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SANWO-OLU URGES YORUBA UNITY AT OJUDE OBA FESTIVAL, CANVASSES SUPPORT FOR TINUBU
…Why Lagos Governor Was Invited, By Awujale
After a two-year break, Ojude Oba Festival has made a spectacular return in the ancient town of Ijebu -Ode, Ogun State, where Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu today urged the Southwest to support All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Sanwo-Olu was the special guest of honour.
The palace of Awujale, the paramount traditional ruler of Ijebu kingdom, came alive with ceremonial parades of colourful Aso Ebi. Indigenes, attired in beaded materials, led processions in batches to pay homage to the king – Alayeluwa Sikiru Adetona.
After the rite, they filed into the Royal Arcade in front of the palace to settle for the elaborate ceremony.
Sanwo-Olu’s entry into the arena literally moved the crowd of revelers into an outburst of excitement, lighting up the event as he stopped at each gallery to greet the Councils of Regberegbe (social clubs of Ijebu descendants).
The Lagos helmsman arrived in company of his Ogun State counterpart, Prince Dapo Abiodun, the host Governor.
The centuries-old festival has become the heritage of the Ijebu and has its roots in Islamic celebration of Eid-el Adha in which early Muslim reverts in the town converged on the Awujale palace on the third day to feast with the monarch.
The festival did not hold for two years, following the outbreak and spread of Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in 2020.
Sanwo-Olu said the Ojude Oba Festival had stayed true to its Islamic roots and had become a unifying occasion for people, regardless of their faiths, tribes and dialects.
Under the reign of Oba
Adetona, Lagos Governor said the festival had grown to become a global carnival recognised across the world by people of Yoruba origin.
Sanwo-Olu said: “The Ojude Oba Festival has, for ages, stayed true to its Islamic roots and has also expanded to become a unifying symbol and occasion for people of all faiths, tribes, and tongues; as well as a global celebration of Ijebu heritage and culture.
“We must never lose sight of this unifying element, at a time when the forces of division seem to be working so actively to undermine all that we cherish as a people. Celebrations like Ojude Oba remind us that evil will never triumph over good.”
Sanwo-Olu, who became the third sitting Lagos Governor to be invited to grace the Ojude Oba fiesta, said the festival had become an enduring platform fostering unity.
In the spirit of the unity for which the festival is reputed, Sanwo-Olu urged the entire Yoruba race to forge a common front in support of Tinubu, a Yoruba son and leading presidential candidate in the next year general election.
The Governor said the opportunity offered by the APC to Yoruba to produce the next president must not be allowed to slip away, noting that Tinubu had made several sacrifices to keep the Yoruba race relevant in the Nigerian project.
“As Asiwaju famously said, it is the turn of the Yoruba to produce the president. We need not waste this opportunity but to grab it and have our leader, who is a detribalised Nigerian, to lead the country. I urge all sons and daughters of Yoruba to come out in support of Tinubu to realise this ambition,” Sanwo-Olu said.
The Governor pointed out that his presence at the event underscored the partnership between Lagos and Ogun, which led to the establishment of Joint Development Commission in 2021 to collaborate on key areas of mutual benefit and development, while accelerating socio-economic growth for people.
He said: “The peoples of Lagos and Ogun share a long historical and cultural bond, shaped by the same forces and experiences, nourished by the same waterways, and living up to the same Omoluabi standards and ideals.
“The road network linking Ijebu-Ode, Epe and Lekki is yet another concrete manifestation of our collaboration. Ogun State has completed their own stretch, while we will complete our own end this year, opening up new commercial and logistics opportunities in that axis, and positively impacting the lives of our people.”
Gov. Abiodun praised Lagos for being a supportive neighbour, as he also used the occasion to admonish the youth against cultism and vices that could dent the image of Ogun State.
On why Sanwo-Olu was specially invited to grace the occasion, Oba Adetona, the 58th Awujale, said the Governor had become a shining star in the present class of public officers, distinguishing himself with service-centred leadership.
This, the monarch, said endeared Sanwo-Olu to the citizens beyond the boundaries of Lagos and established his name as a symbol of responsive governance in the country.
…Church leaders accuse Welsh counterparts of “spiritual decadence” and “abandonment of faith”
The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) has issued a forceful condemnation of the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann, an openly lesbian cleric, as the Archbishop of Wales. The move is the latest in a series of developments that have deepened divisions within the global Anglican Communion over sexuality and doctrine.
In a statement from Primate The Most Rev’d Henry Ndukuba, the church denounced the election as a “serious departure from biblical teaching” and a sign of “spiritual decadence” and “an outright abandonment of the faith once delivered to the saints.”
Archbishop Ndukuba warned that Bishop Vann’s elevation compromises the Anglican Church’s global mission and could obstruct evangelism. He compared the situation to the controversial tenure of Most Rev. Katherine Jefferts Schori, former Presiding Bishop of the U.S. Episcopal Church, who also faced intense criticism from conservative Anglicans for her progressive views.
The Primate accused Bishop Vann of being complicit in the “ongoing crisis” around same-sex issues, stating that the election is a “clear revelation that many who claim to be members of the body of Christ cannot endure sound doctrine” (2 Timothy 4:3–4).
The Church of Nigeria called on Anglicans worldwide to reject “rebels” and “apostates” and to instead support conservative bodies like the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON).
“The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) condemns, unequivocally rejects, and will not recognize the election of Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann as Archbishop of Wales,” Ndukuba declared. He concluded with a solemn warning that without repentance, the Church in Wales risks losing “complete relevance” and its leaders will face judgment.
The Primate of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Henry Ndukuba, has called on political leaders to prioritize the welfare of citizens.
During a recent church service in Abuja, Ndukuba noted that many Nigerians are struggling with challenges brought on by the global economic downturn. He urged state and local governments to implement new initiatives to lessen the impact on their communities.
The Primate also stressed that the federal government must effectively monitor its programs to ensure that Nigerians fully benefit from the nation’s democratic gains. He argued that if the current administration can effectively tackle corruption, the country would significantly benefit from the economic policies of President Tinubu’s government.
Ndukuba concluded by asking the congregation to continue praying for those in authority, remain committed to national unity, and show love and support for the less privileged. He also tasked the newly inducted members of the Church Mothers’ Guild with aggressively spreading the gospel.
Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche, has expressed deep concern about the current situation in Nigeria.
Enenche stated that the nation is under an evil spell due to the economic hardship affecting the country. He described Nigeria as being covered by a “blanket of sorcery and darkness,” leading many citizens to endure poverty and hardship in silence.
“There’s a blanket of sorcery and darkness over this nation—an evil spell making people tolerate what should provoke outrage,” he wrote.
In a post on his official X account on Thursday, the cleric highlighted the economic struggles faced by many Nigerians, noting that an increasing number of church members now line up after services not for spiritual counselling or prayer, but to help with basic needs such as rent, school fees, food, and medical bills.
“People are suffering. Pastors are exhausted. Members now queue after service not for prayer, but for assistance,” he lamented.
He also criticised political leaders for their insensitivity and failure to address the dire situation across the country.
“Yet, the leaders act as though nothing is wrong. This is not normal—it is witchcraft. It is a spell of patience in captivity, leading to a demonic tolerance of suffering.”
Calling for divine intervention, Enenche declared, “Let every evil spell over this land be broken! Let those misruling with arrogance and mocking the people’s pain face divine judgment. They shall not see the celebration of their wickedness.”
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