Rilwan Akiolu, the Oba of Lagos, has declared his support for President Bola Tinubu’s bid for a second term, saying there will be no vacancy in Aso Rock for the next four or five years.

Akiolu spoke when the presidential campaign council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), led by its director-general, Abdulaziz Yari, paid him a courtesy visit at his palace in Lagos.

“For the next four or five years, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock,” the monarch said.

The Oba urged politicians to ensure that the 2027 general election is peaceful and conducted in a manner that benefits Nigerians.

He also advised members of the APC campaign council to be honest in their dealings and avoid actions capable of undermining peace and stability in the country.

Akiolu cautioned politicians against adopting the Machiavellian principle that “the end justifies the means” in pursuing electoral victory.

Speaking earlier, Yari said the delegation visited the monarch to seek his blessing, prayers and advice ahead of the council’s nationwide campaign activities.

He said the council had earlier visited the Sokoto caliphate before proceeding to Lagos.

Yari appealed for continued support for Tinubu, saying the council believes the president deserves another term to consolidate what he described as the gains of his administration.

He cited the administration’s efforts to address economic challenges, insecurity and infrastructure development as reasons for the council’s support.

Yari acknowledged the economic difficulties facing Nigerians but said some indicators showed improvement, particularly in the availability of funds and efforts to stabilise the economy.

On insecurity, the former governor of Zamfara said Tinubu had continued to provide support and equipment for the military and police.

He also recalled that Tinubu had supported the emergence of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari because of the security challenges facing the country at the time.

Yari said the council’s support for Tinubu is not merely political reciprocity but is based on its belief that the president should be allowed to continue implementing his plans for the country.

He added that members of the council from the north would work to secure the region’s support for Tinubu’s re-election.

Receiving the delegation, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of Lagos, described the visit as significant, noting that the council had chosen to seek the Oba’s royal blessing immediately after its engagement in Sokoto.

Sanwo-Olu said the delegation comprised eminent Nigerians who had served in various capacities, including former governors, a former senate president, former speakers and serving governors.

He described Lagos as a key political centre and the country’s commercial and economic nerve centre, saying the visit demonstrated the importance the APC attached to the traditional institution.

The event was attended by APC leaders and stakeholders in Lagos, including local government chairmen, members of the National Assembly and state lawmakers.

AKURE — Fifty years after its establishment, Omoluorogbo Grammar School (OGSA) is set to celebrate its Golden Jubilee with a three-day programme that will bring together generations of old students, serving and former teachers, parents, friends and other stakeholders from Nigeria and the diaspora.

The anniversary, scheduled for October 29 to 31, 2026, is expected to combine celebration, reunion, thanksgiving and reflection with a renewed commitment to the development of the institution.

Chairman of the 50th Anniversary Implementation Committee, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, said the Golden Jubilee was an opportunity not only to celebrate OGSA’s achievements but also to draw attention to the need to preserve its legacy and invest in its future.

Akinmade said the school had remained resilient and continued to produce graduates who had distinguished themselves in various professions despite infrastructural challenges and limited investment in its physical development over the years.

He described the OGSA story as one of “people, values, resilience and enduring excellence,” noting that the achievements of its alumni across different fields demonstrated the strength of the foundation laid by the institution.

“Fifty years is a remarkable milestone. It is a time to celebrate where we are coming from, honour those who laid the foundation and, most importantly, recommit ourselves to building an even greater future for the generations coming behind us,” he said.

According to him, many of the structures currently serving the school date back to its formative years following its emergence from the former Messiah Modern School in 1976, making the Golden Jubilee an appropriate moment for stakeholders to envision a new phase of development.

He said the anniversary would provide an avenue for alumni and other stakeholders to give back to the institution and identify practical ways of strengthening its infrastructure, academic environment and overall capacity.

Three Days of Celebration and Renewal

The three-day programme has been structured around thanksgiving, history, reunion, professional engagement, mentorship, sports and a major legacy initiative.

The celebration will open on October 29 with an Interdenominational Thanksgiving Service, followed by activities celebrating the history, heritage and personalities that have shaped the OGSA story over the past five decades.

The second day will focus on reunion and engagement, with old students reconnecting and sharing experiences. Career development and mentorship sessions will provide opportunities for accomplished alumni to interact with current and younger students, offering guidance and inspiration drawn from their professional journeys.

Sporting activities will also feature as part of the reunion programme, providing an opportunity for former students to relive memories of their school days.

The Golden Jubilee will climax on October 31 with a grand finale and the official presentation and launch of the OGSA Legacy Project, conceived as a major contribution by the alumni community towards the continued development of the school.

Akinmade said the legacy initiative was intended to ensure that the anniversary translated into a lasting benefit for present and future students rather than ending as a purely ceremonial celebration.

He said the objective was to move beyond nostalgia and use the Golden Jubilee to build a stronger institutional foundation for the next generation.

For five decades, OGSA has produced graduates who have made their mark in diverse fields of human endeavour, while its alumni network has remained an important part of the institution’s enduring identity.

The October celebration is expected to bring many of these alumni together once again to celebrate shared memories, enduring friendships and a common heritage.

As the institution enters its sixth decade, the anniversary committee said the central message of the Golden Jubilee was that OGSA’s legacy must not only be celebrated but also preserved, strengthened and passed on to future generations.

“OGSA at 50 is not simply about looking back at five decades. It is about asking what we can collectively do to ensure that the next 50 years are even more impactful,” the committee said.

Comprehensive details of the programmes and activities lined up for the Golden Jubilee will be unveiled in subsequent statement.

Religious leaders in Ijebuland have appealed to Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun, to lift the embargo on the selection of a successor to the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Adetona, saying the prolonged delay in filling the stool has become a source of concern to the people.

The call was made on Sunday by the Lord Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Ijebu, Rt. Rev. Dr. Peter Rotimi Oludipe; the Chief Imam of Ijebuland, Sheikh Muftaudeen Ayanbadejo; and the head of Osugbo in Ijebu-Ode, Chief Bolanle Bakare, at a community empowerment programme.

Oludipe, who spoke with journalists at the event, urged Abiodun to allow the process to continue to its conclusion, describing the kingmakers as people of integrity who should be permitted to perform their traditional duties.

“All of us are aware that the delay is caused by the state government. It’s the governor that has put a kind of a stop to the arrangement of those who are supposed to be in charge of selecting the Awujale.

“So we are looking forward to the governor lifting that ban very soon, so that the process can come to a conclusion that will be acceptable to all,” the bishop said.

The bishop said the absence of an Awujale was undesirable for the community.

“Our own appeal to the governor is that this ban should be lifted at the earliest possible time, and let’s allow the process to run to conclusion, by the grace of God,” he added.

Oludipe noted that religious leaders were also concerned about the delay because they were part of the community and were constantly confronted with questions about the vacant traditional stool.

He said, “We don’t want any delay. There should not really be a vacuum, particularly when you think of Ijebuland.

“Ijebu is so popular among several communities within the country, Nigeria. So many people are interested. So many people are asking us, ‘What is happening? Why is the Awujale not being installed?’”

The bishop, however, acknowledged that the government might have reasons for placing an embargo on the selection process, but urged it to allow the process to reach a conclusion in the interest of Ijebuland.

According to him, the people of Ijebuland deserved to have a monarch installed through a process that was allowed to run its course.

Also speaking, the Chief Imam of Ijebuland, Sheikh Ayanbadejo, said he remained hopeful that the next Awujale would eventually emerge, describing the matter as one that would be resolved at the appropriate time.

He recalled that he had previously appealed to Muslim clerics to join him in urging the governor to facilitate the installation of the monarch.

According to him, while the emergence of the next Awujale was ultimately in the hands of Allah, that should not be an excuse for failing to take concrete steps to resolve the matter.

“Time belongs to Allah. When the time comes, it will happen. But that does not mean that something concrete should not be done on time. We all believe that one day, one day, that prayer will come to pass. It will come to fruition,” Ayanbadejo said.

The Chief Imam urged the governor to listen to the wishes of the people and trust the kingmakers, whom he described as men of integrity with the pedigree to handle the selection process.

He said, “My advice to the government is that they should follow the voice of our people. Because by the opinion of the people, they are behind the kingmakers. These are men of integrity. All of them—Awujale chose them because they are kingmakers and persons with pedigree. Whatever they say in Ijebuland, nobody can go against them.”

Ayanbadejo urged Abiodun to ensure that the new monarch emerged during his tenure, saying the governor still had the opportunity to complete the process.

“We are still imploring our governor. The time is still there. We want our governor to be the governor that will sign the certificate. We want the governor to be the governor that will present the staff of office. This is his chance,” he said.