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...
A Nigerian man from Igbo descent, Kaycee Madu has made history after being appointed a Minister of Justice in Alberta, Canada. Premier Jason Kenney on Tuesday, August 25, elevated Madu to the justice portfolio from Municipal Affairs in a cabinet shuffle that saw Calgary-Elbow MLA Doug Schweitzer move from justice to an economic portfolio. With the appointment, Madu is now the first Black Canadian to occupy either provincial or federal justice positions of the justice minister, attorney general or solicitor general. Jason Kenney said:
“This effectively takes the Economic Development, Trade, and Tourism portfolio (and) renames it. Additional functions will be added to the ministry over the weeks and months that come. “This is a broadened and expanded ministry. Alberta is being hit especially hard with the double whammy of the global coronavirus recession, on top of that the collapse of energy prices which has clobbered our largest industry oil and gas.”
