General
Olatubosun Suggests Home-grown Method of Teaching Yoruba Culture
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism in Oyo State, Mr Wasiu Olatubosun, has suggested that the Yoruba culture can be taught effectively through a home-grown teaching method.
At the 2022 Ijala Are-Ode Cultural Festival in Ibadan, the Commissioner emphasised that for the Yoruba race to conquer the world, its people must appreciate who they are, learn the things of the race, and behave truly like omoluabis.
He informed participants of the programme with the theme Ijala: Beyond Social Gyration to Intellectual Exposition of Yoruba Cultural Heritage that the state government, under Governor Seyi Makinde, has shown commitment to resuscitating the Yoruba culture and tradition among the younger generation through a re-introduction of history classes to public schools in the state.
Mr Olatubosun, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr Oye Oyedele, assured that the state government would continue to promote the growth of the language and the culture of Yoruba.
In his contribution, a veteran actor and Araba Awo of Osogbo, Mr Yemi Elebuibon, urged Africans to develop their culture, observing that it is a must to “first appreciate who they are and what they are.”
He also warned the Yorubas against jettisoning Ifa science and technology, adding that if care is not taken, in no distant future, people of the Yoruba tribe will soon be paying the Europeans for Ifa divination.
During his lecture, a scholar, Prof. Akinkunmi Adegbola Alao, said there was a need to go back to the basics, look beyond the social gyrations derived from Ijala by hunters, and find ways to deploy the intellectual foundation of Ijala in Yoruba cultural heritage, urging historians to research Yoruba cultural values that can benefit the society constantly.
He noted that although the immediate purpose of any traditional music performance is to entertain, the genre of music could influence a renaissance of Yoruba Culture and traditions, appealing to Africans, especially the Yorubas, to embrace and leverage indigenous technology to develop human society.
“We need to go back to the basics. Go beyond just the gyrations of individuals, amusing themselves, to unearth the intellectual premise of this rich cultural tradition,” he said.
Speaking on what led to the celebration of Ijala by hunters in those days, Mr Alao noted that the neglect by the political class gave room for chanting Ijala by the hunters to celebrate their contributions to society.
He applauded the efforts of hunters in maintaining peace within the boundaries of their society, admonishing the political class to stop forthwith diminishing their importance.
“The nature of their profession takes them away from domestic politics. They are always engaged in warfare and deep forest hunting, and so many other activities outside the immediate precinct of the established kingdoms. So many times, they are not on the ground to take part in the political process, so the political class diminished their importance,” he observed.
“But they resorted to Ijala to celebrate themselves, to call attention to their importance and to let people know they have contributed a lot to the development of the society,” he continued.
The culture enthusiast commended the Oyo State Government for partnering Ona-ara Development Forum in celebrating the Ijala are-ode cultural renaissance.
“Rather than denouncing our hunters, we must encourage them to use their knowledge towards the development of human society positively,” he noted, stating that the festival will open doors of opportunities to hunters, showcasing talents and the importance of the hunters’ guild.
Speaking earlier, the Chairman Organising Committee, Ijala Are-Ode Cultural Festival, Mr Dipo Gbenro, noted that the Ona Ara Development Forum seeks the development of Ona-Ara.
He also revealed that the forefathers of all Ona-Ara indigenes were hunters and warriors who played pivotal roles in the Agbekoya war, stating that Ijala is expository of intellectual content, spells history, and family lineage.
“Ijala explores and exposes the inadequacies of our leaders, promotes social relations and is rich with powerful words,” he said.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) has been commended for its contribution to the growth of Nigeria’s economy and general Arica’s development.
This applause came from the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines, and Agriculture (ECCIMA) during the Dangote Group Special Day at the 2025 Enugu International Trade Fair.
The Deputy President of ECCIMA, Mr Eric Chime, who was at the event, said the conglomerate, through its various investments, has contributed to the growth and development of the domestic economy.
“We are highly delighted to welcome Dangote Plc once again to their special day at the ongoing trade fair. Their continued presence and commitment have been instrumental to the success of this annual gathering.
“Dangote’s contribution to the Nigerian economy is enormous spanning virtually every sector, from cement and food production to their recent game-changing entry into the oil and gas sector through the Dangote Refinery,” he stated.
He emphasized that the impact of the refinery, especially in regulating petroleum product prices, deserves national recognition and support.
“We call on the Federal Government to continue to support Dangote Group in its efforts to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians,” he urged.
Mr Chime further praised the president of DIL, Mr Aliko Dangote, for his visionary leadership and relentless drive for innovation, noting that the Dangote business empire represents a perfect example of what entrepreneurial excellence can achieve through research, resilience, and dedication.
In his remarks, the Deputy Regional Director for Southeast at Dangote Cement Plc, Mr Ayirioritse Okerentie, expressed gratitude to ECCIMA for providing a viable platform to engage stakeholders and show case Dangote Group’s contributions to Nigeria’s economic development. He said that the theme of the Fair, “Developing Nigeria’s Industrial Sector/SMEs for Economic Advancement & Global Recognition” speaks directly to the core mission of Dangote Group.
“As Africa’s largest indigenous manufacturing conglomerate, we are focused on Production, Prosperity, Power, and Pride. We believe the industrial sector, and by extension SMEs, can play a transformative role in job creation, import substitution, and overall economic advancement.
“The industrial/manufacturing sector has the capacity to impact significantly on the economy especially in the creation of jobs, provision of goods, reduction in imports of finished products and adding of value to our raw materials. It is generally accepted that a nation’s economic wellbeing is largely dependent on the industrial/manufacturing sector,” Mr Okerentie said.
“The industrial/manufacturing sector is labour intensive, could create millions of both direct and indirect employments for people of diverse skills such as administrators, accountants, engineers, technicians, marketing & sales among others.
“It can also create indirect employment for supply chain actors in other sectors of the economy such as raw materials suppliers, logistics and transportation, farmers, and miners,” he added.
By Dipo Olowookere
On Friday, April 18, 2025, all roads will lead to the headquarters of the Love of God in Christ (LOGIC) Church in the Lekki area of Lagos State for an uplifting evening dedicated to expressing the message of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ in music.
The day, which is Good Friday, has been set aside to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which is the cornerstone of Christian faith.
Christian faithful from across the global will gather for the hybrid programme tagged Jesus + Nothing Worship, a platform that provides worshippers an opportunity to connect with the essence of the Gospel in worship.
Soul-lifting singers expected to minister on that day include Neon Adejo, Greatman Takit, Victor Thompson, Timi Dakolo, Samuel Giveson (SMJ), Noble G, Steve Hills, and Lily Perez.
Others are Joxie, Anderson Qozan, Pastor Victor Paul, EmekaSongz, Flo, Dorcas Moore, Magpsalms, Mera Owili, Gerald Bishung, Phebe Lion, and the vibrant Evolution Children’s Choir.
The Lead Pastor and Apostolic Head of the LOGIC Church, Apostle Flourish Peters, while commenting ahead of the event, said, “As a Christocentric faith community, this event is a great way to celebrate the gift of Christ, who laid down his life for our redemption. Good Friday is a great time to have a worship celebration like this.”
“Nothing speaks to the culture of a people like the music they listen to. Jesus + Nothing Worship will contribute to shaping and mainstreaming a culture of christocentric worship, where the Gospel of Christ’s death, burial and resurrection is platformed through worship,” he added.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has called for the withdrawal of the amendment of the Nigeria Data Protection Act 2023 because it seeks to regulate the activities of bloggers operating within the territorial boundaries of Nigeria.
The organisation in its letter urged the Senate President, Mr Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr Tajudeen Abbas, to “immediately withdraw the repressive bill.”
Business Post reports that the titled A Bill for an Act to Amend the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023, to Mandate the Establishment of Physical Offices within the Territorial Boundaries of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by Social Media Platforms and for Related Matters among others intends to regulate bloggers, including by requiring all bloggers to register local offices and join recognised national association for bloggers.
Currently, the bill has passed its first and second reading in the Senate.
In the letter signed its deputy director, Mr Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP asked Mr Akpabio and Mr Abbas “to ensure that any amendment to the Nigeria Data Protection Act promotes and protects the rights of bloggers and other journalists and does not undermine the fundamental human rights of Nigerians.”
It demanded an end to “the imposition of unnecessary restrictions on the rights of Nigerians online and Internet-based content.”
In the letter dated April 12, 2025, the group said, “This bill is a blatant attempt to bring back and fast-track the obnoxious and widely rejected social media bill by the back-door.”
“If passed, the bill would also be used to ban major social media platforms—including Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, WhatsApp, YouTube, TikTok, and independent bloggers if they ‘continuously fail to establish/register and maintain physical offices in Nigeria for a period of 30 days.
“Lawmakers should not become arbiters of truth in the public and political domain. Regulating the activities of bloggers and forcing them to associate would have a significant chilling effect on freedom of expression and lead to censorship or restraint.
“Should the National Assembly and its leadership fail to withdraw the bill to regulate the activities of bloggers, and should any such bill be assented to by President Bola Tinubu, SERAP would consider appropriate legal action to challenge the legality of any such law and ensure it is never implemented in the public interest,” the organisation warned.
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