We were all colleagues before he left for the chairmanship of APC. So what I should do anytime I see him is to hide? Anytime he sees me, he should run away, so people will not say something.’’ The minister revealed that the visit was, in fact, a reciprocal one, as Yilwatda had made several unsuccessful attempts to see him in his office. Wike said since the APC chairman could not secure a formal appointment, he decided to cal...
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How NDLEA, Customs intercept N10.4bn cannabis shipment at Tin Can port

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THE National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, yesterday,  took over 4,173.5 kilograms of cannabis indica valued  at over N10.4 billion, intercepted through a joint operation involving the agency and the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, at the Tin Can seaport in Lagos. Speaking during the handover ceremony, Assistant Commander-General of Narcotics,  Archieabia Ogboba, disclosed that the traffickers adopted multiple shipping routes in an attempt to evade security checks and frustrate security agencies from tracking the consignment. According to her, “The criminals intended to distort and frustrate law enforcement from monitoring their deadly container by creating multiple layers of movement.  The container originated from Toronto by truck on March 28, 2026, and was further conveyed by rail to Montreal before it was loaded onboard vessel Jakarta Express Voyage from Montreal. “It arrived at Tanger Med Port on April 15, 2026, where it was discharged and reloaded onto vess...
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