Author: Optimal Times

Yoruba leader, Prof. Banji Akintoye, has disowned those who called themselves Yoruba Nation agitators and invaded the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Ibadan. In a voice note made available to The Guardian, Akintoye said the behaviour of the so-called agitators was insane. While stating that though the Yoruba wanted to have their independent nation, Akintoye said the people would not go violent with it. The professor   maintained that those going violent about the actualisation of the Yoruba Nation wanted to destroy Yoruba struggle, pointing out that the agitators had  nothing to do with the real Yoruba…

Some economists have  urged President Bola Tinubu to cut taxes, stop increase money supply and reduce over regulations in order to fix and leapfrog the economy to serve the populace. The economists,  Mr.  Bayonle Fesobi, Econ Bro Bryan and others, who spoke in Ibadan, attributed the spike in the rate of crimes to poor economic conditions of most Nigerians and the harsh  business environment They made the call during a freedom seminar organised by the Nigerian Libertarian Project in collaboration with the Freedom Institute,  which  was a platform for young minds to interact and discuss the way forward for…

A Yoruba organisation, Yoruba Nation Youth Leader in Diaspora, has called on Yoruba leaders and elders to stop further participation in any discussion aimed at  restructuring  the country, saying the Yoruba are not ready to be part of the entity called Nigeria any more. According to a statement signed by Leader of the group,Prophet  Ayodele Ologunlolua and made available to The Guardian in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, it said, the Yoruba nation must  peacefully  exit from the failed country of Nigeria. Ologunlolua stated that the youths arrived at the decision  because they were painfully concerned that their parents appear to…

…Say President must be protected  against assassination by Western intelligence agencies …Say African leaders mustn’t be left behind in  wind of global change By Wuraola Oyedokun A renowned Professor of International Relations from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Osun State, Alade Fawole, and the  Head of Department,  Political Science and International Relations,  KolaDaisi University, Ibadan,  KDU- I, Dr. Adebukola Ayoola, have called on the Senegalese and all Africans to support and encourage President Diomaye Faye of Senegal in his efforts to liberate Africans from the shackles of neo-colonialism and imperialism.  Faye, the anti-establishment president of Senegal , has expressed a…

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organization, Afenifere, on Sunday, condemned the invasion of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Ibadan, on Saturday in its entirety.  Afenifere, in a statement released by the National Publicity Secretary of the body,  Jare Ajayi, Afenifere stated that those who took the said step did not act in the interest of the Yorubas whom they alleged to be representing. It would be recalled that some people who claimed to be Yoruba nation agitators stormed the premises of Oyo State House of Assembly, Agodi Secretariat, Ibadan, regarded as political capital of Yorubaland, on Saturday, April 13,…

Whether real or imagined, none of the metonyms for “Lagos boy” is complimentary. The “Lagos boy” moniker once came up in the late 1980s. Commodore Olabode George, then Military Governor of Ondo State, had just been removed from office after spending two years. The African Concord magazine then did a post-mortem of his turbulent rule. Newly purchased boats for the coastal part of the state were alleged to be second-hand. By then, for analysts writing about the George years, rigor-mortis hadn’t set on another uproarious component of his time in office. It was his wife, Feyi George’s “Queendom.” So she…

There was pandemonium on the early hours of Saturday in Ibadan as some  suspected Oodua Nation agitators attempted to take over the Oyo State House of Assembly located inside the state Secretariat Complex.  It was gathered that the agitators, who  dressed in military uniform, engaged in fierce gun duel with the local Amotekun, Police and Operation Burst personnel before they were eventually overpowered. According to an eyewitness account,  the alleged agitators had already taken over the assembly complex premises, and hosted their flag before in arrival of backup security personnel. However, the presence of Nigerian Police, Amotekun, and other security…

The Speaker, Oyo State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebo Ogundoyin has congratulated member representing Ibadan North II State Constituency in the State House of Assembly, Hon. Adebayo Babajide Gabriel on his 40th birthday celebration. The Speaker described Hon. Babajide Gabriel as one of the most active and committed lawmakers in the Oyo State House of Assembly. In a birthday message, the Speaker said ” This is a landmark celebration and it will be the start of more good and great stuffs in your life. Life begins at 40 therefore let’s roll out the drums to celebrate this milestone. May the…

  The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) aroused the rage of Nigerians this week when it revealed in its periodic newsletter called “EFCC Alert” (which it shared with news organizations on Monday) that it had recovered up to 30 billion naira of the money allegedly stolen by suspended Humanitarian and Poverty Alleviation minister Betta Edu. The rage wasn’t directed at the EFCC, of course. It was directed at Betta Edu for the deficiency of morality it must take for her to steal that much money in just six months of being a minister. The rage also comes from people’s…

Kingmakers in Ibadan, who are members of the Olubadan-in-Council, on Friday, appointed the current Balogun of Ibadanland, High Chief Owolabi Akinloye Olakulehin as the 43rd Olubadan of Ibadanland. Olakulehin’s appointment was ratified at a meeting held at Mapo Hall, Ibadan,  the state capital. The meeting started around 11:00 am and ended some minutes after 12:00 pm. It would be recalled that the Olubadan stool became vacant as a result of the death of the 42nd holder of the title, Oba Mahood Olalekan Balogun, who joined his ancestors last month. The Olubadan-in-Council met at Mapo Hall to nominate Olakulehin and the…