EAGLES EYE UPDATE

A former Minister of Works, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, has resigned his appointment as the Pro-Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta. Ogunlewe, who notified our correspondent of his resignation in an interview on Wednesday, cited personal reasons for his decision. The former minister, the Vice-Chancellor of FUNAAB, Prof. Olusola Oyewole; and the Bursar of the institution, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi, were recently arraigned before the Ogun State High Court, Abeokuta on 18 counts, bordering on conspiracy, stealing, obtaining money by false pretences and abuse of office. They had pleaded not guilty to the charges. Ogunlewe, however, said his resignation was not connected to the EFCC case. He said, “I have decided to resign my appointment as Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta with immediate effect. This is due to personal reasons. “I sincerely thank the Federal Government for giving me the opportunity to serve...

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the Federal Government to intervene in the victimisation of workers reporting cases of corruption to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). NLC President, Mr Ayuba Wabba called for the immediate reinstatement of 23 members of Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) sacked by the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) The NLC president made this known in a letter to the Minister of Education, Mr Adamu Adamu and a copy was made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday. In the letter, Wabba said: “Between Nov. 8 and Nov.11, 23 members of SSANU have been relieved of their appointments maliciously and vindictively. “They were victimised for reporting cases of corruption to the EFCC. “SSANU, one of our affiliate, has informed us that its members at the FUNAAB have been victimised. “Do permit us to observe that the actions of the Council and Manage...

Samuel Kanyon Doe (May 6, 1951 – September 9, 1990) was a Liberian politician who served as the leader of Liberia from 1980 to 1990. Then Master Sergeant Doe served as chairman of the People's Redemption Council and de facto head of state after staging a violent coup d'etat in 1980; he killed President William R. Tolbert, Jr., and executed many of his True Whig Party supporters. Doe disbanded the constitution and headed the country's military junta for the next five years. In 1985 he ordered an election and officially became the 21st President of Liberia. The election was marked by controversy as there was evidence of election fraud. Doe enjoyed decisive support from the United States; it was a strategic alliance due to his anti-Soviet stance taken during the years of the Cold War prior to the changes in 1989 that led to the collapse of the Soviet Union. Doe, a member of the Krahn tribe from inland Liberia, was the first indigenous head of state in Liberian history. His p...

Archaeologists in Egypt have unearthed what they describe as a city that dates back more than 5,000 years, containing houses, tools, pottery and huge graves. It lies by the River Nile, close to the Temple of Seti the First in Abydos. Experts say the size of the 15 newly discovered graves indicates the high social standing of those buried. It is believed the city was home to important officials and tomb builders and would have flourished during early-era ancient Egyptian times. The discovery comes at a time when the country is trying re-energise its tourism industry, which has suffered amid militant violence since President Hosni Mubarak was overthrown in 2011. Archaeologists have made a range of finds in the newly-discovered city including buildings, shards of pottery and tools. It is believed that this location was home to important officials and tomb builders who may have been engaged in the construction of royal graves in the nearby sacred city of Abydos - a place of many tem...

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has arraigned the Pro chancellor and Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe and Prof Olusola Bandele Oyewole respectively, for alleged stealing and financial misappropriation of funds at an Ogun state high court sitting in Isabo, Abeokuta, Ogun state capital. Chief Ogunlewe, who is a former senator and former Minister of works was arraigned along-side the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Olusola Oyewole, on an 18 count charge bothering on stealing and fraudulent conversion of the institution’s property. They have however been granted bail by the presiding judge, Justice O.O Majekodunmi, with 50 million Naira each and two sureties in like manner, one of which must have a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court among other conditions. The defendants are to be remanded in prison custody pending the fulfillment of the bail conditions. The case has howeve...

F inally, the tallest statue in Nigeria and the 3rd in Africa (42ft) will be unveiled in honour of Queen Moremi Ajasoro as part of the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty Ooni Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II’s drive to turn Ile-ife as the hub of global tourism destination. The Queen Moremi Ajasoro Statue of Liberty is the first of its kinds in this great fist of cultural exhibition and transformation of Ife into a major tourist zone. Moremi Ajasoro was a brave and pretty queen who in order to solve the problems facing her people, offered anything she had to give in sacrifice to the spirit of Esimirin river so as to discover the strength of the enemies of Oodua race. She is a heroine who liberated the people of Oodua land from slavery invasion of faceless terrorists. While extolling virtues of the great African heroine, the Ooni Ogunwusi praised God for making one of his greatest dreams come to reality within his one-year on the throne of his forefathers. . He described the hero...

Bashorun Gaa was a notable nobleman and leader of the military in the old Oyo Empire during 17th/18th century. He was instrumental to the military conquests during his time as a prime minister. In 17th Century Oyo Kingdom, the monarchical failings came with a succession of uncharitable kings to the exalted throne. Alaafins Odarawu, Kanran, Jayin,Ayibi and Osinyago in the second half of the 17th century were despotic. According to historical records, Odarawu was bad-tempered, Kanran, an unmitigated tyrant, Jayin, effeminate and dissolute, Ayibi cruel and arbitrary and Osinyago, worthless. Internally, Bashorun Gaa as head of the Oyo Mesi, the Oyo council of kingmakers acquired too much power in the process and became Frankenstein monster in the kingdom. In office as prime minister between 1750 and 1774, Bashorun Gaa supervised the dethronement and execution of four successive Alaafins as follows: Alaafin Labisi 1750-spent 17 days Alaafin Awonbioju 1750-spent 130 days Alaafin Agbolu...

MEMBERS of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) yesterday rallied support for the 23 workers sacked by the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) in Ogun State. The association protested the sack by disrupting movement into the campus while they accused the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) of betrayal by releasing the names of the whistleblowers to the management of FUNAAB. As early at 6.30am on Monday, the SSANU members blocked entrance into the Alabata campus of the university with bonfires and vehicles were used in blocking the road, just as the aggrieved protesters continued to chant various anti-management songs. But the university management reacted saying that efforts were being made to resolve the crisis. GatewayMail observed that security personnel, who included men of the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were monitoring the protest to ensure peace and prevent hoodlums from hijackin...

Tension enveloped the crisis – ridden Federal University of Agriculture(FUNAAB), Abeokuta, Ogun State, on Monday morning as hundreds of Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities(SSANU) from universities in Western Zone blocked the access roads to FUNAAB in protest over the sack of 23 of their colleagues by the institution’s management. Scores of  students, visitors, lecturers and other members of the university community caught unaware by the  blockade of the FUNAAB Alabata road, had a hectic time moving to or fro the university. The protesting SSANU used born fire, vehicles and human shield to obstruct traffic flow to draw attention to what they called injustice and victimisation of members by FUNAAB management while motorists rode on greenland to beat the obstructions. Many of the workers simply abandoned their vehicles on the road and trekked, and others managed to board the commercial motor – cycles called Okada in threes to access FUNAAB once r...

T he Governing Council, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNNAB), on Thursday, sacked 18 staff members of the institution, while five others were relieved of their appointments by the institution’s vice chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole, earlier in the week. The decision, was reached at the end of a meeting presided over by the chairman of the Council, Senator Adeseye Ogunlewe, bringing the total of those sacked to 23. All the affected staff were members of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU). Those affected were the three members of the association, Comrades Lasun Somoye, Abdulsalaam Sobbor and E.A Bankole, who allegedly wrote a petition against the institution’s vice chancellor, Professor Olusola Oyewole  and Ogunlewe, over alleged corruption and abuse of office. The meeting was said to have been attended by all members of the council, except the representative of the Federal Ministry of Education. It would be recalled that the duo o...

During World War II, it was quite common to build underground bunkers that were disguised by the landscape above them. This was particularly common in Britain as they attempted to gather information and monitor the skies without being detected by the Nazis flying overhead. One such bunker sits in Cornwall in Great Britain. Built in 1942, this bunker was manned 24 hours a day and was crucial to the war efforts against the Nazis. It didn’t look like much at the time, much like this abandoned building that once housed Nazis. But when I saw what the bunker looks like now, 73 years later, I had to know more! After sitting empty and abandoned for decades, a woman named Elizabeth Strutton purchased the World War II bunker, which was in an incredible state of disarray and disrepair, similar to this shelter in the Netherlands. After spending five years to convert the underground space, Elizabeth has created one of the most stunning and beautiful homes ever. When I saw the bef...