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Awujale race: KWAM1 not one of us – Ruling house
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Fusengbuwa ruling house of Ijebu Ode has disowned popular Fuji musician, Wasiu Ayinde Marshall, saying he is not a member of the family and therefore not qualified to contest for the vacant Awujale stool.
The family also fixed December 15 for the nomination of contestants seeking to succeed the late Awujale, Oba Sikiru Adetona, whose 65-year reign ended with his death in July.
The nominees are to be forwarded to the kingmakers, who have seven days to select the next monarch.
Spokesperson for the Fusengbuwa Nomination Committee, Abiodun Ogidan, told journalists during a briefing at Ile Nla on Thursday that the musician’s claim of belonging to the ruling house was false.
Ogidan said, “We just rose from the family meeting where all the Olori Ebi, the family heads of the Jadiara and Fusengbuwa families.
“And it has been confirmed by our family that from all that he (Wasiu Ayinde) has written in the family lineage data form given to him, that he is definitely not one of us in the Fusengbuwa ruling house.
“And let it be noted that Awujale nomination forms were not given to him; the Awujale form had closed by the time he began to claim that he’s from the Fusengbuwa family.
“How can someone who has never been part of our family meetings or supported the family in any way now suddenly wake up at the height of the glory of our family and begin to say what never happened?
“Wasiu Ayinde is only trying to rewrite history, but this is 2025; he can’t pull the wool over our eyes. He is not part of us, and people with fake lineage won’t be part of what we are doing here.”
Earlier, the family meeting, was chaired by Otunba Abdulateef Owoyemi and attended by his deputy, Otunba Adedokun Ajidagba; Prof. Fassy Yusuf; and Prof. Lasun Gbadamosi, among others.
A second family—the Oduneye family of Ijebu Ode—also rejected the musician’s claim, insisting he could not have come from the Jadiara royal house, which forms part of the Fusengbuwa ruling structure.
Speaking on behalf of the Oduneye family at Ile Nla, the family house of the Fusengbuwa ruling house in Ijebu Ode, Alhaja Adesumbo Oduneye said the family was shocked to see that the lineage form submitted by Ayinde was signed by her half-brother, Adetayo Oduneye, whom she described as “neither family head nor authorised representative.”
She said, “We are all shocked when the Fusengbuwa ruling house lineage data form signed by Adetayo Oduneye Eruobodo was sent to us, yes, he is one of us, one of the children of our late father, Adebanjo Tijani Oduneye but he is never the head of the Oduneye family.
“We don’t even know anything about Setejoye that he is talking about; he is spreading falsehood because Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde is never a member of the Oduneye or Jadiara royal family.
“Wasiu Ayinde doesn’t, by any means or chance, have anything doing or connected to Jadiara ruling. Irrespective of whatever Adetayo Oduneye is saying, he is on his own; the family members of Oduneye’s home and abroad sent me here to tell the whole world that Alhaji Wasiu Ayinde Marshall is not one of us and not from Jadiara.
“No one knows anything about what Adetayo Oduneye is doing; he is only hellbent on distorting facts, and the family has said that such shenanigans will not be allowed to stand.”
The lineage form submitted by the musician last week was reportedly signed by Adetayo Oduneye, who claimed to be the leader of the Setejoye unit of the Jadiara ruling house.
Ayinde last week publicly declared his intention to succeed the late Awujale, insisting that he hails from the Jadiara ruling house, a sub-unit of the Fusengbuwa family whose turn it is to produce the next king.
The National Coordinator of the Plateau Initiative for Growth and Development (PIGD), Nengak David, has appealed to residents to remain vigilant and help prevent further violence following renewed attacks in the state.
David urged people with credible information about threats, armed movements or plans for reprisals to alert the police or trusted community leaders promptly, without putting themselves in danger.
“Vigilance means recognising a threat and reporting it early. Tell the authorities where and when you saw it, and give only what you know firsthand. Do not approach armed people or attempt to confront them,” he said.
The appeal follows attacks in Barkin Ladi and Mangu. Plateau police confirmed the deaths of a senior officer and three civilians in separate incidents in Barkin Ladi, while a community group reported the killing of three men in Mangu.
David called on residents to reject reprisals and resist attempts to blame entire ethnic or religious communities for crimes committed by individuals.
“Every killing must be investigated, and those responsible must answer for it. Another innocent family must not suffer because someone chooses revenge or blames a whole community,” he said.
He urged traditional rulers, religious leaders, women and youth representatives to bring emerging disputes to trusted mediators before tensions escalate. The United Nations Development Programme has identified local mediation and early warning as ways communities can help prevent conflict.
The PIGD coordinator also cautioned against circulating old videos, unverified casualty figures and inflammatory claims. “Before forwarding a frightening message, check when and where it was recorded. A false claim can spread fear and provoke harm long after the truth catches up,” he said.
David asked residents of Barkin Ladi, Bokkos and Mangu to observe the state’s 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew and motorcycle ban, announced to remain in effect until further notice. He also appealed for food, shelter and other assistance to reach affected neighbours through trusted local groups, regardless of their background.
“Residents can share information and refuse provocation. Government, in turn, must act on credible reports, protect those who come forward and investigate every killing fairly,” David said.
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has expressed confidence that the visible achievements of President Bola Tinubu’s administration will secure victory for the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in the FCT during the 2027 general elections.
Wike, who stated this after inspecting the ongoing Apo-Karshi and Bwari-Kubwa road projects, stressed that good governance remains the most reliable metric for political success.
He said that the administration’s performance in infrastructure delivery, particularly in long-neglected satellite towns, leaves the opposition with nothing to offer voters beyond empty stories.
He argued that the tangible results on the ground make an unassailable case for President Tinubu’s re-election, including Sen. Philip Aduda (FCT) and House of Representatives candidate John Gabaya (Bwari Federal Constituency).
He said; “If good governance is a barometer to measure whether a government has succeeded or not, then we have nothing to fear.
“Now, the Tinubu administration has come and it’s not only listening to you, it’s not only caring for you, it’s solving your problems. Why will they want to change their mind?”
Dismissing opposition rhetoric, the minister said; “This is the campaign. The people who will come, what will they come with?
“They will tell them stories. But we have not come with stories, we have come with facts, verifiable facts. I can beat my chest, I can close my eyes and go home and sleep with my two eyes closed, that Tinubu will emerge. I have no fear at all.”
The minister pointed out that Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda has shifted development priorities beyond the city centre to directly touch satellite communities.
“The Renewed Hope administration has redefined infrastructure delivery as far as FCT is concerned, not just within the city, but also within the satellite towns.
“We thank God Almighty that has given us a President who has come to listen and to change the narrative that development must not only be concentrated within the city centers, but also spread in the satellite towns,” he said.
Speaking on the projects, Wike said the long-delayed Apo-Karshi road project was on course for completion in November.
He also said that the dualisation of the Bwari-Kubwa road, where residents turned out in large numbers to welcome his delegation, would also be delivered in December.
“Work on site is set to intensify by the first week of October as seasonal heavy rains abate,” he said.
. Dismantling the syndicate is another proof transnational drug networks won’t have any space to operate in Nigeria, says Marwa
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has once again struck a decisive blow against transnational organised crime with the dismantling of a Nigerian-Mexican drug cartel operating a clandestine methamphetamine laboratory in Eziama community in Obeagu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Two kingpins: 45-year-old Chukwu Obumneme Christopher, alias Brown, and 60-year-old Chukwu Georginus Monday, alias George, were arrested in connection with the operation of the meth lab in partnership with a notorious Mexican drug cartel member, Rodriguez Villanueva, based in Mexico City, Mexico, after several months of intelligence and surveillance on the syndicate.
As a result, they were arraigned before Hon. Justice Mabel Taiye Segun-Bello of the Federal High Court, Enugu Judicial Division, on a five-count charge bordering on conspiracy, the organisation, management and financing of a Drug Trafficking Organization, and unlawful possession of precursor chemicals used in methamphetamine production, contrary to the NDLEA Act. After their plea, Justice Segun-Bello has now scheduled their trial for 21st October 2026, following an application by the Agency for an accelerated hearing.
Also named in the charge, and currently at large, are Uchenna, alias Uche; Celestine Ikemefuna Iwuchukwu; and Rodriguez Villanueva, who is a notorious member of a Mexican drug cartel.
Investigations by a Special Operations Unit (SOU) of NDLEA revealed a sophisticated, transnational operation by the Nigerian-Mexican cartel. Surveillance activities by NDLEA between 1st and 4th December, 2025, tracked Brown’s movements between Lagos, Enugu and Anambra States, ultimately leading operatives to a compound in Obeagu where a clandestine laboratory capable of producing methamphetamine in commercial quantities was uncovered. The lab, fitted with improvised reactors and distillation apparatus, mirrored similar facilities recently dismantled in Ogun, Oyo and Ebonyi.
A search of the premises led to the recovery of vast quantities of precursor chemicals, including 690 litres of methylamine, 1,000 litres of isopropyl alcohol, 300 litres of hydrochloric acid, 290 litres each of toluene and acetone, 400 litres of liquid sodium hydroxide, 125 kilograms of N-phenylacetamide, 414 kilograms of lead acetate, and 769.6 kilograms of tartaric acid, among other controlled substances, a haul consistent with a high-potency, P2P-based methamphetamine manufacturing operation.
A related search of George’s family residence yielded eight large fuel tanks, four commercial gas burners, four dehydrators, and 11 kilograms of ephedrine, further underscoring the scale of the cartel’s operations.
Reacting to the development, Chairman/Chief Executive of the NDLEA, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), reaffirmed the Agency’s unwavering resolve to track down every fleeing suspect connected to the cartel, and ensure that they all face the full weight of the law.
He
commended all NDLEA officers involved in the operation for their professionalism and doggedness in cracking yet another international drug syndicate. He described the Enugu lab bust as further proof that Nigeria will not be allowed to become a haven for transnational drug cartels, warning that the Agency’s intelligence-driven operations and international partnerships would continue to close every loophole exploited by drug barons, whether local or foreign. He reiterated his charge to all NDLEA personnel to sustain the momentum of relentless enforcement until the nation is rid of the scourge of illicit drug production and trafficking.
*PIGD Calls For United Response To Plateau Violence*
2027: Tinubu’s good governance ‘ll secure FCT victory – Wike
NDLEA busts Nigerian-Mexican meth cartel, docks kingpins over Enugu clandestine lab(Photos)
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