Category: Column/Opinion

By Sobona Wasiu There’s a story they tell in the old quarters of Ìkòròdú, about a man named Ọlọ́pààá. He was not always called that. In his youth, his name was Ọlámidé, “my wealth has come.” But life, as it often does, reshapes a man’s name to fit his character. When the new king, Ọba Ọlọ́jọ́, was crowned after a long and contentious process, Ọlámidé refused to acknowledge him. Not because the king was weak—in fact, the king had built roads where there were only footpaths and restored the stream…

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By Temidayo Hassan  Last week’s demolition at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex in Ojo has reopened raw wounds, markets cleared, shops destroyed, livelihoods disrupted, and a public debate that has again turned from substance to spectacle. The Lagos State Government insists the action was technical, targeting illegal and unsafe structures. Many traders and rights groups see it as heavy-handed and, worryingly, ethnically tinged because a large number of affected business owners are from the southeast. Both positions contain elements of truth, and both expose a deeper failure; a government…

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By Abiodun Awosanya In Nigeria’s intricate web of communities and cultures, the question of why people help each other, such as offering jobs, financial assistance, or even a place to stay, runs deeper than simple generosity. Two key forces shape this tradition; loyalty and social ties. Among the Yoruba, loyalty to influential figures often dictates who receives support. For the Hausa/Fulani and Igbo, however, ethnicity, religion, and communal bonds play a more enduring role. While loyalty may open doors in the short term, social ties form the bedrock of lasting…

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By S.O.K. Shillings The imbroglio between Alaafin of Oyo and Ooni of Ife is, in my humble view, a battle of vanity not more than reminisces of past glories. Alaafin reacted to the appointment of an individual by Ooni as an officer of Yoruba land. Alaafin issued an ultimatum for the retraction of the appointment claiming supremacy and the lack of locus standi on the part of Ooni. The battle of supremacy between the two revered traditional rulers was very rife in the ’80s when we bought Tribune on Tuesdays…

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By Abiodun Awosanya Subject: URGENT NEED TO REGULATE TEXTBOOK AND WORKBOOK POLICIES IN PRIVATE SCHOOLS IN LAGOS STATE Your Excellency, I write to you today as a deeply concerned parent, speaking not only for myself, but for countless families across Lagos State who are silently struggling with the increasing financial pressure imposed by private basic and secondary schools through excessive, and unsustainable textbook and workbook policies. While your administration deserves credit for its investments in public education such as infrastructure upgrades, recruitment of qualified teachers, and digitization efforts, it is…

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By Alhaji Murisik Adesegun Ajisebutu (Field Marshal) Today, 18th August 2025, marks the seventeenth anniversary of the passing of our beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather – Alhaji Muhammad Muftau Adekoya Ayinde Adejuwon Ajisebutu of blessed memory. Your departure to the great beyond in 2008 left an irreplaceable void, yet your legacies continue to inspire pride, admiration, and gratitude among your children, family, friends, political associates, and all who truly knew you. Your life, though relatively brief, was defined by extraordinary contributions to the social, economic, and political development of Ikorodu…

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Setting the records straight By Alhaji Bashiru Saminu I wouldn’t have wanted to give a reaction to the above piece, but for posterity. The most pertinent questions here are: Where was this writer and other selfish agitators when the chiefs and king makers requested the Ajanaku Royal Family (ARF) to present/nominate candidates for the stool? Where were they when the chiefs and king makers picked one of the candidates presented by ARF. Or was this same historian not alive then? I also would have contested his fictitious/distorted history, but that…

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Counter to the Misleading Statement on the Ajede Stool Impasse By M.A Aba-Ajanaku It is unfortunate that a so-called “failed lawyer” has chosen to peddle half-truths, distortions, and outright fabrications in an attempt to mislead the public on the longstanding dispute over the Alajede stool in Ijede. This impasse, rooted in historical facts, legal declarations, and community traditions, deserves clarity rather than the inflammatory rhetoric you’ve unleashed. Let’s set the record straight with verifiable facts, drawing from historical context, official inquiries, and court proceedings, while addressing your claims point by…

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By S. O. K. Shillings There have been misconceptions and misunderstanding by members of the public on the issue of the stool of Ajede of Ijede which facts must be laid clear at this point. Ajede the founder of Ijede had 3 children, namely: Oreshemowo(m), Akinniwa(m) and Talabi(f). The 2 male offsprings had children but Talabi died without an issue. The offsprings have been ruling Ijede. In 1775, there was a crisis in the matter of the Obaship of Lagos. The Oba died and his remains had to be taken…

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By Oluwole Solanke (PhD, FCIB) Tribute To His Royal Majesty, Oba Kabiru Adewale Shotobi, The Ayangburen of IkoroduIkorodu, Lagos State, Nigeria Your Royal Majesty, A Heartfelt Felicitation on Your 10th Coronation Anniversary “And We raised for him his renown.” – Surah Al-Inshirah (94:4) On this noble and historic occasion, I extend my warmest and most respectful congratulations to Your Royal Majesty on the 10th anniversary of your ascension to the exalted throne of Ayangburen of Ikorodu. Truly, Alhamdulillah, your reign has been a beacon of peace, progress, and prosperity to…

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