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By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Akeem Abimbola Owoade, has come under heavy hammer from a Professor of English at the University of Ibadan, Prof. Ademola Omobewaji Dasylva, over his alleged three-hour delay to a programme and failure to apologise after arriving.

Dasylva, who teaches drama, poetry, African Literatures and Oral Literature/Folklore Studies at the University of Ibadan, described the monarch’s conduct as disrespectful and inconsistent with the values of the revered Yoruba royal institution.

The don made the remarks in an article, titled: “Of Mythography and Mythognosis: A Complementary Perspective on Yoruba Mythology and The Relevance, Today,” published on the Toyin Falola Network.

According to Dasylva, the article partly celebrated the inauguration of the Alaafin Institute of Yoruba Studies at the Emmanuel Alayande University of Education, Oyo, held on July 14, 2026.

Before I go on, however, let me mention, in passing, but for the maturity and discipline demonstrated by both the organisers, and the very cultured invited guests, an extreme patience taken for granted by some leaders and cultural icons, the well organised inauguration event of a foremost Yoruba Cultural Institute could have been thoroughly messed up, courtesy of the usual ‘Nigerian thing’, widely referred to as ‘African time,’” he wrote.

Dasylva said the event was scheduled to begin at 9am, with dignitaries, including retired Bishop (Prince) Ladigbolu, already seated, while the programme indicated that the Alaafin was expected at 9:55am.

The university lecturer alleged that the monarch did not arrive until 12:20pm, forcing guests to wait for more than three hours.

“However, the event had to be kept on hold, courtesy of Alaafin Owoade, who arrived at the venue at 12:20pm.

“In other words, people, including yours truly, were kept waiting for over three hours before the event finally took off.

“Perhaps it wouldn’t have mattered much had other important and peripheral activities including cultural dances, been allowed to fill up the gap pending the Alaafin’s arrival, but no.

“Everyone was kept waiting and wondering what could have taken the monarch that long to attend to a great honour bestowed on the revered Throne of the Alaafin and Ancestry.”

The professor said what disappointed him most was the absence of an apology from either the monarch or his representatives.

“Unfortunately, not a word of apology for the lateness of the Imperial Majesty and his entourage, either by his spokesperson or directly by His Imperial Majesty!

“But as a teacher of culture, a proud Yoruba, and an advocate of our rich African cultural heritage, I found that rather strange and incomprehensible.”

Dasylva argued that while such behaviour had become common among some politicians, it should not be associated with a foremost Yoruba monarch.

“I do know that many uncultured Nigerian politicians who have refused to outgrow their adult delinquency regularly do that a lot and take the people they are meant to serve for granted.

“However, may I say in all humility, it is least expected of a foremost Yoruba monarch, a significant institution that embodies Yoruba cultural values and the requisite discipline.

“To whom much is given much is required.

“Again, in all humility, I stand to be corrected.”

As at the time of filing this report, Oba Owoade, who is currently on vacation to Manitoba, Canada, where he resided before becoming Alaafin, could not be reached for comments on the professor’s condemnation.

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Survivors of the fatal terrorist attack on Naridon village in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State, have recounted the horror they witnessed during the assault that claimed 30 lives, including five siblings from the same family, Daily Trust reports.

The armed attackers stormed the village in the early hours of Monday, shooting sporadically at residents.

They k!lled dozens of people, set houses ablaze, looted food items and forced villagers to flee into nearby bushes for safety.

Although security has since been reinforced and relative calm restored, many residents said they were still afraid to return home for fear that the attackers might strike again.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directed the security and intelligence agencies to track down the perpetrators.Politics

Speaking on Tuesday during a visit by security agencies, the survivors described the attack as cruel and devastating.

One of them linked the assault to the recent k!lling of a herder whose body was allegedly dumped in the community.

One of the survivors, Auta Danladi, who lost his father and an uncle, said he survived only by the grace of God.

He said his parents refused to flee when the gunmen invaded the community and his father was later k!lled.

“When I heard that the attackers were coming, I rushed out of the house. There was confusion everywhere and everyone started running for safety,” he said.

“I tried all I could to persuade my father and my mother to leave, but they refused. In the end, my father was k!lled. I quickly ran into the bush and hid.

“I saw the attackers pass close to where I was lying, but God did not allow them to see me. They burned our house and my in-law’s house as well.

“I have left everything in the hands of God. I don’t have the strength to fight, but God witnessed what they did.

“As the first son of the family, I was shattered when I learned that my father and my uncle had been k!lled. My father was the one I depended on for survival, but now he is gone.”

Another survivor, Alheri Joseph, said the sound of gunfire shattered the peace of the night and forced families to flee for their lives.

“We were sitting together when we suddenly heard gunshots from different directions. I escaped with my children to another village, while those who remained behind were k!lled.

“Why did they attack us? What is our offence? We are living in fear because we don’t know whether they will come back again. We are worried that this may not be the end.

“We are deeply pained by the death of our relatives. They were our loved ones, our friends, our parents and members of our families.

“We are calling on the government to do justice for us. Whenever such incidents happen, government officials come, make promises and later forget them. This is not just about bringing relief materials. Lives have been lost. What we need is protection,” he said.

Another resident, Blessing Luka, who lost her co-wife and other relatives in the attack, said the community had no idea why it was targeted.

“We were sleeping peacefully without knowing what was happening. I remember that about two weeks ago, a herder was k!lled somewhere and his body was abandoned in our village. His relatives later came to evacuate the body.

“We don’t know who k!lled him or what happened. We had no involvement in it, but suddenly they came and attacked us, k!lling our family members. This is not the first time such k!llings have happened here, yet nothing has been done to stop them,” she said.

The survivors appealed to security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to take decisive action to end the recurring attacks and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

They said the community could no longer continue to live under the constant fear of losing more innocent lives.

“Why did they attack us? What is our offence? We are living in fear because we don’t know whether they will come back again. We are worried that this may not be the end.

“We are deeply pained by the death of our relatives. They were our loved ones, our friends, our parents and members of our families.

“We are calling on the government to do justice for us. Whenever such incidents happen, government officials come, make promises and later forget them. This is not just about bringing relief materials. Lives have been lost. What we need is protection,” he said.

Another resident, Blessing Luka, who lost her co-wife and other relatives in the attack, said the community had no idea why it was targeted.

“We were sleeping peacefully without knowing what was happening. I remember that about two weeks ago, a herder was k!lled somewhere and his body was abandoned in our village. His relatives later came to evacuate the body.

“We don’t know who k!lled him or what happened. We had no involvement in it, but suddenly they came and attacked us, k!lling our family members. This is not the first time such k!llings have happened here, yet nothing has been done to stop them,” she said.

The survivors appealed to security agencies and other relevant stakeholders to take decisive action to end the recurring attacks and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.

They said the community could no longer continue to live under the constant fear of losing more innocent lives.

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…Kalu Calls for Urgent FG Intervention

More than 10 houses have been swallowed by massive gully erosion in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State, leaving scores of people internally displaced.

In a bid to address the crisis, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, on Wednesday led officials of the Ecological Project Office including the Director, Soil and Erosion Flood Control, B’aba Bomoi to the sites in Uzuakoli and Ozuitem communities for an emergency assessment of the affected areas.

Residents say the number of destroyed homes has continue to rise weekly as the rains persist, with the streets and farmlands collapsing into widening gullies.

The erosion is also threatening the residence of the Special Assistant on State Affairs in the Office of the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Ikenna Ariwodo and many others.

Describing the situation as “a matter of urgent public importance,” Kalu called on National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Ecological Project Office to intervene immediately, stressing that the disaster has overwhelmed the capacity of the state government.

Speaking at the site in Uzuakoli, the Deputy Speaker who represents Bende Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives said he had much earlier in the term submitted an application to the Ecological Office through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation when the erosion was less severe.

He explained that the erosion now spans over 4 to 5 kilometers and requires a fresh assessment and a much larger federal intervention.

He said: “I want to first thank the federal government for creating ecological funds office. It is under the presidency. I am sure the ecological funds office was created in view of issues that have affected mainly the South East, because we are the ecological headquarters or erosion headquarters of the world.

“Honestly speaking, I came here about two or three years ago, it was not this massive. When I made the application to the ecological funds office, it was not as big as this.

“To be honest, the amount I was asking for to solve this will be a far cry from what would be used in solving this. In fact, it is about twenty times over what I had projected when I laid that application two or three years ago.

“We have to do a reassessment of what this has become and find a way of giving a lasting solution to it. I know the capacity of your office to handle this,” he told the visiting team.

Kalu thanked the Ecological Office for its prompt response, noting that the visit followed a meeting held in his office with the Permanent Secretary in the project office.

“This is not what a state can do. I know many people have been saying the state government should come and intervene. I think this is beyond the state. Here, we can partner with the state, but this is a federal government project. If we really want to do it and do it well, we need the federal government presence here”, he said.

He recalled how a similar intervention was secured for Nkpa for which a bridge was later built during the Buhari administration after he moved a motion on June 13, 2019, expressing optimism that President Bola Tinubu’s government which graciously approved the establishment of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) and two tertiary institutions in Bende will do the same for Uzuakoli and Ozuitem erosion menaces.

Touring other affected areas in Ozuitem with the technical team from the Ecological Office to determine the scope of damage, Kalu lamented that the South East bears the brunt of ecological disasters in Nigeria.

He urged immediate action to prevent further loss of homes and displacement, stressing that the current situation is far worse than what was captured in the initial application.

“This is affecting mainly the South East. We are counting on the federal government, counting on Mr. President to see this as a real need of our people,” the Deputy Speaker added.

In his remarks, Director Bomoi who led the technical team of the Office bemoaned the situation, stressing that it is life threatening.

“This one is quite threatening, not only to the environment, not only to the property, even lives. And if you can look at it now the encroachment has already taken over almost the entire farmland”, he said.

It will be recalled that the women from the affected communities recently staged a mass walk, demanding urgent government intervention.

The Ecological Funds team is expected to submit its assessment report to guide federal government intervention.