The aircraft conveying Nigeria’s Super Eagles from South Africa to Uyo for their final World Cup qualifier against the Benin Republic made an emergency landing in Luanda, Angola, on Saturday after developing a technical fault mid-air.
The ValueJet aircraft, which initially stopped in Luanda to refuel, reportedly turned back about 25 minutes after takeoff when a loud crack appeared on the aircraft’s windshield, prompting the pilot to initiate emergency procedures.
The same aircraft had flown some members of the delegation to Polokwane on Thursday night, arriving in the South African city on Friday morning.
All players, officials, and government delegates on board were safely evacuated upon landing.
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) confirmed the incident, adding that a cracked windscreen was responsible for the emergency landing
”However, after a routine refuelling stop in Luanda, Angola (where the plane also stopped to refuel on Thursday night, and where the same plane had stopped to refuel to and from Bloemfontein in South Africa for the Matchday 8 encounter between the Super Eagles and the Bafana Bafana last month).”
”The aircraft suffered a cracked windscreen mid-air after take-off, and the pilot did well to guide the aeroplane safely back to the airport in Luanda,” the NFF said
The football federation also said plans were being made for another aircraft to fly from Lagos and pick up the delegation in Luanda.
“ValueJet Airline and the relevant Federal Government of Nigeria authorities, including the Hon. Minister of Aviation, the Hon. Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chief of Staff to Mr President, are working assiduously to get the necessary overflying and landing permits for another aircraft to fly from Lagos, pick the delegation in Luanda and fly them to Uyo.” (Channels)
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has granted presidential pardon to 175 persons, including Nigeria’s foremost nationalist, Herbert Macaulay and former Federal Capital Territory Minister, Maj.-Gen. Mamman Vatsa (rtd), following the approval of the National Council of State at its meeting on Thursday in Abuja.
The decision, taken at the instance of the President’s recommendation based on the report of the Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy, was presented by the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi.
The Council also ratified key national appointments and approved the conferment of national honours on 959 Nigerians and friends of Nigeria.
A source at the meeting confirmed that the late nationalist, Herbert Macaulay, and the executed poet-soldier, Mamman Vatsa, were among the major beneficiaries of the clemency.
Members of the Ogoni Nine were also said to be listed among those pardoned.
Macaulay, often hailed as the “father of Nigerian nationalism,” was twice convicted by colonial authorities — first in 1913 for alleged misappropriation of estate funds, and in 1928 in connection with the “Gunpowder Plot” following his Lagos Daily News publication during the Eleko agitation. Both convictions have long been subjects of historical controversy.
Vatsa, who served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and was a member of the Supreme Military Council under General Ibrahim Babangida, was executed on March 5, 1986, after a secret tribunal convicted him of treason in connection with an alleged coup attempt.
His trial and execution have remained deeply controversial, with repeated public calls for a posthumous pardon.
Briefing journalists at the State House, Abuja, after the Council of State and Police Council meetings, Governor Uba Sani of Kaduna State said the approvals underscored President Tinubu’s commitment to justice reform and humane governance.
“Eighty-two of the inmates were granted full presidential pardon, sixty-five had their sentences reduced, while seven death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment,” he disclosed.
According to him, the gesture is aimed at decongesting correctional facilities and promoting restorative justice, in line with Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which empowers the President to grant pardons, reprieves, or commute sentences.
He said the exercise followed careful recommendations of the Advisory Committee, which considers factors such as age, health, good behaviour, or miscarriage of justice.
Governor Sani also revealed that the Council ratified several key appointments presented by President Tinubu, including Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Dr. Aminu Yusuf as Chairman of the National Population Commission (NPC).
The Council also approved Alhaji Tonge Betara Bularafa as Federal Commissioner representing Yobe State at the NPC.
Imo Governor Hope Uzodinma, who chairs the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), described Amupitan’s appointment as “a constitutional responsibility diligently discharged by the President,” adding that the nominee was “a serious-minded scholar, a man of integrity, tested and trusted, who has never participated in partisan politics.”
In another major decision, the Council approved President Tinubu’s request to confer national honours on 959 eminent individuals for the 2024–2025 cycle.
Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Affairs Office, Dr. Emanso Umobong, who briefed journalists on the development, said the awards included 824 successful applications and 135 special recognitions.
She explained that the reconstituted National Honours Award Committee, chaired by the Emirates of Lafia, Justice Mohammed Sidi Bage, had screened over 5,000 applications before submitting its final recommendations.
Among those honoured or set to be honoured are Bill Gates for contributions to public health and humanitarian causes, Uncle Sam Amuka-Pemu, veteran journalist and publisher, and Professor Mahmood Yakubu, immediate past INEC Chairman, for service to Nigeria’s democratic process.
Posthumous honours also went to the Ogoni Nine and the Ogoni Four for their environmental activism and sacrifice, while the Super Falcons and D’Tigresses received national recognition for their excellence in sports.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Police Affairs, Ibrahim Gaidam, also disclosed that he presented proposals to the Police Council for strengthening the Nigeria Police Trust Fund (NPTF).
He sought approval to repeal and reenact the NPTF Establishment Act 2025 to remove its six-year lifespan limitation and make it a permanent agency.
He further proposed an increase in the statutory deduction from the Federation Account from 0.5 percent to 2 percent, aimed at expanding funding for police training, welfare, logistics, technology, and emergency response systems.
The Minister said Council approved an increment to 1 percent of the deduction from the Federation Account.
According to him, all the proposals, including the repeal and reenactment of the NPTF Act, received the Council’s full approval.
“The purpose of establishing the Nigerian Police Trust Fund was to support training and retraining of police personnel. The second one is to provide financial resources to enhance police equipment, logistics, and infrastructure.
“It was established also to support modernization of the police through investments in technology, vehicles, communications, and crime fighting tools, improve welfare and morale of police personnel, promote accountability, transparency, and governance, also to enhance crime prevention and public safety, strengthen capacity for emergency response and disaster management, fund ongoing training, specialized courses, and skill development, foster public-sector and private sector engagement, channel contributions through individuals, corporations, and civil society into police enhancement programs.
“The concerns we had in the Police Trust Fund, the sunset close of six years in the current act limits the lifespan of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund, and impedes long-term planning thereby constraining sustainable police reform.
“The deduction of 0.5 percent from the federation account needs to be reviewed upward to two percent of the federation account.
“So we also prayed that the council should approve the repeal and the reenactment of the Nigerian Police Trust Fund Establishment Act 2025 in order to remove the sunset close and transition it into an agency.
“Second, the council to approve 2 percent deduction from the Federation Account. And the last one, direct the Honorable Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice to input all the approvals of the council in the proposed executive bill. All these prayers have been approved without any omission”, he said.
Both meetings, which were chaired by President Tinubu, had high-level attendance.
The Council of State meeting was attended virtually by former Military President Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd), and former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd).
Also in attendance were the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; state governors, and other statutory members of the Council.
Also in attendance were four former Chief Justices of Nigeria (CJN), including Alfa Belgore, Mahmud Mohammed, Walter Onnogen, and Oluwakayode Ariwoola. (Nation)
Renowned Nigerian statesman Dr Christopher Kolade has died aged 93, his family announced in a statement.
“We are thankful for his incredible life of faith and service; and are grateful for God’s abundant blessings,” the statement read in part.
The statement said the late broadcaster died peacefully on Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
Born on December 28, 1932 in Erin-Oke, Osun State, Dr Kolade had a distinguished career as a diplomat, academic, advocate for integrity and corporate governance, among other things.
He was the son of an Anglican missionary and completed his secondary-school education at Government College, Ibadan after which he studied at Fourah Bay College, Freetown, Sierra Leone.
He holds honorary doctorate degrees of McPherson University (2016), University of Sierra Leone (1976) among others.
Kolade embarked on a diverse career path, becoming a veteran broadcaster and rising to the position of the Director-General of the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).
He later served as the Chief Executive and Chairman of Cadbury Nigeria Plc and held the esteemed position of Nigerian High Commissioner to the United Kingdom.
After his posting in London, Dr. Kolade continued to share his expertise by teaching Corporate Governance and Human Resource Management at the Lagos Business School (LBS), as well as Leadership and Conflict Management at the School of Media and Communication (SMC) — both institutions under the Pan-Atlantic University in Lagos.
He also played key roles in the university’s governance, serving as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council.
Dr. Kolade’s distinguished service extends across both national and international organisations. He has led prominent institutions including the Nigerian Institute of Management, the Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria, the International Institute for Communications, and the World Association for Christian Communication.
Notably, he was awarded the prestigious Order of St. Augustine medal by the Archbishop of Canterbury and was appointed Chairman of the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Programme (SURE-P) Board by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2012.
As an advocate of business integrity, Dr Kolade also chaired organizations such as Integrity Organization Ltd GTE and The Convention on Business Integrity Ltd GTE. (Channels)
Israel’s Cabinet early Friday approved President Donald Trump’s plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip and the release of all the remaining hostages held by Hamas, a key step toward ending a ruinous two-year war that has destabilized the Middle East.
A brief statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the Cabinet approved the “outline” of a deal to release the hostages, without mentioning other aspects of the plan that are more controversial.
The broader ceasefire plan included many unanswered questions, such as whether and how Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza. But the sides appeared closer than they have been in months to ending a war that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians, reduced much of Gaza to rubble, brought famine to parts of the territory and left dozens of hostages, living and dead, in Gaza.
The war, which began with Hamas’ deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, has also triggered other conflicts in the region, sparked worldwide protests and led to allegations of genocide that Israel denies.
Some 1,200 people were killed in the Hamas-led assault, and 251 were taken hostage. In Israel’s ensuing offensive, more than 67,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza and nearly 170,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants but says around half of the deaths were women and children.
In the hours leading up to the Israeli Cabinet’s vote, Israeli strikes continued. Explosions were seen Thursday in northern Gaza, and a strike on a building in Gaza City killed at least two people and left more than 40 trapped under rubble, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense.
At least 11 dead Palestinians and another 49 who were wounded arrived at hospitals over the past 24 hours, Gaza’s Health Ministry said.
An Israeli military official who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military guidelines said Israel was hitting targets that posed a threat to its troops as they reposition. Hamas blasted Israel over the strike, saying Netanyahu was trying to “shuffle the cards and confuse” efforts by mediators to end the war in Gaza.
A senior Hamas official and lead negotiator made a speech Thursday laying out what he says are the core elements of the ceasefire deal: Israel releasing around 2,000 Palestinian prisoners, opening the border crossing with Egypt, allowing aid to flow and withdrawing from Gaza.
Khalil al-Hayya said all women and children held in Israeli jails will also be freed. He did not offer details on the extent of the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza.
Al-Hayya said the Trump administration and mediators had given assurances that the war is over, and that Hamas and other Palestinian factions will now focus on achieving self-determination and establishing a Palestinian state.
“We declare today that we have reached an agreement to end the war and the aggression against our people,” Al-Hayya said in a televised speech Thursday evening.
In other developments, U.S. officials announced that they would send about 200 troops to Israel to help support and monitor the ceasefire deal as part of a broader, international team. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not authorized for release.
In the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis, reactions to the announcement of a ceasefire were relatively muted and often colored by grief.
“I am happy and unhappy. We have lost a lot of people and lost loved ones, friends and family. We lost our homes,” said Mohammad Al-Farra. “Despite our happiness, we cannot help but think of what is to come. … The areas we are going back to, or intending to return to, are uninhabitable.”
In Tel Aviv, families of the remaining hostages popped champagne and cried tears of joy after Trump announced the deal.
In Jerusalem on Thursday, Sharon Canot celebrated with some others.
“We are so excited this morning. We cried all morning,” she said. “It’s been two years that we are in horror.”
Under the terms, Hamas intends to release all living hostages in a matter of days, while the Israeli military will begin a withdrawal from the majority of Gaza, people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details of an agreement that has not fully been made public. Some 20 of the 48 hostages still in captivity are believed to be alive.
In a short video posted by U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Trump was seen speaking by phone to a group of elated hostage families.
“They are all coming back on Monday,” said Trump, who is expected to visit the region in the coming days.
Tom Fletcher, the U.N. humanitarian chief, told reporters Thursday that officials have 170,000 metric tons of medicine, aid and other supplies at ready for transport into Gaza when they are given a green light.
The deal, which was expected to be signed in Egypt, will include a list of prisoners to be released and maps for the first phase of an Israeli withdrawal to new positions in Gaza, according to two Egyptian officials briefed on the talks, a Hamas official and another official.
Israel will publish the list of the prisoners, and victims of their attacks will have 24 hours to lodge objections.
The withdrawal could start as soon as Thursday evening, said the officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to be publicly named speaking about the negotiations. The hostage and prisoner releases are expected to begin Monday, the officials from Egypt and Hamas said, though the other official said they could occur as early as Sunday night.
Five border crossings would reopen, including the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt, the Egyptian and Hamas officials said.
The Trump plan calls for Israel to maintain an open-ended military presence inside Gaza, along its border with Israel. An international force, comprised largely of troops from Arab and Muslim countries, would be responsible for security inside Gaza. The U.S. would lead a massive internationally funded reconstruction effort.
The plan also envisions an eventual role for the Palestinian Authority — something Netanyahu has long opposed. But it requires the authority, which administers parts of the West Bank, to undergo a sweeping reform program that could take years.
The Trump plan is even more vague about a future Palestinian state, which Netanyahu firmly rejects. (PBS)
The World Health Organisation has called for stronger integration of eye care into health systems, increased investment, and targeted strategies to improve access to quality vision services across African countries.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi, made the call in a message on Wednesday, commemorating World Sight Day, which will be observed globally on October 9, 2025.
Janabi said the day aimed to raise public awareness about the importance of eye health and promote action to reduce preventable vision loss and blindness, especially in low-resource settings.
He revealed that as of 2021, only 32 per cent of WHO Member States had developed a national policy specifically addressing vision loss and blindness, showing a gap in eye health prioritisation.
“This limited policy coverage reflects broader challenges in resource allocation and health planning for eye care.
“The existing levels of service coverage highlight the magnitude of unmet vision health needs,” he stated.
Janabi disclosed that effective cataract surgery coverage in the African Region stood at only 26 per cent, meaning just one in four affected individuals achieved a good visual outcome post-surgery.
“Similarly, effective coverage for refractive error correction, such as with eyeglasses, is estimated at 30 per cent, indicating one in three people with visual impairment have received appropriate vision correction.
“These figures underscore the urgent need for stronger health system integration, targeted investment, and people-centred strategies to ensure everyone can access quality eye care services,” he said.
Janabi emphasised that good vision significantly impacted well-being, education, productivity, and employment, while vision impairment remained a major public health concern expected to increase without urgent intervention.
He acknowledged that Africa had made progress in reducing vision loss from diseases like trachoma, vitamin A deficiency, and onchocerciasis, but new challenges were rapidly emerging across the continent.
“These include ageing populations, poor eye health awareness, unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases that increase risk of cataracts and refractive errors.
“To tackle this growing challenge, several strategic global initiatives have been introduced, including Vision 2020: The Right to Sight, which aimed to eliminate avoidable blindness,” he explained.
Janabi said the Vision 2020 initiative focused on scaling up affordable, sustainable cataract services and strengthening national capacities to eliminate preventable blindness by establishing eye health infrastructure and skilled workforce. (Punch)
Ruben Amorim has been given three years to prove himself at Manchester United after co-owner Jim Ratcliffe insisted he will not make a knee-jerk decision about the under-fire manager’s future.
Amorim has endured constant speculation that he faces the sack throughout this season as United lurched from one crisis to another.
The former Sporting Lisbon boss, who was hired by Ratcliffe in November 2024, admitted earlier this term that he had considered quitting during United’s darkest moments.
Amorim’s side finished 15th in the Premier League last season — their lowest final top-flight position since 1973-74 — and squandered a chance to qualify for the Champions League when they lost the Europa League final to fellow strugglers Tottenham.
Tenth-placed United have fared little better this season, losing three of their first seven league games and crashing to a shock League Cup defeat at fourth-tier Grimsby.
Amorim has yet to record successive Premier League wins since replacing the sacked Erik ten Hag, with a trip to champions Liverpool next up for United after the international break.
Despite the talk that Amorim, whose side beat promoted Sunderland in their last game, remains in danger of being axed, Ratcliffe said the 40-year-old would be given time to turn things around.
“He has not had the best of seasons. Ruben needs to demonstrate that he is a great coach over three years. That’s where I would be,” Ratcliffe told The Business podcast, produced by The Times and The Sunday Times.
“The press, sometimes I don’t understand. They want overnight success. They think it’s a light switch. You know, you flick a switch and it’s all going to be roses tomorrow.
“You can’t run a club like Manchester United on knee-jerk reactions to some journalist who goes off on one every week.”
Ratcliffe has owned just under 30 percent of United since February 2024, when he took control of football operations at the 20-time English champions.
That left the Glazer family, who have endured numerous fan protests since taking over in 2005, still in overall charge at Old Trafford.
United haven’t won the English title since 2013, while their last European trophy was the 2017 Europa League. (Punch)
At least 20 operatives of the Osun State Amotekun Corps were on Wednesday arrested by a special squad of the Nigeria Police Force in connection with last week’s killings in Akinlalu, a community in Ife North Local Government Area of the state.
The police team, said to have been deployed from Abuja, reportedly stormed the corps’ operational bases in Oke-Fia, Osogbo, and Ife Central Division, Ile-Ife, where they arrested operatives and sealed the facilities.
Sources told The PUNCH that the officers arrived unannounced and whisked away all Amotekun personnel found on the premises.
While the bases in Oke-Fia and Ife Central were later sealed, the corps’ headquarters at Powerline, Osogbo, remained open when our correspondent visited around 7:40 p.m.
Confirming the arrests, the spokesperson for Osun Amotekun, Yusuf Idowu, said the police action was connected to the Akinlalu incident.
“Some policemen came, but they didn’t seal our headquarters. They burst our operation base in Oke-Fia and the Ife Central Command. They also arrested about 20 of our operatives. We don’t know where they took our personnel,” Idowu said.
The Osun Police Command spokesperson, SP Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed the arrest but said only five Amotekun men were taken into custody, not 20 as claimed by the corps.
He added that the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, had taken over investigation into the killings and the reported assassination attempt on the Amotekun Commander, Brig. Gen. Isaac Omoyele (retd.).
“The IGP has ordered the elite investigative body of the Force, the IRT-FID, to take over the case,” Ojelabi said.
“Investigation revealed that the attackers were members of Amotekun Corps. Five suspects have been arrested, while others remain at large.”
Ojelabi also disclosed that Omoyele was invited to explain his role in the attack but failed to honour the invitation.
“Efforts to reach him on phone proved abortive as his line has been switched off. He later went on social media on October 6, 2025, claiming he was attacked by unknown armed men wearing masks, which preliminary investigation shows to be a figment of his imagination aimed at derailing justice,” the police statement read in part.
The command urged the public to disregard the alleged assassination claim and remain law-abiding, assuring that peace had been restored in the state.
The arrest of the operatives came in the wake of the September 29 invasion of Akinlalu, where Amotekun personnel allegedly opened fire on residents, killing three people and injuring several others.
The victims were identified by police as Ibrahim Oyebamiji (26), Sefiu Oyebamiji, and Abiola Olutayo, while those injured included Adeagbo Kadijat (22), Oke-Ila Oyebamiji (60), and Fayomi Toheeb (19).
Police said the corps operatives took away the corpses of the deceased after the incident.
Amotekun, however, claimed that its men were ambushed by hoodlums while on a mission to recover two rifles earlier seized from its operatives, insisting that the deaths occurred during a crossfire.
The incident triggered outrage across the state, with residents and families of the victims demanding justice and a thorough review of Amotekun’s operations.
On Sunday, the Deputy Speaker of the Osun State House of Assembly, Gbenga Oyewusi, led a delegation of lawmakers to Akinlalu, where he sympathised with the families of the victims.
Speaking at the palace of the Alakinla of Akinlalu, Oba Oluwabusola Oloyede, Oyewusi assured residents that the state government and security agencies were investigating the killings and would ensure justice.
“Ife North is a peaceful region. We want to assure our people that the government and the police have begun investigations, and justice will be served,” Oyewusi said.
He appealed to the community’s youths to remain calm and allow due process to take its course, adding that the government would support the affected families. (Punch)
Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard is set to hold talks with Rangers about a potential return as head coach, as the Scottish Premiership side begins its search for a new manager following the dismissal of Russell Martin on Sunday.
According to BBC Sport on Wednesday, the club is open to reappointing Gerrard but has been awaiting confirmation of his interest in returning to Ibrox, where he previously guided Rangers to their first league title in a decade.
Sources are indicating that Gerrard is one of a number of candidates Rangers want to speak to, with the club determined to undertake a full process.
However, it is clear that Gerrard – who has backing from many supporters – is now emerging as one of the leading contenders for the position.
Gerrard was in charge of Rangers between 2018 and 2021, leading the club to their first domestic title in 10 years.
Rangers have not been champions since Gerrard decided to leave for Aston Villa in November 2021.
After a 14th-placed finish in his first season in charge of the Premier League club, he was dismissed 12 games into the following campaign.
Gerrard became manager of Saudi Pro League club Al-Ettifaq in July 2023 but left by mutual consent in January and was subsequently linked with the Rangers job before Martin was appointed in June.
In an interview with former England team-mate Rio Ferdinand, Gerrard this week spoke of his desire to return to management but said he wanted “to be at a team that’s going to compete to win, because I think that suits me better”.
Martin won just five of his 17 matches, leaving Rangers eighth in the table – 11 points adrift of leaders Hearts.
Gerrard told the Rio Ferdinand Presents Podcast there had been “five or six really interesting phone calls” since he left Saudi Arabia, but said the timing had not been right. (Punch)
The Oba of Benin, Oba Ewuare II, has warned against dragging market women in the kingdom into partisan politics, stressing that such interference undermines Benin’s traditional market structure and could lead to unrest.
This came amid controversy over the recent installation of Pastor Josephine Ibhaguezejele as the Iyaloja of Edo State by the Iyaloja-General of Nigeria, Mrs. Folashade Tinubu-Ojo, daughter of President Bola Tinubu.
A statement issued on Thursday by the Osuma of Benin, Chief Norense Ozigbo-Esere; the Secretary, Benin Traditional Council (BTC), Frank Irabor; and four other palace chiefs, said the monarch will meet with all Iyekes (market heads) across Benin markets to provide further clarification on the issue.
Although details of the meeting were not immediately disclosed, palace sources said it was convened in response to the tension generated by Ibhaguezejele’s purported installation.
During Tinubu-Ojo’s visit to the palace last Thursday, Oba Ewuare II had explained that the Iyaloja concept was alien to Benin culture, noting that each market in the kingdom is traditionally headed by an Iyeki—a woman chosen by traders and spiritually connected to the palace.
“In Benin, there is nothing like an ‘Iyeki-General,’ which this Iyaloja title seems to suggest,” the BTC statement clarified.
“Each Iyeki emerges from among the market women, is presented to the Palace for confirmation, and once approved, is installed by her peers. Every Iyeki is independent, culturally and spiritually tied to the Palace, and performs specific rituals for the well-being of the market.”
The palace strongly cautioned against the politicisation of market leadership or the use of trade associations as political tools.
“These twin factors are antithetical and inimical to the essence of our market tradition in Benin culture,” the statement read.
“We advise that the function of Iyeki should not be politicised. Any deviation from this age-old cultural system may lead to a breach of peace. The BTC therefore urges the state government to take cognisance of this warning to avoid a breakdown of law and order.”
The palace also warned politicians and market leaders to stop invoking the name of the Oba to legitimise their political activities.
“We hear comments such as ‘the Oba’s word is final’ in this Iyaloja saga. But were these words respected in the past when some leaders used market women as political pawns?” the BTC queried.
“The former market leader, Blacky Ogiemien, was once advised by the Palace to desist from such practices but continued despite warnings.”
Meanwhile, reacting to the ongoing controversy, Ogiemien said market women in Edo State are apolitical and would continue to support any government in power while remaining loyal to the Oba.
Speaking by phone on Wednesday, she said, “We work with any government in power. It was Lucky Igbinedion who handed us to Senator Oserhiemen Osunbor; when Osunbor left, we worked with Oshiomhole, and he later told us to work with Governor Obaseki. There’s a process for leadership selection, and no one can just appoint themselves coordinator.”
On the Oba’s planned meeting and the directive against politicisation, she added, “We are all one. Anytime the Oba wants us, we will be there. If the Oba says we should not be involved in politics again, there’s no problem about that.” (Punch)
Emmanuel Macron’s first prime minister on Tuesday urged the cornered French head of state to resign in a shock call that compounded an escalating political crisis.
The intervention by Edouard Philippe, Macron’s longest-serving prime minister from 2017 to 2020 and who now heads an allied political party, came as frustration grew even within the president’s own camp over the biggest domestic political crisis of his eight years in office.
Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu, appointed less than a month ago, stepped down on Monday morning after failing to rally support across the centre-right coalition for his new government, which is also only supported by a minority in parliament.
Macron ordered him to make a last-ditch effort to rally support for a coalition government, but there was no sign of progress with the far-right refusing to even attend a meeting.
France’s next presidential elections are scheduled to take place in 2027 and are seen as a historic crossroads in French politics, with the French far right under Marine Le Pen sensing its best chance yet of taking power.
Macron is constitutionally barred from seeking a third mandate.
Philippe, who has already declared he will stand, said the polls should be held early once a budget is passed, in comments Le Parisien daily described as “political bomb”.
Denouncing a “distressing political game”, he said it was up to Macron to help France “emerge in an orderly and dignified manner from a political crisis that is harming the country”.
“He must take the decision that is worthy of his function, which is to guarantee the continuity of the institutions by leaving in an orderly manner,” Philippe told the RTL broadcaster.
France has been locked in a political crisis since Macron’s gamble to hold legislative elections in the summer of 2024 backfired and resulted in a hung parliament and a strengthened far right.
In a scathing editorial, the Le Monde daily said the crisis was “yet another demonstration of the unravelling” of Macron’s second mandate following his win in the 2022 presidential elections.
“The president finds himself in a major crisis,” it said.
The domestic isolation of the president, who was filmed Monday walking alone by the banks of the Seine deep in a telephone conversation, contrasts with his clout on the international stage where he is seeking to end Russia’s war on Ukraine alongside President Donald Trump. (Punch)
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