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Without knowing Ife history, we are nobody —- Ooni
The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II, says Ile-Ife remains the nucleus and nexus that cannot be discountenanced by any Yoruba either at home or in the diaspora.
Oba Ogunwusi said this during the finale of the international conference on Ile-Ife and Yoruba Civilisation, with the theme “The Nexus between Tradition and Modernity” and held on Saturday in Ile-Ife.
“Without real history, Africans will continue to depend on foreigners to tell our stories,” he said.
The Ooni called on all those of the Yoruba race to ensure they support the historians to conduct a thorough research on Ife history in order to put all measures in place.
Also, a Senior Lecturer in the Department of History, University of Ibadan (UI), Prof Olutayo Adesina, said tradition and modernity should not be mutually exclusive for they run into one another.
Adesina said: “We have a lot of things to learn from history and to use to create knowledge and employment for the population of the country, for all to understand how to blend tradition and modernity together.
“The traditional rulers are the custodians of traditions, culture and values and they are aware that there are lots of benefits derived from what we have.
“We should shun running away from the country because we have not just mineral resources alone, but cultural resources across the nation to add values to the society,” Adesina said.
He advised all Nigerians to cooperate to ensure that all things they have under their control are brought together to create synergy that would allow this generation to be developed.
Also, Prof Siyan Oyeweso, the Executive Director, Centre for Black Culture and International Understanding, thanked those present at the programme to present the history of their families.
“What these ‘compounds’ have done will be useful in the nearest future,” he said.
Oyeweso applauded the past heroes, such as Pa Eni Fasogbon and Pa Micheal Fabunmi, among others, who had written on the history of Ile-Ife.
He added that Prof Isaac Akinjogbin, Prof Isola Olomola, Prof. Abiodun Adediran and Prof Toyin Falola had also done a great job previously on the history of Ile-Ife.
Oyeweso solicited the Ooni’s support in the collation and documentation of Yoruba history during the 2023 International Conference.
He advised the Vice-Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Prof. Simeon Bamire on the establishment of an Archeology Department so as to deepen research on the early phases of Ife history.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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