Balogun, who was Otunba Tunwase of Ijebuland, was aged 89.

A direct descendant of  Oba Tunwase of Ijebu-Ode,  Otunba Balogun  was the Olori Omoba (head of princes) of Ijebuland and the Asiwaju of Ijebu Christians.

Born on March 9, 1934 in Ijebu Ode,  Otunba Balogun graduated from Igbobi College and studied Law at the London School of Economics. After he bagged his law degree, he returned to Nigeria and joined the Ministry of Justice of the Western Region as a Crown Counsel. He later became a Parliamentary Counsel in the Federal Ministry of Justice.

With the fall of the First Republic, Balogun joined the Nigerian Industrial Development Bank (NIDB), where he advocated for the establishment of merchant bank. He joined ICON Securities, a merchant banking outfit established in 1973 as a subsidiary of NIDB, and became a director of operations at ICON Ltd.

Otunba Balogun later founded City Securities, a stock broking and issuing house, which handled Mobil, Texaco and Total petroleum marketing companies equity offerings.   Balogun secured a merchant banking licence to establish First City Merchant Bank. The operations of the bank began in 1983.

By

Ayobami Adedeji Society 2023-05-19

Lt- General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (Rtd) GCON, LLB, BL, PSC, FSS, mni is dead

According to Barrister Prince Oyesinmilola Diya, the Odogbolu born former military ruler, passed onto glory in the early hours of 26th March 2023.

Born in 3rd of April, 1944 Diya was military Governor of Ogun State after the Buhidiagbon coup of December 31st, 1983.

He held other top military posts like GOC, 82 Division and finally the Chief of General Staff (military Vice President) to Gen Sani Abacha.

By

Ayobami Adedeji Society 2023-03-26

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) says it has arrested two businessmen for drug trafficking.

In a statement on Sunday, Femi Babafemi, NDLEA spokesperson, said the suspects — 49-year-old Onoh Ebere and 47-year-old Christian Ogbuji — excreted 193 pellets of cocaine after three days in the custody of the agency.

Babafemi said the traffickers were intercepted at the Abuja airport on Wednesday upon their arrival from Uganda via Addis Ababa, onboard Ethiopian Airlines flight ET 951. 

“Though both suspects have businesses they manage in Nigeria, their main source of income has been drug trafficking,” Babafemi said.

“They both travelled to Uganda and from there crossed over to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where they picked the consignments before returning to Abuja with Lagos as their final destination. 

“After days in the excretion room, Ebere Onoh excreted a total of 100 pellets weighing 2.137kg while Christian Ifeanyi Ogbuji expelled 93 pellets hidden in his stomach with a gross weight of 1.986kg.”

The NDLEA also said 160 suspects were arrested in Kano after operatives raided two “notorious” drug joints.

The agency said two suspects were arrested along the Kano-Maiduguri road on Saturday with 5,000 pills of Tramadol.

In the federal capital territory (FCT), 25 suspects were arrested in raids across Tora Bora, Gwarinpa village, 3rd avenue in Gwarinpa, Karamo, Garki market, Sabongari Bwari and New Kucigoro IDP camp.

“In the same vein, operatives of the Directorate of Operations and General Investigation, DOGI, attached to courier firms have intercepted a Saudi Arabia-bound 398grams of cocaine hidden in native dresses during outward clearance of goods,” the statement reads.

By

Ayobami Adedeji Society 2023-05-15

Muslim pilgrims from Oyo State have been urged to pay Two Million Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Thousand Naira, as 2023 Hajj fare.

Recall that the Oyo State Pilgrim Welfare's Board (Muslim Wing) while waiting for the final announcement by the NAHCON, had earlier directed the pilgrims to pay the sum of Two Million Six Hundred Thousand Naira (2.6M) as initial deposit for the 2023 Hajj Fare.

It therefore called on intending pilgrims who have made the initial deposit of Two Million Six Hundred Thousand Naira (#2.6M) to pay the balance of Three Hundred and Ninety-Nine Thousand Naira (#399,000) on or before Monday, 17th April, 2023.

This was revealed by the Chairman of the Board, Professor Sayed Tunde Malik in a statement signed and released to the Press on Wednesday.

The Chairman noted that the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) with Chief Executive Officers of State's Pilgrims Welfare Boards on Friday 7th April, 2023 announced and approved the final 2023 Hajj Fares for each States across the Nation in which the sum of Two Million Nine Hundred and Ninety-Nine Thousand Naira (#2.999M) was approved for each intending pilgrim from Oyo State.

The Commission also fixed Friday 21st April for final remittance of the money paid by all intending pilgrims.

While soliciting for the continued understanding and cooperation of the intending pilgrims, Prof. Malik advised them to make use of the limited time to complete their payments to any of the Designated Bank Accounts of the Board as this will enable the Board to remit 

the approved fund to the NAHCON and make necessary preparations for their travel arrangements to the Holy Land for the 2023 pilgrimage.

The Board's Chair also urged all prospective Pilgrims who have completed their payment to immediately come and submit their International Passports at the Hajj Camp, Office of the Board, Olodo, Ibadan for the travel processing.

By

Ayobami Adedeji Society 2023-04-12

Lt- General Donaldson Oladipo Oyeyinka Diya (Rtd) GCON, LLB, BL, PSC, FSS, mni is dead

According to Barrister Prince Oyesinmilola Diya, the Odogbolu born former military ruler, passed onto glory in the early hours of 26th March 2023.

Born in 3rd of April, 1944 Diya was military Governor of Ogun State after the Buhidiagbon coup of December 31st, 1983.

He held other top military posts like GOC, 82 Division and finally the Chief of General Staff (military Vice President) to Gen Sani Abacha.

By

Ayobami Adedeji Society 2023-03-26

Constitutional law will be deepened with the presentation and release of the well-researched book by Dr. Charles D. Mekwunye, SAN, titled Constitutional Law in Nigeria: Through the Judgements of the Supreme Court. The book launch and dinner will hold on May 11, 2023, at the Ladi Kwali Hall, Abuja Continental Hotel, and will be chaired by the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Honorable Justice Oukayode Ariwoola, GCON.

With the just concluded general elections, political parties and politicians are constantly seeking legal interpretations from the law courts and this book is coming at a time when constitutional law is taking centre stage. Dr. Mekwunye also draws on key judgements of Nigeria’s apex court to provide readers with a detailed understanding of this important area of law and how they shape the Nigerian society.

"Constitutional Law in Nigeria" explores the key principles of the Constitution, including the separation of powers, fundamental rights, election petitions, federalism, as well as the importance of dissenting judgements at appellate courts. Through a detailed examination of key Appeal Court judgements, the book provides readers with unparalleled insight into how these principles have been interpreted and applied in practice.

Drawing on Dr. Mekwunye's extensive legal knowledge and experience, the book offers insights into some of the most pressing legal issues of our time, including freedom of speech, privacy rights, and equal protection under the law. He also explores how constitutional rights have evolved over time and the challenges that the Nigerian society faces in upholding them.

“This is the first of a series of books that will be written following my experiences as a legal practitioner in my determination to promote, protect and actualise the constitutional rights of my clients to exercise their right of appeal over decisions/rulings and judgements.” He said in the preface of the book.

Dr. Mekwunye, who worked in the banking sector for 21 years before he retired as an Executive Director at Oceanic Bank in 2009, is currently the Principal Partner at Charles Mekwunye SAN & Co with Law offices in Ikoyi, Lagos and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, U.K; fellow of the Chartered Institute of Credit Administration of Nigeria; Honorary Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers; Member of the Nigerian Institute of Management, Nigerian Bar Association and the International Bar Association.

Dr. Mekwunye was called to the Nigerian Bar with First Class Honors in 1985 carted home five of the available ten prizes at the law school, including the prestigious Hon. Justice Elias prize for the best overall performance (1^st place) in the Bar examinations. He holds two masters degrees (LL.M. & MBA) and a Doctorate in Business Administration from the International School of Management in Paris, France.

"Constitutional Law in Nigeria: Through the Judgements of the Supreme Court" is a must-read for anyone interested in Nigerian constitutional law, and promises to be a valuable resource for legal practitioners and scholars for years to come.

By

Ayobami Adedeji Society 2023-05-08

Central Bank of Nigeria has directed all commercial banks to open for operation on Saturdays and Sundays, as part of a coordinated effort to ease circulation of banknotes of various denominations.

The apex bank also confirmed the evacuation of banknotes from its vaults to commercial banks across the country.

This latest development was disclosed in a statement signed by CBN Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Isa AbdulMumin, in Abuja, on Friday afternoon.

The statement noted that, a substantial amount of money, in various denominations, had been received by commercial banks, for onward circulation to their respective customers, even as it prevailed on banks, to conduct physical operations in banking halls through the weekends.

“Branches of commercial banks will operate on Saturdays and Sundays to attend to customers’ cash needs.

“The Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr Godwin Emefiele, would personally lead teams to monitor the level of compliance by the banks in various locations across the country,” it stressed.The bank, therefore, urged Nigerians to be patient, as the current situation would ease soon, with the injection of more banknotes into circulation.

By

Ayobami Adedeji Society 2023-03-24

As the World Malaria Day is marked globally, President of Dangote Group and United Nations’ Malaria Ambassador for Nigeria, Aliko Dangote has called for joint actions by all stakeholders globally if the collective goal of the disease elimination by 2030 is to be achieved. 

By

Ayobami Adedeji Society 2023-04-27

London — A senior Nigerian politician, along with his wife and another man, were found guilty by a U.K. court Thursday of attempted organ trafficking. Ike Ekweremadu, 60, a former deputy president of Nigeria's senate, his wife Beatrice and Dr. Obinna Obeta were convicted of "exploiting a vulnerable victim for illegal organ harvesting" after bringing a 21-year-old man to the U.K. from Lagos, according to the U.K.'s Crown Prosecution Service.

The Criminal Court in London heard the kidney was intended for the Nigerian couple's 25-year-old daughter Sonia, who was cleared of the charge of organ trafficking Thursday, the BBC reported.

Sonia Ekweremadu had suffered from "deteriorating kidneys" and required "regular dialysis," according to prosecutors. Authorities "found evidence that her parents, Ike and Beatrice Ekeweremadu, conspired with Dr. Obeta to identify individuals in Nigeria whose kidneys might be harvested for Sonia's benefit."

In February 2022, the victim, a street trader, was trafficked to London and "was kept under the direction and financial control of the defendants… The conspirators' plan was for the victim to provide a kidney to Sonia Ekweremadu in exchange for the suggested amount of either £2,400 or £7,000 and the promise of work in the U.K.," the prosecutor said in the statement.

The court heard the defendants had attempted to convince doctors at London's Royal Free Hospital that the victim and Sonia Ekweremadu were cousins in a bid to justify the victim's temporary travel visa to the U.K.

The victim had undergone a kidney screening, but a consultant doctor had concluded the donor was unsuitable after learning he'd been given no counselling or advice about the risks of the surgery and lacked funds for the lifelong care he would need afterward.Authorities were made aware of the case when the victim entered a local police station in West London and said he had been trafficked from Nigeria and that someone was trying to transplant his kidney.

By

Ayobami Adedeji Society 2023-03-23