Court Grants Sowore N200m Bail *Lists fresh conditions

 

The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, granted bail to online publisher and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.

Aside a N200 million bail with two sureties, one of them must be a traditional ruler in Sowore’s community in Ese-Odo Local Government Area in Ondo State.

The second surety, the court ruled, must have landed property within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Also, Sowore is to surrender his international passport to the court’s deputy registrar for safekeeping. The court held that both sureties must be verified by counsel to the prosecution, Akinlolu Kehinde, SAN.

Following Sowore’s absence in court, the judge, on June 16, 2026, revoked the bail he granted Sowore on “self-recognition” last December. Thereafter, he issued a bench warrant for the politician’s arrest after he failed to appear in court for his trial on allegations bordering on cybercrime and criminal defamation.

Last Tuesday, Justice Umar ordered that Sowore be kept in the Kuje Correctional Centre until his motion for a stay of the execution of the order for the revocation of his bail and bench warrant is determined.

Justice Umar dismissed Sowore’s other application that the judge be withdrawn from further presiding over his trial on the ground of alleged bias.

The Department of State Services (DSS) is prosecuting Sowore over alleged criminal defamation arising from claims that he referred to President Bola Tinubu as a “criminal” in posts made on his official X and Facebook accounts.

The defendant’s lawyer, R. O. Adakole, however, appealed to the judge that Sowore be released to him to enable him get his passport from the US embassy in Lagos.

Justice Umar Mohammed adjourned to July 6, 2026, for continuing of hearing

The End Of A 180-Year Tradition: King Charles Will No Longer Stay in Buckingham Palace

King Charles III has decided not to move into Buckingham Palace once its decade-long £369 million refurbishment is completed in 2027, ending a tradition dating back nearly 190 years.

King Charles III has decided he will not make Buckingham Palace his permanent residence once its extensive refurbishment is completed next year, bringing to an end a royal tradition that has defined the British monarchy for nearly two centuries. 

Instead, King Charles and Queen Camilla will continue living at Clarence House, the London residence they have occupied for years, even after the £369 million restoration project concludes in March 2027.

The decision marks a significant shift in how Britain’s royal household will operate. While Buckingham Palace will remain the monarchy’s official headquarters and the centrepiece of state ceremonies,

 it will no longer serve as the sovereign’s principal home. Palace officials say the change reflects both practical considerations and a broader effort to make the landmark more accessible to the public.

One or the royal aides stressed that the move does not diminish Buckingham Palace’s constitutional importance. Instead, they described it as an evolution in how the monarchy uses one of Britain’s most recognisable buildings while preserving its historic role.. 

 it will no longer serve as the sovereign’s principal home. Palace officials claims that the change will now reflects both practical considerations and a broader effort to make the landmark more accessible to the public.

Although King Charles will continue residing at Clarence House, Buckingham Palace will remain the principal venue for official royal business. State banquets, diplomatic receptions, investiture ceremonies, audiences with the Prime Minister and annual garden parties will continue to be held at the palace.

James Chalmers, the King’s Treasurer and Keeper of the Privy Purse, said Buckingham Palace would continue serving as the operational heart of the monarchy.

“It is and will remain monarchy HQ, the crown jewel of our national buildings, with the sovereign’s standard flying proudly from the roof whenever His Majesty is in London,” Chalmers told reporters.

Officials also confirmed that the King will retain private accommodation inside the palace for occasional overnight stays when official duties require him to remain there.

The decision is expected to expand visitor access to Buckingham Palace once refurbishment is complete. 

About 700,000 people currently visit the State Rooms each year during seasonal openings, and royal officials believe wider access will strengthen the palace’s role as one of Britain’s most significant public heritage sites.

Notably, neither King Charles nor the late Queen Elizabeth II has spent a night at Buckingham Palace since 2019 because of the ongoing refurbishment wInstead, 

King Charles and Queen Camilla will continue living at Clarence House, the London residence they have occupied for years, even after the £369 million restoration project concludes in March 2027.

The decision marks a significant shift in how Britain’s royal household will operate. While Buckingham Palace will remain the monarchy’s official headquarters and the centrepiece of state ceremonies,

 it will no longer serve as the sovereign’s principal home. Palace officials say the change reflects both practical considerations and a broader effort to make the landmark more accessible to the public.

Royal aides stressed that the move does not diminish Buckingham Palace’s constitutional importance. Instead, they described it as an evolution in how the monarchy uses one of Britain’s most recognisable buildings while preserving its historic role.

Although King Charles will continue residing at Clarence House, Buckingham Palace will remain the principal venue for official royal business. State banquets, diplomatic receptions, investiture ceremonies, audiences with the Prime Minister and annual garden parties will continue to be held at the palace.

The decade-long renovation, which began in 2017, has focused on replacing ageing electrical wiring, plumbing, heating systems and other essential infrastructure that had remained largely unchanged for around six decades.

 Officials have repeatedly warned that without the works, the palace may faced increasing risks from electrical faults, fire hazards and ageing utilities.

The latest royal financial accounts released alongside the announcement also revealed that King Charles has become the first British monarch to publicly disclose the amount of tax he pays.

According to the accounts, the King voluntarily paid £12.9 million in tax during 2024–25, following £11.7 million the previous financial year. Palace officials said he has now paid more than £30 million in taxes since ascending the throne in 2022.

Although British monarchs are exempt from paying income, capital gains and inheritance taxes under law, Charles has continued the voluntary arrangement introduced by Queen Elizabeth II in 1993.

The accounts further show that the Sovereign Grant, which funds official royal duties, will fall from £137.9 million to £99.9 million in 2027–28 following the completion of Buckingham Palace’s refurbishment. 

Funding will continue to support essential maintenance across occupied royal residences, cybersecurity improvements and energy-efficiency upgrades, including replacing ageing boiler systems at Windsor Castle.

NGO Seeks Support For Youth Development Through Vocational Training

Titilolami Bello, the Founder of Path to Possibilities, a UK-registered Charity Organisation, has called for more investment in education and vocational training to equip young Nigerians with practical skills.

Bello made the call during the 10 years anniversary and graduation ceremony of beneficiaries of the organisation’s tailoring programme at its resource centre at Ikota in Ajah on Sunday.

She emphasize that such investment would reduce the growing number of out-of-school children in the country, noting that the country topped the chart of Nations with the highest out-of-school children.

“We need to diversify education through vocational training and practical skills to engage more out of school children.

“Government at all levels in the country must commit more funds to enhance education and vocational skills development,” she said

She said the organisation was founded in 2009, while its community resource centre was established in 2016 to provide access to books, computer training, and vocational education for underserved children and youths.

According to her, the centre operates a library and computer laboratory with free internet access and full-time instructors who teach children basic digital skills and computer literacy.

“Many schools within the community lack computer laboratories, they depend on the centre to expose their pupils to practical computer education through scheduled visits.

“The resource centre also serves as a safe space where vulnerable girls could obtain sanitary products and other essential support without discrimination.

“We also organise workshops on CV writing and interview skills so that young people can compete confidently for employment opportunities,” she said.

According to her, Path to Possibilities introduced tailoring training in 2025 to equip out-of-school youths and secondary school graduates with employable skills and improve their economic opportunities.

” We are happy to graduate the first set of students, five in number from the tuition free 12 months training on tailoring,” she said.

Bello identified poor electricity supply as the organisation’s major challenge, adding that plans were already on to install a solar power system to ensure uninterrupted learning activities and reduce operating costs.

According to Bello, thousands of children have benefited from computer literacy, digital drawing, vocational training and access to sanitary pads provided through partnerships with supporters and charitable organisations.

Bello commended the organisation partners for supporting the centre through donations, training programmes and other interventions that had strengthened its impact on the community.

She also appealed to established fashion designers to provide apprenticeship opportunities for graduates of the tailoring programme to enable them acquire advanced skills and build sustainable careers.

Bello noted that tackling youth unemployment and educational challenges required government and private collaboration to develop the country’s human capital.

Speaking also, Ms Funmilola Akanmu, a Trustee and Director at the organisation, said that the organisation was established to impact communities by providing educational opportunities for underprivileged children.

Akanmu said the organisation began by sponsoring six years of secondary school education for children selected through an assessment programme conducted by the charity..

According to her, the organisation has sponsored no fewer than 20 students through secondary school and hopes to sponsor additional children during the current year.

“Path to Possibilities covers the school fees, uniforms, books and every educational requirement of these students for six years without any financial contribution from their parents.

“Some of the children are orphans and children from single-parent families unable to afford secondary school education and those from underprivileged background,” she saidThe director disclosed that the organisation’s resource centre accommodated 500 children daily, who visit to read books, participate in reading programmes and learn computer skills.

According to her, the centre also operates scheduled visits from schools around Ikota who bring their pupils to the library at designated periods for reading and learning sessions.

Akanmu, however, expressed hope that improved funding and stronger support for state schools would improve access to secondary education for more children in the state and country at large.

One of the beneficiaries, Jimoh Orilowo said he was delighted at the opportunity given to him by the charity to learn tailoring.

Orilowo, an handicap, noted that the experience at first was challenging for him due to his disability but was able to overcome it due to encouragement and support from his tutor and people at the charity.

Adding.“I am grateful to Path to Possibilities for seeing ability in my disability through the opportunity they gave me, I can cut and sew even with the one hand,” he said.

The beneficiaries were presented with free sewing machines and certificates. (NAN)

State of The Nation not Peculiar to this time -Anglican Bishop

The challenges confronted by the people of God nowadays is not new or peculiar to this generation but, have happened in the past according to the scriptures of the Holy Bible. This assertion was made by the Lord Bishop of Kabba,Kogi

State,Rt. Venerable Steve Akobe on Thursday during the opening Service of the Third Session of the 9th Synod of the Diocese of Ibadan North currently going on at Saint Paul's Anglican Church,Yemetu, Ibadan with the theme"In Times L ike These" Esther 4:13-14 Bishop Akobe observed that the difference was that the People of God's reactions and reasoning to the development at that time was at variants to that of the present time. While sighting many examples from the scriptures of the Holy Bible from Ester; David;Joseph;Daniel and many others,he said Christians were no more look at as a role model and examples of core values of God's teaching and identity. The Cleric noted that the Theme of the Synod was calling on Christians to stand-up to the task and never compromise for financial and material gains. According to him.People of God in the Bible survived the turbulent period despite all the draconian laws of the ruling class because of their strong belief despite knowing that the penalty was dealt. Bishop Akobe maintained that it was the grace of God that they enjoyed because God had a purpose for them. He urged Christians to stand for Christ identity so, as not to fall out because the immorality within the society, churches,families and students are unacceptable to the Christian life and could spell doom for the generations yet unborn if not checked in times like this.

Pope Francis buried in Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, better known as Pope Francis, who died on Monday, April 21, 2025, at the age of 88 in Vatican City, has been laid to rest in the Basilica of St. Mary Major in Italy. Pope was buried inside his favourite Rome church after a funeral mass in St Peter’s Square, the Vatican said on Saturday, April 26. The Argentinian pontiff, was laid to rest during a 30-minute burial ceremony which started at 1:00 pm (1100 GMT) at the Santa Maria Maggiore basilica in the Italian capital. As reported by PEOPLE, the pontiff's funeral began on the morning of Saturday, April 26, in St. Peter’s Square in front of St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. The service was led by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals and concluded with the Ultima commendatio and the Valedictio. Following the Mass, Francis' coffin was transferred via a much-watched procession to the basilica of St. Mary Major for a private burial, making him the first pope in more than a century not to be interred at St. Peter's Basilica. "The Pope's final resting place is the Basilica of St. Mary Major in central Rome. Meanwhile. Senate President Godswill Akpabio led a five-member Nigerian delegation to the funeral of Pope Francis at Vatican City. The delegation was constituted by President Bola Tinubu and includes prominent clergy and diplomats such as Archbishop Matthew Kukah and Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu.

OYSG SET UP TEAM TO GET ZERO TOLERANCE TO ROAD CARNAGE.

The Oyo State Government has again directed the formation of experts on motor traffic management to fashion out the possibility of having a Zero Tolerance situation for carnage and loss of property. The Press statement issue out in lbadan on Friday 25th of April 2025, signed by Bisi Bakake a Veteran Journalist/ Motor Trafic Management Exppert. The team according to the statement confirm that it's comprises eminent members of Fellows of Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (FICILT) Portland Palace, UK; Legal icon; and members of the Press in conjunction with contributions from Raod Safety experts within the State. According to a statement from the Team which held its maiden meeting on Wednesday 23rd 2025 in Ibadan, the move was necessitated by recent statistical analysis of road accidents in Nigeria,which showed that road traffic accidents occurred daily in the country killing an average of 14 persons. The statement added that 80 percent of victims were male who fell within productive labor force of between 20 and 50 years of age. It added that human error was found to be responsible for over 80 percent of road accidents (https;// keffi. Nsuk. edu . ng .d.... The Chairman of the Team is Major R O A Salawu rtd , the initiator of the first Road Safety experiment in Nigeria which began in Oyo State . Others are Prof. Adesoji Adesanya of NISER Ibadan; Engr. Tunde Ayangbesan ; Dr. Fasanmade Phillips; Barrister Kamisi Olukunle; Veteran Bisi Bakare of Oyo State League of Veteran Journalists; Engr. Aboderin Adewale; Engr. Victor Akintunde Engr.Akomolafe Emmanuel and Mr. Mukaila Olayiwola. At the meeting members suggested ways of improving on the existing and present road safety activities through education, technology; traffic games and the social media with a view to enhance the knowledge and understanding of the general public with regards to safety on the road. It was agreed that the public should understand that accidents do not just occur but are caused. According to the Chairman, the Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde will in no distance time inaugurate the committee.

International Airport Project: Gov. Makinde connects Oyo with Global market - YCE

 Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo state has been  praised for his prompt commitment towards infrastructural  development  in  Oyo State, the  political  Headquarters of the Yoruba race.

Prof. Nurai Bolanle Tanimowo  chairman Youruba Council of Elders (YCE) Oyo State chapter made this known in a chat with the Transview magazine online. 

Speaking further on the flagging - off the  first phase upgradement of Ladoke Akinola Airport Alakia area of lbadan to the international standard will go a long way in boosting the social economy of the Yoruba region. 

The YCE, chairman however describe , Govern,,or Makinde as one among the true sons of the Yoruba race with integrity and love for his people.

The grand breaking event will not only boost the social economy of the state after the completion of the project in twelve months but will connect the south west of Nigeria with the global market and make lbadan the global market hub, the Don laments. 

The project is expected to cost 41 billion Naira. 

For your advertisement contact us on 0814 6532 265.

YCE. Lauds Gov. Makinde, Congratulate Oba Rasheed Ladoja

 Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE. ) urged the Yoruba worldwide to see themselves as a body and brothers keepers to one another. 

Professor Nurai Bolanle Tanimowo, the new chairman of the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE.) Oyo State chapter made the points in lbadan at the emmagency meeting of the chapter.

Speaking further Prof. Tanimowo tasked YCE. members to have collective responsibility in the project YCE that will make it more easier for the recovery of it's lost glory, so that all efforts of it's founding fathers will not be in vain. 

While pledging open administration in the  state and synergy with the national body of the YCE

. The chairman lauds Gov. Seyi Makinde wonderful parformances on governance in Oyo State and also congratulates, His lmperial Royal  Majesty Oba Owolabi Olakunlehin the 43rd Olubadan of lbadanland and the Otun Olubadan, His Royal Highness Oba Rasheed Adewolu Ladoja.

Top  on the list of the meeting agenda was the election of the chapter's Exco. Chief S. A. Omilabu Gandhi (snr.) Vice Chairman. Dr. Bayo Adekola State Sec. Chief Mrs. Wura Adepoju. Treasurer, Comrade Sam Agbetuyi. Financial Sec. Alh. Chief Waheed Apalowo. Wefare Sec 1, and, Alh. Comrade Akano. Welfare 2 ,

Others are Baale Yemi Ogunyemi. Publicity Sec, lmam Alh. Rabiu. Chaplain (lslam) Alh. Chief Adegboyega. Ex - Officio 1, Engr. Ogunlade (JP) Ex - Officio 2, Chief Mrs. Daramola. Ex - Officio 3 and Alhaja Gbadamosi. Ex - Officio 4.