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By Our Correspondent  The High Court of Ondo State sitting in Ore Judicial Division has restrained the Ondo State Government and relevant authorities from recognising High Chief Akindele Aladenika as the Regent of Ore Kingdom pending the determination of a substantive suit before the court. The ruling was delivered by Justice A. Adegoroye on Monday, June 15, 2026, in Suit No. HOR/25/2020. The claimants/applicants in the suit include High Chief Monday Isaac Sawoju, the Jomu of Ore Kingdom; High Chief Mrs Esther Ojo, the Odofinlomu of Ore Kingdom; Chief Tope Diniga, the Ayadi of Ore Kingdom; and Chief Fakeye Sawoju, the Sama of Ore Kingdom, who instituted the action for themselves and on behalf of the Olore-in-Council. The respondents are the Executive Governor of Ondo State, the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, the Chairman of Odigbo Local Government, and Mr David Ijiniga. The applicants had approached th...

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko, Ibadan   As the world marks Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) Day on Friday, experts have warned that poor management of complications from the disorder killed more sickle cell warriors in later years. They noted that poverty, ignorance and delay were the real killers and not SCD itself. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Sickle-Cell Disease (SCD) is a group of genetic (inherited) blood disorders, caused by a mutation in the HBB gene, affecting hemoglobin, the protein responsible for carrying oxygen in red blood cells. This defect causes the  body to produce abnormal hemoglobin (the protein that carries oxygen in red blood cells) and because of this genetic anomaly, the red blood cells become rigid, sticky, and “sickle” (crescent-shaped). These misshapen cells block blood flow, resulting in a clinical disease known as Sickle Cell Disease (SCD). World SCD day is commemorated annually  on June 19, with the 2026 theme as “Closing the Survival Gap: Equity ...

  Professor Alaba Akingbesote, a scholar specialising in Artificial Intelligence and e-market services, has called for enhanced digital literacy and broader access to digital tools to ensure that Africa—and particularly Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) in rural areas—can fully benefit from the globalisation of e-marketplaces. He observed that many of these enterprises remain excluded from emerging digital trade systems, even as traditional markets gradually evolve into bidirectional AI-cloud e-marketplaces. The professor made these remarks on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, while delivering the 66th inaugural lecture of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State, titled “From Traditional Markets to Bidirectional AI-Cloud E-Marketplaces: Emergence, Challenges and Expectations.” Tracing the evolution of e-marketplaces, Prof. Akingbesote explained that traditional marketplaces were constrained by weak marketing strategies, limited global reach, slow adoption of cashless paym...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has launched an investigation into a self-acclaimed prophet, Godwin Sunday Ajuluchukwucheya, popularly known as Prophet Sunday Koboko, over allegations of defrauding members of his ministry of about N70.39 million . The anti-graft agency disclosed this in a statement shared on its official X account on Wednesday, stating that operatives of its Enugu Zonal Directorate are currently handling the matter. According to the EFCC, the suspect allegedly obtained money from church members through various schemes, including promises of spiritual intervention and investment opportunities. One of the petitioners, identified as Okey Uwakwe, alleged that Ajuluchukwucheya collected N6.23 million from him for spiritual exercises intended to convince his brother, who had been living abroad since 1997, to return to Nigeria. Uwakwe further claimed that he paid another N3.25 million to the suspect for spiritual activities aimed at helping his sister...

The Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) has showcased a series of completed and ongoing infrastructure and social intervention projects across its mandate areas as its Executive Chairman, Prince Olabiyi Olaleye Poroye, marked his first year in office. Poroye, who assumed office in June 2025, said the commission had concentrated efforts on completing inherited but viable projects while also initiating fresh interventions aimed at improving living conditions in oil-producing communities. Speaking during an inspection tour of selected projects, the chairman said the achievements recorded within the past year reflected OSOPADEC’s commitment to sustainable development and people-oriented governance. According to him, the board, upon inauguration, adopted a strategy of prioritising abandoned projects that could deliver direct benefits to residents, noting that the decision had accelerated development across several riverine communities. Among the projects in...

There was tension and disruption of vehicular movement along the Okitipupa–Ore Highway on Wednesday following the alleged fatal shooting of a driver identified as Solomon James, an indigene of Kogi State. THE HOPE gathered that the incident occurred at about 2:30 p.m. The deceased was reportedly transporting kegs of diesel in his vehicle when he was allegedly pursued by a soldier riding a motorcycle before being shot around the D-Choice area in Ore. Eyewitnesses claimed the chase continued for some distance before gunshots were allegedly fired at the moving vehicle. According to eyewitness accounts, the driver sustained gunshot injuries, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and stop in a nearby bush. The soldier involved was said to have fled the scene immediately after the incident. When our correspondent visited the area, several bullet holes were observed on the vehicle. The incident also attracted residents and road users, resulting in temporary traffic disruption along th...

The 17th prosecution witness in the ongoing alleged money laundering case filed against the immediate past Governor of Kogi State, Yahaya Bello, and two others, said on Wednesday that the former governor was not involved in any of the property transactions before the court. The witness, Shehu Bello Bala, told the court, while being cross-examined by the Defendant's Counsel, Paul Daudu, SAN, that the 2nd defendant did not also participate in any of the transactions. He noted that one Farouk Bello served as the agent.  On cross-examination, he, however, noted that he was aware that the title documents - deed of assignment and power of attorney were returned to Efab Estate by Farouk Bello. The witness had earlier said he was not in anyway related to Ali Bello and Farouk Bello, whom he had mentioned in his examination-in-chief. He also confirmed that he was not from Kogi State, implying that he was not also related to the former governor. The witness, a commodity trader, who said he wa...

Residents of Idanre Local Government Area of Ondo State have been thrown into shock and grief following the gruesome killing of an 18-month-old girl by unknown assailants at a farm settlement in the area. The tragic incident reportedly occurred on Monday, June 8, 2026, at Agoti Settlement, a farming community in Idanre. The victim’s father, Mr. Bright Kalu, a peasant farmer originally from Abia State, is demanding justice for the brutal murder of his daughter. Speaking on the incident, Kalu explained that his daughter had been left in the care of her mother at the family’s farm camp while he went to work at another farmland located some distance away. Recounting the painful experience, he said: “On Monday, June 8, 2026, I was returning from a nearby camp where I had gone to purchase food items when I met my wife looking distressed and unsettled. “When I asked what had happened, she told me that an unknown person had invaded the camp and attacked her. She managed to rescue three ...

The Executive Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa, has challenged members of the 2026 Batch 'B' Stream I orientation course, to become active drivers of national renewal and community development through dedicated service, innovation and responsible leadership. The Governor gave the charge at the swearing in ceremony of the corps members held at the NYSC Permanent Orientation Camp, Ikare Akoko. He was ably represented by the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Hon. Segun Henry Omoyofunmi. Addressing the newly sworn in corps members, Aiyedatiwa described the NYSC as one of Nigeria's most enduring platforms for promoting national unity and youth development. He urged them to embrace the service year as an opportunity to build bridges across ethnic and religious divides while contributing meaningfully to the growth of their host communities. He encouraged the corps members to take advantage of the orientation course and the Skill Acquisition and En...

The Imole Campaign Council (TICC) has received credible intelligence regarding an alleged plot by desperate opposition elements within the Osun State chapter of the APC to disrupt the official campaign flag-off of Governor Ademola Adeleke ahead of the forthcoming governorship election in the state. According to information available to the Council, certain APC actors recently held a clandestine meeting with some hoodlums allegedly recruited to disguise themselves as students, civil society activists, or advocates for the recently abducted school children in Oyo State, with the objective of staging a protest targeted at Governor Adeleke's official campaign launch. If true, such a scheme represents a disturbing attempt to exploit a painful national tragedy for partisan political gains. It is particularly unfortunate that a matter involving innocent school children, their traumatised families, and the collective concern of Nigerians could be converted into a tool for political despera...

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has rescued a 36-year-old woman, identified as Grace Aniekuoku, who was allegedly chained and confined in a room by her brother for over one year and four months in Abuja. The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Mohammed Sanusi, disclosed the development on Monday, revealing that the command received a distress report on June 12, 2026, regarding the victim’s alleged unlawful detention under inhumane conditions. According to the police commissioner, detectives attached to the Katampe Division were immediately deployed to investigate the report. He explained that upon arrival at the residence, the suspect allegedly resisted officers and refused to grant them access to the area where the victim was being held. The officers eventually gained entry and discovered the woman chained inside a room. Police said she appeared severely malnourished and was found lying in unsanitary conditions. The suspect was arrested at the scene, while the vict...

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko, Ibadan  The Catholic Bishop of Oyo Diocese, Most Rev. Emmanuel Badejo, has lamented that Africa’s three wealthiest black nations — Nigeria, South Africa and Democratic Republic of Congo – were “all in shreds for one reason or the other”. According to him, the continent at this point in time, urgently needs courageous leaders with patriotic vision. Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Monday in Ibadan, the cleric said the situation across the continent was “very unsettling”. “Africa really needs the help of courageous leaders with patriotic vision. “Look at Nigeria, South Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo, the three wealthiest countries of black Africa are all in shreds for one reason or the other. “This is very unsettling. These three countries aforementioned have a great responsibility to drag Africa out of the doldrums of centuries past,” Badejo stressed. The Catholic Bishop expressed concern that Africa’s development would ...

‎ ‎The Ondo State Government has assured residents that all necessary security and intelligence mechanisms have been activated to ensure the safe rescue of Mr. Adeniyi Adelana, aged 60, the Baale of Ode Oriya Village, who was kidnapped by suspected gunmen in Owo Local Government Area on Saturday. ‎ ‎2. The government wishes to reassure the family of the victim and the general public that Police and other security agencies, in collaboration with the Ondo State Security Network Agency (Amotekun Corps), have swung into action and are currently conducting coordinated search and rescue operations across strategic locations within and around the area of the incident. ‎ ‎3. The swift response to the unfortunate development underscores the effectiveness of the state's sustained investment in strengthening its security architecture. Through the provision of modern intelligence-gathering equipment, including surveillance drones and other technological assets, the Ondo State Government has co...

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko, Ibadan  Oyo State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) Chairman, Rev. Elisha Ogundiya, has charged Nigerians to be informed, not inflamed as the general elections approach, saying democracy thrives on responsibility, not violence. Ogundiya stated this in his Democracy Day message to Nigerians made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Ibadan. He said democracy is “government of the people, by the people, for the people” and worked only when citizens take responsibility daily in their actions and choices. The cleric urged Nigerians to vote wisely, participate daily and teach children honesty and hard work. Quoting Proverbs 14:34 “Righteousness exalts a nation…, Ogundiya emphasised that ‘our unity should be our strength.’ He however, noted the nation’s joy was mixed with grief due to insecurity threatening lives and schools, especially in Oyo State in recent weeks. Ogundiya cited the May 15 abduction of over 40 pupils and teachers from ...

Olawole Oluwasuji, a Prof. at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, has proposed the diversification of Nigeria's economy through sustained investment in agriculture, manufacturing, and the creative industries.  He warned that a nation heavily reliant on oil exports and imported technology cannot claim full autonomy, because its sovereignty remains constrained by the conditions of external markets. Prof. Oluwasuji, a scholar of Political Science and Public Administration, gave this recommendation on Tuesday,June 9, 2026 while delivering the institution’s 65th inaugural lecture titled, “Nigeria's Fragile Economy: Removing the Contours and Roadblocks to Sustainable Development.” Discouraging the practice of a monolithic economy – where a country’s earnings depend heavily on one sector – as regressive, he cited the insecurity in the Niger Delta region, where most onshore oil production takes place.  He noted that the unrest has resulted in significant production losses since ...

A tragic road accident has claimed the lives of a student participating in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and a commercial motorcyclist in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State . The unfortunate incident occurred on Wednesday evening along the Choba axis of the East-West Road when a truck reportedly lost control and crashed into a motorcycle conveying the student. The deceased student, identified simply as Juliet, was said to be returning home after completing her examination papers at a secondary school in Emuoha Local Government Area when the accident happened. Eyewitnesses disclosed that the truck was travelling at high speed before suddenly veering off its lane and colliding with the motorcycle coming from the opposite direction. One witness, who requested anonymity, said the impact of the crash resulted in the immediate death of both the student and the motorcyclist. According to the source, adverse weather conditions, including ...

By Chidinma Ewunonu-Aluko, Ibadan  A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr Kazeem Gbadamosi and an Ibadan based Legal Practitioner, Mr Olakunle Akintola, have said Nigeria's democracy remains fragile 27 years after civil rule due to poor governance and weak economy. The Lawyers who assessed Nigeria’s democracy between 1999 and 2026, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Thursday, that only good governance and strengthening of institutions could firmly consolidate democracy. Gbadamosi underscored the need for a better economy, respect for rule of law and providing dividends of democracy to citizens. He remarked that Nigerians cared less about political titles and more about economic welfare. “What an average Nigerian needs is a good economy and making life better,” he said. The SAN urged the government to rise up to its core responsibility of enhancing security and catering to the welfare of Nigerians and discourage migration of citizens abroad to seek opportunities. “So...

    The Ondo State Universal Basic Education Board (ODSUBEB) has dismissed allegations that it received or disbursed the sum of N785.5 million for the construction of classroom blocks and related educational facilities at certain locations referenced in a recent publication, describing the claims as false, misleading and unsupported by official records. In a statement issued by the Head of Media and Public Relations of the Board, Mr. Banjo Egunjobi, ODSUBEB clarified that the publication incorrectly attributed some projects to the agency without proper verification of project ownership, implementing authorities and budget allocations. The Board explained that although some of the schools mentioned in the report had previously benefited from educational infrastructure interventions, those projects were executed under different approved programmes and not under the alleged expenditure. According to ODSUBEB, educational projects earlier completed at the identified locations include the re...

The Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) and the Ondo State Radiovision Corporation (OSRC) have charted a new course for strategic partnership aimed at deepening public enlightenment, promoting sustainable development and attracting global attention to the environmental challenges confronting coastal communities in Ondo State . The renewed commitment was unveiled on Wednesday when the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of OSRC, Mr Kenneth Odusola-Stevenson, led the corporation’s management team on a courtesy visit to the Executive Chairman of OSOPADEC, Prince Olabiyi Olaleye Poroye, at the Commission’s headquarters in Akure. Speaking during the meeting, Prince Poroye described the media as a vital stakeholder in governance and development, stressing that transparency, accountability and effective communication remain indispensable tools for delivering meaningful impact to the people. He commended OSRC for its professionalism and remarkable growth, ...

Professor Alaba Akingbesote, a distinguished expert in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and e-market services, is set to deliver the 66th Inaugural Lecture at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) on Tuesday, 16 June 2026.  The lecture, titled “From Traditional Markets to Bidirectional AI-Cloud E-Marketplaces: Emergence, Challenges and Expectations,” will examine the profound global shift from conventional physical trading environments to sophisticated, AI-driven digital economies. According to a statement released by the Deputy Vice Chancellor (Administration) and Chairman of the Ceremonies Committee, Professor Adebisi Daramola, the event will take place at the University Multipurpose Hall at 2:00 pm. The Vice Chancellor, Prof.  Olugbenga Ige, will chair the historic occasion. Prof. Akingbesote boasts an illustrious academic career spanning over three decades. He began his journey in higher education at Ogun State University, Ago-Iwoye, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Sci...