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 Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has paid $5,901,000 to 197 students on its scholarship scheme. Recall that during the investigative hearing done by the House of Representatives on allegations of financial recklessness in the commission, several students sent abroad by the commission to study, came out to complain that they have been left stranded as the commission has failed to fulfill its promise to pay their tuition fees as well as give them some allowances. The students staged a protest that got the attention of President Buhari who ordered the payment of the students' fees. Well, respite has come the way of the students as the fees of some of them have now been paid while the fees of others are currently being processed. Director of Corporate Affairs, NDDC, Charles Odili, in an interview with Vanguard, said $5.901m has now been paid to 197 scholarship students. Odili said among the 197 beneficiaries were 12 Ph.D. students from 2016 and 13 Ph.D. students from 2019, totaling 43, who got $30,000 each, amounting to $1,290,000. Odili said 154 MSC beneficiaries of 2019 were paid $30,000 each, amounting to $4, 420,000, bringing the grand total to $5,910,000. He gave the description of 94 beneficiaries of 2018 still awaiting payment as 40 PhD and 54 MSC.