Category Nigeria News

Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, the Awujale of Ijebuland, is remembered as more than a father in the words of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

Eight days after his death, the President honored the monarch’s memory in a statement released on Sunday via X.

Tinubu said the Awujale, whose passing came about as the ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’s last, was a confidante, and that he had been aware of the loss.

To me, Kabiyesi was more than just a royal father. He was a trusted advisor, a mentor, and a man of truth, and his advice kept those who sought it steady, according to Tinubu.

He ruled with a rare dignity, candor, and courage, always putting the people first, and with an unmistakable sense of duty, for more than 60 years on the throne.

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He also praised the late monarch’s legacy of service and integrity, highlighting his extraordinary leadership skills and unwavering support for his people.

The President described Oba Adetona as more than just a royal figure as he described him as being present in Ijebu-Ode during the monarch’s eighth-day Fidau prayers.

I lost two men on Sunday that I held dearly dear, President Muhammadu Buhari, and Kabiyesi Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona Ogbagba II, the Awujale of Ijebuland, who had spent more than 65 distinguished years on the throne.

Kabiyesi…

Tinubu acknowledged the significant influence Oba Adetona’s passing had on Yoruba’s traditional institution.

See the following statement in its entirety:

I lost two men on Sunday that I held dearly dear, President Muhammadu Buhari, and Kabiyesi Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona Ogbagba II, the Awujale of Ijebuland, who had spent more than 65 distinguished years on the throne.

To me, Kabiyesi was more than just a regal father. He was a trusted advisor, a mentor, and a man of truth whose advice kept those who sought it steady. He ruled with a rare dignity, candor, and courage, always putting the people first, with an unmistakable sense of duty, for more than six decades on the throne.

At his eighth-day Fidau prayers, I’m in Ijebu-Ode today to honor his legacy. The legacy of Oba Adetona has created a significant gap in Yoruba’s and Nigeria’s general traditional institutions. His leadership, generosity, and voice will reach far beyond Ijebuland.

May Allah’s goodness comfort those who are grieving for him in the form of Aljannah Firdaus.

In order to honor the immediate-past President, President Bola Tinubu and his fellow students at the University of Maiduguri and concerned citizens of Borno State have rejected the institution’s change of name to Muhammadu Buhari University.

In honor of the late former Nigerian leader, President Bola Tinubu announced the renaming of the University after Buhari at an expanded FEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, July 17, 2025.

The groups’ assertions included that the University of Maiduguri is more than just a name; it is also a potent representation of resilience, academic excellence, and cultural heritage, especially given the insecurity that once plagued the North-East region. &nbsp,

Read more about Tinubu changing the name to Maiduguri University after Buhari.

Due to his ancestral connections and military service history, President Tinubu was advised to rename the Federal University of Transportation, Daura, or the Army University Biu after the late leader.

A public petition urged the general public to sign up to support the protest by the students’ and alumni groups.

Around 9,000 people have so far signed the petition, which has been popular for the past 48 hours.

See below for their petition:

The Problem

Respectfully challenge the University of Maiduguri’s renaming to Muhammadu Buhari University.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, is His Excellency.

The Armed Forces’ President and Commander-in-Chief,

Federal Republic of Nigeria

We, the alumni, students, and concerned citizens, write this sincere letter to Your Excellency regarding the recent change of name to Muhammadu Buhari University.

We have a deep respect for the memory and legacy of late President Muhammadu Buhari, a man whose lasting legacy is still indelible. However, we don’t agree with the University of Maiduguri’s new name because it conflicts with the sentiments of its main stakeholders and the institution’s enduring identity.

More than just a name, Maiduguri University. In the wake of the region’s once-failed insecurity, it is a powerful representation of resilience, academic excellence, and cultural heritage. The institution’s strategic significance in Northern Nigeria’s development, peacebuilding, and intellectual advancement is reflected in the name “University of Maiduguri,” which resonates deeply with the people it serves.

This outstanding institution has produced leaders, scholars, diplomats, scientists, and patriots who formally identifie as UNIMAID alumni for more than 40 years. Its name is a source of pride for both the global academic community and Nigeria as well as for all of Africa.

Our Demand:

Please re-examine and change the University of Maiduguri’s name, as requested by Your Excellency. Although we hold President Muhammadu Buhari’s legacy in high regard, we think that alternative national monuments, research institutes, or legacy projects that won’t alter a university’s long-standing historical significance can be immortalized.

We respectfully suggest that the Federal University of Transportation, Daura, a relatively new and incredibly symbolic institution that was once President Buhari’s hometown, be considered for renaming. Based on personal legacy, regional pride, and national significance, this would make a better tribute. The Nigerian Army University Biu is another fitting institution that could be renamed in honor of the late former president Muhammadu Buhari, in addition to his background as a retired military general. His military service and his contributions to national leadership are both reflected in this.

The preservation of this name is not a political position; rather, it is a plea for continuity, emotional attachment, and the reliability of a brand that has endured both conflict and time. Without erasing either of the former president’s legacy or UNIMAID’s soul, let us honor both.

We rely on your wisdom, impartiality, and commitment to promoting national harmony and stakeholder engagement.

In Ikot Imoh village, Ikot Abasi local government area of the State, the Akwa Ibom State Police Command reported that it had made two arrests for alleged transformer vandalism.

The suspects were detained on Thursday, July 17 at around 5:45 am while attempting to vandalize the transformer, according to the command spokesperson, DSP Timfon John, who disclosed this in a statement released to journalists in Uyo on Saturday.

She claimed that the arrest came after a man (name was withheld) called in distress about suspicious activity around the Ikot Imoh village transformer installation, which prompted the police to respond quickly.

The two suspects were apprehended upon the operatives’ arrival, while the other gang members fled, according to her further.

READ MORE: Rivers Chief killed by gunmen as cult violence spreads.

Officers arrived at the scene after they came across a group of people trying to tamper with the transformer. Asuquo Effiong, 29, of Ibesikpo Asutan LGA, Akwa Ibom State, and Chidiebere Onwe, 30, of Nkanu LGA, Enugu State, were the two suspects who were apprehended. When the police were spotted, the other gang members fled the scene, according to John.

Two seventeen-combination flat spanners, one hose pipe, one large heavy-duty cutter, and one socket-equipped pipe wrench were among the items found at the scene, according to the PPRO.