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 bipartisan commission is charged with promoting, defending and advocating for international human rights. U.S lawmaker, Josh Gottheimer, sponsored Sowore’s nomination for the prestigious recognition. The Congressman made the announcement during a meeting with other American politicians on Friday. He said, “For months now, I have been working closely with the Sowore family, the Haworth community, the State Department, and my colleagues to advocate on Yele’s (Omoyele) behalf. “We are urging the Nigerian Government to protect Yele’s safety, provide him with the due process he deserves, and ultimately permit him to return home as soon as possible.
“We will continue watching the situation in Nigeria, a democracy seeking closer ties with the United States, to make sure the government respects basic human rights.”Gottheimer and other members of Congress had earlier sent a letter to Nigeria’s Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), requesting that immediate steps be taken to ensure the safety and security of Sowore while still in custody and to ensure he gets a credible trial.
Sowore was first arrested on August 3, 2019, for calling on Nigerians to take to the streets in peaceful demonstrations to demand a better country from political leaders. He was briefly released on bail on December 5 but rearrested a few hours later on December 6 by DSS operatives while appearing for his trial in a case brought against him by the Nigerian Government. He is being accused of insulting President Muhammadu Buhari and planning to bring down his regime. In all, Sowore spent over four months in detention despite two court orders directing his release on bail during that period.
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