Obituary

Former Super Eagles Coach Festus Onigbinde Dies at 88

By Web News 130

By Oluwakayode Banjo

Former Super Eagles coach, Festus Onigbinde, is dead.

A statement signed by a family member, Mrs Bolade Adesuyi, announced the passing of the widely respected football tactician.

According to the statement, Onigbinde died at the age of 88 after a brief illness at his residence in Modakeke, Osun State.

The family described the late coach, who also managed Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan, as an outstanding football administrator who made remarkable contributions to the development of football and community growth.

The statement read in part: “We announce the passing of this great man, a Modakeke high chief, the 1st indigenous Nigerian Super Eagles football coach, father, husband, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, and friend High Chief Festus Adegboye Onigbinde, who passed unto the great beyond a couple of minutes ago.”

Festus Onigbinde was Nigeria’s first indigenous coach of the Super Eagles, having handled the national team between 1983 and 1984.

Edited by Maxwell Oyekunle

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Lifestyle

Ife-Modakeke to Interface on Sustenance of Peace

By Web News 524

By Adenitan Akinola

Residents of the ancient city of Ile-Ife have again called for the intervention of the Federal and Osun State Government to ensure the continued maintenance of peaceful coexistence between them and the Modakeke.

The people advocated the deployment of alternative dispute resolution mechanism and the strict adherence of the two communities to the findings of several peace commissions instituted by the government to put an end to the Ife-Modakeke war.

The position of the Ile-Ife people was made public in a twelve page- address read to Journalists by the President of the Great Ife Movement,GIM, Comrade Olufemi Oyeyinka at the Oba Okunade Sijuade Memorial Hall, Enuwa Quarters Ile-Ife.

In the address, the Ife people pointed out that all the issues complained of in the press conference held last year in their memorandum and petition to the Osun State Boundary Commission still persist unabated, despite the invitation by the Commission led by Retired Justice Adekunle Adeigbe.

Parts of the complaints include “unlawful occupation and seizure of farmlands belonging to Ife by the Modakeke, forcefully sending Ife farm owners away from their ancestral farmlands, refusal of Modakeke to pay their tenancy agreements and statutory tributes known as Ishakole to their Ife landlords till date, sending away of Ooni crowned Obas, Baales and Chiefs from their domain after burning and destroying their palaces, especially in Ife North Local Government”.

The Ife people also complained of “Usurpation of Oonis power and Authority on Chieftaincy matters in Ife land by unlawfully appointing their own Baales, especially in Ife North where the Ooni had already installed Obas and Baales” and the use of the Mass media to convey sectional and provocative messages.

Others included the “blotting out of the word ‘Ile-Ife’ on signposts within Ife Metropolitan City with absolute impunity on daily bases” as done on the signpost of Urban Day Grammar School Ile-Ife located at Mayfair Area of the city.

According to Comrade Olufemi Oyeyinka, the Ife people suspected a conspiracy between the Modakeke people and the Electricity Distribution company servicing the area as the bills for some areas within the jurisdiction of Ile-Ife now carry names of Modakeke, including places like Oba Okunade Sijuade Estate on Ondo Road, Lagere and Arubidi.

He maintained that the people of Ile-Ife were peace loving and would continue to live in peace with their Modakeke neighbour, but such must be on the basis of Justice,Equity and fair play.

The people of Modakeke, however, reacted to all the issue raised, saying that they remain committed to peaceful coexistence with Ile-Ife and would not in any way infringe on their rights.

President of Modakeke Progressive Union, Professor Peter Olawuni denied all the allegations raised by the Ifes.

Professor Olawuni explained that Modakeke had not renamed anywhere belonging to Ile-Ife, adding that there should not be a misinterpretation between locational address and postal address.

Professor Olawuni said, “Ifes were the ones driving our people from their farms. We have 256 farms where the Ifes have driven away our people”.

He said steps had been taken between the two communities to make peace as representatives of both parties has already agreed where and when to meet, hence raising allegations through a press conference was unexpected.

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News

Modakeke Crisis: “Come To Our Aid” – Osun Indigenes Tell Governor Oyetola

By Web News 1029 Post a comment

Indigenes of Ile-Ife are seeking the urgent intervention of the Osun State Governor, Mr Adegboyega Oyetola to put an end to the alleged acts of provocation by Modakeke people.

They want the Governor to facilitate the return of displaced Ife land owners and farmers to their respective villages and farms, while they also urge Osun State government to ensure that lawfully appointed Obas and Baales by Ooni of Ife for villages in Ife North Local government areas return to their domains.

The indigenes, under the auspice of Great Ife Movement (GIM) at a press conference held at Enuwa area, Ile-Ife alleged that the Baales, Obas, land owners and farmers were displaced by alleged conducts of the Modakeke peoole.

Highlighting the positions of Ile Ife people, President of Great Ife Movement, Comrade Femi Oyeyinka alleged that such conduct which were sometimes violent and deliberate amounted to an attempt to hijack everything that belonged to Ile-ife, including the whole Ife metropolitan city, an attempt to rewrite history.

Comrade Oyeyinka who urged government and security agencies to intervene before the issue degenerate said all the complaints of Ife people on the various atrocities committed against them were treated with kid glove.

“Enough of war or crisis between Ife and Modakeke. Ife are ready to continue to accommodate, host and live peacefully with Modakeke and other communities in Ife land in line with the statutory law of our land based on justice, fairness and equity”, He said.

As an urgent measure to achieving sustainable peace in the area, the Great Ife Movement’s President called for a “review of the past judicial recommendations and implement those yet to be enforced”.

Reacting to the allegations, spokesperson of Modakeke Progressive Union (MPU), Venerable Debo Babalola, denied any attempt by Modakeke peoole to We encroach on Ife land or forment trouble.

Venerable Babalola said indigenes of Modakeke were for peace and would never disrespect the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

He said some of the issues raised, had been addressed by Ooni during 2021 Modakeke Day and the people heeded Oba Ogunwusi’s advice not to promote conduct that could further leads to disaffection.

Adenitan Akinola

Security

Gunmen Kill Two, Abduct Others in Osun Community

By Web News 646

Gunmen have attacked farmers in Alapata village of Modakeke, Osun State killing two people, while three others were kidnapped.

It was gathered that the incident occurred when the farmers were working on their farm and gunmen abducted five of them. 

Report has it that one of the abducted farmers escaped from captivity and raised the alarm of attack on them by the gunmen to the leaders of the community. 

A credible source in the community who pleaded not to be named explained that immediately the information got in, a search team was put together in conjunction with the police to trace the abducted farmers.

He said in the course of the search, two corpses of a male and female were discovered and taken to Obafemi Awolowo University hospital, Ile-Ife.

In a telephone interview, spokesperson of Osun State Police Command, Mrs Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident. 

She said, the Commissioner of Police, Mr Olawale Olokode had relocated to the area to ensure peace and make arrest. 

Mrs Opalola hinted that two suspects had been arrested in connection with the crime. 

Recall that five people were killed in Modakeke Osun State on August 20, 2021, which caused tension between Modakeke and Ile-Ife. 

Also, a mother and her son were killed at Alapata area of Modakeke by suspected cultists in May, 2021. 

Akinola Adenitan.

Crime

Tension Over Murder Of Two In Modakeke

By Web News 758

There is palpable tension in Ile-Ife and Modakeke area as two people were reportedly killed in the Alapata area within the two communities. 

Radio Nigeria gathered that the two diseased killed were resident of Modakeke. 

However, youths from the Modakeke community alleged that they were killed by Ile-Ife people, a development which sparked apprehension and tension in the two communities. 

A resident of Ile-Ife who pleaded anonymity told newsmen that following the discovery of the corpses, there had been tension in Ile-Ife because Modakeke youths had been moving around angrily. 

When our correspondent contacted the spokesperson of Modakeke Progressive Union, Venerable Debo Babalola, he confirmed the incident, but noted that details of the incident were unknown to him. 

Similarly, the spokesperson of Osun State Police Command, Mrs. Yemisi Opalola confirmed the incident but disclosed that the police was working to unravel the mystery.

Adenitan Akinola

Crime

Man Bags One Year Jail Term Over Possession of 4.7 Kilos of Indian Hemp

By Web News 710

A 32-year-old man, Babarinde Muritala, has been sentenced to one year imprisonment by a Federal High Court, Osogbo, Osun State, for being in possession of 4.7kg Indian hemp. 

Muritala was arraigned by the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, on a one count of unlawful possession of cannabis. 

The convict had told the court during trial that he usually smoke hemp gain strength but that the two bags attributed to him by NDLEA did not belong to him. 

The prosecutor, Mr Ogaga Azuigo, told the court that the defendant was arrested at Akinlalu Village, Modakeke, Osun State. 

He called three witnesses who are officials of the NDLEA and the convict was allowed to defend himself. 

Justice Peter Lifu held that a wrap of Indian hemp which the convict admitted that he was smoking when they arrested him, was enough to believe that Indian hemp was found in his possession. 

The judge convicted him accordingly saying possession has been established and the convict did not deny it. 

However, Mr. D. D. Adegbola, urged the court to be merciful with the convict and discharge him.

The presiding judge, Justice Peter Lifu thereby sentenced Muritala to one-year imprisonment starting from the date of arraignment in February 2019.

Adenitan Akinola