Shockwaves are reverberating across Yorùbáland and the global Yorùbá diaspora following the sudden death of the Baba Ọba (King’s Father) of the famed Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, USA. The late Baba Ọba, Lukman Arohunfale, a revered socialite and traditionalist, passed away under circumstances already sparking fierce controversy. His death comes just days after he publicly accused the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akeem Adéyẹmọ Owoade, of allegedly ordering his courtiers to beat him mercilessly during a recent courtesy visit to the Oyo palace in Nigeria. In a widely circulated voice recording, the deceased recounted how what was meant to be a simple homage turned violent. Although the Baba Ọba had reportedly battled ill health in the past year, growing insinuations suggest that the alleged physical assault may have aggravated his condition, ultimately leading to his untimely death. The palace in Oyo recently denied that s...
The money, it was reported, was part of the bailout given to the state by the Federal Government to offset workers’ salaries but most of the workers are still being owed.
The state Commissioner for Information, Patrick Ukah, in a statement on behalf of the government, stressed that there was no iota of truth in the story that it was Okowa who lost $10m to a girlfriend.
A report on Saturday quoted sources in the EFCC that a serving governor in the South-South zone allegedly diverted $10m from the bailout for his state.
The report, which did not actually specify the name of the governor, stated that the governor was already under probe by the EFCC after $10m was allegedly hijacked by his America-based mistress.
However, a follow-up report by an online medium accused Okowa as the one defrauded of the sum.
Ukah stated, “We are appalled by the attempt to link Governor Okowa with the story by online media. We find it ridiculously tasteless and mischievous. This can only be part of the unrelenting campaign of calumny and the ceaseless peddling of pernicious propaganda against the person and the office of the Delta State Governor.
“For the record, the state government has several times in the past given account of how the bailout the state got from the Federal Government was used. We will not repeat ourselves here.
“Governor Okowa is a responsible family man and a well respected public figure.
“His preoccupation has been and continues to be how to deliver on his promised S.M.A.R.T agenda to the good people of Delta State since he came to office. And he has received applause and commendations from far and near for being so focused and unrelenting in the pursuit of his vision for the state.”
The statement warned that if “those who are bent on carrying out their devious and dubious campaign of calumny against the governor refuse to stop this infamous trade of theirs, we reserve the right to take any action deemed appropriate to seek redress.”
So, who's the Niger Delta governor who was duped by a girlfriend of his people's money?
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